She was startled when Manang grabbed her arms and lifted up the sleeves of her t-shirt. Nanlaki ang mata nito ng makita ang nagkukulay ubeng mga pasa sa braso niya.
“Jusko! Iyan ba ang normal na pag-aaway? Bakit hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin na namamasa ang braso mo?” Worried was written on Manang’s face.
Ngayon niya lang din napansin na pumasa pala ang braso niya dahil sa mahigpit na paghawak ni Gavin dito at ilang sugat dahil sa bumaon na kuko nito.
“Hindi naman po ganoon kasakit,” she lied. Pinisil nito ang braso niya kaya napasigaw siya sa sakit.
“Iyan ba ang hindi masakit, ha? Tingnan mo’t kulay ube na `yang mga pasa mo.” Hinawi nito ang buhok niya kaya tumambad ang mamula-mula niyang leeg dahil sa pagkakasakal sa kanya ni Gavin. “Ano ka ba namang bata ka! Bakit lagi mo na lang tinitiis ang sarili mo?” A little tear drops from Manang’s eyes.
Ayana wiped it away. “H`wag niyo po akong intindihin. Ayos lang po ako.”
“Sa akin ay hindi ayos `yan. Masakit sa aking makita kang puro pasa dahil wala man lang akong nagawa.” Manang’s tears were consistenly running down. “Para ko na kayong anak ni Gavin, kaya’t kung maaari ayokong may masasaktan sa inyong dalawa.”
“Manang, ayos lang po talaga ako.” She smiled at her. “Wala lang po ito.” Kumikirot ang mga pasa niya pero hindi niya pinahalata ditong nasasaktan siya.
“Hindi. Gamutin natin `yang pasa’t sugat mo,” sinunod niya na lang ito. They were about to go out in the kitchen but Gavin suddenly entered.
“Bakit na paaga naman yata ang uwi mo, hijo?”
His face was blank and there’s no emotion written in his eyes. “I’m not feeling well. I need to rest.” He coldy said. Gavin glanced at her arms. Binaba niya ang manggas ng damit niya para hindi nito mapansin ang kanyang pasa.
“Ganoon ba? Magpahinga ka na at tatawagan na lang kita kapag luto na ang hapunan,” halip na sundin nito ang utos ni Manang, nanatili lang ang mga mata nito sa kanya.
She’s not comfortable with his stare that’s why she turned around. Nervous was covering her body when Gavin walked towards her. Napaatras siya pero wala na siyang nagawa ng mahawakan na nito ang kamay niya.
“Hijo, umakyat ka na sa taas,” ulit ni Manang pero hindi parin ito nakinig.
They were staring each other and different electricity running down on her chest. Umiwas siya ng tingin at pilit na tinanggal ang kamay nito na nakahawak sa kamay niya pero sadyang malakas si Gavin dahil hindi niya nagawang alisin.
“Let go of me,” she said nonchalantly but Gavin was just staring at her. “Are you deaf? I said, let go of me.”
“What if I don’t?” He said seriously.
“What do you want to happen?” Naiinis na niyang sabi. But there’re no words coming from his mouth instead, he lifted her sleeves like what Manang did earlier.
She was startled and gasped. Nakatitig ito sa pasa’t sugat niya. Inilayo niya ang kanyang sarili dito pero agad nitong nahagip ang baywang niya. He touched her wounds carefully and different heat was covering her body. She’s burning because of his touches. Hinawi din nito ang buhok niya kaya tumambad dito ang mamula-mula niyang leeg.
Suddenly, Gavin dragged her upstairs. Kumakawala siya pero patuloy parin ito sa paghigit sa kanya. Maging si Manang ay nakasunod na rin sa kanila.
“Hijo, ano bang gagawin mo sa asawa mo? Hindi mo ba nakitang puro pasa na siya?” Manang said worriedly. He doesn’t listen. He just continued what he was doing.
Dinala siya nito sa ginagamit nitong kwarto. Bago ito pumasok ay humarap muna ito kay Manang.
“Don’t worry, Manang. I’m not going to hurt her, not this time,” he said and finally entered inside his room and locked it.
Pabato siya nitong inupo sa kama. Medyo nasaktan siya pero hindi na lamang niya pinahalata. Kakaibang kaba na naman ang bumalot sa kanya ng sinimulan nitong hubarin ang suot nitong damit. He’s just wearing his boxer now and she can’t take to look at him.
“What do you want to happen?” She asked again.
“How about you? What do you want to happen with this one room… with one bed and,” he smirked, “just the two of us inside here?”
“Stop this s**t, Gavin.” She nervously said. Nasa harapan niya na ito. Dahan-dahan niyang inangat ang kanyang paningin. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag dahil nakabihis na ito.
“It’s not gonna happen, not with you.” He smirked and as if he really knows what she’s thinking.
“Why you brought me here? You don’t want me to enter here, right?” She sarcastically said.
“You’re hardheaded. Kahit sabihin kong h`wag, ginagawa mo parin. Like now, you cleaned my room again.”
Nanlaki ang mata niya sa sinabi nito. Paano nito nalaman na siya ang naglilinis ng kwarto nito?
Gavin crossed his arms infront of her. “Right, Ayana?”
Hindi siya nakasagot, napayuko na lamang siya. Siguro nagtatanong ito kay Manang. Haist! Bakit naman kasi kailangan pa nitong sabihin. Tiningnan niya ito na kunware ay hindi siya apektado.
“I’m just bored earlier,” she lied.
He chuckled. “Really? So, you’re just bored in the past two years?”
Napapikit siya sa inis. “Can you just thank me?” Her eyebrow quirks up. “And stop talking as if cleaning your room is a sin.”
“Why would I have to thank you if I didn’t ask you to do it?” Pangangatwiran ni Gavin.
“Then, I should leave now if you’re just saying nonsense,” she was about to leave but Gavin pulled her again and sat her to the bed.
“We’re not done yet.”
Pumasok ito sa loob ng toilet at paglabas nito ay may dala na itong first aid kit. He sat down next to her but she left space between them. Tinaas nito ang manggas ng damit niya para lumantad ang braso niyang may pasa at sugat. Sinimulan nitong linisin ang sugat niya at kanya naman itong kinabigla.
Her heart was ready to explode the moment Gavin touched her skin. Nakatitig lang siya dito habang ginagamot ang pasa at sugat niya. Napapangiwi siya sa sakit dahil sa alcohol na inilagay nito at minsan ay napapalayo siya dahil mahapdi na ang balat niya.
“Don’t move,” saway nito.
“Ang hapdi kaya,” kunwari ay inis na siya pero ang totoo ay walang mapaglagyan ang sayang bumabalot sa pagkatao niya. He was so strange right now. Kailan pa nagkaroon ng pakialam si Gavin sa mga sugat na nakukuha niya dito kapag nag-aaway sila? That was the first time that Gavin treated her wounds.
*****