Comrades in Action Book 4: Mason Krustov

Chapter Seventeen

"Now will you tell me what the fuck was that all about?"

Mula sa pagtingin sa kawalan ay napalingon si Mason kay Aiden. When he said he wanted a bottle of whiskey, Mason didn't expect Aiden to bring him into his house. Into his den in particular. It took them almost an hour to get here and he wanted the goddamn drink so bad.

Inilibot niya ang paningin sa paligid, searching for something in particular. Something that he needed so badly. Ng mahigip niya ang hinahanap ay walang salitang lumapit siya doon. There are many varieties but out of all of them, he picked a bottle that he knows would be a perfect partner for his misery.

Nagsalin siya ng whiskey sa isang baso at agad niya iyong inisang tungga. Nagsalin ulit siya. Bahagya siyang napangiwi ng gumuhit ang init niyon sa lalamunan niya pababa sa kanyang tiyan. Hindi niya ininda iyon. Isa pa ulit pero wala pa rin. Hindi pa rin maalis alis ang frustration sa buong sistema niya.

Inis na nagsalin ulit siya na ikinailing na lamang ng kanyang kaharap. Aiden just watched him down the drink in one go for the fourth time.

"Damn.. you really look so fucked up, don't you know that?"

He pursed his lips. "Tell me something I don't know." He grumbled. Marahas niyang inilapag ang kanyang baso sa counter saka napamura. "Fuck!" He brushed his fingers through his hair with so much frustration.

"Talk buddy." Aiden urged. "You know I'm better than that bloody whiskey in front of you right now dahil hindi ka maririnig at masasagot niyan."

Masakit man na maalala ang lahat ng nangyari, kusang bumabalik doon ang isip niya. His mind brought him back to that day— the day before everything go down the drain.

It has already been three years but it feels like it's just fucking yesterday. Napabuga siya ng isang marahas na hininga bago nagsalita.

"I fucked up.."

Aiden gave him a skeptical look. "Okay..? Kanina mo pa sinasabi iyan. Care to elaborate?"

"I hurt her.."

"I'm taking it you're talking about Ellora?"

He didn't answer. And Aiden took it as a yes.

"We knew each other. We were closer than what you think."

"I gather that. Given the way you react with just the mere mention of her name. Hindi na mahirap na mapansin ang bagay na iyon. Ang gusto kong malaman ngayon ay kung bakit ka nagkakaganyan."

Muli siyang nag-angat ng tingin. Hearing that simple question made him feel ashamed of what he did in the past. Tila isa iyong bangungot na pilit siyang sinusundan saan man siya magpunta.

"So?"

Napalunok siya bago nagpatuloy.

"I thought she was.. cheating on me."

Aiden frowned. Halata sa mukha nito na hindi nito inaasahan ang rasong binanggit niya. "With whom?"

Napatingin siya dito. Hindi siya makasagot. Naikuyom niya ang magkabilang kamao dahil sa galit at hiyang nararamdaman sa sarili.