The Warrior 1: Primo

Chapter 28

BEFORE I GIVE BACK HIS PHONE, I had the opportunity to peek at his wallpaper.

It was us – we were on top of the hood of his car, sitting side-by-side, I was pouting because he didn't let me win while we were racing in one of my driving practice, while he was looking at me, grinning. This is one of the rarest photo of him smiling, he was looking at me like I was his lifeline and like the world shines and ends with me.

I felt a throbbing pain in my heart.

Why did I have to look at that?

"It's rude to stare," he said, his tone is reserved and impassive. "I was too lazy to change it – I'll remove that later," he added.

I gently gave him his phone back.

Jaguar is coming to pick me up later.

Why didn't he tell the others about us will be another conversation I will have to open.

Sa ngayon, I have to know the truth.

"What happened, Primo?" I asked, my eyes darted to him in the rearview mirror. "Don't tell me we didn't have to talk about this because frankly, this is five years overdue."

He didn't answer.

He was just focusing on the road, I thought he would continue being silent but he answered minutes later.

"You don't have to know, Ayah."

I guess we're back on first name basis dahil patapos na ang trabaho niya.

I shook my head bitterly. "Five years ago, I didn't deserve a formal breakup. Five years later, I still don't deserve an explanation? Was it all games to you? Disappearing whenever you want? Coming back when you get bored?"

He looked impassive, like he never wanted to talk about it. "I'm never coming back your way Ayah. I promised Jaguar through the call. I'll take the first flight back to Iran if needed. There's no point in knowing."

"No point?! Primo, I spent the whole two years of my life questioning what happened and you're saying there's no point in knowing? Don't be ridiculous."

Iran, for fuck's sake –

"For you it was two years, but for me it was a whole five years of hell," he said, his voice slightly shaking. "And it didn't stop at that, of all people it's Jaguar that turned out to be your boyfriend! Fucking asshole."

Anger started building up inside me. "Wala kang karapatang sabihin 'yan kay Jaguar! You cannot be angry for the things you chose to let go! Jaguar was there all the time and where were you?!"

He turned to me, his eyes dimmed and looked dangerous. "I had my own fair share of mistake, Ayah. But let's be honest, what he did was disrespectful and the whole squad knows that! Why do you think he can't tell us about you? It's because even him also knows that. The only thing that's keeping me from wringing his neck is the friendship that we had and you – because you will be hurt when he's hurt. And what's frustrating is I can't even blame him, everyone would just magically fall in love with you," he said the last line gently.

But as much as his words were gentle, his driving was not. He was slowly picking up speed, the dangerous kind.

May death wish ba 'to?!

"Kung galit ka, ibaba mo ako! I don't want to die with you," asik ko sa kanya.

He took another sharp turn, the tires were screeching against the ground.

Halos masira ang seatbelt ko dahil sa talim ng pagliko niya.

This is fast but I do racing, it's one of my hobby now. I just don't understand why he's doing this when we're not on the track.