Sentry

23- Cratus

Nanghihinang nabitawan ni Deus si Gaius at sumalampak ng upo sa tabi nito.

Auberon plotted to kill him and steal his inheritance?

"Malalim kong pinag-isipan ang lahat. Kung sasabihin ko ba sa'yo and ruin my sister's life. I decided to tell you but the next day, nalaman kong nag-propose ka na kay Auberon and your wedding would be on the next month. I had to resort to another plan. Inagaw ko s'ya sa'yo and she chose me. I was so angry at her, I challenged her to have a match with me. Pumayag naman siya kaya muntik ko nang mapatay. Hindi ko naman 'yun sinadya but she deserved to learn her lesson," mahinang sabi ni Gaius. Nakapatong sa mga tuhod nito ang mga braso at nakayuko ang ulo nito.

"You chose to hurt yourself, Gaius. You chose for me to hate you to save both Auberon and I."

And he realized, Gaius did it again. He protected the people he loved by sacrificing himself.

"You made me believe that you stole her so I'd hate both of you and I won't marry her. Then you let her leave so her reputation won't be ruined and she can live normally."

Hindi sumagot si Gaius. Nanatili itong nakayuko.

Mapait siyang napangiti. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Would you believe me if I did?" ganting tanong nito.

Napaisip naman siya dahil sa sinabi nito. Would he believe him when all he could think of was how faultless Auberon was?

She was so kind, loving, understanding. In short, perfect.

Akala niya nahanap na niya ang babaeng makakasama niya habang-buhay.

Scripted lang pala ang lahat.

She didn't really love him.

Pagak na natawa si Deus dahil sa realization na 'yun. He was such a fool. But then again, Auberon was such a good actress.

"Mapapatawad mo ba ako?" maya-maya ay tanong niya kaya nag-angat ng tingin si Gaius at nagtatakang napatingin sa kanya.

"What are you talking about?" tanong nito.

"Please forgive me for hating you."

Napailing na lang si Gaius ngunit may isang maliit na ngiti na naglalaro sa mga labi nito.

"Wag mo akong paiyakin, Bloodworth," sabi nito kaya natawa siya.

"Iyakin ka pa naman," kantyaw niya rito kaya sinamaan siya nito ng tingin. "You remember when I first met you? You were crying near the gate after your parents left. Naghalo na 'yung luha at sipon mo n'on. You looked so disgusting."

"I just didn't understand why I have to stay here all school year when my house was just twenty-minutes away by foot," rason nito.

Natawa naman si Deus dahil sa palusot nito. Naalala niya pa na lage itong nakababad sa cellphone noon para maka-text lang ang nakababata nitong kapatid who turned out to be Auberon who he met a year later.

"I'm sorry, Deus," maya-maya ay sabi ni Gaius kaya napahinga siya ng malalim.

"There really is no need to ask for forgiveness. You didn't do anything wrong. You just saved me," aniya habang nakatingin sa sahig. Unti-unti ring gumuhit ang isang maliit na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi. Tila nawala ang isang malaking bagay na nakadagan sa kanyang dibdib sa loob ng isang taon.

He could breathe well again.

Somehow, Gaius was the main reason of his pain.

"Wag kang umiyak. Hindi bagay sa'yo, " biglang sabi nito kaya nagkatawanan sila.