Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 28

Hindi ko alam kung bakit kahit na ihayag ni Gio ang kanyang mga rason ay hindi pa rin ako sang-ayon dito dahil alam kong sa likod ng mga inihahayag niyang mga rason ay ako ang pinakaugat nito. Pagkatapos nito ay kakausapin ko siya ng maigi patungkol sa padalos-dalos niyang desisyon.

"Gio, are you sure about that?" Hindi na napigilan ni Mommy ang pananahimik. "Alam na ba ng mga magulang mo patungkol sa desisyon mong 'to?"

Agad na nilingon ni Gio sa Mommy upang masagot ang kanyang tanong. "My parents never fail in supporting me with my decision, Tita," sabi niya. "Alam kong maiintindihan at susuportahan din nila ang desisyon ko ngayon."

Kita ko sa ekspresyon ni Mommy and pag-aalala at hindi pagsang-ayon sa desisyon ni Gio. For once, we had a mutual agreement because of that.

"And by the way, Uncle Julian..." Muling nilingon ni Gio si Mayor Valiente. "Instead of Iarra, I'll be the one to help Leo. Gamay ko na ang lupain ninyo na kanyang mamanahin kaya mas lalong magiging madali sa kanya kung ako ang magtuturo sa kanya."

"We already had an agreement, Gio," Mayor Valiente stated. "Iarra will extend her help to Leo in exchange for a portion of our land in England. Even if I approve your reasons, we still need to follow the agreement, right?"

Gio lazily cocked his head to one side. "Is there some kind of contract or commitment paper for the said agreement, Uncle? What are its clauses? May I see the terms?" he fired out questions.

"Well... there isn't..." Mayor Valiente honestly answered his question with hesitation.

Lumiwanag naman ang mukha ni Gio. "Kung wala naman po pala ay walang magiging problema."

I saw Mayor Valiente glanced at my mother before my eyes drifted to Leo who was just staring at his plate and didn't bother looking up again.

Their argument ended with Gio winning every problem. Pakiramdam ko ay nakikinig ako ng hearing sa korte sa unang bahagi ng aming pagkain ng hapunan. Mabuti na lang at nagsimula nang mangulit si Dhan kaya napunta na sa kanya ang buong atensyon ng lahat ngunit nanatili pa ring tahimik si Leo.

I know he was pissed off. It was plastered all over his face that made him look so deadly.

Well, I'm not dense. I know he was trying to test Gio's patience earlier, but Gio managed to turn the tables around. He dug his own grave and buried himself.

"I wouldn't be able to stay for tonight as well," Gio told me with a very apologetic look. "I need to go home. Sure akong sasabihin ni Tita kay Daddy ang lahat kaya kailangan ko na siyang unahan bago pa malaman ni Mommy."

Napakunot ang aking noo dahil nakuha niya pang magbiro. Nanatili akong nakaupo sa kama habang mariing nakatitig sa kanya at nawala naman ang ngiti sa kanyang labi nang makita ang aking ekspresyon.

"Seryoso ka ba sa mga sinabi mo kanina?" tanong ko sa kanya.

And without inhibitions, he answered, "Of course, I am."

"You can't be serious about that," I told him and purposely made him feel my disappointment regarding his decision.

"If you think that I'm just bluffing, I'm not, Iarra," he cleared it out to me. "Yes, I wanted to piss him off because he seemed so full of himself, but I meant what I said."

"Gio, I know you have stated those valid reasons you have but I know that I'm also a part of your reasons, and I don't want that," I frankly told him. "Yes, I want you to stay by my side but I also care about you, Gio. You've done your part, and I should too. You shouldn't be the only one giving and sacrificing. There should be a give and take relationship because that's what best friends are for."