Bits of Chemistry | ✓

Kabanata 47

Kabanata 47

I will meet the Soteiros this day. Hindi naman ito ang unang beses na nakaharap ko sila. They're also harmless and I have met more cunning people than them. Malaki man ang problema ko kay Etienne, labas naman dito ang kan'yang mga magulang. They were the sweetest despite of their genuine concern over my feelings for their son, hindi nila kailanman hinadlangan ang relasyon naming dalawa.

I bit my lower lip as I played with my pearl bracelet. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagtatahip-tahip ng dibdib ko dahil sa dumadaloy na kaba sa aking sistema. After that night, Etienne became more distant. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba natauhan siya o dahil mas naging malinaw sa kan'ya ang mga pinagdaanan ko.

It isn't easy for me to accept him again.

"Mama, galit ka ba kay papa?" tanong ni Leven habang inaayos ko ang sintas ng kan'yang sapatos.

Umangat ang tingin ko sa kan'ya. "No, of course not. Okay naman kami ng papa mo, Leven. Bakit? May sinabi ba siya sa 'yo?"

Kung gaano ka-clingy noon si Etienne, ngayon naman ay sobrang ilap n'ya. May araw pa nga kung saan hindi n'ya inaangat ang kan'yang ulo para hindi magtagpo ang tingin namin. I feel guilty somehow yet deep inside me, I know that it was for the best. All I did want was a civil or casual relationship. Any more than that will only make things hard for us once again. We'll keep bringing the past mistakes we did that harmed the love that we had for each other.

Hindi lang naman kaming dalawa ang apektado kung sakali, Leven will also be torn between the both of us. Ayoko naman na lumaki na gano'n si Leven.

"Wala naman. Pero ang tahimik ni papa ngayon, dati kasi kinukwento n'ya sa akin ang love story n'yo. . ."

I sighed. Pinilit ko ang ngumiti at hinaplos ko ang tuhod ni Leven. "Ano ang kuwento n'ya?"

"Na may knight daw na nagligtas sa isang prince. . ."

"Princess?"

Leven slightly shook his head. "No, a prince. That prince was very lonely due to a witch's curse, making him feel there are monsters on his head but a knight helped him defeat the monsters. . . ang kaso lang ay hindi naparamdam ng prince na mahalaga 'yong knight sa kan'ya dahil pakiramdam n'ya magugulo lang n'ya ang buhay nito. . ."

My lips parted and I tried not to get emotional by stifling a sob. I know that our story is messy and anyone who would hear it will probably think that it can be resolved with a kiss or a form of truce. Pero paano nga ba nakaka-alpas sa mga kadenang nagpapaalala sa amin na ilang ulit na namin sinubukan pero sa huli ay pareho kaming nabibigo?

"May epal pa raw na dinosaur. . ."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Dinosaur?"

"Dinocaer! Roar!" Leven imitated the sound and giggled. Niyakap n'ya ako pagkatapos n'yang sabihin 'yon.

Binuhat ko na si Leven dahil naglalambing siya. He was already big and heavy, pero hindi pa rin ramdam ng bisig ko ang bigat n'ya. Pagkarating namin sa sala ay sinalubong kami ng dalawang pamilyar na tao.

Tita Ellise was wearing a white pleated dress while Tito Eije was in his white polo and black slacks. Wala sa kanilang mukha ang kanilang edad, they only look a bit older than us but they don't look like people in their fifties.

"Lavender!" Tita Ellise gasped. Nanglalaki ang mga mata n'ya nang makita na buhat-buhat ko si Leven.

Leven mirrored their expressions. He has the same amount of curiosity and genuine questioning in his eyes. Nagulat lang si Leven nang umiyak si Tita Ellise, she cried like she was wounded. Sa kan'yang pag-iyak ay lalo akong kinain ng guilt dahil sa ginawa ko at sa naging desisyon ko.