GUILTY PLEASURE

CHAPTER 6

SIX

TALA EUGENE

Ate Tally and I stood before Mom and Dad in his office, ramdam ko ang pang gigilaiti ni Mom sa amin

“BECAUSE OF YOUR STVPIDITY! TAYO ANG PINAG UUSAPAN NGAYON SA BALITA AT SA MGA TAO!” nanginginig ang boses ni Mom habang nakatingin sa akin. Her faced red with rage

“Enough, Lucy” Dad’s voice was firm

Dalawa kami ni Ate ang nakatayo ngunit tila ako lamang ang nakikita ni Mom “Ayan ang napapala dahil ini-spoiled mo ’yang anak mo, Theodore! Now that he’s grown, damay tayo sa kabob0han!” animo’y punyal ang bawat salitang binibitawan ni Mom sa akin

Ate Tally’s voice trembled as she spoke up “Mom, it’s all my fault. He was just defending me” ngunit tila walang naririnig si Mom.

“Tala, why did you do that? Did you even try to find out kung kaninong anak siya bago ka gumawa ng eksena? Can’t you think for once? Are you stvpid or something?” galit na sunod sunod na tanong sa akin ni Mom.

Tulad ng sinabi ko, sa lahat ng mali ako ang parating nakikita niya ang dahilan.

“Who do you think you are, saan ka nakapulot ng lakas ng loob na banggain ang babaeng iyon? Buti sana kung hindi mo dala ang apelyido ng pamilyang to! You’re ruining our family’s reputation!” dagdag pa niya, hindi ko na mapigilan pa at tuluyan ng kumawala ang malalaking butil ng luha sa aking mata

“I said stop, Lucy!” Dad’s firm voice interrupted her again. His face was stern and his eyes flashing with warning

Nanginginig sa galit na hinarap ni Mom si Dad “Don’t tell me to stop, Theodore! You’re always defending him and you never disciplining him! Now look what’s happened!”

Ate Tally’s voice was laced with desperation “Mom, s-top. Dad, p-please” halos hindi na niya mabuo ang kaniyang salita kaka-iyak

For the second time, I heard Ate plead with Mom—her voice cracking with emotion. It hurt to see my own mother, my own flesh and blood, willingly hurt me with her sharp words.

“I-is that more... important than me, Mom? Dad? Yung imahe nyo?” I let out a fake laugh, my voice trembling with emotion.

“You didn’t even ask if I was hurt or...or okay? You jumped to conclusions without asking my side!” bago ko pa matapos ang sasabihin mo, dumapo na sa aking pisngi ang mabigat na kamay ng aking ama. Na ikinatigil ko

“Dad!” Ate Tally yelled as she grasped Dad’s arm. Tears streaming down my face like a running water “Don’t act dvmp here, Tala! You’re the reason our name is involved in this mess!” Mariing bulas niya

Hinarap ko siya, my palm wiping away the tears streaming down my face “Okay, then I’ll leave. It’s what you’ve always wanted, diba? FINE!” I emphasized the last word

“Leave, then! Don’t dare come back here! I’ll make sure you have nothing to come back to, Tala Eugene!” pasusumigaw ni Mom. Napansin ko ang pagkuyom ng panga ni Dad at sabay sabay na paglunok niya

Hinakbang ko ang daan palabas, at ibinagsak ng pasara ang pinto. Tagaktak ang luhang binabagtas ang daan palabas ng impyern0ng bahay na ’to. But before I reached the door Ate Tally’s voice stopped me “T-tala...I’m r-really sorry for dragging you into this, p-please huwag kang umalis”

Hinawakan ko ang kaniyang pisngi at ipinahid ang aking palad sakaniyang luha “It’s okay, Ate” I reassured her with a small smile

But seeing the sadness in her eyes made my heart clench in pain. My sister was so fragile, hindi niya deserve na maiwan.

I hugged her tightly “Ate, mas ikabubuti ko siguro na umalis. Kaysa naman ipakasal ako sa hindi ko mahal diba I joked, trying go lighten the mood. She hugged me back and chuckling through her tears “ I love you, Tala. I love you so much, please take care of yourself” her voice cracked, and felt a lump form in my throat “ I will, Ate. I love you more”

IT HAD been three days since Jaydon and I had a fight, so I hadn’t received a single message from him. Habang binabagtas ko ang daang na walang patutungohan. I tried calling him, and I breathed a sigh of relief when his phone rang

“Hello, Jaydon?” I said

“Jaydon is not here” a sweet and innocent voice replied

Kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay ang pamangkin miyang si Jai ang kausap ko ngayon “Where’s your tito, Jai?” Tanong ko, trying to sound casual despite the growing unease in my chest

“He’s on date with his girlfriend” she said strictly, her words piercing my heart like a sharp dagger.

Even though I was talking to a child, ramdam ko pa rin ang kakaibang sakit sa aking dibdib. Pakiramdam ko ay mawawalan na ako ng hininga

“Hello‚ are you still there? Off ko na ’to”

“H-how did you know that he has a girlfriend, Jai?” tanong kung muli, sinubokan kong pigilan na huwag bumigay ang boses ngunit bigo ako dahil basag ko itong nasabi

“Five years old hear everything” she said innocently, her words rubbing salt into my wounded heart.

Patuloypa rin ako sa pagmamaneho papunta sa kalsada na hindi ko alam kung saan ang hantungan. The road ahead of me blurred and my thoughts were a jumbled mess.

Hinampas ko ang aking salawang palad sa steering wheel dahil sa galit, sakit, paglamuhi na nararamdaman ko