~*~
"Tonto! Estupido!" I heard Mayor Nik shouting from his home office.
Kagagaling ko lang sa labas, I accompanied Phoenix with his afternoon sun bathing and I also watered the plants I reap cropped last week -- so far they are growing healthily.
The two maids that was cleaning the hallway halted, nagkatinginan kaming tatlo as we all wait for the next sound we could hear. Later we heard a solid crashing sound, one after the other and all of it were heavy. Parang may mga nahuhulog na mabibigat.
Nang matahimik ang paligid ay nagpatuloy ang dalawang kawaksi sa ginagawa na parang walang nangyari, ako naman ay maingat na naglakad patungo sa kwarto ko but I almost jumped out of surprise when Matthius came out from the door of the home office.
"Ay pusa!" I screamed.
Nangunot ang noo niya. "Oh, come on! Not you, again," he said. He looked annoyed and tired at the same time but something caught my attention -- his swollen lips and the little blood gushing out from it. Unconsciously, I inched closer to him and wiped it. "What are you doing?" Hinuli niya ang kamay ko and glared at me.
"Y--you're bleeding?" lutang kong sagot.
He let go of my hand and smirked. "Go away, Zarethan," he said before pushing me away. "Ito naman ang gusto mo diba?" He asked, pointing his bruised face. "Your "daddy" did this to me because of the incident this morning, and by the way, I'm also suspended for three days because of you."
"Dapat lang sa'yo 'yan," I wanted to tell but I wanted to be the bigger person who makes bigger mistakes. "I'm sorry, kulang pa nga yan," I retorted with a manic laugh. "I think three days will be enough for you to heal your bruises."
He glared at me. "What did you just say?" He took a step towards me that made my insides crumble. Matthius is a tall boy and I'm standing with all my might just below his broad chest; he's taller than Mayor Nik and I. He could just crash me if he wants. "What Zarethan? Mayabang ka na ba ngayon?"
I smiled. "If Mayor Nik could make you bleed to death because of me, I cannot see a reason why not," I answered. "Nakita mo yung dalawang katulong? I could just get them fired if I want to..." I shrugged off. "It's fun being a Gallego, you should also enjoy it, too, Matthius."
My words, perhaps, rendered him speechless, hindi na kasi siya umimik pa. So I just left him standing at the hallway while I walk away with cold feet and hands. I don't know where I got the guts to defend myself like that. Since my mother and I moved in, I was always the weak kid they could pick on. The quiet one who never fights back, making me the "weirdo". Well, I still am but it's never too late to give my bullies a dose of their own medicine.
Naglakad na ako papasok sa kwarto ko at maingat na sinarado ang pintuan but to my shock, I saw my mom waiting for me.
"I heard what happened today," my mom, Andromeda Ross or better known as Andy, said. She was sitting on my bed, staring at me with her questioning eyes. "I want to hear what happened, baby," naglalambing niyang sabi. My face soured because I feel like she's just scoring for some information.
"Go away, mom," I answered instead.
She stood and strided towards me. "Why are you always pushing people away, anak?" she asked, hurt by the fact that I slapped her hands away from me.
My teeth gritted. "Why are you always trying to pull me in? Hindi na ako bata!" I was livid and trying to hide it but I failed when my voice pitched highly. "Your boyfriend should've let me alone! Edi sana hindi ako aawayin ng mga anak niya," I explained.
Ang hirap nilang kausap -- ganito ba kapag tumatanda na? Nagbibingi-bingihan sa mga payo pero nauuhaw sa pang-unawa. If so, ayaw ko tumandang katulad nila.
