To Fall And Conquer (It Girls Series #2)

Chapter 21

My jaw dropped at what he said. "First of all, your son and I aren't a couple and we will never be! Second, are you hearing yourself, sir? You're saying that I should be grateful dahil may video akong kumakalat sa buong klase? A video where I was being sexually harassed by your son?" I said in disbelief.

"Woah. Sexual harassment is a serious accusation at kung pagbabasihan ang nasa video, it doesn't look like you are being harassed. Gusto mo ang ginagawa sa'yo ng anak ko." Mariin niyang sabi.

I clenched my jaw and I wasn't able to move for a few seconds. This is what I am so afraid of. Alam kong hindi ako papaniwalaan ng marami dahil sa video.

"If my daughter said that she was harassed then she was harassed. That video is not a basis to invalidate what my daughter felt." My Dad interjected with finality and intimidation.

"That video is a proof that your daughter liked what my son is doing to her! They both did! Nagsisinungaling lang 'yang anak mo dahil nahihiya siyang malaman niyo kung anong ginagawa niya sa tuwing nakatalikod kayo. Damn. What kind of father who tolerates his daughter for lying?"

"And what kind of father who tolerates his son for sexual harassing a girl?

At hindi sinungaling ang anak ko! Her mother oriented her well about the things that she must and must not do. Wala siyang dapat na itago sa amin, we are very much open in our family. And when she said that she was harassed, that's what she really felt and you can't invalidate that. My daughter knew what she felt so stop trying to put your nonsense words into her mouth."

My Dad's words and the way he defends me makes my heart feel so full and heavy. I was hurting for him and for my mom and for me. Dapat wala kami dito. We should be at home spending our quality time together because both of them rarely gets home.

"Excuse me but what you said is what more likely how a 'nonsense' sounds to me. Nasa phone mo na nga ang ebidensya ay ipinaglalaban mo pa ang mali ng anak mo." Her mother interjected before looking at me. "If you would just admit that you both wanted what's happening in the video, kanina pa tapos ang usapang ito." She told me, growing impatient.

I was about to reply but no words are coming out. My voice was being taken away with how confident Adam looked and the way he gives me subtle grins as if he was mocking my situation.

Before I could even speak, my mother did for me.

"My daughter already admitted what she felt and she. felt. harassed! Ano ba ang hindi niyo makuha-kuha doon? Ano, ipinaglalaban niyo ang video na 'yon bilang ebidensya? My husband already told you, that video cannot validate what my daughter felt." Buong diing sabi ni Mommy.

Natawa nang pagak ang ina ni Adam. "Hindi ko alam kung makitid ba ang utak niyo o ano. That video already says everything! Your daughter is not harassed like what she's claiming! She's just lying!" She argued confidently.

I'm not lying! Gusto ko siyang sigawan. Why would I lie about something like that?

This is the reason why some women take years before they report the sexual harassment that they've experienced. The fear of what happened to them was still there together with the fear of not being listened to.

Fuck the lack of fairness and equality! Fuck them for choosing to ignore the cries of the victims. The world is not cruel, the people are.

When will women can freely walk through the streets without the fear of being catcalled and harassed? When will all these disgusting sexual abuse to both men and women stop?

My mom let out a short disbelieving laugh. "It is very disappointing to hear a woman defending a man who committed a sexual harassment to a woman. Kung ako ang ina ng anak mo— at salamat sa Diyos dahil hindi— I would have disowned him the moment I knew that he harassed a woman! Pero ikaw ipinaglalaban mo pa talaga, ano?" Mom said in full sarcasm before shaking her head.