Pretending with the Snob (Pyxis #1)

Chapter 24

Chapter 24 - Orange no more?

Hindi na ako bumalik pa sa loob ng kwarto ni Orange, dahil baka sumabog ako kapag nanatili pa ako roon.

I need to go home.

Tinulungan ako kahapon ni Miles na kabisahin ang ilang pasikot-sikot kaya hindi na ako naligaw. Habang pababa ng grand staircase, napatitig na lang ulit ako sa family portrait.

They are all so happy here.

Biglang bumigat ang dibdib ko.

Paano ba sila magiging ganito ulit? Paano ba maibabalik ang mga ngiti nila? Paano ba magkakaroon ng buhay ang mansion na ito?

Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko. This is all because of Troy! Why did he have to hurt Orange? Does he think Orange isn't hurting enough?!

I know I'm being unfair, blaming Troy and all even though I haven't heard his side yet. Unfair din naman ang ginawa niya kay Orange, eh! He made his brother suffer!

Humanda talaga sa'kin ang Troy na 'yon. Ako ang magtuturo sa kanya ng leksyon!

I focus my gaze on the very beautiful Mrs. Smith.

I apologize po in advance, Mrs. Smith, dahil baka kung ano ang magawa ko sa panganay n'yo. But I promise you, I'm going to protect Tyler.

Nginitian ko siya bago ko pinagpatuloy ang pagbaba sa hagdan. I'm at the end of the stairs when the huge door opens.

Theo Smith is home.

He smirks and just stares at me hanggang sa malampasan niya ako.

"Theo." Agad naman siyang huminto sa tawag ko, pero hindi lumingon.

"What?"

"May I talk to you?"

Theo's still smirking when he faces me, "Tyler surely has told you to stay away from me. Bakit gusto mo pa akong kausapin?"

"Well," nginisihan ko rin siya. I climb up again, meeting him at the middle of the grand staircase, the family portrait at our side. "Your brother ain't the boss of me."

His smirk widens for a bit, bago sumeryoso. "Talk. And be quick."

Hindi ko nilulubayan ng tingin ang mga mata niya. "I'll go straight to the point, then. Your mother died in a car accident. What do you mean when you said you killed her?"

"I was the cause of the accident." Walang emosyong sagot niya, even his face is blank. But his eyes look like they're about to cry. It's almost like he's prepared to answer that kind of question but no one ever asked him about it.

I take in a breath. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ko pa siyang tanungin ulit. I feel like I open his unhealed wounds.

Pero nagpatuloy si Theo. "I wanted to be with her more. I didn't want her to leave me. So I mess with her car, little did I know, it was the brakes I mess with. Nawalan siya ng preno habang nagd-drive kaya siya na-aksidente. She was in a comatose for a few days and then... she died."

Humugot ulit ako ng hininga, naiiling. "No..."

"Yes." Theo confirms, his voice weak and shaking. "I killed her. I was the reason she's dead." He declares, like he's been saying it to himself over and over again... to always remind himself of what he's done, so that he could never forget.

"Theo... it's not your fault."

"Fuck you!" He cries and points a finger at me. "Wala kang alam. You're just saying that because you pity me! I don't need your pity, Alisson."