Claiming the Opposite ✔

23

Weird

HINDI ako nakahinga ng maayos habang nakaupo sa glass chair sa terrace. Nakaupo rin kasi sa likuran ko si Jauncy habang ang baba nito ay nakapatong sa balikat ko. Ramdam ko ang mainit na hininga niya na dumidikit sa leeg ko.

"I really like your tattoo. Just a minimal one and very unique," he said while caressing it.

He took advantage of it especially I'm wearing an off-shoulder croptop. Bibisita kasi mamaya si Daddy at Mommy kaya gusto ko namang maging presentable sa paningin nila. Pain hits me again when I remembered on what Mommy said.

"Edi, magpatattoo ka na rin. Wala namang pumipigil sa'yo. Saka medyo malaki nga ito kaya obvious masyado. Hindi minimal, unique lang."

"But the design of it is really minimal."

Tuluyan ko na siyang pinagsasabunutan ng buhok nang hinalikan niya ang collarbone kong may tattoo. Sobrang nakakatindig-balahibo.

"Ang bastos!"

"E, anong magagawa ko kung nagustuhan ko naman talaga ang tattoo mo?" natatawang saad niya.

Tahimik akong nakaupo sa tabi ni Jauncy habang sinesermonan ni Mommy.

"Hindi na ako magtataka kung maisipan mo na namang magpadagdag ng tattoo sa kahit saang parte ng katawan mo. That's kind of being rebellious of yours just brought you in a wrong path. Ayusin mo naman ang buong pagkatao mo, Xierl. Ano bang plano mo sa buhay mo? H'wag kang pariwara."

I cleared my throat. Here we go again with the pariwara thing. I'm even doing good. I'm persistent and consistent with all my goals. Kung ano-ano na lang ang sinasabi nila dahil hindi naman nila nakikita ang kabutihang ginawa ko. Palagi na lang pagkakamali ko ang napapansin.

"Xierl is doing fine naman, Tita. She even received a big opportunity to voice record the commercial of a product," singit ni Jauncy.

Napaismid si Mommy. Si Daddy naman ay tahimik lamang habang hinahagod ang katawan ni Asher na nasa hita niya.

"'Yon lang? It's more big opportunity when someone offered her to be part in the showbiz. Voice record lang pala. Akala ko kung ano na."

Natutop ko ang aking labi. Mommy is acting really superior. Very perfectionist.

"It's okay if that's really Xierl's passion. Besides, I'm all support with her decisions po naman, Tita..." ani Jauncy.

"Of course, you are because you're a good fiancé of her. But hijo, stop spoiling her. Wala siyang matutunan kung palagi mo na lang hinahayaan. She needs to learn how to be productive."

I'm really so curious. Gano'n ba ako ka-walang kwenta? Bawat ba desisyon na nakakagaan sa pakiramdam ko ay walang kwenta rin? They don't know how much I went through just to become comfortable with my every flaws. They're my parents so in the first place, they shouldn't be the reason why I doubted myself again and again.

"She's being productive naman, Tita. She's doing great and what's wrong with her tattoo? Ang ganda nga po..." agap ni Jauncy na hindi ko alam kung ipinagtanggol niya ba ako or what.

"You're just defending her. Hindi kaawa-awa ang ipinapakita niyang pag-uugali. Being rebellious is not tolerable at all. You can sermon her sometimes if you want, hijo. Just don't believe with her alibis sometimes because she rarely speaks the truth," singit ni Daddy.