Damn it, Maria! (Squad Series 1)

58 🌈 Caleb, The Hero

Hello. I'm so sorry for the late update. Here it is. I hope you liked it. Enjoy :)

~Elle ♥

🌈🌈🌈

Agad na dumulog sa kanya si Maria. Hindi siya nito tinanong kung ayos lang siya. Obviously, he is not.

Instead, she used her shoulders to wipe the spit in his face. Walang bakas ng luha at matinding takot sa mga mata ni Maria. Pero kita niya kung paano manginig ang mga daliri niti sa kabila ng pagkakagapos.

"It's going to be alright," he whispered. "I'm here." Then he rested his face on her shoulders. "It will be fine."

"Yeah..." She answered. Naramdaman ni Caleb ang pagpatong ng ulo nito sa kanya.

"Hoy!" sita ng kidnapper. "Aba't naglampungan pa amput–!"

Doon lamang sila naghiwalay at walang imik sa ilang sandali.

"Hey Maria," tawag niya maya-maya. Ngayon at magkatalikod na silang nakasandal sa isa't-isa. Caleb felt his whole body ache. At kahit sa pagsasalita ay hirap rin siya. He felt the taste of blood in his mouth. "Aren't you scared?"

She didn't reply. Instead, she said something else. "Noong bata pa ako, may paborito akong park. Lagi akong tumatakas sa bahay para maglaro doon. I didn't like my Daddy then. My mother died a few months back before he found me.

So I always play outside because I don't like my new home.

Then, I was kidnapped."

Nanigas si Caleb, ngunit di nagkomento at nagpatuloy sa pakikinig.

"They put me on the car trunk and drove all night. I was so scared. But then, Daddy paid the ransom. Iniwan ako ng kidnappers sa parking lot. Hindi ko alam gaano ako katagal sa car trunk. I started hating closed spaces."

Now he understood. At sa kabila ng karanasan nito, ay sinubukan parin siyang iligtas. "Why are you stupid?" he asked instead. Maybe it was his attempt to change the topic and made her forget.

"I'm not." Nagpadarang naman ito sa lipat ng usapan.

"Then bakit ka lumusob dito ng mag-isa?"

"Coz I'm worried about you."

Hindi siya sumagot. If only they were in a different situation. They would've have figured out how to patch things up, not how to escape a kidnapping

"Mon-Mon?" Tanong nito matapos ng ilang minuto katahimikan.

"Yeah?" Naputol ang pag-iisip niya paano sila makakaalis.

"Ibi-break mo talaga ako?"

"No. It's not... it's not a pretend anymore." Matigas niyang sabi.

"Pero narinig ko sa library. Kondisyon 'yon ni Daddy diba, para tulungan ang company niyo."

"Shut up. Forget what my father and your father talked about. We won't break up. You hear? How about you? You're leaving aren't you?."

"They need me there... I need to save the universe you know."

"Yeah," and after another silence, he said. "I'm sorry. For lying to you."

"Hmm-mm," she mumbled. Naramdaman na Caleb na gumalaw ito sa may likuran niya.

"Hey Maria, did... you know.... ever felt I liked you for real?"

"Hmm-mm," ang sagot

"Just so you know, I..." ...like you... "I... will do everything to save you. Got it?"