Ch. 016
Weakness
Hinayaan ko si Trench na puntahan si Jenna. Lumabas na rin ako sa convenience store only to find Henry waiting for me with a perplexed expression.
"I have no energy left to explain." Pinangunahan ko na siya. "You should hear from Jenna after she talks with Trench."
"Get in the car."
"Hindi na. I was supposed to leave kung hindi lang sumulpot yung pinsan ko. I did not intend to wait for you." I honestly said.
"So he's your cousin, then." He said to himself. "Yun pala yung odd feeling na naramdaman ko noong birthday ni Exodus. Anyway, naabutan pa rin kita dito so get in. It's getting late."
"I lied to your cousin. You shouldn't be here treating me with concern because I don't deserve it." Pagmamatigas ko.
"Nadamay ka lang sa kalokohan ng pinsan mo. I knew it the moment he lied because you were too shocked. Natangay ka lang sa agos ng kasinungalingan niya."
"But I had the chance to tell Jenna the truth but I didn't. May mali pa rin ako. Accessory to the crime pa rin ako dito." Pangangatwiran ko.
"Fine. I won't argue with you about that. Just please get in the car because I can't have you turn me down for the nth time. It's humiliating." Aniya. Napaisip ako bigla. Kanina ko pa nga naman siya rinereject.
"You can just give up." Sabi ko. "Hindi ko kayang maging pabigat pa sa ibang tao. Let me just take care of myself. That way, wala akong utang na loob at walang magpapalayas sa akin."
He frowned. "Simple lang naman ang hinihingi ko sayo. Imagine there's no Jenna. Just you and me. Just me wanting to help you out without asking for anything in return. Fuck utang na loob. Hindi mo kailangang tanawin ito bilang utang na loob kasi hindi kita susumbatan dahil dito. I've been a jerk to you, Paige. Hayaan mo naman akong bumawi."
I frowned too.
I don't want to be mean to a person who just wants to make up for his lapses.
"Okay. Isang gabi lang." Sabi ko.
Natawa siya bigla.
"Anong nakakatawa?" Tanong ko.
"That didn't sound good. Isang gabi lang?" He laughed again. Oh god. Hindi ko alam that he had a green-minded side. I thought he was just stiff and masungit.
"Ewan ko sayo." I rolled my eyes.
"Come on, don't be so serious. Magkakaayos din kayo." Aniya.
"Were you always this decent? Bakit hindi ka ganiyan noon? Then we could have gotten along pretty well." Kumento ko.
"I went through mental and emotional turmoil, Paige. Pero tapos na 'yun, at gusto kong bumawi sayo." Aniya. "Come here. Give me your bag."
Wow! The improvement...
"Thanks." Mahina kong sabi. Pumasok ako sa kotse. He did the same. Binuhay niya ang makina at nagmaneho.
"Kumain ba si Jenna?" I asked.
"Oo. Kumakain na siya pagdating ko." He replied.
So hinintay niya lang talaga akong makalayas...
"Anong sinabi niya sayo?" Tanong ko.
"She just showed me the photo and the break up text." He replied.
"Mukha ba akong babae ni Trench sa litrato? Porke ba magkasama kami sa iisang litrato ay ganoon na agad ang ibig sabihin?"
"That's exactly what I said to Jenna. We never truly know what's behind that photo unless we ask the persons in it. I told her she was wrong for kicking you out without listening to what you have to say." Sabi niya.
"Wow, you sound so mature. Parang kailan lang, you were the most childish and immature person that I know." Sabi ko.
"I guess that's because I talked to your father."
Napatingin ako sa kaniya, nanlaki ang mata. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah. May kakilala akong ka-close ng dad mo. Sa kaniya ko nalaman na nasa Pilipinas na daw si Sir Guzman. Nag-email ako and I asked to meet him in person. Kahit sandali lang."
"Pumunta siya dito?" Was the very first thing I was interested to know.
"No, it was me who went all the way to Buenos Grande. After all, it was me who asked for a fraction of his time. Kailangan ako ang mag-adjust." Sagot niya. Oh. I see. Akala ko naman pumunta rito si Daddy.
"So anong napag-usapan niyo ni Daddy, if you don't mind?" I asked.
"Just this and that."
Sus. Ayaw pang sabihin. Malalaman ko rin naman when I ask Daddy, so what's the point of keeping it from me?
"I can't tell you, but it helped me look at things at a different perspective. Kaya nung nakita ko yung picture niyo nung boyfriend ni Jenna, it didn't occur to me that you were having an affair. Isa pa, I knew your whereabouts and there's just no way you'd have a guy waste your time like that." Aniya.
Napahanga ako sa porsyento ng growth ni Henry in terms of maturity. Not just the percentage but the speed as well. Is this really the result of talking to my dad? Do I have to get in touch with him soon? Parang kailangan ko ng lectures niya ah.
"Busy ka sa trabaho mo. I was a witness to that. You barely even eat proper meals at the right time. Pag-uwi mo sa bahay tulog ka agad. I asked Jenna and even she couldn't deny that kasi siya ang kasama mo sa bahay. There was just no time for you to date a guy. Atleast in my opinion." He added.
Nakakainis siya. His accurate deductions are making me feel weird. A good kind of weird, though. But I don't like it.
Dumating kami sa bahay niya at para akong winelcome ng mga alaala upon entering the house. Woah. I never thought I would end up here after all the emotional rollercoaster ride I've been through. Hindi lang ako. Pati siya na rin. Never in my wildest dreams kong naisip na babalik ako dito.
"Brings back memories, eh?" Ginulo niya ang buhok ko- which made my heart pound like crazy.
I'm not in the mood for anything like this. I told myself I don't have the time and patience for another shot at destiny. But the new Henry is becoming too pleasant in my eyes.
I have always dreamt of that gesture being done to me. Yung ginugulo ang buhok ko. Sabi ko pa nung high school pa ako na I would definitely fall for the first person who would do that to me. Sa kasamaang palad, walang nagtangka ni isa. So why now?
"I guess so." Tipid kong sagot. Ano pa bang sasabihin ko? Na nababaliw na ako sa gesture na ginawa niya? Oh please.
"You can use the same room as before." Aniya. Tumango lang ako at pumunta na sa kwarto.
I threw myself on the bed and sighed. I can't get a hold of myself. Nababaliw na ako. Naiisip ko pa rin yung kanina.
"Paige." He called while he knocked on the door. Ano na naman? Bumangon ako at pinagbuksan siya ng pinto.
"Bakit?" Tanong ko.
"Dinner." Aniya. "Hindi ka pa kumain."
"Ayos lang ako. Hindi ako gutom."
"Gutom ako." Aniya.
Oops. Mukhang hindi na siya nakapagdinner sa tamang oras gawa ng dramang sinalubong niya kanina. Which is partly my fault.
"Samahan nalang kita. Wala akong ganang kumain eh." I offered.
"So what? You still have to eat. Ilang beses ko ng nakitang ginutom mo ang sarili mo. Do you want to die young?"
"Did you really have to put it that way?" Nagtaas ako ng kilay. "Fine. Tara."
I ended up eating dinner with Henry. It was such a chore, having to act like I was not shaken at all by that small gesture. Naiinis na ako sa sarili ko dahil napakaliit na bagay nun and it means nothing to him. It means nothing for most people. But we all have different kinds of weaknesses, don't we?
And this is mine. The little things make me go weak.
X X X
Note:
Yay! Little things <3
And you, yes you, thank you for reading this book. Xoxo