Bits of Chemistry | ✓

Kabanata 34

Kabanata 34

"A-ano?!"

"Ewan ko ba ang talino ni Etienne pero bobo sa pag-ibig," Euan snorted, still driving. Lumiko siya patungo sa isang parking lot.

My eyes betrayed me once again. It produced big fat tears. Ang sabi ko ay hindi ko na siya iiyakan pero wala pang ilang minuto ay lumuluha na ulit ako.

"Akala ko ba ay di mo kailangan? Bakit mo pa iniiyakan?" ani Snyder at kumunot ang noo.

"Nakakainis kasi siya! He keeps on making impulsive decisions! Ano naman ang laban ko kung may gusto siyang pakasalan na iba?" nanlulumong tanong ko.

I don't want to force myself to him. Kung ayaw n'ya sa akin ay okay lang. Hindi ako pinalaki ni Mama na pinipilit ang sarili ko sa isang tao o sa isang sitwasyon. I can adapt well. Kaya kahit wala siya ay kakayanin ko. Pero 'yong bata. . .

I grew up without a father. And when I was young, I thought there was something wrong with me because most of the kids in the neighborhood had fathers. Hindi ko naman mapagkakaila na ginusto ko rin na magkaroon ng ama noon.

I don't want my child to be like me. Masakit man pakinggan pero ayoko sanang may hinahanap siya na hindi ko kayang ibigay.

Naiiyak akong umiling.

"Sure ka ba talaga?! Si Chloette? E nakakatakot 'yong babaing 'yon!" reklamo ni Euan. "Personality-wised, Solstice. She'll devour you!"

Hindi kami close ni Chloette. That speaks a lot. Hindi naman sa hindi ako sociable, hindi lang talaga siya nakikisama sa mga hindi nila kliyente. I saw her a few times and she's very pretty. The kind of pretty that your eyes are glued upon. Maikli ang kan'yang buhok at kulot ang dulo. She wears thick eyeliner and eyelashes to emphasize her chinky eyes. Hindi pa nakakatulong na kahit ampon siya ng mga Esmael, people deemed her as a true blood.

"Ah," Snyder deadpanned. "I was kidding."

Natigil ang luha ko. Si Euan naman ay napalingon sa aming dalawa at kumunot ang noo. Nalaglag ang panga naming dalawa sa sinabi ni Snyder.

"Chloe isn't the type to agree to arrange marriages," Snyder shrugged and shifted his sight on the windows. "But Ellise Soteiro was asking about potential marriage arrangements. Hindi lang alam ni Chloe kung para kay Etienne o ano. I doubt that Etienne would agree too."

Snyder glanced monotonously at me and lifted his thumb. "Sa iyo lang kakalampag si Etienne."

"Tang ina naman ng term mo, Snyder." Euan remarked and grimaced. "Pero, true naman. Iba yata ang perlas ni Lavy—"

"Snyder! Euan!" I shrieked. "Huwag na huwag ka na magbibiro ulit! At Euan ang bibig mo!" It was not a good joke! Bakit ba itong mga ito ang kasama ko ngayon?!

"I'm trying to be funny. . ." depensa ni Snyder na seryoso pa rin ang mga singkit na mata.

"Snyder, pakyu. Ikaw lang natawa sa joke mo." Euan snarled before sighing in relief. "Isa pang joke mo, isusumpa na kita!"

"And I just wanted to prove that what I said was right. Hindi naman palaging dapat emosyon ang naghahari. Even if what we feel is valid, sometimes it's not right to act upon it," paliwanag pa ni Snyder.

Parang tinanggalan ng mabigat na bakal ang puso ko. Yet I was still trembling for some reason.

"Duda rin talaga ako kay Chloette! I mean the girl is pretty, ha? Infairness. Pero her attitude?" Euan knotted his forehead. "I can't believe crush ko siya no'ng junior high!"

"She's not that bad. . ." pagtatanggol ko sa kan'ya. Sure, she's not the type to talk to others but she must have her own reason.

"Huh? She's not that bad? Alam mo bang tuwang-tuwa ako kasi niyaya n'ya ako maglaro noon? Sabi ko, 'Shit, moment ko na ito' kaso pinagsisisihan ko talagang nagpauto ako sa mga mala-anghel na mukha ng mga Esmael!"