Cost of Taste | ✓

Kabanata 30

"Ang emo naman no'n," ismid niya. "Parang hindi nag-amok at binigay lahat ng shares niya dahil sa'yo."

He almost gave up his position for me. Pero ayon din kay Etienne, hindi pumayag ang Lolo ni Adren sa naging desisyon niya. At baka nga binawi rin ito ni Adren, he's a level headed person and he knows that giving up his shares is an irrational decision.

"He's hurting, Etienne..." pinikit ko ang aking mga mata. He has all the right reasons to act this way. Sinaktan ko siya.

"Honestly if I knew he was a drama queen, pinabayaan ko na lang na si Tatiana ang naging sagabal sa inyo."

"Maybe, I really should stop..." I sighed. "Siguro nga, hindi talaga kami ang para sa isa't-isa."

Parang domoble ang sakit na nararamdaman ko. This time, I was the recipient of the greater pain of being left behind.

I thought that the last time that I'll meet Tatiana was during the time she was hospitalized. Pero mukhang may balak pa ang tadhana para sa aming dalawa.

Isang araw ay nakasalubong ko siya, she was in a wheelchair and she looked like she was waiting for someone. Nagimbal ako nang bigla siyang lumingon sa direksyon ko. Her innocent smiled smeared on her face.

"Ate..." she went towards me, a hopeful look on her face. "Nauntog ka na ba? Did you realize how much of a slut you are? Tulad ng mama mo po?"

Ngumisi ako.

"I broke up with him, pero hindi ibig sabihin no'n ay magugustuhan ka na niya. Wake up, Snow White. Matagal ka nang nahihimbing sa tulog mo kaya ang lakas mong managinip." I spat out, gritting my teeth after the words left my mouth.

"Oh? Don't you know? I actually told him about your family history. Kung paano'ng nananalaytay sa dugo mo ang pagiging malandi. Like mother, like daughter po!" she giggled, covering her mouth to supressed it.

Napako ako sa aking kinatatayuan.

My lips parted as my gaze flew towards her, she was still giddy.

She did what?

Sinabi niya kay Adren?

Did Adren really thought I was not worth it because of it? Nanikip ang dibdib ko at pakiramdam ko ay sasabog ito sa galit.

"Don't worry, Arrisea. Tulad ni Mommy na inalagaan ang Papa mo, I'll take good care of Adren. He deserves someone pure and I believe that it's me," she blurted out, clasping her hand together. Her sickening smile only made me pissed off.

Dahan-dahan niyang pinaikot ang gulong ng kanyang wheelchair. A ghastly smile appeared on her face.

"You're not pure, Arrisea. Sa aspektong 'yon, hinding-hindi mo ako matatalo. You may have your pretty face, so what? Madumi naman ang tingin sa'yo ng tao..."

Tinawanan ko lang ang pagiging hibang niya.

"I actually admire people who are righteous," umamin ako sa kanya. "Pero iba ang usapan kung gagamitin ang pagiging righteous niya para makapanira o maipamukha sa isang tao na madumi siya."

Just because someone is righteous, it doesn't give them the right to point out the filth of others. It doesn't give them a free pass to trampled upon someone. It doesn't make them more clean than anyone. It doesn't make them superior just because they don't wear their stained souls on their sleeves.

"Huwag mo na lalapitan pa ulit si Adren," banta niya sa akin. Her doe eyes blazed with anger. "I swear, everyone else will see how unpure you are and how you aren't worth any of it."

I rolled my eyes and let her vanished from my sight. I wonder, ito ba 'yung sinasabi ni Etienne? Love makes you do irrational things? Because, love did her so bad.