Owned And Treasured ✔︎

Chapter 3

SECRET

“That doesnʼt sound like a punishment.” pinagkrus niya ang braso niya at tumingin ng seryoso sa ʼkin.

“I know.” I simply said.

“Then bakit ʼyon ang naisip mo? Donʼt you love your self?” sumandal siya sa upuan niya nang nakakrus pa rin ang braso.

“Yep. I hate my life, my attitude, my self.” tumikhim ako. Kanina pa ako nagmamaneho at hanggang ngayon ʼdi ko alam kung saan ko dadalhin ang sarili ko. We should be at Scottsdale Academy now, but still, weʼre on the road.

“May I know why?”

“I hate being a Scottsdale, I hate my self for being arrogant and rude, I hate my self because Iʼm in the present.”

“What do you mean?”

“So I want you to teach me to love my self.”

Parang hindi na siya ʼyung mapaparusahan kung tuturuan niya akong mahalin ang sarili ko. Hindi siya, kundi ako.

I want to go back to the past. I want to find my self. I changed the Calvin I know years ago. I changed it because I want my parents to notice me. I was lack of attention and happiness.

I call my self rude, arrogant, pervert, womanizer, a bully, and worst—Iʼm just being what my parents think of me because I love them. I donʼt want them to lie to themselves.

“Are you serious?” tanong nito.

“I donʼt look like Iʼm joking.” sumeryoso at medyo nagsalubong ang kilay ko. Bakit ba hindi siya kumbinsido ng mga mata ko?

Nagmamakaawa ang mata ko sa kaniya at nanghihingi ito ng tulong. Gusto na kasi pumatak ng luha na namumuo dito.

“How can I teach you when I got the same situation of yours? Not exactly but I think the feelingʼs mutual.” she said. Both eyes had mixed emotions. Red and blue. Anger and sadness. “But worry not, this is my punishment so Iʼll bare with it.”

Now, Iʼm the one who needs to be thankful. How strong she was. Helping others with their feelings but never tended to help her self first. Prioritizing her surroundings before her self. Sheʼs kinda selfless and somehow dumb.

“Huwag mo nang gawin kung hindi mo naman kaya.” walang emosyon na sabi ko. Mas namamanhid ang puso ko ngayon. Ang sakit sa puso pala ng mga isip ko. Gusto ko na lang pigilan ʼyung paghinga ko.

No one will love me like how I love my past self.

“Hindi ko siguradong kaya ko pero pinapangako ko sa ʼyo na gagawin ko ang lahat, mahalin mo lang ang sarili mo.” she smiled.

Her smile was... Something I would never regret seeing for my whole life.

“Bakit napakabait mo?” tanong ko.

“Ano ka ba? Ayaw ko namang pareho tayong malungkot dito. Dapat lang na may isang masaya para may isang mag-aangat sa nasa baba.” Sheʼs very kind and positive thinker.

“You know what, I hate you.” I said then I smiled back at her.

“Why do you hate me?” she smirked.