Chess Pieces #2: Hunter Sanford

Chapter 15

I don't know how long I've been staring at the ceiling since the moment I woke up. Nablanko ang utak ko sa kung nasaan ako. I thought that I'm in some hotel room but this doesn't looks like one. Then I heard the laughter from the kids outside and that's when I realized where I am.

I'm in Hunter's beach house in Palawan and I'll be here with him for three months. Until now, I can't believe that I agreed with his plan of taking me here even though he kinda kidnapped me. I could still refuse to go with him that time but here I am now.

Is it because I really wanted to overcome the pain that Joshua gave me? Ganoon ko nga talaga sya siguro kamahal para umabot pa ako sa ganito.

I sighed as I got up. I wonder how long will it takes for me to mend my broken heart. Even if Hunter offered his help, I know na sa akin pa rin manggagaling ang malaking hakbang. Hunter is just here to support me. Everything is up to me.

I have a pure heart before the heartbreak happened. It's easy for me to trust someone. Hindi ako mabilis maghinala and that's the reason why Apollo is being overprotective to me. Alam nyang madali lang akong masaktan ng mga tao dahil sa bilis kong magtiwala sa kanila. Even my friends back then. I trusted and treat them as my friends pero iba pala ang gusto nila sa akin. They want the fame of being a friend of a Gallagher. Others used me dahil naman sa mga kapatid ko.

Then here comes Joshua. The first man who I ever trusted besides my family. The first man who I gave my heart to. But he choose not only to break my heart, but also to break my trust. And it scares me that all those heartaches and trusts that people broke might change me someday. Natatakot ako na baka hindi ko na magawang magtiwala. I'm scared that I'll become someone with no feelings at all.

I want to be strong like Daphne. She experienced a lot of pain compared to mine and yet, she's still my sweet and lovely bestfriend that I met before. Kung may nagbago man sa kanya, iyon ay mas naging malakas sya dahil sa mga pinagdaanan nya.

They say that time heals all wounds, but I do not agree. Not all wounds can heal with time. Other wounds will remain even after ten or hundred years. And time will just blur the memories.

I don't know if I'll be able to love again with how I loved Joshua. I don't know if I can still pour all my love to someone. But I guess it's a good thing, right? Kailangan ko rin namang magtira ng pagmamahal para sa sarili ko.

I went to the bathroom and did my morning routine. It's a good thing that this room has its own bathroom. Hindi ko na kailangan pang lumabas. I don't want others to see my morning face.

Lumabas ako and found out that the house is empty. I looked at the clock and saw that it's already ten in the morning. Wow, how long did I stare at the ceiling ba kanina? Iniwan na tuloy ako ng mga tao dito. Tapos na siguro silang breakfast.

I went out of the house and saw the two kids, Christian and Aira, playing again. Naghahabulan na naman sila. I sat at the stone stairs outside the house. At sa baba ng batong mga hagdan ay buhangin na.

Aira stopped running when she saw me. She waved at me and I waved back. Imbes na ipagpatuloy ang paghahabulan nila ay lumapit sila sa akin.

"Hello po, Ate Artemis." bati nila at umupo sa magkabilang gilid ko. Pawis na pawis sila dahil sa ginawang pagtakbo.

"Wait. Stay here. Kukuha lang ako ng towel." I said and went inside the house again to look for a towel para pamunas ng pawis nila. Kinuha ko na rin pati ang baby powder.

Bumalik ako sa tabi nila and started wiping their sweats. They were shy pa nga at first and insisted na sila na lang ang gagawa pero sabi ko ay ako na.

I remember back then. Apollo was the one who's taking care of me. I don't like our babysitter kasi to touch me. Ganoon ako kaarte before. Kaya si Apollo ang nag aalaga sa akin noon 'cause Kuya Helios was traing under Dad's supervision to take over the Gallagher Empire.