FRIEND OF MINE (2nd Generation HUGS)

Chapter 17 -Eats The Whole Of Me

Chapter 17 -Eats The Whole Of Me

I am in the middle of an important meeting with a client when my phone suddenly rings. Nang silipin ko kung sino ang tumatawag ay kaagad akong nag-excuse sa kausap ko kahit pa hindi tamang gawin. I can’t just let my mother wait, never ko pa ginawa sa kanya ang bagay na yun. 

‘Ma, what about? I am in the middle of a very important client meeting.’

‘How could you allow your sister to book a suite, Ziggy? Hindi ba I already told you to shelter her once she’s there in Boston! Bakit ngayon naka-checked in sa isang hotel ang kapatid mo?’ kahit pa milya-milya ang layo namin ni Mama ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang irritation niya. I know that she is fuming mad right now. Sa aming dalawa ni Zinnie ay mas iniingatan niya ito dahil sa babae ito kahit pa strong ang personality ng kapatid ko and I knew so well that she can handle herself. 

‘What? What are you talking about Ma? I left her at our home kanina bago ako pumasok ng work.’ nagtaka ako dahil alam ko na nasa bahay lang si Zinnie at wala naman siyang nabanggit sa akin that she will leave. 

‘Go check on your sister Ziggy! I was asking her why she booked a suite pero ang sagot lang niya ay gusto lang daw niya!’

‘I will Ma, right after my meeting now.’

‘Call me once nakausap mo na ang kapatid mo. Your Dad keeps on asking me why pero wala naman akong maisagot dahil mukhang sinumpong na naman ng kamalditahan yan kapatid mo and decides on her own without notifying anyone!’ nilayo ko ang phone ko from my ear dahil sa lakas ng voice ni Mama. 

‘I promise I will Ma. Don’t worry too much, I will check on her.’ 

‘Good. I will forward you the hotel where she’s at.’ 

I shook my head several times and exhaled deeply after conversing with Mama. Ano na naman kaya ang pumasok sa utak ng kapatid ko at naisipan na mag-stay sa hotel instead na sa bahay? Maayos naman kami kagabi at wala naman siyang nababanggit sa akin nor kay Phoebe that she is planning to transfer to a hotel. Mamaya after ng meeting ko ay pupuntahan ko ang hotel kung nasaan siya and talk to her. Ako ang mananagot kay Mama at kay Daddy if something happens to her. 

Right after the meeting, I drove off to where my sister is. I headed straight to her suite and rang the doorbell. Minutes after ay bumukas ang door at sinalubong ako ng nakasimangot na mukha ng kapatid ko. 

‘What happened, Zinnie? Mama called and told me na umalis ka daw ng bahay! She is furious dahil basta-basta ka na naman nag-decision without advising! Bakit hindi ka man lang nagsabi sa akin that you were planning pala of transferring at a hotel last night?’ She grumpily looked at me first before walking towards a leather ottoman. 

‘Why don’t you ask that ugly girlfriend of yours!’ She crossed her arms then slump back. 

‘What? Why? What happened?’ hindi siya nagsalita and she just sigh heavily. Nilapitan ko siya right after I have closed the door. ‘Zinnie. Tell me what happened. We cannot and will not resolve whatever the issue is if you will not tell me what happened. Inaway mo ba si Phoebe kanina?’ She suddenly stared at me with arched eyebrows. 

‘Ako pa talaga! Kuya! You knew so well na ang bait-bait ko! I blend along with almost everyone at wala pa kahit isa na nagrereklamo sa attitude ko!’ 

‘Okay, fine. Sige. Hindi mo siya inaway. Then what? Why did you decided to suddenly transfer here when I taught ay okay ka na naman sa bahay?’

‘I can’t swallow your girlfriend’s pa-innocent attitude Kuya! Masyado siya kung mag-pretend na mabait siya!’ there’s vivid mockery in her voice. 

‘Zinnie, I don’t get why you hate Phoebe so much. She’s trying to befriend you ever since the beginning, but it seems that you are the one who’s distancing yourself from her.’

‘It’s because I don’t like her! Mahirap ba na intindihan yun Kuya Ziggy! Kung si Ate Bella pa yan pwede pa! But her?’ She flipped her hair with annoyance. 

‘Stop that Zinnie! That’s not fair, for both Phoebe and Pretty Bella!’

‘Eh totoo naman kasi! Kung sana ay niligawan mo na si Ate Bella noon pa then maybe the two of you ended up together! Hindi yung ganyan na may Phoebe ka then siya naman ay may Troy!’ I sigh heavily before leaning back. 

‘We cannot control how things will end up, Zinnie. We can’t control nor even manipulate things to go as we wish it to be.’ 

‘But you could have at least tried sana Kuya! I knew Ate Bella loved you, I saw it in her eyes and the way she acted everytime you were together. Hindi mo ba nakita yun?’

‘I saw that. But, it was late already.’ muli kong naramdaman ang pait inside my heart knowing that I can’t be with the woman that I truly love. Napatitig siya sa akin with confusion. 

‘Nakita mo naman pala eh! Then why not do something about it? Bakit nagtitiis ka pa rin sa Phoebe na yan? You love Ate Bella also right?’

‘Mahirap na kasi ang situation namin unlike before. She is now to be wed with Troy at ako naman ay Daddy na with Third.’

‘So? Uso na naman ngayon ang agawan, Kuya. Why not win Ate Bella back! You two deserve each other! Hindi bagay sayo si Phoebe! The nerve of that b***h!’

‘Hey! Watch your language!’ She just smirks before standing. 

‘I am just saying na huwag mong hayaan na makasal si Ate Bella kay Troy even if gusto niya na ikasal kay Troy. She is just doing that out of respect sa pagmamahal na ipinakita ni Troy sa kanya. But honestly, alam ni Ate Bella na hindi dapat siya magpakasal sa iba! Kung talagang mahal mo si Ate Bella then fight for her.’

‘I can’t.’ 

‘What!’ nahilamos ko ang palad ko sa mukha ko. 

Kahit na gusto kong gawin ang sinasabi ng kapatid ko, I know that I can’t do that. Bella already have decided at ayoko rin na lumaki ang anak ko with a broken family. Ayoko na lumaki si Third na kagaya ko noon na late ko ng nalaman kung sino ang father ko. Ayoko na lumaki siya ng hindi kumpleto ang mga magulang niya. I want all the best for my son, even if it will take my heart away not being with the woman whom I love the most and sacrifice my love for her ay gagawin ko alang-alang sa kapakanan ng anak ko. 

‘Ang layo na ng narating ng conversation natin, Zinnie. I went here not to discuss my life with you. Nagpunta ako dito dahil basta ka na lang nag-decided na umalis ng bahay without notifying me. Ano ba kasi ang nangyari?’ She immediately sat again before telling me her side of the story. 

Hindi ko na siya napilit pa na bumalik ng bahay. I called Mama to inform her about it and made a promise to keep an eye on her from time to time. Kilala rin naman niya ang ugali ni Zinnie once she have made up her mind, only Daddy can somehow change her mind sometimes pero bihirang-bihira pa yun. Sa bahay na ako tumuloy right after leaving the hotel where my sister is. Malayo pa lang ay kita ko na si Phoebe alone at the rocking chair and obviously waiting for me. 

‘ZG, Genvely left hours ago.’ yun agad ang bungad niya sa akin the minute I am in front of her. 

‘Let’s talk inside. Where’s Third?’ 

‘He’s asleep.’ pumasok kami sa loob and I head straight to the kitchen to grab something to drink. Nang maubos ko ang glass of water ay sinundan niya ako sa living room. 

‘I tried to reason out with her na huwag na siyang umalis but she insisted of leaving anyway.’ 

‘What happened, Phoebe?’ I loosen up my tie before slacking heavily at the back of our cushions. She started telling me her side. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not mad at her knowing how stubborn my sister is. Pero sana lang kasi ay hindi na lang niya pinatulan pa ang topak ng kapatid ko. Now I am in the middle of two rival forces that obviously ay ayoko ng posisyon.  

‘Forget about it Phoebe. Let’s just respect her decision na lang para hindi na lumaki pa.’ I heard her curse that made my head turn to her. ‘Hindi ba’t I already told you several times not to curse! Sinong minumura mo this time! Ako ba? Or my sister?’ I can feel my blood rising straight up to my head. 

‘Kaya lumalaki ang ulo ng kapatid mo dahil kinukunsinti mo! It shouldn’t be that way, ZG! Mali na nga siya and yet here you are saying to me to just forget about it? Kailan pa matuto ng good manners yan kapatid mo when everytime na mali na siya ay tinatama mo pa! What the f**k ZG!’ mabilis siyang tumayo saka iniwan akong mag-isa sa living room. 

‘Hey!’ mabilis rin akong tumayo and quickly grab her wrist. ‘What did you just say!’ She tries to free herself from my grip pero hindi ko siya hinayaan na makawala. 

‘But that’s the truth! Masyado nyo ini-spoiled yan si Zinnie kaya ganyan siya! Hindi na ako magtataka kung one day ay mapahiya niya ang respected name ng mga Reiz because of her damn attitude!’ nabigla ako sa sinabi niya pero mas nabigla ako when my palm hits the side of her face. Nagulat siya sa nagawa ko as tears fell down from her disbelieving eyes. 

‘Phoebe… I’m…’ She abruptly pulled her arm from my grip and walked away crying hard. 

Huminga ako ng malalim habang galit sa sarili na sinuklay ang buhok ko with my fingers. Never in my entire life have I hurted a woman before. Hindi ako pinalaki ni Mama to treat women like that kaya ganun na lang ang konsensya ko now that I have hurted Phoebe. I know na foul ang mga sinabi niya against my sister but that didn’t give me the right to hurt her physically. What have I done? Why does it have to conclude on that kung kanina lang naman ay nag-uusap lang kami? Mabilis akong lumabas ng bahay with a foggy mind and drove far away to nowhere just to release the rage I have for myself. 

‘You are so stupid Ziggy! How could you do that to her!’ I pound the steering hard enough as frustration eats the whole of me.

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