I Heart Kuya (Completed, 2019)

Chapter 69 - Angel (December 17, 2018)

"What are you doing here?!" Lumapit siya kay Angeli at hinila sa braso papunta sa labas.

"Ouch!"

"What are you doing here?!" Timingin siya kay Graciella na papalabas din. "What is she doing here?!"

"I didn't! I didn't know! Hindi kami magkasama!"

"Hindi kayo magkasama?!" Lenard mockingly asks. His voice full of indignation. Parang babaliktad ang sikmura niya sa lahat ng nangyayari.

This is also besides the fact na nakakahiya kay Jane.

"Dito pa talaga!? Dito pa talaga sa lamay ni Tom?! I know I'm shit and I deserve the worst in the both of you! Pero bakit dito pa!?"

"Why?!" Sumagot si Angeli habang tinatanggal ang pagkakahawak ng kamay ni Lenard. "I'm friends with Tom, okay?!"

"Fvck you!"

"Umalis ka! Umalis ka please. Do you even know what you've done!?"

Even Graciella now is trying to pull Angeli away.

"Why?! What have I done?! Did I cause that to happen?! Grabe namang pag-arte 'yun. I didn't even touched her—" Napatigil sa pagsasalita si Angeli when Lenard held her face. Squeezed her chin intensely.

Masasaktan niya ang babae.

"Lenard..." Ani Graciella na pilit na umaawat.

Wala namang sinasabi si Angeli at sinalubong lang ang mga tingin ni Lenard hanggang ang lalaki na mismo ang bumitiw.

"This is the last time that you're going near me. Near us!"

"Really?!"

"Just scram!!" Sigaw ni Lenard matapos sipain ang gate na nagpalabas sa mga ibang tao.

That's when he started to get his consciousness back. He tried to look like nothing happened. Nagtinginan lang ang lumabas at saka pumasok ulit sa lamay sa loob.

Niyukom ni Lenard ang mga kamao bago bumalik sa loob, hoping for the women to leave.

Napahinga naman siya nang malalim nang maramdamang wala siyang kasunod na pumasok. With his eyes, he tries to find them.

"Nasa taas sila kuya." May nagsalita sa gilid niya. Pagtingin ni Lenard, it's Jewel. Marahil halata ang paghahanap sa mga mata niya kaya ito na mismo ang nagvolunteer ng impormasyon.

"Ah. Yeah." Tumango siya sabay umupo sa gilid. Pretending to be busy tingkering the artificial plants.

Sa labas, mukha siyang bored, but in his mind, he just can't stay put.

It took Lenard a few minutes before his anxiety finally pushed him to follow Miala and Jane upstairs. Dahan-dahan sa una ang paghakbang niya sa taas.

It felt like he is about to face a verdict nobody told him about.

He is sorry for what happened, but also, he is puzzled.

Noong dumungaw lang siya sa pintuan ng kwarto nila Tom, at saka lang niya nakita talaga kung gaano kalala ang trauma na naibigay ni Angeli kay Miala. And he knows hindi lang si Angeli. Pati siya. Isa din naman siya sa dahilan nito.

Sumilip siya and she sees Miala pitifully crying while hugging her knees. Nasa tabi nito si Riley at si Jane na pilit siyang pinapakalma.

"Mia. Just breathe on this again okay? Baka mawalan ka na naman ng hangin." Riley is trying to give her the brown bag.

Pero patuloy ito sa pag-iyak. On her side, Jane is also weeping.

The sound of the cries inside break Lenard's heart. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin para lang mapatigil ito. But he wanted it to stop. He wanted to do something about it.