All For Show (COMPLETED)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"I thought you're hungry?" I asked nung makita ko na papunta na kami sa express way. Tahimik lang si Pablo simula nung umalis kami sa reception hanggang sa makabalik kami sa may hotel. He would answer when I ask him questions, but he really wasn't in a very chatty mood. I understood why, though. He played his part perfectly and I made it look like he's with someone who still wasn't over her ex.

He's rightfully annoyed.

Ako iyong nagdala dito sa kanya tapos ako pa iyong puro mali ang nagawa.

"It's fine," he replied in such a dismissive tone na hindi na ako nag-attempt na magsalita pa. The atmosphere was so awkward na ni hindi ko magawang buksan iyong radio—but the silence was deafening na nilakasan ko na iyong loob ko na buksan iyon.

Isinandal ko iyong ulo ko at sinubukan na matulog para hindi na ako mag-overthink. Hindi ako nakatulog. I reached for my phone and my eyes widened when I saw a lot of notifications—and incoming notification.

'Hindi ka na nahiya, Cerise. Sa kasal pa mismo ng kapatid mo,' Mama messaged. My lips parted as I read the message. Nakatitig lang ako doon na para bang mababago iyong laman nun kapag tinignan ko lang.

Ang dami pang pumasok na message mula sa iba naming kamaganak.

Fuck it.

Ni hindi ko nga gustong pumunta sa kasal na 'yon in the first place. Ako na naman ang masama sa kanila. Tanginang buhay 'to.

"What?" I asked nang marinig ko iyong boses ni Pablo. He said something but I was too preoccupied with thinking about how I was the villain yet again. I didn't do anything—I did everything they asked. Nananahimik ako na tumayo doon para sa picture taking. Siya naman iyong nanguna na sabihin na nagaaway kami ni Pablo tapos nung tinama ko, ako na naman ang masama. Tapos pinaiyak ko pa raw. I could already imagine how she was crying when we left—iyong tipo na halos hindi na siya makahinga. She looks so helpless whenever she does that. Bakit pa ba ako nagtataka na kampi lahat sa kanya?

"Compartment box," he said.

"What?"

"There's tissue in the compartment box," he said.

"Why—" I asked nang bigla akong mapatingin sa rearview mirror. My eyes were bloodshot red. Fuck. Umiiyak ako? Why was I crying because of them? I fucking hated it. I hated wasting tears para sa mga tao na walang pakielam at ambag sa buhay ko.

They're my family only because I had no choice.

They never really felt like family—mas para pa silang panel sa thesis defense na maraming kumento sa mali o tama sa buhay ko.

"I'm sorry," I said as I wiped the tears with my thumb. But the stupid tears kept on falling, so I reached for the glove compartment at kinuha iyong tissue na sinasabi niya. I profusely wiped the tears. Then forced a laugh. "I don't even know why I'm crying over this," I explained.

He wasn't saying anything.

For a second, I was thankful that we were in the middle of the expressway because I didn't know how I would handle him staring at me as I cried dahil sa frustration sa pamilya ko.

"Just please drive," I whispered because I really was not in the mood to talk about it. More than anything, I was tired. Gusto ko nang bumalik sa Maynila. Bakit ko ba naisipan na magandang ideya na pumunta ako sa kasal ni Therese?

I should've took the loss and just skipped the wedding dahil ganoon din naman pala ang kinahantungan—I still ended up being branded as the bitter sister.