Caleb's POV
Nang makalayo na si Brianna at Brix, agad kong pinunasan ang mga luha ko. Nakakainis. Ang bakla. Pinipilit kong maging malakas para sakanya pero pati ako ay naiyak. Syempre ay lalo s'yang mag-aalala. Ayoko nun. Ayokong mahirapan s'ya. Basta gagawa ako ng paraan.
I won't give up that easily. Hindi ako nagpakahirap makuha s'ya para iwan lang s'ya nang ganun lang. Alam kong may mali. Hindi ko s'ya kapatid. Imposible.
"Bro. Okay ka lang?" Ani Clyde at lumapit sakin.
"Okay? Natatanong mo pa yan? Hindi ka tumutupad sa usapan. I asked you to bring her to me safely and calmly so I could talk to her but you brought her here and made her cry." Sigaw ko sakanya. Oo, inutusan ko s'yang dalhin si Brynn dito dahil hindi pumapayag si mommy na magkita o mag-usap kami.
"Ikaw ang hindi tumupad sa usapan. You asked me to bring her here so you could end your relationship. Eh anong ginawa mo? Ayun nagdrama." Sa sinabi n'yang yan, tinulak ko s'ya ng malakas. Hindi n'ya siguro ineexpect ang ginawa kong pagtulak kaya mabilis s'yang natumba. "What the hell!?" Aniya.
"Palibhasa ikaw hindi mo pa nararanasan magmahal at mahalin pabalik!" Sigaw ko sakanya at naglakad ng mabilis palayo. Nakakapikon.
---
Nakauwi na ako sa bahay. Naabutan ko si mommy na nakaupo sa sala. "San ka galing?" I didn't response. "I asked Regina to come here para makapag-usap kayo at nung tatawagin na kita sa kwarto mo, it was empty. Nothing but you're messy room and your open window. May patakas-takas ka pa. Feeling mo ba teenager ka lang na grounded!? Grow up, Caleb! Seryoso 'tong sitwasyong ito! Hindi ka basta-basta grouded lang, I need you to take this seriously!" Sigaw n'ya sakin.
Maya-maya ay biglang sumunod na pumasok si Clyde. Napapikit ako. Hindi naman nag-iisip 'tong lalaking 'to.
"Clyde!? I didn't notice you leave." Ani mommy habang kunot na kunot ang noo. "Wait.. Tinulungan mo ba si Caleb at ang babaeng Vandom na magkita!? Clyde, why would you do that!? I thought we're on the same page! Turns out si Riley lang pala ang kakampi ko dito! I thought you understood the situation!"
"I'm not taking sides, mom! And yes, I understand the situation. That's why I'm fine with Caleb and Brianna's relationship. And to be honest, the only reason na hindi mo sila kayang tanggapin ay dahil hindi mo pa nararanasan magmahal! You have no idea what it feels like to love someone that loves you back." Aniya at umakyat na sa kwarto n'ya.
That made me speechless. Paulit-ulit na tumatakbo sa isipan ko ang mga sinabi ni Clyde. Kinampihan n'ya ako. Sobrang saya ko na meron palang isang tao na nakakaintindi sa'min.
Aakyat na rin sana ako sa kwarto ko nang magsalita ulit si mommy. "Caleb, dear.." This time, umiiyak na s'ya. "I am so sorry but my answer is still no. You can't be with Brianna." Hindi ko s'ya pinansin at sa halip ay pumasok na ako sa kwarto ko.
Sinarado ko ang pinto at binuksan ang ilaw at nagulat ako nang makita si Riley sa kama ko. She's sitting there curled up while hugging her knees.
"Get out." I said.
"Kuya Caleb... I heard screams downstairs. Nag-aaway na naman ba kayo? Is this because of that Vandom again?" Aniya. Hindi ko s'ya pinansin.
Nang hindi talaga ako nagsalita ay nagsalit ulit s'ya. "Do you have any idea how much mom hated the Vandoms? Hindi mo alam kaya hindi ka nakikipaghiwalay kay Brianna. You have no idea of mom's pain. You have no idea of what she feels everytime she sees a member of the Vandom family. You have no idea of how she wanted to cry everytime she sees Lexa Vandom. You have no idea, that's why you don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
"Si lola.. She forced mom to marry dad. Mom doesn't love dad but she married him anyways because that's what everyone wants. Even though kasal na si mommy, she still yearns for her ex-boyfriend's love. She still love him. Bryan Vandom. Bryan and mom often goes on a date. Secretly. Mayaman din si Bryan. Siguro nga mas mayaman si daddy but still, mayaman pa rin s'ya. Until one day, nabalitaan na lang ni mommy na kinasal na rin si Bryan. Arranged marriage. Bryan didn't love Lexa. He never did. It was what both their families wanted. Bryan never wanted it, Lexa, on the other hand, loved Bryan. She love him so much, but Bryan loves mom. Hanggang sa nagkaanak si mommy at daddy. Kuya Clyde. Then, Bryan and Lexa created Kuya Brix. That's when mom and Bryan started seeing each other again. And then, you became the fruit of their love. They created you. Mom pretended that you're dad's son. Nagpanggap s'ya na anak ka ni daddy para hindi ka masaktan. She's trying to protect you. Then they stopped seeing each other to protect you. They stopped seeing each other but they're still texting. Bryan said na makikipaghiwalay na s'ya kay Lexa since hindi naman talaga n'ya ito mahal in te first place. He promised mom na didistansya s'ya kay Lexa at kapag nakahanap ng perfect timing ay makikipaghiwalay na." She said and paused.
"Mom... She's cheating on dad. Kaya ba sila nagdivorce dahil nalaman ni dad 'tong lahat?"
"But two years after that, mom was heartbroken nang malaman n'yang nabuntis ulit si Lexa. That child was Brianna Vandom. She was heartbroken by the fact that Brianna existed. She was heartbroken by the fact that Brianna is the fruit of Lexa and Bryan's love. The love she thought she ended when they created you. So mom ended everything with Bryan and she tried to forget the fact that you are Bryan's son. Then, years after that, Bryan died in a car accident. Mom was crying. Kahit anong tanggi n'ya, alam n'ya sa sarili n'ya na mahal n'ya parin si Bryan. Apparently, Bryan's car crashed because he's been texting while driving. Lexa found out about mom. She found out about your existence and she kept bugging Bryan, which made him distracted. Bryan was drunk driving and he's trying his best to sober up but Lexa's text definitely didn't help. Then dad found out about this too and divorced with mom." Pagpapatuloy n'ya sa kwento n'ya.
It all makes sense now. Kung bakit naghiwalay si mommy at daddy a few weeks matapos mamatay ng daddy ni Brianna. Kung bakit sobra ang galit ni mommy kay Brianna ngunit hindi naman s'ya masyadong galit tuwing pumupunta si Brix sa bahay dati.
"Mom lied about everything! Hindi ako makapaniwala. Parang ang buong 18 years of existence ko ay kasinungalingan!" Sambit ko. Hindi ako makapaniwala na ganito pala ang lahat. Na ganito pala ang connect ng pamilya namin sa pamilya ng mga Vandom.
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Brianna's POV
Nang makauwi na ako ay sinalubong ako agad ni mommy. "Brianna!" She yelled nang makita ang mga luha sa mukha ko. Tulala parin ako at hindi nagsasalita. Kahit kanina sa sasakyan ay kinakausap ako ni kuya pero hindi ako sumasagot. "Brix, would you please leave us? I'd like to have a word with your sister." Aniya. Tumango lang si kuya at sumunod.
"Brianna, I am so sorry. But you have to understand na lahat ng ginagawa ko ay para sa ikabubuti mo."
Napapikit ako sa sinabi n'ya. I am so sick of hearing those words. Mas alam ko sa sarili ko kung ano ang nakakabuti para sakin.
Nilabas ko ang phone ko at nagtext kay Caleb,
To: Caleb
Please help me. I don't want to be home. I don't want to be with my mom. It's torture. Help me. Please pick me up kahit sa kanto lang ng street namin ASAP.
Message sent!
"Why are you on your phone while your mother's talking to you!? How disrespectful!" Aniya at biglang kinuha ang cellphone ko sa kamay ko at binasa ang tinext ko. Kumunot lalo ang noo n'ya and said, "This isn't fairytale, Brianna. I am not a villain, you don't need him to save you from me! You are not a damsel in distress and Caleb is not your prince charming!"
Nagvibrate ang phone ko kaya agad akong tumayo at binawi 'yon sa kamay ni mommy. It was Caleb.
I was so excited when he texted me but all my jou and excitement faded away when I read it.
From: Caleb
Sorry
One word. One word yet it made me shed tears. I hate this. I hate this feeling. This feeling na baka napagod na s'ya at narealize n'ya na tama ang pamilya namin.
End of Chapter XXXVI...