Chapter 17
Hindi na nagtagal ay nakarating na kami sa mansyon. Excitement filled my body, agad akong lumabas at tumakbo papasok sa loob, binati naman ako nang iilang katulong namin.
"Chloe?" gulantang si mommy nang makita ako.
Bumeso agad ko sakaniya at yumakap. Napalingon naman si mommy sa likod ko.
"Magkasama kayo?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Where's dad?" i asked.
Naramdaman ko muli ang pagpulupot ng kamay ni Drexzel sa bewang ko. Nanlaki naman ang mata ni mommy nang makita niya ang ginawa ni Drexzel.
"N-Nasa s-study room." utal na sabi ni mommy habang nakatingin pa rin sa kamay ni Drexzel na nasa bewang ko.
I smiled.
"Lita patawag sina pápá at Chrisostomo."
Agad namang sumunod ang katulong. Kami naman ay dumiretso sa living area. Magkatabi kami ni Drexzel at kaharap naman namin si mommy na pabalik balik ang tingin saamin ni Drexzel.
"U-Uhm, what's with the sudden visit?" mom asked.
Napalingon ako kay Drexzel. Pero bago pa may makasagot sa isa saamin ay dumating na si daddy kasama si lolo na parehong nagulat kung sino ang kasama ko.
"Oh?"
"Hey, dad." tumayo ako para halikan siya sa pisngi ganoon rin kay lolo.
Nakangiti ngayon si lolo at nilapitan si Drexzel at nakipag-usap sakaniya.
"Where's Chlay nga po pala?" i asked daddy.
"Somewhere, alam mo naman ang kapatid mo..." he said.
Napatango naman ako. He's probably with his girls. Tumayo si mommy at hinila ako patungong kusina. We'll make some meriendas for the boys.
"Kayo na?" she asked.
I pursed my lips and slowly nodded my head. Napangisi naman si mommy. Nakatingin lang ako sa pagpeprepare niya sa pagkain.
"You love him?"
I sighed deeply.
"Yes." walang pag-aalinlangan kong sabi.
"Does he love you?"
Napatigil naman ako. I don't know... Wala naman siyang sinabi, sinabi niya lang na kami na then that's it. Parang bigla akong pinagsakluban ng langit at lupa.
I bit my lower lips.
"I don't know, mom."
She sighed and faced me. She reached for my hand and gave me those stares.
"Chloe, anak kita... I may be harsh to you at some times but it was my job to make you realize your mistakes. Ito naman, siguraduhin mo muna kung mahal ka bago ka sumugal anak, mahirap sumugal nang walang kasiguraduhan..."
Nakatingin lang ako sakaniya.
"I am not against him, kung iyon ang iniisip mo. I just protect you, mahal mo siya, oo pero huwag mo kakalimutan na gwardiyahan ang puso mo."
I just nodded and smiled.
Hapon na rin nang umuwi kami. But the conversation i had with my mom made me silent the whole ride.
Tama ba 'to?
"You're silent..."
Nabalik ako sa sarili ko nang marinig kong magsalita si Drexzel. I roamed my eyes around, nasa parking lot na kami ng hotel. Nilingon ko naman siya at nginitian.
"Napagod lang."
I smiled just to assure him pero mukhang hindi naman siya kumbinsido sa ngiti ko.
"A penny for your thoughts, please..." he muttered.
Now he moved nearer to me. I pouted a bit. Sasabihin ko ba sakaniya?
"W-Why? I mean why you did make me your girlfriend?" lakas loob kong tanong ko sakaniya.
He was take aback from what i said. Kinakabahan naman ako lalo ngayong tahimik siya at hindi pa sinasagot ang tanong ko. Ano bang inaasahan kong sagot mula sakaniya?
That he loves me too?
Is it possible? O baka trip niya lang?
"B-Because..."
I was waiting for his answer. But there's no words coming out from his mouth. He just sighed and moved his gaze away from me.
I smiled bitterly.
Hahayaan ko bang maging kami kahit wala naman siyang nararamdaman saakin? Will i gamble this and hope that he will love me one day as long as i stay with him? Is that okay?
"I... I'm in love with you, Chloe."
Agad nanlaki ang mata ko sa narinig. A smile crept on my lips. The overwhelming feeling as i heared that from him makes me want to explode.
"Is that for real?" i smiled.
He smiled too and nodded. Agad ko siyang niyakap. My heart is pounding so hard and fast as if it wants to come out from my chest. Nevertheless, everything feels so good and exciting.
As everyday passes by, the overflowing joy and love that i feel never fades, mas lumalala pa nga ang nararamdaman ko sa tuwing paglipas nang oras.
"Mukhang masaya ka?"
Nagulat ako sa biglaang pagsulpot ni Andrex. It's been two weeks since Drexzel and I started our relationship. At sa dalawang linggong iyon hindi na ako nagkakaroon nang interaksyon kay Andrex. Ngayon na lang ulit.
Nasa school ground ako at nakaupo bench habang hinihintay ko si Drexzel.
"Bawal ba?" pagtataray ko.
But to be honest, i chose to avoid him na rin. Maliban sa ayaw ni Drexzel na lumapit ako sa kapatid niya, may pakiramdam ako na masisira kami ni Drexzel nang dahil sakaniya.
That's what i thought...
"Masasaktan ka lang, Chloe." mariing sambit niya.
I sighed violently.
"I think it's part of loving, Andrex. I can accept defeat, kung totoo ngang sasaktan niya lang ako."
"You don't understand..." pumikit siya nang mariin.
"Understand what? Bakit hindi mo kasi sabihin ang dahilan mo?" inis kong wika.
"My brother--"
Bago pa niya maituloy ang sasabihin niya ay may lumipad na kamao sa pisngi niya, made him fall to the ground. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita si Drexzel.
"Stay away from my girl, Rex. I am warning you!" Drexzel said menacingly.
Nakakapit siya saakin nang mahigpit.
"Your girl, we both know what you are up to--"
Muling hindi nakapagsalita si Rex dahil muli siyang tinapunan ng kamao ni Drexzel. Agad ko naman siyang hinila na palayo.
We both walked our ways to his car. Pinapasok niya ako una bago siya pumasok. He didn't start the engine.
"You shouldn't have done that, kapatid mo iyon." kalmadong wika ko.
He move his bloodshot eyes to me. Agad naman akong kinabahan nang makita ang madilim at matalim niyang titig na iyon.
"Hindi ba't sinabi ko na sa'yong layuan siya?" he said, out of frustration.
"Hindi ako iyong lumapit."
"Kahit na! You know i'll be jealous!" singhal niya.
Medyo natigilan naman ako. Hindi para kiligin sa oras na 'to. Pero hindi ko naman maiwasang mapangiti sa sinabi niya. He's just too cute and irresistible.
"What are you smiling at?" iritadong sambit niya.
I barked a laughter. I can't help it. He looks really frustrated and jealous. I love him that way. I licked my lower lips, napatingin naman siya doon. Mas lalo akong napangiti.
"Are you seducing me?"
Natawa ulit ako at umiling.
"Hindi ah, ang cute mo lang kasi." ngisi ko.
"What do you think of me? a puppy?" he said and cursed under his breathe.
Natawa ulit ako.
Everything between us feels so dreamy, it's giving me a warm and cozy feeling that i don't want this gone and i want us to stay like this forever. But i know it's too much to ask for.
But i know no matter how hard i try to stop myself from being greedy, one day it will come because this feelings, the thing of being in love makes me want to own him forever, and mine only. I know he'll become my possession, at hindi iyon maganda.
No one owns who but themselves only.
But in my case, i will let him own me and be his possession. I'll freely give him myself, i will let him dominate my being. Hulog na ako at hahayaan ko na ang sarili ko sakaniya. Kahit masaktan pa ako.
Things i say before... lahat nang iyon ay kinain ko. I never thought that i'll be this submissive over a man. Na hindi ko hahayaang malunod ako sa isang lalaki but look where i am right now...
Deeply and madly in love with this yellow guy.
"Marie i have a question."
Magkasama kami ngayon ni Marie sa cafeteria, hindi ko kasama si Drexzel dahil may lakad ang banda nila sa ngayon.
"Ano?" she narrowed her eyes.
"You think he loves me?" tanong ko.
I still have doubts alright. Mag-iisang buwan na kami pero hindi panatag ang loob ko. There's something not in place and i couldn't figure it out yet.
"Nakikita ko naman na mahal ka niya." sabi niya.
Isa siguro sa dahilan kung bakit hindi ako mapanatag dahil kay Hannah. Hannah's been missing in action lately tapos recently nabalitaan naming nagdrop na siya. Hindi namin alam kung saan siya sa ngayon.
"Bakit? May problema ba kayo?" she curiously asked.
"W-Wala naman..."
"Girl, i saw naman how he looks at you. Alam mo iyong tingin na gusto ka niyang ibulsa?" she grinned.
Napailing na lang ako at umirap sakaniya.
Uwian na. I was waiting for him at the waiting shed. Maaga pa naman at kaya ko pa namang maghintay dito nang ilang saglit.
Natigilan lang ako at napatayo nang makita ko si Hannah papalapit saakin. She looked miserable but she's smiling. Huminto siya nang makarating sa harap ko.
"Hannah..." i muttered.
"Hi Chloe." mapait siyang ngumiti saakin.
"What brought you here?" i asked.
Muli siyang ngumiti.
"I came here to... to say sorry. " she uttered. "Mabuti na lang at nandito ka pa, naabutan pa kita."
"I... I was waiting for Drexzel." sambit ko.
She smiled bitterly.
"Again, i want to apologize... sa lahat nang ginawa kong hindi maganda sa'yo. I'm sorry for backstabbing you, doon sa posters sa bulletin board noon it was me who did it."
My lips parted.
"I was so insecure to you, You got all the attention, people are praising you for being almost perfect kaya ko nagawa iyon dahil naiinggit ako sa'yo." her tears fell.
"W-Why are you..." hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko.
She's insecure of me?
"I liked him as i first laid my eyes on him. Pero ikaw nandiyan ka na naman, getting the attention of the guys. Gusto ko, ako naman. Puro na lang ikaw eh, nakakainis na. Maganda naman ako pero ikaw iyong napapansin." she cried.
I cried too. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba dapat kong maramdaman, magagalit ba ako? matutuwa dahil inamin niya saakin ang kasalanan niya? o maaawa?
I don't know...
"Saakin na siya eh, tapos nakuha mo ang atensyon niya. Lagi siyang nagmamadaling umuwi dahil baka nandoon ka na, ang sakit, Chloe. Ako iyong nandoon pero ikaw ang nasa isip."
Napailing ako at umiiyak.
"Sorry if i betrayed you. Patawad dahil makasarili ako, it's okay if you can't forgive me yet..."
"I forgive you." i uttered with no hesitations.
Napamaang naman siya. I smiled at her.
"You are my friend, Hannah. But please, after all these things happened, i hope that you learned your lessons. 'Cause i, myself, learned my lessons too." i smiled.
Tumango siya pero patuloy pa rin ang pagpatak ng luha niya. She held my hand.
"I'm leaving na rin, my family will migrate to Australia."
Medyo nagulat ako sa balitang iyon.
"Alam kong kayo na... but no matter how in love you are to him don't forget to guard your heart, Chloe."
Napamaang ako. Nakapagpaalam na siya saakin at ako naman ay nanatiling nakatayo pa rin doon.
Guard my heart... Everyone keeps on telling me that.
Nakaramdam naman ako nang kaba pero hindi ko alam kung para saan. A beeped startled me, nandito na si Drexzel with this car.
Agad akong tumungo sa sasakyan niya at pumasok sa loob. Pero hindi pa rin matanggal sa isip ko ang pinag-usapan namin ni Hannah kanina lang.
"You're spacing out, are you alright?" he asked.
Agad naman akong tumango.
"Okay lang ako, nakausap ko na si Hannah." sambit ko.
His brows furrowed.
"Hannah? what did she tell you?"
Why are you curious? I sighed. Paranoid lang siguro ako.
"Wala naman, she apologized. Walang kaso iyon saakin kaya i accepted her apology."
"That fast?" he grinned.
I nodded lightly.
"Yeah, i'm a forgiving person. Hindi lang halata." i chuckled.
"That's my girl..." he muttered.
Napangisi naman ako. He started the engine and drove on the way to his penthouse. I sighed, sana walang magbago.
To be continued.