What Lies Within Her

Chapter 32: Encounter

Reese's POV

Kaagad akong umiwas ng tingin at sumandal sa seat. Damn it. Caeden saw me and the worse part is that he smiled the moment our eyes met. "Calm down, calm down, Reese."

I closed my eyes. What's going on? I knew he went home, sinabi na sa akin 'yon ni Cielo, but I didn't expect this to happen! Wala naman akong ideya na makikita ko kaagad siya. I'm not ready for this yet.

Napapitlag ako nang may kumatok sa bintana ng kotse at pagtingin ko ay si Caeden ang bumungad sa akin. Nakangisi lang siya sa akin at hindi siya nagsasalita. Napalunok ako, what should I do? Nanginginig 'yong dalawang kamay ko at umakyat lahat ng takot sa buong katawan ko. I thought I'm starting to get over it by now, but as soon as we saw each other, I'm back from the start again. Para bang pinaglalaruan lang ako ng tadhana.

"Reese, come out," Caeden said when I didn't pull down the window. Why is he here? Of all places he can be, bakit dito pa sa kung nasaan ako? "I'm waiting, honey."

Marahas na binuksan ko 'yong pinto at tumama 'yon sa kaniya kaya napangiwi siya. I stepped outside and glared at him. "What do you want?"

He smirked as if he saw his plaything again. "Oh come on, Reese. It's been three years, and you still have grudges with me? Come on, I'm sorry." Nagngitngit ang ngipin ko sa galit. He said sorry but he didn't even sound a little bit sincere about it. Para bang sinasabi niya sa akin na wala siyang pakialam kung galit pa rin ako sa kaniya. f*****g piece of s**t! 

"Sana hindi ka na lang bumalik," sabi ko na ikinatawa niya. Hanggang ngayon, tarantado pa rin siya. Lahat ng galit na mayroon ako noon, lahat 'yon bumabalik ngayon. Gusto ko siyang sampalin nang malakas, sigawan, sisihin sa lahat ng nararanasan ko ngayon pero kilala ko siya. Tatawanan niya lang ako habang unti-unti akong nauubos. Napakawalang kuwenta niyang tao. 

Tama si Cielo, si Caeden, he'll never change. He was an asshole and he will remain one for the rest of his worthless life. 

"Don't look at me like that, honey." Hahawakan niya sana ako nang hinampas ko 'yong kamay niya. 

"Stay the f**k away from me, you asshole!" He knows I'm so pissed right now. Alam niyang kahit tatlong taon na ang lumilipas ay galit na galit pa rin ako sa kaniya, and he's loving the idea out of it. Gustong-gusto niyang pinahihirapan ako gaya ng ginawa niya sa akin noon. 

Humalukipkip siya. Roon ko lang siya tuluyang napagmasdan nang maayos. Caeden and his family went to Canada to live there three years ago. It was the turning point of my life and I was so thankful that he went there. Umayos 'yong buhay ko noong wala siya. Sana hindi na lang siya bumalik. Sana nanatili na lang siya roon habang buhay.

He changed a lot from his physical appearance. Pero sa ugali? Walang nagbago, hanggang ngayon ay gago pa rin siya. He became so tall, his hair is curly and messy, at naiinis ako dahil nananatili pa rin 'yong ngisi niya na kinaiinisan ko sa lahat. He's so carefree and I hate him, all of him.

"Don't tell me, you knew I'm back?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya kaya umiwas ako ng tingin. "My dog knew her master is coming home."

"f**k you."

"Reese?" Napalingon ako sa biglang sumulpot sa gilid namin at nanlaki 'yong mata ko nang makita si Gideon. Kanina pa ba siya nandoon? Natatakot akong baka narinig niya 'yong pinag-usapan namin. "Who is he?" tanong niya at lumapit sa amin.

"He's, uh..." HIndi ko masabi kay Gideon. Nanginginig 'yong kamay ko dahil sa kaba at takot. Gideon doesn't have any idea what happened in my past, at wala pa akong balak sabihin 'yon sa kaniya, yet we're now in front of the person who did those things to me. 

"Hi, I'm Caeden," aniya kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Nakangisi na naman siya nang nakaloloko at hindi ko nagugustuhan 'yong ngisi niya na 'yon. Para bang may balak na naman siyang gawin. "And you are?"

Gideon's expression changed. Naging seryoso siya at nakikita kong hindi rin siya natutuwa kay Caeden. "Gideon."

"Gideon..." Tumango-tango si Caeden at muling tumingin sa akin. "Is he your boyfriend, Reese?"

"I am his boyfriend," pagsagot ni Gideon sa tanong ni Caeden na lalong lumawak 'yong ngisi. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko nang mga oras na 'yon. Natatakot akong may gawin o sabihin si Caeden kay Gideon. Hanggang ngayon, pinapaikot pa rin niya ako sa palad niya. Damn it! 

"Good to know. I'm a great friend of Reese, by the way. If you have questions about her, feel free to ask me. I'd love to tell you a very long story about her," sarkastikong sabi ni Caeden kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. He's trying to tell me that he has the power over me and he can tell Gideon about me any time. "I want to talk more, do you mind if we go out for some coffee?"

"We're busy," sabi ko. Sinasadya niyang pahabain 'yong usapan. He's planning this so that he can play with me again. For a moment there, gusto ko nang tumakbo paalis dahil bumabalik na naman ang memorya ng mga ginawa niya sa akin noon. The hurting, the lying, him using me for his own good. Lahat ng 'yon, pinaranas niya sa akin. What do you want now, Caeden?

"Come on, Reese. Ngayon na nga lang tayo ulit nagkita, ayaw mo pang pagbiyan 'yong gusto ko? I'd like to go over things from the past. I'm sure Gideon here wants to hear old stories about you," aniya kaya naikuyom ko 'yong kamao ko. "It won't take a lot of your time, so, shall we?"

Napalingon ako kay Gideon na nakatingin nang masama kay Caeden. "G-Gideon..."

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I closed my eyes in frustration. We went to the nearest coffee shop and Caeden ordered for the three of us. Why am I in this situation again? Hindi ko alam 'yong gagawin ko at natatakot akong magtanong si Gideon kung sino ba si Caeden at bakit marami siyang alam tungkol sa akin. Ayaw kong masinungaling sa kaniya at ayaw ko rin nang ganito ako, pero wala akong magawa.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," ani Caeden at inilapag niya na 'yong orders namin sa mesa. He started talking and I don't know what he's thinking but he never brought up the topic about what happened to the past. Hindi ko alam kung makahihinga ba ako nang maluwag dahil doon o lalo pa akong kakabahan dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang iniisip niya at pinaplano.

"I'll go to the comfort room, excuse me," ani Gideon at naiwan kaming dalawa ni Caeden doon sa mesa. He smirked at me as if he's reading my mind.

"Wala pa ring nagbabago sa 'yo, Reese. You're still going for handsome and bad boy type," aniya na para bang kilalang kilala niya ako. "What now? Does Gideon know about our dirty little secret--" I cut him off.

"Don't you even dare tell him! I'll f*****g kill you," sabi ko pero tumawa na naman siya. Nakikita niyang nahihirapan ako ngayon at natutuwa lang siya. 

"It's a pity, you know? He's so in love with you without knowing that you have a nasty secret within you." Napailing siya at kumain. Paano niya ba 'to nagagawa sa akin? He's not even sorry for the things he did and now he's ruining my life again as if it's a very fun thing to do. 

Napalunok ako. "Why did you come back, Caeden? Tell me."

He leaned towards my direction as if what he's about to say is just a secret that no one is allowed to know. "I came back to take my toy with me. And you're my toy, Reese."