When It All Ends (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

#WIAE Chapter 17

Nine days. It was how long I managed to avoid Avo. Hard as I tried to avoid him, seeing him was inevitable. We go to the same school; we have the same classes. Akala ko tatagal iyong puro tango lang ako kapag kinakausap niya ako, pero hindi pala. He humored me for a few days, but today, my act was done.

"Do we have a problem?" he asked.

We were in the middle of the hallway. Maraming tao sa paligid namin, pero wala silang magawa... because Avo was Avo. And it wasn't as if I could run from him. I was trapped in between his arms.

"Look at me," he commanded, but I kept my gaze down. I didn't want to look at him. Tuwing nakikita ko siya, naaalala ko iyong pagsisinungaling niya sa akin. If he had told me that he was going to see Ella, I would have been fine with it. I just didn't like being lied to. I hated it. That's my hard limit.

I kept my lips pursed, and my breathing even. I shouldn't be affected... but I was. Pero hindi niya kailangang malaman iyon.

"I said look at me," he repeated. I could him the tension coming from him, but I held my place. He should know that I wasn't scared of him. Hindi ako kagaya ng mga tao sa AdM na takot sa kanya. I wouldn't bow down just because he asked me to.

Just as I was about to get away from him, he held my chin and forced me to look at him. At nung nagtama ang tingin namin, I saw how frustrated he was of me. It was so f ucking evident, pero pinipigilan niya. Ano ba ang meron sa akin? Why the hell was he treating me like I was some porcelain doll? Nasaan na iyong Avo na sinasabi nila na nakakatakot? Why did I feel like he was the one afraid of me?

"Do we have a problem?"

I breathed hard. And I stared hard.

"None."

"Then why are you pushing me away?"

"I'm not."

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

"No, but why are you asking stupid questions?"

Nagtinginan lang kami sa isa't-isa. No one wanted to break the stare, but he eventually gave up. And sighed. I frustrated him too much, but why was he still sticking around? If he wanted Ella, then by all means be with her again. Hindi ko naman siya pipigilan. Hindi ko rin siya hahabulin. Kung gusto niya, ihahatid ko pa siya.

I wasn't an Estrella for nothing. I don't go around begging for someone's love.

"Boe..." he trailed. "Just tell me what the hell is your problem."

Tinabig ko iyong kamay niya sa gilid ko.

"Wala nga akong problema," I replied stubbornly.

With his jaw clenched, he said, "Okay, then. If we don't have a problem, then let's have lunch."

At wala na akong nagawa dahil hinatak niya ako palabas. The people made way for us, and I hated them for fearing Avo so much. Why were they so afraid of him? Ano ba talaga ang meron? I really should find out! Kasi sigurado ako na hindi lang dahil isa siyang Dieux kaya kinatatakutan siya. Lorenzo, Fuji, Ella, and Night were Dieux, too, but they weren't as feared as Avo was!

"Where do you want to eat?" he asked.

"Anywhere."

Akala ko makikipagtalo pa siya sa akin, pero hindi. Mukhang pagod na rin siya, dahil napagod ako sa pag-uusap namin kanina. Dinala niya ako sa pinakamalapit na restaurant. And he probably sensed that I was in no mood to engage, so he ordered food for me, too. Akala ko matatahimik na kami, pero habang naghihintay ng pagkain, nagsimula na naman siyang kausapin ako.