Dealing with Mr. Scared of What? (Quadro Series #1)

Chapter 49

"Kyx, smile."

Kyx just looked at the camera at the same time the camera flash went off. She smiled when she saw the picture, Polaroid camera kasi ang ginagamit niya. Agad naman niya pinaharap kay Kyx ang larawan. Andito silang dalawa sa isa sa mga balkonahe na naka-harap sa beach, it was really cold and windy. If she was her old self, she would have freaked out.

This kind atmosphere always scare her little self back then but, not anymore. It's funny that the thing she's afraid of is now her comfort place. Sometimes you find peace in the things that scare you. It's almost 12 too. Nasa labas pa din sila ni Kyx

"Parang kinabag ka." Tukso niya bago iyon binuntutan ng tawa. Joke lang iyon syempre, cute kaya nitong tignan sa larawan. Now that she remembered, the picture that Jupiter took from her is important. Napa-simangot siya ng maalala ang nangyari lalo na ang larawan. That was a good shot, a good shot gone to waste. "I want that picture back."

"What picture?" Kyx asked, napatingin siya dito. Mukhang narinig nito ang sinabi niya. She was about to tell him to discard what she said when he grab something from his back pocket. "This picture?" Pinakita nito ang picture na kinuha niya. Agad naman siya napa -ngiti. "Looks like this picture. I got that from Jupiter's room." Kwento nito.

Agad naman nawala ang ngiti niya. She sigh. May galit din iyon sakaniya, but her anger really surprise her. Jupiter doesn't look like the type of girl could give you the side eye, well better not to assume things too early. Tsaka naiitindihan niya naman ang dalawa pero hindi niya inaakala na ganon ang paraan ng pag-approach ni Jupiter sakaniya.

Agad niyang nilagay sa wallet niya ang larawan along with the photo she just took, mamaya magsi-simula ng siya pag-gawa ng regalo niya kay Kyx para sa birthday nito next year. Excited siya, inaamin niya yan.

"Quinn," Tawag ng binata sakaniya.

"Hmm," She hummed, she was looking at her food. Calculating it. She might eat too much, baka tataba siya. "Is there something wrong?" She looks up.

"Can I ask a question?" Tanong nito, kinakalikot na nito ang pagkain niya. These past days she notice Kyx is a little relax around her as if he's already used to having her around and that make her smile, although he's a little jumpy and get pale at some time she stand too close to him. All she can say is, his guard is a little down. Parang unti-unti na niya nakukuha ang tiwala nito.

"Sure. What is it?" She ask before putting her camera aside and looking at Kyx.

"About your Mom." Kyx look down on his food, nagda-dalawang isip ito. "Did she really—" He looked at her, parang ayaw pang bumukas ang bibig nito, he look conflicted. "Leave you like that?"

Tumango siya. "Yeah." She smiled bitterly remembering the awful memory. "She did. To be honest, other than her leaving me alone on a bridge I remember nothing but according to my parents. When they saw me, I was full of bruises external and internal, meaning I was beaten up for a very long time."

"You were abused?" Kyx asked, he look at her worriedly.

She shrugged, huminga siya ng malalim bago napatingin sa dagat. "My brain won't let me remember but according to my medical records, Yeah. I was abused but it healed. The bruises, cuts. All of them healed." Her eyes went to her legs, she caress them. "But my trauma didn't. All I know is after my parents adopted me, I have a severe PSTD"