Waves of Affliction (Isla Series #3)

PROLOGUE

Affliction.

Turn the world upside-down, all of us have that. We all get afflicted like the waves that keeps on leaving, but at the end of the day comes back to the shore.

Have you been in love to the point where you know you'd willingly do anything and everything for the person? Because I did.

I gave him my whole heart... only for him to break it.

"Pagod na akong umasang pagkakatiwalaan mo ako nang buo."

I only wanted to rest. The pain was unbearable but giving up was not an option for me.

"Pagod ka na? Then leave."

But he gave up.

Ako iyong napagod... pero siya iyong umalis.

"Happy birthday, Sirene!"

Greetings left and right as I walked down the hallway of the resort. I have a party that will begin in about half an hour, so I went back up and decided to save the ounce of energy I have in my system.

From my room, I adored the view. Beach. I loved the beach so much, but sometimes I tend to hate it because... it reminds me of him.

The darkest part of the ocean reminds me of his attitude. The ruthlessness of the waves reminds me of his rough features. The bluest part reminds me of his beautiful eyes, while the lighter shades reminds me of the summer love we once had.

Love... Love, for me, is a choice. It just becomes hurtful because of reality. He proved it. Because he made me drown back in the reality I escaped.

"Pwede bang hilingin sa taon na 'to na maging masaya na ako?" I whispered in the air.

"Para kang sira. Binubulungan ba naman ang hangin." Nakipag-apir sa 'kin si Nathan bago niya inakbay ang braso sa balikat ko.

I leaned my head on his shoulder, pouting a bit. "You're quiet MIA these days, ah!" tukso ko at siniko ang tiyan niya.

"Bakit? Miss mo 'ko?" he asked, smirking at me.

"Ulol! Assumero ito. Nagsabi lang, eh!" Inirapan ko siya kaya bahagya siyang natawa.

Nathan chuckled. "Happy birthday, even when I know you hate celebrating it and hearing greetings left and right."

May dala siyang beer kaya ininom namin iyon at parehong natulala. Mukhang may iniisip siya. Mayamaya lang, hinatak na siya nila Lucas at Koa para maghanda ng mga alak sa baba.

"Sirene."

I didn't look back when someone called me. He was the last person I want to see right now.

"Sirene," he called again.

"Engineer," labag sa loob na bati ko at naupo sa sofa. I crossed my leg on top of the other and continued sipping on my can.

Engineer Peralez always had no emotions on his face. You'd think he's angry but that was his usual expression. A simple sight of him was stressing me out. A conversation with him just brings all the pain back. Palagi kaming nagkikita. Maliit ang mundong ginagalawan naming dalawa.

He eyed my drink. "Umiinom ka na kahit ang aga pa. That's not good."

"Hindi ko hiningi ang opinyon mo," pambabara ko.

I watched him warily as he stride inside my room. I could hear the tap of his shoes on the floor because of the defeaning silence of my room. Kakarating lang niya galing sa kung saan, base on his get up. Or he prepared for my party.

Akala ko hindi na siya babalik.

Hiniling ko na huwag na siyang bumalik.

"Happy birthday," he greeted huskily.

"You know what I want as a birthday gift?" I arched a brow at him, grabbing this opportunity.

"What is it?"

I went to my drawer and got the envelope before walking back to him. Padabog kong tinama iyon sa dibdib niya.

He got taken aback and held the lower part so the envelope won't fall on the floor. Kinuha niya ang laman at nakita ko ang unti-unting pagsalubong ng mga kilay niya.

Binaliwala ko siya at naupo ulit sa sofa. I was all poise as I drank my beer.

"Ano 'to?" Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. I can see the anger evident in his eyes.

Bakit siya galit? I am actually doing the both of us a favor.

"Annulment papers," simpleng sagot ko.

Engineer Peralez is my husband. The man I never thought I'd ever love but did in the end. I liked the way he helped me escaped this reality. In all ways. Always.

"Nabasa ko nga. Hindi ako tanga," sarkastiko niyang sabi. "Para saan?"

"Kung hindi ka tanga, alam mo kung para saan ang annulment papers," sarkastiko ko namang ganti sa kaniya.

He pushed his tongue on the inside of his cheek in annoyance.

I smirked without humor and locked eyes with him, equalling his anger. I immediately drowned in his eyes. Because of his anger that was evident in there, it ruined the serene feeling that it used to give me.

"Look, Kai. I'm just giving you what you want." Totoo naman, ah? "Hindi ba hiniling mo iyan sa akin?"

"Asawa mo ako, Sirene."

"'Hindi."

"Anong hindi?"

"Hindi mo ako asawa. Sa papel na lang tayo kasal."

"Kahit ano'ng gawin mo, asawa kita. Asawa mo ako. Kinasal tayo kahit ayaw natin noon. Kasal tayo hanggang ngayon."

Umiling ako at hindi na lang siya pinatulan. I knew him too well. He never backs down. He was full of pride. I hate pride. I hate that about him.

"Besides, walang divorce sa pilipinas." He leaned back on the sofa, playing with his lower lip to hide his smirk.

My brows twitched in irritation when I heard him utter his favorite sentence. Palagi niyang binabato iyan.

"Talaga bang papanindigan mo 'yan?" inis kong tanong. "Kaya nga annulment 'yan, eh. Gets mo naman siguro. Hindi ka tanga, 'di ba?"

"Still." He crumpled the paper in his hand, making his veins defined.

I heaved a deep breath. Tinitigan niya ako nang mariin. May napansin ako kaya tumayo ako. I grabbed his jaw gently. He instantly pursed his lips.

"Ano ito? Nakipagsuntukan ka?"

"Pumigil lang."

Natawa ako nang sarkastiko. "Sinungaling ka talaga kahit kailan," I fired, then let go of his face. "Put ice on that. It's going to be fine in twenty minutes."

"Tayo in twenty minutes okay na rin ba?" He messed his hair.

With all sarcasm, I laughed so loud I almost cried.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo," I hissed. "Sobrang kapal, Kai. Kung saan ka humuhugot ng lakas ng loob na sabihin iyan sa akin ay nakakapagtaka."

Because of him, I doubted myself and think that I was not worthy of happiness. Because I never got that before, but he gave me that when he came into my life. But when he left, he didn't even leave a crumb of happiness for me.

I opened up my bottled feelings to him, whole-heartedly. Yet, he ruined me.

At some point... I blamed myself because I opened up to someone who'd be the cause of my afflictions.