HONESTY

CHAPTER 18

ZACCHAEUS

TWO weeks had passed but Zio wasn't answering neither his calls nor text. When he went to her office and was about to talked to her to asked why she was ignoring him, Zio stopped him and just said 'I'm busy."

Hindi alam ni Zacchaeus kung may nagawa ba siyang kasalanan kay Zio para hindi siya nito pansinin o sadyang busy lang talaga ito sa trabaho niya.

"Bakit ganyan ang muka mo anak?" Tanong sa kaniya ng ama niya na nakaupo sa kaharap niyang sofa at katabi ang ina niya. Nasa stroller si Zaleen dahil tulog ito habang hawak ng Dad niya si Zareen.

"Zio is still not talking to me Dad." Malungkot niyang saad habang ang ama niya ay natatawang tumingin sa kaniya. "Don't laugh!"

"It's part of the relationship, son. Maybe you did something that will make her jealous that's why she's ignoring you."

Sa sinabi ng Dad niya ay napaisip siya kung may nagawa ba siya para ikaselos ni Zio, ngunit ni-isa walang pumasok sa isip niya dahil simula nang magustuhan niya si Zio ay hindi na siya nakikipag kita sa mga babaeng hindi niya naman kilala.

"When did she start ignoring you?" Her Mom asked.

"Two weeks ago... That day I didn't do anything. I'm just with the twins and Frezia—"

"With who?" Naningkita ang mata ng Dad niya.

"Twins and Frezia."

Parang may kung anong pumasok sa isip ni Faun dahil bigla nalang nitong pinilantik ang daliri niya.

"Did she know that you are with Frezia?"

Umiling si Zacchaeus, "Hmm no... I didn't tell her."

"Are you sure that she didn't know?" Nanlilisik ang mata ni Faun.

Nagdadalawang isip na tumango si Zacchaeus.

"She knew." Angel said like she's 101% sure.

Si Zacchaeus naman ay naguguluhan sa mga tanong at sagot ng mga magulang niya sa kaniya. How would she know? Zacchaeus asked himself but it just took him a seconds later to get an answer. That woman who opened the door and took a picture of him and Frezia! He doesn't know who's that woman because she's wearing a mask also a black long sleeve and jeans.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Maybe that woman gave to Zio the picture and she was thinking that he's cheating.

"Hey, hey! Stop cussing in front of your sisters!" Suway ng ina niya sa kaniya.

"Sorry..." Aniya sa ina kapagkuwana ay bumaling siya sa Dad niya. "Dad there's someone who entered my penthouse when I'm taking care the twins together with Frezia. I don't know her— well I only know that she's a woman because of her long hair. I saw her with a camera and she took a picture of us then the twin, after that she suddenly left."

"And you didn't follow her?" His Mom asked.

"I was about to follow her but Zareen cried and maybe Zaleen copied her. So basically they both cried, that's why I didn't follow that woman."

"Stupid." Aniya ng ama niya.

Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin si Zacchaeus kay Faun. "What?!"

"Kasama mo si Frezia dapat siya muna ang pinatingan mo sa kambal at hinabol mo ang babaeng 'yon. Ngayon nagrereklamo ka saamin na hindi ka pinapansin ni Zio. Dapat lang sa'yo, hindi mo manlang naisip na ang picture na 'yon ay pwedeng makarating kay Zio. Now that she's ignoring you, what are you going to do?"

Napaisip si Zacchaeus ng pwede niyang gawin para mapansin ni Zio at ang tanging naiisip niya lang na pwedeng gawin dito ay lutuan ito ng Menudo at ang isa ay kailangan niya ng tulong ng ama niya.