TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 20

Chapter 20

I couldn’t help but smile while thinking about what happened last night. I had no regrets. Maybe it’s because I’m already at the right age, or maybe it’s because I truly feel that he is the one. If a red string on the pinky finger is real, he’s the one I want to be my fated one.

I felt the body ache more when I woke up in the morning. I didn’t expect that what we did would have a hangover effect. I didn’t bother to clean myself and went straight downstairs since I had already cleaned up before going to bed, so I didn’t feel sticky.

I expected to see my siblings in the living room. What I didn’t expect was to see Lennox. When I woke up, he was no longer in bed. I thought he had left already since he said last night that he was leaving early.

He was in the kitchen, talking to Mama. There was food in front of him, and I think he wasn’t finished with breakfast yet. I stared at him as I walked closer. The memory of what happened inside the car last night was still fresh. He was still wearing the same clothes, so he probably hadn’t gone home yet.

“This young man came so early. Good thing you’re awake. I was about to go up and wake you if he didn’t say you were tired because of a group project you stayed up on last night.”

I shut my mouth at what I heard—the excuse Lennox made so Mama wouldn’t wake me up. Group project, huh? What an enjoyable group project. I really did get tired and stayed up late. My body is sore too. Just not because of the group project Mama thinks.

I sat beside Lennox after Mama left the kitchen to attend to my younger siblings in the living room. I also heard her scolding Along for putting his feet on the coffee table while playing games.

“Good thing you didn’t throw it away,” I said about the flowers, chocolates, and stuffed toy.

They were in the living room. Maybe I just didn’t notice them last night when we went up to the room.

“I did. I bought those.”

I glanced at him, then looked back at the things in the living room. The chocolate was bigger, as well as the stuffed toy. The flowers weren’t just red like yesterday. Now it was a combination of red and pink. The arrangement was prettier too. It was in the middle of the table, untouched by my siblings.

“The flowers are for you.”

I squinted at him and rested my chin on my hand.

“Where did you throw it? That’s such a waste!”

“Tss, I can buy anything you want. You don’t have to accept cheap things from your lame suitors.”

I laughed. He still wasn’t done with his rant. He glanced at me, but I couldn’t look at him long. He was starting to frown and reddened in anger again.

“You get jealous so easily. But he’s not even courting me—”

“He gave you flowers and other things. And you’re saying he’s not courting you?”

His voice had weight in it, and he was holding back from shouting since people in the living room might hear us. I pouted and just wanted to laugh.

“It was for an occasion—”

“That’s the same! Whether he’s courting you or not, reject him right away before he even starts!”

I chuckled and faced him more.

“What reason should I give for rejecting him?”

He put down the fork he was holding and glared at me with a frown.

“Tell him the truth: you already have a boyfriend!”

My smile widened even more. It was so nice to hear, especially since it came from him. I glanced at my family, still busy in the living room. Then I faced Lennox and placed my hand on his thigh.

He was startled and spilled a little water from the glass he was holding. He was about to drink when I touched his thigh. He looked down at my hand, then he shook his head before continuing the drink he had paused.

“Do you have any plans to tell your mother about us?” He placed his hand over mine that rested on his thigh. “I think she already knew, but you still need to tell her. Or should I?”

I shook my head and smiled. “I’ll do it.”

Knowing that he wanted us to be legal with my mother made me happy.

“They like me.” He raised his eyebrow proudly. I laughed and rolled my eyes at him.

I knew. It was as clear as the sun. They longed for a father and a brother figure, so they easily got along with Lennox. What I feared was that they might get too used to him. What if . . .

I shook my head quickly to stop the negative thoughts. He didn’t need to say he loved me too. I could feel it, so I didn’t need to worry.

He also left after lunch. I let go of my youngest sibling’s doll and stood up to go to Mama in the kitchen.

“Ma, let me help you,” I offered cautiously.

I chopped vegetables slowly. I kept glancing at Mama. She immediately noticed what I was doing, which made her stop. She was the one who took the lead to face me.

“Do you have something to say?”

I dropped the vegetable I was chopping. I gave Mama a small smile.

“Lennox is my boyfriend, Ma.”

She didn’t look surprised by my confession. She just went back to what she was doing while speaking.

“I know. I noticed.”

“You’re not mad?”

She shook her head and looked at me seriously.

“You’re mature enough, and I know you can protect yourself. You’ve already sacrificed a lot for us. I won’t forbid you from things that make you happy.”

I nodded gently. “What if I make the wrong decision?”

“Mistakes are part of life, Xena. If one day your heart gets hurt, just let it be. That’s part of the experience when you love.”

All those actions, sweet touches, and smiles—every bit of him—he planted in my heart. Every day with him, it grew even more, and I didn’t want us to fall apart. I would do everything to make us work. I would be a good and faithful girlfriend. I wanted him to be my first and my last.

I smiled wide and started chopping vegetables more energetically. Mama and I talked while she cooked and I helped. Then, my family comes before anything else. But she also said there’s nothing wrong if I get to experience love.

My week at school went well. Lennox had already told me he had work to take care of this coming Saturday and Sunday. He called earlier to say he could visit tonight after work.

I was sitting in the living room fixing Mena’s hair when I heard the gate move. I stood to peek through the window. It was already night, so it was dark. If there wasn’t light outside, I would have thought it was Lennox arriving, but it wasn’t—it was Amel outside the gate.

Fear quickly struck me. I slammed the window shut loudly. At the same time, the doorbell rang. Mama came near me. My eyes were wide, just staring at her, unable to speak right away. How did he know where we moved? How did he find us?

“Why are you pale? Who’s outside?”

I pushed Mama back when she tried to open the door. I pulled her to the window to show her the man outside—the one she used to live with.

“What is he doing here?” Mama asked in fear, quickly running to my siblings.

He had another man with him who looked like a drug addict too.

“Ma, maybe he followed you the day you went to our old place?”

Mama shook her head, crying as she hugged my siblings.

“I don’t know! I was careful and I didn’t see him!”

I rubbed my face with my hands. I quickly ran to my room to get my phone and call the police.

Just as I grabbed it, it rang. It was Lennox. I answered right away out of fear. Amel wasn’t alone, and I was terrified of what they might do to us.

“I just got home. I’ll change my clothes and go there,” he said. “Do you crave anything? Want me to buy something?”

I peeked out the window upstairs. My eyes widened when I saw the two men climbing over our gate.

“Hurry!” My voice trembled with panic when I saw them jump down inside our yard.

“What’s happening?” he asked, confused and worried.

I didn’t answer because I rushed downstairs. The door might not be locked. Mama and my siblings were downstairs without me. I wasn’t even sure if all the locks were secured.

“Mama, the door! Lock it!” I shouted while I was still on the stairs.

My siblings cried when they heard me yell. Along ran to the door to make sure it was locked.

“Xena!”

I still had the phone in my hand, and he had been talking. Mama screamed, which made my siblings cry harder. None of us could stop screaming in fear when we suddenly heard a gunshot fired at the door.

“What the f**k is that? Is that a gunshot?!”

I collapsed onto the stairs, realizing they had guns. Their eyes were both red, and I was sure they had just taken illegal drugs.

They kept kicking the door, but they couldn’t open it since there were locks at the bottom and top, aside from the doorknob they had shot.

“Damn it, Xena! Answer me! What’s happening?!” His voice was full of anger and worry as I pressed the phone back to my ear. My hands trembled as I looked at my family.

“I’ll call the police. I’ll call you later.”

“I already called!” he shouted, cursing. “I’m driving! I’m on my way too!”

I still heard his curses and the sound of cars before I ended the call to dial the police myself, in case the ones he called didn’t arrive quickly.

I went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. My whole body was shaking. I was terrified but I fought it. I was sweating and felt like fainting.

“If they open the door, run to the car!”

Mama and Along nodded. My two younger siblings couldn’t stop crying. Another gunshot, along with a kick at the door, broke it open.