Forbidden

Chapter 18

I still am confused of what I am feeling towards Jared.

Hindi ko naman makausap iyung mga pinsan ko.

Surely we are really close but I never shared personal matters about me with them.  Well, I share naman pero pinipili ko lang.

Hindi lang ako komportable makipag open-up sa kanila sa mga ganyang bagay-bagay.

"Sky!" I saw Jho in the distance smiling at me weakly.

But, I can have a 'girl talk' with this lady, right?

After all, we became friends. Friend ko siya. Hindi ko alam kung mutual na iyon.

"Jho," I waved at her. "So what's up?"

"Fine," matipid niyang sagot. Tumango-tango na lang ako.

Bumalot ang katahimikan sa aming dalawa.

"I have something to tell you," sabay naming wika.

"Ikaw na ang mauna," sabi ko na lang. I guess the thing she's going to tell me is more important than mine.

"You can go first if you'd like," aniya.

"Okay lang," sabi ko.

"Fine." She heaved a sigh.

Hindi palangiti si Jho. She's aloof at hindi siya iyung tipong nakikipagkaibigan sa kung sino-sino lang. Mas pinili niyang maging loner, di'ba?

She rarely smile. Kaya maiisip ng iba na problemado siya pero sa totoo hindi.

But now, obvious na obvious na may pinagdadaanan itong babaeng ito.

"You know my Father died, right?" She said.

Yes," I replied. "Why? Is it his death anniversary today?"

"No," sabi niya. "Last month pa iyun."

"So, what?"

She breathe sharply. "Will you please stop interupting?"

"Yah. Sure.. Sorry." Napangiwi ako.

"Dad died last year and now our company might fall to declination."

"And so? Mawawala ang kompanya niyo?"

"Not really that soon. Pero maybe. Unti-unti ng nalulugi iyung kompanya. And we are trying our best to prevent that," sabi niya. "And hanggang ngayong semester na lang ako makakapag-aral. I don't know if I could still study for the next sem."

"WHAT THE EFF!" My voice was loud that many people turned their gazes at us.

Agad akong nag 'peace sign' sign sa mga tao.

Dahil kahihiyan ito para kay Jho, ay hinila niya ako paalis sa lugar na iyon at nagpatianod na lamang ako sa kanya.

"Please, do minimize your voice," saway niya sa akin.

"But why?" This is extremely absurd!

"I have to help my Mom. The company! Going school... basta! Mataas na halaga ang magiging implicit cost sa edukasyon. Not like if I stop ang help my company. Mas makakatipid."

"What an unwise decision! Ano sa tingin mo ang mangyayari sa'yo? Wala! You will be stuck on zero," wika ko. "Mas malala iyon sa square one!"

"This is just for a while. Hindi naman permanente. If everything goes back to what it is... I promise babalik ako sa pag-aaral." She said.

"Is their any other way?"

"Wala na," sabi niya. "Wala na akong choice. If you think about it. The money for my education might help us. Ayoko namang ibenta ang bahay namin. We already lost almost everything. I can't afford to loose the house and the company. Ito iyung mahalaga para kay dad."

Napabusangot ako at mas nabigla. Dela Torre looked fine. Pero hindi na pala. Parang nung isang araw lang, okay pa. Ngayon, hindi na.

At bakit biglaan?!

"Sandali, sandali," sabi ko. "I do not understand. Why are you telling me all of the sudden?!"

Bumuntong-hininga ulit siya. "Hindi ito biglaan. Honestly, after dad died, doon na nag-simula ang problema namin. We failed to run it just like how dad ran it when he was still alive."

"Bakit ngayon mo lang nasabi sa akin?"

She remained silent unable to meet my eyes.

Silly me! Bakit ko pa nga ba tinanong? May trust issue pala itong babaeng ito!

"Nevermind my question," sabi ko.

"The truth is that, nahihiya akong sabihin ito sa iyo," pahayag.

"And you don't trust me fully," dagdag ko.

"No. Mali iyang iniisip mo! Hindi ganun. Ayoko lang ipagsabi sa iyo ang problema namin," sabi niya. "That is our problem at wala kang kinalaman doon."

"And why are you telling this to me now?"  Tanong ko.

"I can't conceal this any further. Kailangan ko rin ipalabas ito. Mababaliw ako kapag sosolohin ko ito. Gusto ko lang ipalabas. Gusto ko lang ng kausap na handang makinig sa akin. Iyun lang."

"Well, you know that I'm here, ready to listen to you. And trust me, this will remain confidential between us," sabi ko. "How did your company... you know... end up like this?"

"Galing sa kahirapan si Mommy. Nagmahalan at nagpakasal siya kay Daddy na isang dela Torre. My Lola supported his son as long as he's happy; however, his siblings didn't. They look at Mom as someone that is not worth to be a part of the family. In short, matapobre sila. My mom didn't reach their standards. They hate my mom and called her all sort of names. Slut, gold digger, whore and other names. My dad kept defending her at nag-away silang magkakapatid. And they end up to part ways. Magkanya-kanya. At pinutol nila ang anumang namamagitan sa kanila."

Bigla kong naalala ang sinabi ni Adi tungkol sa ina ni Jho.

"Why do you hate her?" I asked.

"She's a bitch. Her mother is a whore and a gold digger," sagot ni Adi.

That is why...

That is why Adi disliked her so much!

"Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Maghihirap na kami!" Aniya.

"No one offered to help you?" I asked.

"Stockholders pulled out their stocks all of a sudden," sabi niya. "We find some investors and asked them to invest in our company. But then, they turned down the offer. What's left of us is us. Pero may kaibigan na tumutulong sa amin. May stockholders pa rin namang natitira. Maybe for the sake of loyalty and all because of Dad. But still... that was not enough. Small timers lang ang natitira and I hope they would not pull out. Those big timers are assholes!"

"If ever, what will happen to the company?"

"Nothing. Someone might buy it," she responded. She covered her face out of frustration. She's really upset.

"I'm really sorry about this, Sky," sabi niya at napasinghap. "I can't take this anymore."

"Okay lang," sabi ko. "Though, I want to help."

If only, I could ask my parents to. Kaso walang interes sina Papa sa business nina Jhoanne.

Liningon niya ako. "Listening to me is already a big help. Thanks!"

I manage to smile at her. I don't like it when someone feels down.

"How about you?" Bigla siyang napatanong. "What do you want to tell me?"

Narinig ko na ang problema niya and I think she is not in the shape to give me advices. She has been preoccupied with her issue.

"Nawala na sa utak ko eh," sabi ko. "But don't worry. That wasn't really important."

Tumango-tango lang siya.

Hindi naman ganoon ka importante iyung sa akin. That could be set aside.

👗