Hoax (VBoys Series #1)

024

EUNICE

"What do you mean you've 'loved me since day one'?" takang tanong ko kay Jaiden.

He pursed his lips and looked straight into my eyes. "What do you think?"

Natahimik ako. What do I think? I think he means he's been loving me since our first day at the resort. That's the only thing I thought when he said 'day one'.

"You mean... since our first day at the..." I trailed off. Ni hindi ko na kinumpleto ang sasabihin ko. Pakiramdam ko ay masyado akong naga-assume kung ganoon.

"Well, yeah," he licked his lower lip. "That's what I meant."

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless. He's been loving me way before I loved him back.

But why didn't he tell it to me earlier? Why did he only tell me then?

"Bakit hindi ka agad umamin?" I asked what was on my mind.

He stared at me. "It's not that easy."

Napatango na lang ako. Right. It wasn't easy. I should know that.

He suddenly stood up straight. "I should get going."

Lumapit sya sa akin at hinalikan ang noo ko. He was about to walk towards his car, but I called his name before he could.

"Jaiden,"

Tumigil sya sa paglalakad at humarap sa'kin. "Yes, love?"

I bit my lip, hesitating if I should ask what I was thinking, but I did it anyway. "May itatanong sana ako."

He creased his forehead and turned to my direction completely. "That is?"

"W-When we..." I cleared my throat. "When we broke up..."

Nakita ko ang sandaling pagbabago ng emosyon sa mukha nya, but he still kept his cool.

"What about it?"

Huminga ako ng malalim bago sinalubong ang kanyang tingin. "Why were you acting... harsh towards me?"

Sandali syang natigilan. Maybe he didn't expect me to ask that. I didn't expect that question to pop inside my head, too. It just did.

"I wanted you to... hate me," he whispered, taking deep breaths. "I didn't know if I could ever win you back. I didn't know how long I was supposed to keep my deal with Eleanor, so I tried pushing you away."

I stayed silent. I wanted to say something, but nothing was coming out of my mouth. I only kept looking down.

"And I regret it. I regret it so bad I wish I could turn back time," he said, and I heard the regret in his voice. "I wish I never hurt you."

I didn't know how to reply to that. Huminga ako ng malalim at tumingin sa mga mata nya, forcing a smile.

"Things like that are inevitable," I tried to keep a smile on my face, though everytime I thought of how he treated me then, I wanted to cry. "But, hey. Atleast you're here now, right?"

He looked at me for a moment before nodding, forcing a smile, too. "I'm here now."

Tumango lang din ako. I felt like I was acting stupid. Mukha na naman siguro akong tanga.