My Love In Her Past (3rd Book Of 'In Her Past' Series)

Chapter 17

She lightly knocked on the wooden wall of the open workshop of Celso. Agad namang napalingon ang lalake sa kaniya mula sa trinatrabaho nitong lamesa.

"Pwedeng  pumasok?", ani niya. Tipid na tumango na lamang ito sa kaniya bago binalik ang atensyon sa lamesang ginagawa nito.

O....kay. That means yes, right?

She slowly walked inside.

Her eyes roamed around and took notice of the different finished product inside.

May apat na upuang kahoy sa may gilid. Mukhang ka-partner ng lamesang tinatapos ni Celso.

May mga pintuan rin doon pero hindi pa ata tapos. Nakahilig lamang ang mga iyon sa may gilid.

She looked around for any bench to sit on but the only things inside there are Celso's wooden masterpieces.

She hesitantly sat down at one of the finished bench but Celso didn't said anything so she guess that he's okay with it.

He's quiet so she decided to just watched him do his tasks in concentration.

Pinuntahan niya ito kasi wala naman na siyang maitutulong kay Jose sa kusina. Nagayat na niya lahat ang kailangang gayatin. Hindi rin naman siya marunong magluto kaya naman panggulo lang siya kay Jose doon.

Besides, si Celso ang gusto niyang guluhin.

Magagalit na nga sana siya sa lalake kanina dahil akala niya talagang si Maricel ang kinatay nito pero pinuntahan niya kanina ang favorite niyang manok at nandoon pa rin naman ito sa usual nitong tambayan.

Si Christoper pala ang kinuha nito.

Wala siyang problema doon. She hates that rooster.

Nanunuwak iyon kapag tumatalikod siya kaya lagi siyang takot kapag magpapakain dito.

Serves you right, Christopher!

She cleared her throat to get Celso's attention but he didn't even budged. Concentrate much ang gago.

"Uhmm... buti si Christopher ang pinatay mo. Nang-aaway iyon eh.", saad niya para naman may topic silang mapag-usapan.

Get a grip of yourself, Betty! You've tried flirting with different men. Why so shy ka ngayon?!

Dumaan ang ilang segundong katahimikan kaya inakala niyang hindi siya sasagutin nito at talagang supalpal lang ang beauty niya dito pero bigla itong nagsalita.

"Alam ko. Kaya nga kinatay ko.", mahina nitong saad. Sa hina ay muntikan na niyang hindi marinig iyon buti na lang at nahagip pa rin ng tenga niya.

What? Did I heard it right? He killed Christopher because he's bullying me?

Unti-unti siyang napangaga nang maintindihan ang ibig sabihin nito.

"Uy ikaw ha! Masyado kang pa-fall! You became my knight in shining armor against an evil and malditong manok!", eksaherada niyang sabi with matching papalo-palo pa sa shoulders ni Celso.

Takte! Kinikilig ako. Pinagtanggol ako ni crush laban sa mapanakit na manok na iyon!

She's acting so giddy but her 'kilig' suddenly vanished because he just annoyingly looked at her.

"Ang ingay mo. Umalis ka na nga.", inis nitong wika bago binalik na naman ang atensyon sa ginagawa.

"Don't be so grumpy. Sige ka, papangit ka kapag nakasimangot ka lang palagi.", she said but he only frowned more.

Bad mood ata itong lalakeng ito.

No. Scratch that. He's always in a bad mood everyday.

"Alis na.", saad nitong muli pero humalikipkip lamang siya.

"Ayoko.", she stubbornly said. "Tutulong na lang ako sa iyo.", she added and determiningly stood up.

Celso tiredly looked at her as if a father being worn-out by his kid. Nakakaawa itong tingnan dahil parang gusto na lang nitong sumuko sa buhay dahil sa katigasan ng ulo niya pero kalaunan ay malakas na lang itong bumuntung-hininga bago tumango.

Upon seeing him give in, she excitedly clapped and inches closer to him.

"So, anong gagawin ko?", excited niyang sabi habang eager na nakatingin kay Celso.

"Hawakan mo na lang ang bahaging ito. Siguraduhin mo na lang na hindi gagalaw kasi lalagariin ko.", instruct nito sa kaniya habang minumwestra ang mga bahagi na dapat niyang hawakan.

She positioned herself to those places that he pointed and held it tight.

Ngingiti-ngiti pa siya habang hinahawakan ang parteng tinuro ni Celso pero napalitan ng pagtataka ang expression sa mukha niya nang tumigil ito.

She confusingly looked up to him and saw Celso watching her intently.

"Uhmm... Why?", nagtataka niyang tanong.

Is there any dirt on my face?

Oh no! Bawas points sa kagandahan ko iyon!

Itataas na sana niya ang kamay para punasan ang kung anong dumi sa mukha niya pero biglang nagsalita si Celso.

"Bakit mo ako pinagtanggol kanina?", ani nito sa mababang boses. Nakakunot ang noo nito at tila ba nag-iisip ng isang memorya na napakasakit dahil biglang lumandas sa mga mata nito ang pighati.

She got tongue-tied because of the sudden impact of emotion that Celso is showing right now.

His question sounded like he is condemning his own self already.

Na para bang tanggap na nitong masama talaga itong tao.

Tumungo ito pero hindi pa rin ito bumalik sa paglalagari.

He looked like a lost boy and she wanted to hug him.

"A-Alam ko lang.", mahina niyang saad habang nakatingin dito. "Nararamdaman ko na hindi ka naman masama. Napagbintangan lang.", mariin niyang dagdag.

She said that she can feel it but in reality, she already knew that he was falsely accused of a rape case that he didn't do.

Hindi niya alam ang buong pangyayari...

Oh God!

Sudden realization dawned on her.

She didn't knew because she forgot!

She can't remember the script anymore!

Sinubukan niyang halungkatin ang utak pero wala na talaga siyang matandaan.

The only thing she can remember is that Celso would die due to a fall from the church's bell tower.

That's it.

Iyon lang.

Oh God! No! Why can't I remember any other thing?!

Unti-unti niyang tiningnan muli si Celso. Dread filled her while looking at him.

How could I save him from his own death if I can't even remember the details of the reason why he would die in the first place?