Cost of Taste | ✓

Kabanata 34

Why does she hate me this much? Lahat ba ito ay para lang mapatunayan na mas bagay sila ni Adren? Because I can't see the relevance of it. I can't see her point.

"Bakit ngayon niyo lang ito sinasabi sa akin?" I asked.

"You'll probably drag her to hell, Arri. I saw how you're a slave of your emotions, lalo na't ang pamilya mo ang balak niyang siraan noon."

Kumakabog ang dibdib ko sa galit. All this time, akala ko ay wala na ang poot ko para sa kanya at sa kanyang pamilya. Pero nagtatago lang pala ito.

I had many questions in my head, pero pinili ko munang umuwi. This was all too much for me. Iba ang pinaniwalaan ko sa mga taon na lumipas. I was still shock.

"You never changed," Etienne says, a hand on the steering wheel and eyes on the road. "You always see the good in people."

"I just can't believe it..." napasandal ako. "All this time? Akala ko pa naman ikaw na ang pinaka-weirdong tao na nakilala ko."

"I may be weird but I won't destroy a person's entire life just because I have issues of my own..." tugon niya.

Naalala ko tuloy bigla si Adren. If it is true that he only did that because he valued me and my family's safety, pakiramdam ko ay natutunaw ang pilit kong pinalamig na damdamin.

I chewed my buttom lip. "What if he still loves me? Mahal ko pa rin naman siya...I want him back too."

There were nights that I cried because I miss him. I miss how simple things can make him happy. I miss how unusual his views are and how I was able to accept it without thinking badly of him.

Akala ko kung lalayo ako ay makakalimutan ko siya.

Akala ko kung lilipas ang panahon ay lilipas din ang nararamdaman ko.

Pero ngayong nakita ko ulit siya ay para bang bumalik lahat ng nararamdaman ko. Hindi pala ito nawala, parang nagtago lang at ngayon ay nagbabalik muli.

Move on? Issa prank.

Hindi sumagot si Etienne. He almost rolled his eyes, pero kita ko na pinigilan niya lang ang sarili niya.

My phone vibrated and I received a text from Gio.

Gio:

Ayoko na rito. Lahat sila nage-english.

Arrisea:

Gagio, nasa ibang bansa ka? Malamang?

Gio:

Okay lang.

Sanay na ako mag-adjust.

:(

Gumuhit ang isang ngiti sa labi ko. It's been years since this guy went overseas. Kailan kaya ang balik nito?

As I was browsing my feed, I saw pictures of Franny with his boyfriend. Nasa Paris sila ngayon at ang background nila ay ang Eiffel Tower. I immediately reacted with a heart. I saw comments and apparently the guy proposed to Franny. Agad akong nag-message sa groupchat namin para batiin siya.

Arri: Congrats, Franny!

Franny: Invited kayo, ha! Hindi nga lang sa pinas, pero sagot ko na mga pamasahe niyo.

Camisha: Congratulations, Franny! Ikaw pa ang unang kinasal sa amin. Busy lang ngayon sa hospital pero sana makapag-meet tayo soon!

Ngumiti ako nang maalala na isa na nga palang nurse si Camisha ngayon. I'm happy that despite of how she was constantly belittled by some people, she bravely prove them wrong.