Bits of Chemistry | ✓

Kabanata 6

Kabanata 6

In most cases, the most treacherous act doesn't come from your worst enemy; it comes from your most beloved, from someone you entrusted your heart and soul with.

"Etienne, magusap tayo."

Sinundan ko ang bilis ng kan'yang mga hakbang. This is the third day of my persuasion, kahit nga hanggang bahay nila ay sinusundan ko siya subalit walang palya n'ya ako'ng iniiwasan. He would even fabricate having a flu just to avoid me. Napatiim bagang naman ako. Really. His grudge against me was too deep.

He would even choose to go to the clinic and skip class just not to see me. Gano'n kalalim ang nararamdaman n'ya sa akin. I couldn't fathom the depth of it.

"I'm sick, Lavender." aniya, hindi man lamang ako tinapunan ng isang tingin. Diretso ang kan'yang mga mata sa kan'yang nilalakaran. His steps didn't even falter.

"Nagtatampo ka ba?"

"No," he sternly answered.

Ah, nagtatampo nga.

"Gusto mo ba ng Cherry Grandfather?"

It was his favorite candy; it was a nougat kind of sweet. Madalas n'ya itong kinakain kapag naiinis siya, it's chewy so it calms him while he's in the process of finishing it. It was no use, mas lalo lamang n'yang binilisan ang kan'yang lakad patungo sa pinakamalayong gusali sa amin, balak n'ya pa 'yata pumunta sa College of Nursing na clinic. It was evident that he was avoiding me and I have no idea how to make it up to him.

I let out a tired breath. Mali naman talaga ako at kailangan ko sigurong tanggapin na baka nga mahihirapan na ako'ng ayusin ang pagka-kaibigan naming dalawa. I turned my heels around and proceeded to go back to our class.

Hindi naman mababaw 'yong nararamdaman n'ya. Kahit ako siguro ay magtatampo kung may inuuna ang kaibigan ko sa akin. His feelings were hurt because I promise him that I'll put him first which didn't happen. Maybe our intentions without proper actions can cause miscommunications; tulad na lamang nito. I never intended to hurt him but I still did.

Sa paglipas ng panahon ay mas nangulila ako kay Etienne. He used to always stick around me, ngunit ngayon ay mas madalas na n'yang kasama ang computer n'ya. He doesn't even go out anymore, palagi na siyang nakakulong sa kan'yang kwarto.

"Si Etienne po, Tita?" tanong ko kay Tita Ellise nang bisitahin ko sila sa kanilang mansion.

Tita Ellise was busy preparing flowers on her artistic vases imported from Greece. Nabudol na naman siguro siya ng mga mayayaman n'yang kaibigan. I simply shook my head to dismiss the idea. It was always like this, bumibili sila ng mga hindi nila kailangan at kung ano lang ang uso. No'ng una ay nanghihinayang pa ako ngunit napagtantuan ko na pera naman nila 'yon. It will always be their decision on how they will spend it.

"He's trying to learn how to code e, hindi na 'yon lumalabas ng kwarto n'ya."

"E? Wala po ba siyang ibang kasama?"

"He's with his tutor," aniya.

"Sa kwarto? Sila lang pong dalawa?"

Hindi ko napigilan ang pagkunot ng noo ko sa sagot ni Tita Ellise. She gradually nodded and halted her fingers from positioning the flowers on the bases. Nilinga n'ya ang aking direksyon at nagpahayag ng pagtataka gamit ng kan'yang mga mata.

"Are you worried about something, Solstice?"

"Wala naman po," agad akong umiling. It is just I'm not familiar with his tutor yet. Malimit ko nga lang itong makita at kadalasan ay nagmamadali itong umalis. She's a middle-aged woman so she's probably busy.