My AI Romance

Episode 8

Trust

I sigh in relief after hearing what Eleonora said. I thought she already know that Nikkolas was a robot. Thank God, she knows the other way around kahit na alam kong wala namang katotohanan lahat ng iyon.

She thought that two of us are having a secret relationship. The proof is, she saw the picture of Nikkolas hugging me in the locker area. Ginawa ko lahat para malusutan ko iyon. Alam kong nagdududa pa rin s'ya kahit na ilang beses ko mang paulit uliting sabihin na walang ibang kahulugan ang pangyayaring 'yon.

It's been 4 days since she haven't talk me. I haven't receive any messages from her at kapag nagkakasalubong naman kami sa hallway, parang hangin n'ya na lang akong nadadaanan. I don't know why all of a sudden, her treatment for me changed. I just found myself looking at my reflection in the mirror. Kumirot ang dibdib ko ng marealize ko kung gaano ako kabilis magbigay ng tiwala. I went inside the cubicle and after that, tears started to fall from my cheeks.

All I ever thought was Eleonora is serious being friends with me but right after she knows that Nikkolas treated me differently, bigla n'ya na lang akong hindi kinausap. Is it my fault because I didn't listen to Nikkolas in the first place?

"Look, I have to ditch classes today. I'm gonna prepare for later's event. Guess what, Primo is the one who invited me."

While I'm in the middle of crying, I heard my schoolmates' conversation.

"Let's go. Hindi naman siguro mamamatay ang matandang propesor na iyon kapag nalaman n'yang bakante na naman ang upuan ko sa klase," dagdag pa niya. I just let them finish their conversation before I went outside.

This is not new to me. I used to hear Primo dating so many girls.

I just decided to fix myself before proceeding to my next class. While I'm walking along the hallway, I saw Eleonora with her friends. I stopped for a moment right after I saw her. She's the first person I gave trust once again but I never thought that everything will turned out to be like this.

"It's been a while, Hershey," she said, sarcastically smiling at me.

I want to ask her why did she became like this. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa biglang pagpapalit ng pakikitungo niya sa akin ay nand'on pa rin iyong kagustuhan ko na malaman yung rason kung bakit biglang naging ganito ang trato n'ya sa akin. I was wrong when I thought that she offered me real friendship.

"Why are you avoiding me all of a sudden?" hindi maiwasang tanong ko, naguguluhan.

"Well, it was Nikkolas Parker who told me to avoid you. I'm not regretting it since he offered me a date everyday. I like it anyway. Hindi ka naman kawalan kaya pumayag na rin ako." pagkasabi n'ya noon, mabilis s'yang umalis sa harapan ko. I even saw her friends laughed at me. Muli akong nakaramdam ng panliliit sa sarili ko noong mga oras na nasaksihan ko kung paano nila ako pagtawanan.

My life went back to it's old way again. Even Nikkolas, ni hindi ko na din magawang makalapit sa kanya dahil sa balitang kumakalat. Almost all of the students here are talking about the rumors that Eleonora and Nikkolas were dating. Pinatotohanan iyon ng mga litratong mabilis na kumakalat. Pinilit ko na lang ang sarili kong huwag ng isipin ang tungkol sa kanila.

There are times that I want to come near him para ibuhos ang galit ko sa kanya. I am mad at him. If it's not because of what he did, baka mas naging maayos pa siguro ang pagkakaibigan namin ni Eleonora.

Besides, nakukusensya rin naman ako. I badly want to tell Eleonora that she shouldn't fell for Nikkolas but I coudn't find time. Nakikita ko kasi kung gaano s'ya kasaya ngayon mula sa atensyong natatanggap n'ya.

I decided not to write anything in my journal para wala akong matandaan kinabukasan. Maybe in this way, it will not be hard for me to face the real life struggle.

Seeing Nikkolas with Eleonora changed my mood in an instant. Kahit anong gawin kong pagkalimot, minsan nagigising na lang akong mabigat yung dibdib ko o kaya naman ay bigla na lang akong mapapaiyak.

I just decided to focus my attention in schoolworks. I am busy reading books for the upcoming exam tomorrow when I received a call from Meiko.

"Hershey, are you free tonight? Something came up. Can you go here in La Mercedes? My driver will be there to pick you up."

Meiko didn't gave me more informations about what he had said. The next thing a knew, after of almost 20 minutes, there is already a black car outside.

Primo's friend will not call me if it's not something important. I decided to get inside the car wearing my pajama and jacket. La Mercedes is Meiko's own bar. I wonder why did he called for me at the middle of the night. Maybe something came up to Primo.

When I'm already outside, nagdadalawang isip pa ako kung papasok ba ako sa loob but I ended up stepping inside this loud place. Panay tingin sa akin ang mga babaeng halos wala ng saplot at makakapal pa ang kolorete sa mukha. Almost all of the boys also are looking at me kaya't hindi ko din maiwasang makaramdam ng pagkailang.

"Hershey!" Meiko called. Nagpagewang gewang ito habang papalapit sa akin. He's drunk! How come na hindi ko iyon nahalata sa boses n'ya?

I looked around and there is no presence of Primo and Drio here.

"A-Aalis na ako," kaagad akong tumalikod sa kanya pero nagulat ako ng hawakan n'ya yung braso ko. Sa sobrang higpit ng pagkakahawak n'ya sa akin ay hindi ko maiwasang masaktan.

"Let go of me, Meiko!" I warned, trying to sound scary.

"What? You're already here. Why will you leave all of a sudden? Besides, nanalo ako sa pustahan namin ni Primo kaya akin ka ngayong gabi."

Nagsimula akong kabahan ng marinig ko ang halakhakan nila.

"CHEERS!" A woman, almost the same age as me uttered. Nakita ko pa yung iba na may inihalong kemikal sa iniinom nilang alak. I'm sure that's a kind of drugs.

"She looks innocent. At mukhang balot na balot, Meiko!" puna ng isa pang babaeng wari ko'y matanda ng ilang taon sa akin.

Meiko look at me differently kaya't napayakap ako sa katawan ko. I tried to push him away dahil lapit s'ya ng lapit sa akin. This is not the Meiko I know. O mali lang talaga ako ng pagkakakilala sa kanya? Wala na s'ya sa sarili nyang katinuan.

Nagsimula na namang mag unahan sa pagtulo ang mga luha ko ng mapagtanto kong muli na naman akong nagtiwala sa maling tao.

"M-Meiko, please. I want to go home," I begged but he continue pretending like a deaf.

"I don't want you alone. Mag isa ka na naman diba? Naaawa ako sa kalagayan mo, Hershey. I'm giving you the chance to choose me. I can give you everything you want! Kahit anong hilingin mo, gagawin ko!" wika n'ya bago ko muling narinig ang tawanan ng iba pa n'yang barkada.

Maya maya pa ay bigla n'ya akong hinila. He pushed me in wall, forcing me to drink what he is giving. May halong droga iyon, alam ko.

Napapikit na lang ako dahil sa sobrang pagmamakaawa. I trust them but they just chose to broke the trust I gave.

"M-Meiko, tama na," I begged again for one last time. Sinubukan ko itong muling itulak hanggang sa tumilapon ito mula sa harap ko. Nagkagulo sa loob ng bar. Napaupo na lang ako sa sahig habang yakap ang sarili ko at wala pa ding tigil sa pag iyak.

Nakarinig ako ng mga yabag at pagkabasag ng bote sa paligid. Ilang minuto ang lumipas bago tuluyang tumahimik ang lahat. Nanginginig ako sa sobrang takot habang wala pa ding tigil sa pag iyak.

Someone touched my hair kaya't napaangat ako ng tingin. Kaagad naman akong lumayo sa kanya ng makita ko kung sino iyon.

"T-Tell me, sino pa ang sisira ng tiwala ko?"

My vision becomes blurry. But before I totally loose my consciousness, I heard what he said.

"Those painful memories should be forgotten when you woke up. You deserve all the good things, my lady. Not this. Curse the destiny again for making you suffer."