Fierce

Chapter 23

Chapter 23
Luckier

"Lingling..."

I crouched down, trying to pat Lingling while she's eating the food that I gave her. I decided to buy a dog food on my way to school earlier. She's enjoying it. Dapat pala ay dati ko pa siya binilan ng ganito.

"I'm sorry kung hindi kita masiyadong nabibisita." I apologized. "Are you eating well these past few days? Are you always waiting for me here?"

Of course, Lingling didn't answer me with a bark. She just continued eating the food that I gave her. She must be starving.

"If you did wait... mahirap bang maghintay?" I asked her. "Bakit mo ako hinintay?"

I bit my lower lip as I remembered Gael waiting for me to come home.

I kept on telling myself that he's just challenged because I'm not like any other girls who can be easily swayed. Maybe he just wanted to prove to me na I'll eventually fall for him and that I'm going to accept whatever my Dad's plan for the both of us. Hinihintay niya lang akong sumuko at tuluyan nang mahulog sa kaniya.

Pero nang dahil sa pinakita niya sa akin, unti-unti nang nagbabago ang pananaw ko tungkol sa kaniya. I'm already getting swayed by his actions.

He even waste his birthday because he's waiting for me and he chose to spend it with me. I didn't even greet him a happy birthday.

Am I really falling or am I just feeling guilty?

Napatango naman ako't tumayo nang makitang malapit nang maubos ni Lingling ang pagkain na binigay ko.

"Oo, Blair... Guilty ka lang. You're just guilty." sabi ko sa aking sarili.

Gael only waited for hours, while Isaiah waited for years.

Halos mapatalon naman ako nang biglang tumunog ang aking cellphone. Ida's in her class right at this moment kaya imposibleng siya ito. It could be Isaiah...

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa aking bulsa. I checked the caller ID and my eyes widened when I saw that it's my mom who's calling me.

Mabilis ko itong sinagot at agad na tinapat sa aking tenga ang cellphone upang marinig ang boses ni Mommy.

Napapansin kong medyo napapadalas na ang pagtawag ni Mommy sa akin ngayon kumpara dati. Hindi naman sa ayoko dahil gustong-gusto ko nga pero nakakapagtaka lang. Usually, she'll call me once a month or two months. Madalas ay patungkol lang sa mga importanteng bagay na kailangan niyang ipaasikaso sa akin dito sa Manila or kapag sine-swerte'y tinatanong niya kung kamusta na ako. Pero kakatawag niya lang sa akin kahapon at ngayo'y tumatawag nanaman siya.

I can't help but to feel blissful.

"Mom?" sabi ko nang masagot ko ang tawag.

"Hello, Blair. I'm sorry if I suddenly called. May klase ka ba ngayon? Nakakaistorbo ba ako?" sunod-sunod na sabi ni Mommy.

"No, Mom. Break ko po ngayon. It's okay for you to call." sabi ko naman sa kaniya. "Bakit po ba kayo napatawag?"

"Hmm... Nothing at all. I just want to chat with you and hear your voice." Mom said with a melancholic voice.

"Is there something wrong, Mom? May problema po ba kayo?" nag-aalalang tanong ko kay Mommy.

"It's just that... I feel so lonely here." nag-aalangang sabi ni Mommy na para bang di pa siya sigurado kung dapat niyang sabihin sa akin ang kaniyang dahilan.

"Why would you feel lonely, Mom? Kasama niyo naman po si Daddy diyan." sabi ko naman.

"Your Dad's on a business trip. He met his client sa east. He'll be gone for a week. Hindi na niya ako sinama at hindi naman na ako nagpumilit." she told me.