Thorns of a Cruel Summer

Kabanata 21

Kabanata 21

Wrong

I bid goodbye to Pietro and shivered while closing the gate. Pietro has no words left for me. Puro lamang siya pikit at buntong-hininga. 

Nang nasa tapat na ng kuwarto niya, I couldn't knock. I closed my eyes for a bit, and the next thing I know, he's already in front of me, watching me quiver. 

"Move over," aniya, na mas nagpatalbog ng puso ko. 

I closed and opened my eyes repeatedly. Matagal na nang huling makausap ko siya ng kami lang dalawa at... ganito kalapit. 

Umatras ako at nawalan na ng lakas na tingnan siya paangat. I can only look from my side and down, but never at him. 

"What's to be nervous about, hmm?" I felt how he leaned toward me. I held my breath for seconds and gripped my bottoms tightly. 

Fuck!

"You've changed so much, Eren. You lost your stoutness...." He leaned more. "All of it."

Sa wakas, nakaya ko na siyang tingnan. Nahiya ang halos isang pulgadang pagitan namin. He stared at my left eye, gazed down at my lips, and then looked at my right eye. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at tumaas ang kilay. 

He stopped leaning forward. Nakataas-tingin ako sa kaniya dahil sa kaniyang tangkad. 

"What do you mean, stoutness? Do you want me to flirt with you? Do silly things to you, Ylaro? What are we, twelve and thirteen years old in high school? Are you even that submissive?" hamon ko. 

"Then stop quivering in front of me. You can't even look me in the eye," aniya nang mapansing sa noo niya ako nakatingin. 

"Are we gonna argue about how I act toward you? Ano ba ang gusto mo, tuwing nakikita kita sumampa ako sa'yo? Make you feel that I miss you? Why are you expecting so much from me? Eh,  I don't like you naman?"

Mas kapansin-pansin ngayon ang pagtaas niya ng kilay. "Who do you like right now, 'yong pinapasok mo sa kuwarto mo?"

I smirked. "Who cares if I like him and I was fucking him earlier?" sabi ko, napalunok sa huling sinabi dahil tiyak na masasabunutan ni Pietro. 

"Don't even joke like that right now, Eren." Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. 

"Ha! Do I care, nu'ng kinutse ka nu'ng babae? Did I whine when you get home?"

"Kinotse..." he said unbelievably, almost disgusted. 

"Yes! You never heard from me. 'Di katulad mo ngayon, nagpatulong lang naman akong kuhanin sa condo niya 'yong mga gamit ko—"

"You lived together?" kunot-noong aniya. He seemed pissed. 

Nagtaas ako ng kilay. "Since my freshman days. Got a problem with that?"

Umirap siya. 

Sarkastiko akong natawa. "Don't tell me, you're jealous right now?"

"I am not, and I won't be," he said coldly.

"Then we're settled! Let's get back to where we should be talking about right now. I just went to Pietro's condo to take my things and get some help. Akala ko, wala ka. And believe me, I will tell you if you're here."

I don't want to talk to him, actually. So I chose the time when he's not home—supposedly, but he is right here in front of me. I don't want to communicate with him. Ang gusto ko lang, magsawa siya at isuko niya ang mansion. 

"Stop inviting men to my house. If you need help, I can. If you don't want my help, leave my house. Do silly things you want, but I will never give this house up."