Twisted I (DORMITORYO) - Complete

Kabanata 30

"Paul, anong ginagawa mo rito?"

"I should be the one asking you this, Bel. What are you doing here at this hour? You said you'd stay in the garden. Or is this all part of Luz Clara too?" His jaw tightened as the words left his mouth, a flicker of jealousy creeping in. He hated how defensive he sounded, but the thought of her with someone else gnawed at him more than he'd like to admit.

His blood boiled as he stormed into the garden, frustration and panic rising in his chest. She was nowhere to be found. Anxiety clawed at him, and for a moment, he nearly reached for his phone to call the police, fearing the worst. He searched every inch of Luz Clara, his irritation growing with each empty corner. Just when he was about to lose control, he spotted her—laughing, carefree, chatting with another man. His heart sank, a mix of fear and anger swirling inside him, making it impossible to think straight.

"Hindi ko kasi namalayan na-" He cut her off. Pinipigilan niya ang sarili.

He had seen her with another man, and the jealousy ate at him, but he knew the truth—no matter what she said, her words didn’t matter. Her eyes, her voice, even her silence would melt his heart, and that scared him more than anything. She didn’t even have to explain. Just standing there, she’d undo him completely.

Parang may nagbubuhol sa bituka niya. Nanginginig ang mga kalamnan niya. Why does it bother me to see her with other man? he wondered, confusion swirling in his mind. The urge to grab her hand and pull her away gripped him, a primal instinct to keep her close, as if she belonged to him alone. Then it hit him hard: he didn’t just want her safe—he wanted her for himself, and that thought both excited and terrified him.

Tinitigan niya ng masama ang lalaking kasama nito. Nakangiti ito na para bang totoong mabait at ayaw niya ito. He couldn't stand the idea of her being with someone kind and gentlemanly—it would mean defeat, and he knew it. He wasn’t like them, and that frustrated him to no end.

He was ruthless, rude, everything she didn’t deserve. But the thought of her with someone else, someone better, crushed him. It gnawed at him, made him restless. No matter how wrong it seemed, he refused to accept it. He was the only man who belonged to her, and no one else would ever take his place. The very idea infuriated him, but it only strengthened his resolve. She was his, and that wasn’t up for debate.

"Mauna na ako, Elena. Salamat." Nagpaalam ito at hindi niya nakaligtaan ang kamay nitong tumapik sa balikat ng babae. Tatandaan niya ang mukha nito.

Nang makaalis ang lalaki ay tinanggal niya ang coat na nakasuot sa dalaga at marahas na tinapon iyon sa gilid. Sinundan iyon ng tingin ni Elena.

"Who's that good for nothing son of a b***h?" Tinaasan siya nito ng kilay. "Don't call him that, Paul. Wala siyang ginagawang masama." He was dumbfounded. How could this woman believe in such an act?

"Walang ginagawang masama? Bakit kayo nandito at anong ginawa niyo sa madilim na lugar na ito?" Hindi ito sumagot. Malamang ai iniisip ng dalaga na kahit magpaliwanag pa ito ay hindi mababawasan ang init ng ulo niya. Akma itong aalis ng hilahin niya ang braso nito at mariin na hinawakan ngunit winaksi lang ito ng dalaga. Halata sa mukha nito ang pinaghalong inis at pagod.

Why is he acting like a husband who caught his wife with another man when he’s not even her boyfriend yet? It made no sense, but he was consumed by feelings he couldn't fully understand. He planned to claim her, to own every part of her, and the thought of someone else having even a piece of her ignited a storm of emotions he couldn’t explain.

Nang makarating sa garden ng Luz Clara ay muli niyang hinila ang braso ng dalaga. Pilit nitong tinutulak ang dibdib niya gamit ang isa nitong kamay kaya binuhat niya ito at pinatong sa isang sementong mesa.

"Paul!" Pigil na sigaw ng dalaga. Kanina pa nagsiuwian ang lahat. Mga staff nalang ang natitira sa Luz Clara at inutusan niya pa ang mga ito na hanapin si Elena. Naglulumikot ito sa pagkakaupo. "Ano bang problema mo?"

He scuffed. Hindi rin niya alam kung anong problema niya sa pakikipag-usap ng dalaga sa ibang lalaki. "Una sa lahat, wala kaming ginagawang masama ni Sebastian. Pangalawa hindi kita kaano-ano!"

Parang nabingi siya sa sinabi ng dalaga. Malakas niyang hinatak ang buhok nito sa likod kaya napatingala ito at marahas na hinalikan ito sa labi. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili. Parang pagmamay-ari na ito ng dalaga. Naramdaman niya ang mainit na likido sa pisngi nito kaya napatigil siya. Nang lumayo ay nakita niyang tumulo ang luha ni Elena. Napalakas yata ang paghatak niya sa buhok nito. "Ysabel" Marahang tawag niya sa pangalan ng dalaga.

Napapikit siya ng mariin nang maramdaman ang palad ng dalaga sa kaliwang pisngi niya. Sobrang lakas nito. Pakiramdam niya ay bumakat ang kamay nito sa pisngi niya. "Gago!"

Nang lingunin niya ito ay nakita niya ang takot sa mga mata ng dalaga kaya napangisi siya. "Yun na 'yon?" Tumaas ang kilay nito. Hindi niya inasahan ang sunod nitong ginawa.

"s**t! s**t! f*****g s**t!" Mura niya nang suntukin siya nito sa mismong parte kung saan siya nasampal. Hindi pa ito nakuntento at sinipa nito ang binti niya.

Tumawa ito ng malakas. Pagkatapos ay tumakbo ito paalis. Bumalik ito sa loob ng Luz Clara habang siya ay iniinda pa rin ang sakit na natamo. He tasted his own blood because of what she did.

"You'll pay for it—in ways you won't be able to resist." Bulong niya sa kawalan.

__________________

"Oh, Elena. There you are!" Masayang bati ng matanda. May hawak itong donut at may babaeng nakakapit sa magkabilang braso. Yumuko siya upang bumati sa matanda. "Hello po, sir."

"Aw, just call me Ernesto. Hindi naman ganoon ka laki ang agwat natin." Napangiwi siya. Pareho namang tumawa ang dalawang babae. Natural na siguro ang pagiging komedyante nito. Sa isip niya.

"Poppy, why are you still here?" Bruskong tanong ng binata. Madiin nitong hinawakan ang kamay niya na agad niya namang winaksi. Tumawa ang matanda. "I was just busy a while ago. Pero aalis na rin kami. Mauna na kami sa inyo, Paul and Elena." Tinanguan nalang niya ang matanda. Gusto niya sanang sumama dito at magpahatid sa sakayan ngunit nakaramdam siya ng ilang sa matanda.

Hinatid niya ito ng tingin hanggang sa lumiko na ito at mawala sa paningin niya. "So." Baritonong wika ng binata sa likod niya. "So, what?" Nang lingunin niya ito ay muntik na siyang matawa.He had a cut on his lips and a red mark on his cheek—probably from what she’d done to him. She hadn’t expected to hit a man that hard, and it gave her a spark of confidence. But when Paul noticed her small smirk, she stepped back, attempting to run. Before she could escape, he caught her hand and held it tightly. “Where are you going now, hmm?”

Hinila siya ng binata papunta sa isang sulok. "S-San tayo pupunta? Tapos na ang event!"

"No, there is still one painting that needs to be discussed." Kumunot ang noo niya. "Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?"

Hindi ito sumagot at nagpatuloy lang sa paglalakad sa makitid na pasilyo. Hindi niya ito napansin kanina dahil sa mga painting. Ngayon ay wala ng natitirang painting kahit saan siya lumingon. Wala ring kahit sinong makikita sa lugar. Tanging ang tunog ng takong niya ang umaalingawngaw sa buong lugar.

Nang huminto ang binata ay napalinga siya sa paligid. Ano bang gagawin nila sa parteng iyon? "Eyes on the left wall, woman."

Nilingon niya ang parteng tinutukoy ng binata at napatda siya sa nakita. Sanguis? "T-Teka, bakit andito 'to?" Anong ibig sabihin nito?

Humarap ang binata sa kanya at mataman siyang tinitigan. "Sanguis, right?" Papano ito napunta sa kamay ng binata?

"Anong ibig sabihin nito, Paul?"

"Ako nga ang dapat na magtanong nito sa'yo. This is my ex-girlfriend's anniversary gift. She told me that she painted it for me, but at the bottom of the piece, I saw the initials 'YH' and the date October 23, 2022."

"I painted it at school during our art week. We displayed it in our classroom, which we transformed into a gallery at that time. I went to the washroom, and when I came back, the painting was gone."

Does this mean that she met Ada two years ago and didn't even notice?

"But, why?" Mariin nitong hinawakan ang mga kamay niya.

"What's in it?"