Interdicted Passion: The Nerd's Prodigy (AGS #1)

KABANATA 37:

Pardon

A part of my world suddenly collapsed. I saw how the ground crumbled and I fell in a dark endless pit. I felt like my heart fell together with it.

Darkness consumed me and my thoughts was in complete haywire. I cannot seem to process and take in the information.

You can't because you don't want to.

Painful is even an understatement of what I feel right now. I tried excruciating, agonizing, harrowing, tormenting but nothing seem to added up on how I feel right now. I can't even name this feeling. No word can explain how it feels. I am lost for word and this never happened to me.

"T-That's not t-true." Pumiyok ang boses ko.

"I'm sorry. I didn't tell you." She cried. While my lips parted in awe upon realizing that it is real. "She died three years ago. After your graduation." Akala ko sukdulan na iyong kanina, meron pa pala.

"Why didn't you t-tell m-me?" My lips quivered and no matter how hard I try to stop it from doing so. I just failed, continuously.

"They were still hoping and I did too. Three years ago after your graduation Shy fought with her family she decided to move out of town and go to our hometown. Kinabukasan nasa news na ang aksidenteng kinasangkutan niya." I heard her sobbing.

"Why? B-Bakit ngayon lang?"

"Because just like me, her parents hoped that she survived the accident even though the authorities declared that no one made it out alive. Ang tanging palatandaan lang nila sa katawan ni Shy ay ang kwintas nito at ang bag niyang may lamang id niya. Lahat ng bangkay ay sunog. They can't do the deoxyribonucleic acid test because... Because..." I heard her voice crack and she cleared her throat multiple times to bit back her cries.

"Because she's a-adopted." I finished her sentence.

"A DNA test is no use. But your tita Zaffy  and tito Darius still believed that she's alive. They conduct a search and rescue operation para hanapin siya but they failed. And they continue failing. Ngayon kita pinauuwi dahil tumigil na s-sila." This time she totally burst out in tears. Alam kong parang anak na ang turing niya kay Shy at gano'n din kay Rei.

"What? Tumigil? S-Saan?" I gasped when I realized what she meant.

"They stopped searching and just considered Shy, d-dead. They are planning to give her a wake and a mass before her burial the day after tomorrow. I called you. Hoping that you would finally come home. E-Even just for Shy. Kahit sa paghatid lang, 'nak please?" Hearing her like this hurts me but hearing the news?

It kills me.

"I'm coming h-home ma."

After the call, I can't seem to contain my emotions. I broke down.

Ang sakit.

Iyon lang ang alam ko. Masakit pero kailangang tanggapin.

With wobbly legs and puffed eyes I walked like a zombie to Kyle's room. Dalawang katok ay pinagbuksan niya agad ako.

"Miss See, ano pong meron? Anong oras palang oh!" Kung normal na araw lang ito siguradong natawa na ako sa kaniya at sa itsura niya. Pero iba ngayon e. Ang tawa ay naging hagulhol.

"Miss See! Bakit kayo umiiyak?" She panicked and held my arms.

"U-Uuwi tayo. B-Book a f-flight." I cried harder.

"Huh? E gabing-gabi na oh." She hurried back to her bed and grab her iPod on her side table.

"P-Please?" I stuttered, almost begging.