The Dark Side

Chapter 12

"He did not cheat," I firmly said.

"Ginising mo 'ko para sabihin 'yan?" medyo naka pikit pa ang mata na sabi ni ate.

She is wearing her pajamas, nasa noo niya ang sleep mask kaya medyo magulo ang buhok.

I was about to answer when she cut me off. "Of course magsisinungaling siya, is there a criminal that will admit their crime? Wala naman 'di ba"

"How could you say that kung hindi mo naman pinapakinggan ang side niya?"

"You are really picking a fight with me—"

"Ang akin lang, you should look at the other side too, at the other statement, on other's point of view to understand them too. Not just because she is your bestfriend papaniwalaan mo na lahat ng sinasabi niya, you can't be bias 'cause two people are involve here"

She looks at me in disbelief. Tuluyan na niyang tinggal ang sleep mask niya, open the door a bit wider and step forward to me.

"Do you think you are not being bias then?" she asked me.

She got me speechless, "What?" she said raising her eyebrow.

"Sana i-apply mo rin 'yang sinasabi mo sa'kin sa sarili mo--" she stops and shut eyes her eyes.

"Look, fine just do what you want, basta sinabihan, I give you cautions and tells you the truth, wala na akong magagawa kung ayaw mong maniwala—"

I sigh, rolled my eyes and step back.

"Can't you just be happy for me? Give him a chance, kahit 'di naman totoo na nagcheat siya—"

"I don't know" she said without blinking.

I started to get pissed at her again.

"Just don't be hard and rude to him—"

"Nandito na naman tayo sa issue na 'to, paulit ulit tayo Dayne," medyo naiinis na sabi niya.

I am starting to get pissed too by the way she talks.

It's because she is always rude when he's around!

I was about to step back when she talks.

"I'm mad at him for pursuing you after what he did to Shai"

"So what if he pursue me? And please can you moved on, ikaw ba j-in-owa? Bakit parang ikaw ang apektado dito at hindi si ate Shai, why? do you secretly like him?"

"What?" she said in disbelief.

Nakita kung papaano kumibot ang labi niya at papaano manlisik ang mata niya sa 'kin.

"Then what?---"

"Natural lang na gano'n ang magiging reaksyon ko dahil bestfriend ko si Shai at para ko ng kapatid 'yon--"

"So I am not?!" I told her.

"What? It's not like that!"

"Then what?!"

The tension keeps getting up, she is mad and I am furious.

"Hindi ka ba nakakaintindi? How many times to I have to tell you that I am protecting--"

"Bullshit!"

Galit niyang tinapon ang hawak niyang sleep mask at mabilis na hinila ang buhok ko.

"Nawawalan ka ng respeto! Bakit ka nagmumura ha?!"

I grab her hair too but she is much stronger, I can feel her fingernails getting buried on my scalp.

"Aray!"

"Dahil ba sa lalaking 'yon?!"

Dahil sa lakas ng pwersa niya sa pagkakasabunot niya sa'kin napaupo ako. But that doesn't stop her. Pumaibabaw siya sa akin at patuloy lang sa pagsabunot sa akin. Now I can feel her fingernails on my cheek.

"Get off me!" sabi ko habang sinusubukan siyang itulak.

"Ano bang nagyayari sa inyo!" voice coming from my mom.

Kasabay no'n ay ang paghila niya kay ate. Tinulungan naman akong tumayo ni papa. They are both on their pajamas.

"Xy! Anong ginagawa mo sa kapatid mo!" galit na galit na sabi ni mama.

Tears escape in my eyes without warning, I just suddenly burst out crying for some reason.

Ate is also crying while listening to my mom.

"Bakit ka nakadagan sa kaniya?!" my mom is mad too.

Ate did not answer but she is crying.

Iginaya ako ni dad sa kwarto ko at naiwan si mama at ate doon. Nakita ko napinapagalitan siya ni mama pero hindi ko na naririnig kung anong sinasabi niya.

"Let me see kung may sugat ka--"

"wag na pa, gusto ko na pong magpahinga" I said at nagtalukbong.

He did not answer but I heard him sight then I heard the creaked and the closing my door.

I am so mad at her, hindi ko na siya papansinin forever, kahit anong gawin niya, I will ignore her for life!

NANG makita ko siya mula sa malayo kinawayan ko siya.

Kakatapos lang ng klase niya, he is holding a laptop habang medyo magulo ang buhok. I told him that I will be waiting him at the bench at soccer field dahil presko doon at ayoko pang umuwi.

Pagkalapit niya, he traced the mini band aids on my face with worried expression while I look at him full of adornment.

Ang gwapo talaga.

"Masakit ba?" he asked me.

Umiling ako.

Hindi ko nararamdaman ito kagabi, pagkagising ko ng umaga at nang mabasa ito doon ko lang naramdaman. Maliliit lang naman at hindi naman talaga masakit, pero mga tatlo sila.

"Anong nagyari diyan?"

"Nag away kami ni ate" I said at isinubo ang sliced apple na nabili ko sa canteen.

"Bakit kayo nag away?" he asked.

He put his laptop on the table in front of us and sat beside me.

Imbes na sagutin ang tanong niya, kumuha ako ng strawberry and dip it with chocolate. I stretch my arm para isinubo iyon sa kaniya.

"Masarap 'di ba?"

Sa bawat pagnguya niya he is trying to figure it out kung masarap ba talaga.

Nang tumango siya kumuha ulit ako at ako naman ang kumain no'n.

Akala ko dahil kinain niya ang binigay ko ay makakalimutan na niya ang tanong pero hindi pala.

"Bakit nga kayo nag away, 'wag mo kong linlangin"

Natatawa niyang hinuli ang kamay ko nang sinubukan ko uling subuan siya, kinuha niya iyon sa kamay ko at siya ang nagsubo sa sarili niya.

"It's just...." I said at nilaro ang strawberry na hawak ko.

I don't want to tell him na siya ang pinag awayan namin because I don't want him to feel bad or something. Ayaw ko ring mag isip siya ng kung ano-ano.

"Just..some...fights," putol putol kong sabi tsaka tumawa.

"Basta 'yon" sabi ko at sumubo uli, but this time it's grapes.

I gigled nang malasahan ko ang sarap nito.

He stared at me for second before a smile on his lips formed as a sign of relief and kisses my forehead. He fix his glasses and open his laptop.

I lean on his shoulder at nakitingin sa ginagawa niya.

Ngumuso ako at sinubukang intindihin ang ginagawa niyang presentation kaso hindi talaga kaya ng powers ko at wala akong maintindihan.

"Ayaw mong umuwi 'no?" he asked out of nowhere without looking at me.

"Oo," sabi ko at sumimangot.

"Bakit patitirahin mo 'ko sa bahay mo" I said and tickle him.

"Wala pa akong bahay," he said habang pinipigilan ako.

"Ay, bakit?" I said and stop.

"Kaming dalawa na nga lang ng dad ko, iiwanan ko pa siya, medyo tumatanda na siya, kailangan may tumitingin sa kaniya"

Oh, I..didn't know that.

"Sinong nag aalaga sa kaniya ngayon?"

"Maid, pero iba pa rin ang alaga kapag kadugo mo, kaya pag umuuwi ako I do it.

"Everyday?"

"Everyday," he said and chuckled.

I stop and look at him, he's so caring.

"What?" he asked me innocently.

Pumikit ako ng mariin at niyakap siya, naramdaman ko ang kamay niya sa balikat ko.

These days bibihira nalang ang mga taong nag eexpress ng love nila to their parents and not be ashamed to show that to other people.

"Naiiyak ako" I whispered.

"What? Why?"

He lift up my head and wiped my tears using his thumb.

I did not answer him but I move closer to hug him more.

He truly touches my heart.

"HINDI na tayo sinasamahan ni Matt," sabi ko kay Lily sabay tingin kay Matt na nasa tabi niya.

"Ayaw na niya tayong kasama Lils" sabi ko at kunwaring nagtatampo.

"Hoy hindi, walang kasama si mama sa monthly check up niya" he said.

Lagi siyang may excuses kapag nag aaya kami lumabas, naging madalang nalang din ang 'madalang' naming pag uwi ng sabay, it feels like he is keeping her distance to us or me at least.

"Oo nga Matt nakakainis ka!" sabi ni Lily habang nagt-type sa cellphone niya.

Tapos ngingiti s'ya mag isa. Tignan mo 'to, katext yata ang boyfriend niya, napatingin tuloy ako sa cellphone ko, walang nagt-text. We promise to each other that no texting hanggat hindi tapos ang klase, because kapag nasa classroom we should focus, we don't want to be hindrance to each other.

I pout.

"Baka may tinatago na siyang babae sa'tin Dayne, tingin mo?"

I shrugged off my shoulder as an answer.

"Ah, 'yong sinabi niya sa mall?" I ask nang biglang maalala iyon.

"OO! Ano nang nagyari sa inyo Matt, naagaw mo na ba?"

"No,"

Kaagad na nag react si Lily sa sinabi ni Matt.

"Why not?"

"I want her to be happy," he said, makikitaan mo talaga ang lungkot sa boses niya.

Matagal niya akong tinignan bago ibaling ang tingin kay Lily.

Natahimik kami pareho ni Lily, parang nagging malungkot tuloy ang aura sa room.

"Okay lang 'yan pareng Matt" Lily said at inakbayan si Matt.

"Oo nga"

I tried to put my head on his shoulder but he flinches, I look at him innocently. Napatingin din sa amin si Lily which asking expression.

Lumingon siya "A-andyan na si Ma'am" he said bago ibinalik sa dati ang upuan na kinuha niya.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Lily dahil sa kakaibang kinilos ni Matt.

She put his point finger near his temple and make a circular motion, I can't help but to laugh and look at him who is now carefully paying attention to the attendance.

He's weird.