Almost, But Not Quite (COMPLETED)

Chapter 05

#ABNQ05 Chapter 05

Shit.

Simon and Matt were looking at us—or maybe looking at me while glaring at Steele. Either way, it didn't feel right. Ang tagal kong nagtiis na 'wag sabihin, tapos sa ganitong paraan lang nila malalaman?

"What?" Matt asked, still not moving. Pero kahit na 'di sila gumalaw, iyong kabog sa dibdib ko ay hindi tumitigil. He was looking at us like he wanted an explanation kung bakit ako sumisigaw, kung bakit namumula iyong mga mata ko dahil halos maiyak ako sa inis kay Steele.

Mabilis kong pinunasan iyong luha sa mata ko. "Nothing," I said. Nanginginig iyong mga paa ko, pero nagawa kong maglakad palapit sa kanila. Every step was making my chest tighten. "Tara na," I said.

"Steele?" tanong ni Matt.

Hinawakan ko iyong braso niya, sinubukan na hatakin siya para umalis na kami. If I'd tell them about what happened, I'd tell them when they're not mad like this. I didn't want anger clouding their judgment. Because after everything that happened, the fact that we're all friends first would still remain.

"Simon..." tawag ko kay Simon, at tumingin na parang humihingi ng tulong. "Tara na."

Simon looked confused, but he had an idea about what happened. "You... and Steele?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yes." I pulled Matt's arm again. "Tara na."

Tumingin ako kay Matt, almost begging him to go. Siya kasi 'yung maraming kapatid na babae na mas bata sa kanya. Kung protective si Psalm, mas protective si Matt. And I had no intention of seeing how protective he could get.

Yes, I wanted to punch Steele's stupid face, but I still knew that violence would never solve anything. It's disturbingly satisfying, but still doesn't solve anything.

"Kaya ka ba umiiwas?" Matt asked me.

I nodded. "Yes. Tara na," sabi ko ulit.

"Kailan pa?"

"I'll explain later. Alis na tayo."

"Kailan pa?" he asked Steele.

I bit my lower lip as Steele answered his question. Bakit hindi na lang siya umalis? 'Di ba plano niya na lumayo muna sa grupo? At saka ako na lang sana hinayaan niya na magpaliwanag, o kaya naman hinintay niya muna na mas maging okay iyong sitwasyon. Hindi 'yung ganito na mainit iyong ulo naming lahat.

"So, all this time na pinapa-tulong mo si Jo sa surprise ng girlfriend mo?" Matt asked as his jaw began to clench again. I was afraid that he'd do something he'd regret later on kaya naman tumingin ako kay Simon para humingi ng tulong pero laking gulat ko ng tahimik siyang maglakad papunta kay Steele, at bigla na lang niyang sinuntok si Steele.

"Simon!" sigaw ko dahil sa bilis ng pangyayari. Hindi ako makagalaw sa sobrang gulat. Simon had been so fucking calm, 'di ko naman alam na bigla na lang siyang manununtok!

Steele didn't seem surprised, but the side of his lips was already bleeding. Me? I didn't know what to feel! This was what exactly what I was avoding!

"She's your ex, then you made her help in surprising your present? Who fucking does that?!" sigaw ni Simon na akmang susuntukin na naman si Steele.

Mabilis kong hinawakan iyong braso ni Matt. "Matt..."

Ayokong masira iyong pagkakaibigan namin. This wasn't what I wanted. Kaya nga ako umiwas para kapag kinausap ko sila, mas maayos na iyong pakiramdam ko. Na mas mapapaliwanag ko sa kanila. Na mas naiintindihan ko na iyong nangyari. Because I knew that opening up while the wounds were still fresh would do nothing but worsen the situation.