Nights Like This

CHAPTER 37

Flashback

"Vance anong ginagawa mo dito?"gulat kong tanong sa kanya. I stopped from walking and looked at him.

"Camila," bati nya sa akin. Vance rose from his seat, clearly expecting me.

I am on the way to the lunch that they arranged for us and hindi ko alam kung bakit nandito si Vance sa lobby ng condo na tinutuluyan ko. I was busy calming myself down while walking towards the parking when I spotted a very familiar man on the couch.

Lumapit ako sa kanya.

"Do you need anything? Sorry, I have lunch with my family and I can't..." Hindi ko maalala kung may naipangako ba akong pupuntahan today or what pero today is not really a good day because I am going to a battle.

"I know Cami and I am here because of that. I know that you might not be okay and I just want to make sure na if anything happens, you'll be fine."

I looked at Vance's eyes and I can see his worry. Parang dalawa na kami ritong hindi mapakali at nag aalala.

"They're my family and I am sure na hindi naman ako lalabas na kalahati na lang sa sariling bahay namin. Don't worry about me, Vance. I'll be fine," I said.

I don't know if I said that to convince him or to convince myself that I will be fine. Probably both. Hindi ko alam kung what will gonna happen later but I hope for the best. I just wish na sana magbago ang isip ng parents ko before they force me into doing things that I don't like.

My wishes don't happen often but I just hope that this one will come true.

"You are fine now but we don't really know after. I don't know your father more than you do but I know enough to say that disobeying him is not really a good thing to do. Lalo na sa'yo because you are his daughter."

Kumunit ang noo ko and I leaned closer to him. "What do you mean? What are you trying to say?"

Vance stepped closer to me and snatched my car keys na nasa kamay ko kanina pa. "I am going to drive you to your house and then I'll wait for you outside. If you don't want to stay there anymore, just go out. I'll just stay at the car.

I sighed and tried to get my keys back pero tinaas lang nya iyon gamit yunh kamay nya and I can't reach it because he's tall. "Vance, if you are thinking that you are partly responsible for me and my problems just because I told you everything that night and you are doing this because of that, then stop. You don't have to do this because I don't want your pity and I don't need your saving."

"You're right. I am not here because I pity you because I don't and I won't save you because you don't need a saving. I know that you can handle this," sabi nya sa akin. Vance reached out for my braso and he caressed it like it's some sort of comfort taht he's giving me. "I am here just in case you need somebody to lean on. A support tht you might need with everything and I am here, willing to give that to you."

"Then tell me why are you doing this? You don't have to but you want to. I don't understand that. Tell me," hamon ko sa kanya.

Imbis na sagutin ako ni Vance, he reached for his phonen na nasa pocket nya and showed me his screen. Akala ko kung ano na yung ipapakita nya but it's just the time.

Nataranta na naman ako kasi if I won't be going now, I will be really late on the lunch.

"They will not like it kung mali-late ka. Let's go," sabi nya. Nauna na syang mag lakad sa akin but I just remained standing on wherw I am.

Naramandaman nya yata na hindi ko sya sinusundan kaya huminto sya at lumingon pabalik sa akin. Nag sukatan kami ng tingin ni Vance at sya rin ang naunang kumalas. I could see from here na huminga sya ng malalim saka lumakad ulit palapit sa akin.

"Fine. I'll tell you why but first, you have yo face your family especially your father. This is your chance to tell him. Stand firm for yourself," sabi ni Vance.

Tumango ako. "Fine. But you have to tell me, okay? I'll get back to you after."

"Fine," I said, surrendering to him.

Sumama na ako kay Vance sa kotse nya and then I realized that it feels so much better na kasama ko sya ngayon. I really feel that I won't be going to the war alone. Vance is with me and he will be waiting for me after. Tama sya, I could hold onto him if things might go well at hindi nila ire- respeto kung ano yung gusto ko.

"Remember your goal, okay? You are there para ipa- alam sa pamilya mo na hindi ka papayag sa gusto nilang mangyari. Respectfully. Maybe explain to them why so they'd also see your reasons. Make them listen to you, okay?" paalala ni Vance sa akin while we are in the way to my family house.

Habang nakikita kong papalapit na kami sa bahay, ay ganun din and dagdag ng lakas ng kabog ng puso ko.

"Oo na nga. You've been telling me that ever since we left my tower. Kabisado ko na lahat ng sasabihin ko sa kanila," sabi ko ss kanya.

Tumango sya at saglit na sinulyapan ang direksyon ko. "Good. Now, I want you to calm down. Breathe. Inhale and exhale."

"Kumalma ka rin," sabi ko sa kanya. "Hindi naman ikaw yung haharap sa Daddy ko so stop fidgeting."

Hindi ko alam kung sino ang mas kabado sa aming dalawa. Sya ba o ako eh. Hindi lang halata sa muka ni Vance but he's been tapping the steering wheel kanina pa.

"Right. I'm just... for some reason, kinakabahan ako para sa'you but I believe in you."

Kahit pilit, I still managed to smile to him. "Thank you."

In no time, nakarating kaagad kami sa family house namin and Vance's car is already stopped right outside our gate pero hindi ko pa rin gustong lumabas. I am just buying time because I still have a few time left to waste.

Ate Emilia sent me a text na nasa loob na syaand she'll be waiting for me at the front door.

"Go on. Nagihintay na sila sa'yo sa loob. If you want to get out of there, I'll be here," sabi ni Vance when he saw my sister in law's text.

I cannot delay this anymore so I got out of the car and entered the house, all while bringing the encouragement and support that Vance is giving me.

***

"Are you feeling better now?" tanong ni Vance na naka tayo sa harapan ko.

Ibinaba ko ang baso ng tubig na ininuman ko sa lamesa and continued to calm myself down.

Tumango ako bilang sagot.

Pagka galing namin sa bahay, inuwi na agad ako ni Vance dito sa unit ko and he's been here with me ever since. Kahit ilang beses kong sabihin sa kanya na okay na, na okay lang, hindi nya hinayaan nya mag isa ako.

Hindi sya nag tanong kung anong ngangyari sa loob o kung anong naging usapan and I am very thankful for that. Basta inalalayan nya lang ako habang unti unti akong gumuguho.

Masamang masama pa rin yung loob ko that I feel like they ganged up on me. Up until to the last minute I was hoping na makikita nila yung point ko but all I get from them is how much a disappointment I am for not saying yes.

"I'll just get the food that I ordered. I'll be quick." Wala ng ibang sinabi si Vance and then he rushed to the door and went out.

My eyes went to my phone na kanina pa nga v- vibrate because of the calls and the texts from Ate, Kuya and Mommy. I turned it off because I don't wanna be tempted and answer everything and that will only add drama. I don't want another drama for the day at tapos na akong i- explain yung side ko.

If they won't accept that, It's not my problem anymore.

My doorbell rings and Coco rushed to the door. I looked at peephole to see who is it and it's Vance. Buti na lang kasi if it's one of my family members then I am not opening the door.

Bumalik ako sa pwesto ko habang pinapanood kong ilabas ni Vance ang mga food containers at isa isang buksan.

Agad na kumalat ang amoy ng pagakain.

"Enjoy your food. I'll just rest in my room for a while," sabi ko sa kanya.

"You should eat before you rest, Camila. I bet you barely eaten anything there," aniya.

"No, I'm good. Wala talaga akong gana na kumain Vance, " sabi ko sa kanya pero hindi nya pa rin ako pinakinggan kasi he still pushed a plate in front of me at sinadukan ako ng pagkain.

"You have to eat, Camila. It's past lunch time now," aniya.

Pangalawang beses pa lang ni Vance rito sa bahay ko but it seems like he really knows his way around na para bang dito rin sya naktira.

I just said to myself nung nakaraan na babawi ako sa kanya if ever na sya naman yung nasa bahay ko ulit but it seems that sya pa rin ang nag aalaga sa akin ngayon.

He looked at me, eyes pleading and sighed. "Just join me to eat all of this, please? I want to eat with you."

I looked at all the food sa lamesa and they're to much for a single person to eat kaya kahit wala talaga akong gana, I picked up the utensils.

I looked at Vance and I can say that he's pleased that he persuaded me to eat.

"Iwan mo na lang yung mga kalat dyan. I'll just clean after. I'll just be on my room. Katukin mo ako if you need anything," sabi ko sa kanya matapos naming kumain.

"Ako ng bahala dito at kay Coco. Sleep if you want to, cry if you want to. I won't go anywhere as long as you need me."

Tumango ako at hindi nanakipag discuss pa sa kanya. "Even if I tell you countless times na okay lang and I can handle this, hindi ka pa rin naman maniniwala 'di ba? So okay, just stay here if you want to."

Vance curled his lips upward and nods at me. "I'll call you when it's dinner time."

Lumakad ako papunta sa room ko and just when I was about to close it, hinawakan ni Vance yung pinto to stop me.

"Why?" gulat na tanong ko sa kanya because I was scared for a while na baka maipit sya ng pinto, luckily hindi namsn nangyari.

I opned the door wider para magkaintindihan kami.

"You won't ask me to tell you now kung bakit ko ginagawa 'to?" tanong nya ng naka kunot ang noo, halatang confused and curious at the same time.

Right. I told him that I want to know kung bakit nya ginagawa 'to sa akin. I am curious kanina pa sa kotse but after what happened, wala na akong ibang maisip kundi kung ano na ang gagawin ni Daddy.

"Do you think I am ready to hear it now?" I genuinely asked him.

Vance didn't say anything for a moment and just looked at me like he's assesing me or what.

"No, I don't think now it's the right time to tell you why," sagot nya sa akin.

I understandingly nod at him and tapped his shoulders. "Then tell me whenever you think I'm ready to hear it and whenever you are ready to tell me why."

I closed my door and changed into my pajamas para mas comfortable and laid down on my bed.