Monasterio Series 8: Nights in Casa Vallejo

Chapter 26

Book signing of Nights In Casa Vallejo on September 15, 2023, at the KPUB Booth on MIBF! See you there. :)

Chapter 26

Inunahan ako ng takot. The ruthlessness in his dark eyes was giving him the image of a cruel beast who shows no mercy no matter how you beg for your freedom.

Kung nangamba na ako sa nakitang galit sa kaniya noong tanggihan ko siya ng kasal, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang maitatawag sa nararamdaman ko sa mga sandaling ito. Maging ang pagbuka ng bibig ay hindi ko magawa.

He drank another shot from the glass. The clinking sound of it hitting the marble counter had jolted me once more. Sa pag-alis ng mga mata niya sa akin, tila ba doon lang ako nakahinga ngunit sapilitan pa.

"Do you even have the plans of telling me?" he asked coldly.

Suminghap ako, lumunok dahil sa nanunuyong lalamunan.

"Wala akong plano sabihin sa'yo."

Nilingon niya ako, mas lalong tumalim ang mga mata.

"Kapag sinabi ko sa'yo, mag-aaway lang tayo. Kahit sabihin kong hindi ko ginusto ang halik na 'yon, magagalit ka pa rin. If I told you that I didn't initiate the kiss, you would still be mad at me."

He let out a sarcastic laugh. He licked his lip and directed his eyes into somewhere else. His jaw clenched.

"So you think it's better to hide the truth from me? Because you already created those fucking conclusions in your head?" He shot me a glance as if he couldn't believe I have this kind of mindset. "You preferred surprising me with that picture spreading on the internet then?"

"I didn't know that he would be there, Terrence. He talked to me and said that he still has feelings for me. Wala naman akong pakialam sa kaniya o sa nararamdaman niya. I told him about you and it angered him. I didn't like the kiss!"

Hindi siya kumibo at mariin lang akong tinitigan. Nanatili akong nakatayo, naghihintay sa maaari niyang sabihin sa akin.

He made a final shot from his glass and licked his lower lip. Tumayo siya mula sa stool at hinarap ako.

"The point here is you hide it from me," he said and walked past me. "Don't expect me to be cool about this."

Sinundan ko siya ng tingin. Kinuha niya ang susi ng kotse sa ibabaw ng picture shelves at lumabas ng pintuan. Naiwan akong tulala sa gawing 'yon, magulo ang isip.

Alam kong mali ako na hindi ko sinabi sa kaniya ang nangyaring 'yon sa pagitan namin ni Michael. I just thought that it would be better not to tell him because I know how mad he can get.

Buntis ako at hangga't maaari, ayaw ko ng diskusyon. Ayaw kong pagtalunan namin 'yon. Kaya kong kalimutan huwag lang kami mag-away.

But things didn't fall to where it should belong.

Nanghihina akong napaupo sa couch. I leaned the back of my head against the headrest and shut my eyes.

The big question running in my head was who took the picture of us kissing? Kaming dalawa lang naman ang naroon sa opisina ko. Who has the means to do that? At bakit niya kami kinuhanan ng litrato? Kung ipinakalat sa internet, nasisiguro kong sinadya at may galit sa akin.

Could it be Ruth? Imposible. Matagal na kaming walang komunikasyon. Sa tingin ko ay wala na rin siyang pakialam sa nangyaring gusot sa amin noon. I'm sure she has already moved on from Terrence.

"This is insane. It's all over the internet, Priscilla!" Mommy exclaimed hysterically.

Kakapasok ko lang sa kwarto at naabutan ko na kaagad ang tawag niya. Hindi na ako nagugulat pang alam niya dahil lagi siyang laman ng social media. Dad surely knows about it, too.