He Says She Says

Stay Please? (Part 1)

Chapter Ten

Stay Please? 

(Bryce’s POV)

            I must have stayed in that room for too long. Too long na nung bumaba ako eh bumungad sa akin ang anxious at hindi mapakaling mga magulang ni Ana na paikot-ikot sa sala, pacing all over the place. And then they both saw me.

                 “God, hijo, did you saw that? Did you see what happened?”

            Umiling ako. “Asan po si Ana, Tita?”

                 “Sumama siya do’n sa… sa bastardong anak ni Lea na ‘yon! Bryce, hijo, nakikiusap kami sa’yo. Ibalik mo si Ana dito. Baka kung anong gawin sa kanya ng masamang lalaking ‘yon! Ang tigas-tigas talaga ng ulo ng batang ‘yon!”

            Napabuntong hininga ako, hoping that it will somehow ease me a few but it didn’t. “Tita… kung sakali po bang magpakasal ako sa iba, anong magiging epekto nu’n sa Emerald at sa pamilya ko?”

            I could tell that both Tito Dan and Tita Eve were shocked. “A-Anong ibig mong sabihin, Bryce? Magpapakasal ka sa iba?”

            Maybe I should stop leading this people on. Maybe I should stop being a major coward and face my fears now.

                 “I love someone, Tita. And because I love that someone so much, nasasakal ko na ho ng husto ang anak n’yo. Best friend ko si Ana, mahal ko siya dahil best friend ko siya. At hindi ko kayang ipagpatuloy na gawin sa kanya ang mga ganitong bagay. She deserves to be happy, I also deserve to be happy. Hindi ko na ho kayang ma-stuck sa ganitong klase ng sitwasyon. Nasasaktan na rin ho ako.”

                 “B-But… but you were so adorable together.”

                 “Because Ana and I are best friends, Tita. Only that. It can’t be more than that. We tried, believe me we tried. Pero hanggang do’n lang talaga.”

                 “Who’s this girl you’re talking about?”

            Napalunok ako. If anything, ayokong idamay ang pamilya ni Lex sa kagaguhang ‘to. May malaking problema na silang hinaharap. Ayoko nang dagdagan ‘yon. “Ayoko pong idamay siya. Gusto ko lang pong malaman kung makakaapekto ba sa pamilya ko ‘to. Though I hope not, my family has been working for you since forever. We’ve been loyal and hardworking. Sana hindi n’yo na idamay ang pamilya ko.”

            Bumuntong hininga si Tita Eve. She seems to be contemplating on something. “Bryce… this is only because itinuring ka na rin naming anak kaya wala kaming gagawing masama sa pamilya n’yo. You’re part of the family. And I’m deeply sorry to have you involve with this. But I’m also sorry to state na hindi ko hahayaan ang anak ko sa lalaking ‘yon.”

            It’s my turn to sigh in frustration and slight relief. “I just wish you’ll realize how messy this whole thing are.”

            I muttered a brief goodbye at umalis na ng mansyon na ‘yon kasama ang mga gamit na dinala ko kanina do’n para sana bukas. Pero malamang hindi na matutuloy ‘yon. I drove my car straight to the one place I know I should be.

            Lex’s house.

                 “Babe?” I called, noticing na bukas ang gate nila. Dumiretso ako hanggang sa pintuan na nakabukas rin. Pumasok na ako and I saw Sheena pacing back and forth sa sala. Dinampot ko ang mga papel na nakakalat sa sahig. The place is not a mess but there’s paper on the floor na parang hinagis lang.

            And those papers contains airflight ticket to London. What the?

                 “Bryce?” 0____0

            Nag-angat ako ng paningin at nakita si Lex na kalalabas lang ng kwarto niya. Sheena jolt out from her pacing at nakatingin rin sa akin na gulat. I gulped at inangat sa ere ang mga papel na hawak ko. “What the hell is this?”

            Kinuha niya ang papel at saglit na tinignan bago siya bumaling sa akin. “Airflight ni Sheena sa London. Magma-migrate siya do’n two weeks from now.” Taena, nakahinga ako ng maluwag do’n ah.

            Naningkit ang mga mata ko, seeing as her eyes are slightly bloodshot. “Umiyak ka ba? What happened?”

                 “Wala.” Nakangiti niyang sagot. Umiling lang ako and traced the skin from under her eyes. She held my hand then smiled again. “Seriously, wala ‘to. Bakit ka nga pala napadpad dito ng disoras ng gabi? Di ba maaga ka pa bukas?”

            Tumingin ako saglit kay Sheena na hindi pa rin mapakali sa kinatatayuan niya. It must have something to do with that ticket. Tapos bumalik ang tingin ko kay Lex. “Pwede ka ba mag-stay sa unit ko?”

                 “Bakit? Di ba—”

                 “Lex, please? Stay please?”

                 “Well…” alangan siyang tumingin kay Sheena na mukha namang walang pakialam. “Okay, fine. Lemme pack an overnight bag first.”

            Tumango lang ako. I couldn’t help the urge so I stepped forward and kissed her forehead. Ngumiti siyang muli pagkatapos ay pumasok na sa kwarto niya. Dinampot ko isa-isa ang iba pang mga papel na nagkalat. Tumingin ako kay Sheena. Napailing ako agad.

                 “Will you please calm yourself down?”

            And there, she glared at me. Babaeng ‘to, mas tigre pa sa kapatid niya. “Manahimik ka d’yan, malaswang nilalang.” +____+

            Malaswang nilalang? 0____0a

            Bakit ganyan sila? TT___TT

            Hindi ko na pinansin ‘yang malditang ‘yan at nilagay ko na lang ulit ang mga papel sa coffee table nila. May napansin akong sobre na addressed sa kanilang magkapatid na nakalapag do’n. Na-curious ako kaya kinuha ko. And out of the blue, a hand snatched it away from me. “Pakialamero!” singhal ni Sheena sa’kin.

                 “Oy patingin! May karapatan akong tumingin!”

                 “Kapal! Pa’no ka magkakaroon ng karapatang tumingin aber? Sa’kin ‘to! Lumayas ka nga d’yan! Tsismoso!”

                 “Meron ka ba? Ba’t ang sungit mo?”

                 “Heh! Tabi d’yan, malaswang nilalang!” sabay irap niya sa akin.

            Magsasalita sana ulit ako nang lumabas si Lex ng kwarto niya na litong nakatingin sa amin ni Sheena. I pouted and walked over to her. “Babe, inaaway ako ng alaga mong tigre.” * 3*

            She took my face in her hands and giggled. “Awww. * 3* H’wag ka kasing lalapit sa tigre para di ka inaaway.”

                 “Pwede ba?” singit na naman ng tigre. “Lumayas nga kayong dalawa sa harapan ko! H’wag kayo dito nagla-landian! Layas!”

            May humila siguro sa buntot ng tigre kaya kahol ng kahol. -____-++

ooOoo

           Hindi ko alam kung na-disappoint siya sa kinuwento ko o naaawa siya sa akin. She simply stared at me blankly. Sinabi ko lahat ng nangyari. Of course I left the part where I talked about her with Tita Eve but nonetheless, she knows everything that transpired that night.

                 “E-Edi… Edi hindi ka na tutuloy sa California?”

            I shook my head and held her hand tightly, afraid that she’s gonna run anytime soon. “Hindi na. I wanted to stay with you too so I guess that isn’t too much of a bad thing?”

                 “P-Pero… she slapped you…” she said in a whisper.

            Sasagot palang sana ako when she threw herself to me, hugging me tightly while I sat stunned on the couch. But inhaling her scent made me realize that it’s Lex hugging me. She hugged me. She came to me without me asking and begging her to do so.

            And with that, kusang yumakap ang mga kamay ko sa bewang niya. I wanted to make her sit because she’s still standing while hugging me who’s sitting in the couch but dammit I couldn’t talk. And when I tried, the only thing that came out was a simple: “Lex…”

                 “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Bryce. Hindi ko na dapat sinabi ‘yon. Hindi na ako dapat nag-suggest ng gano’ng bagay. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it.” :'(

            God, please help me…

            I closed my eyes and gulped. In-adjust ko si Lex so she’ll end up sitting on my lap. Nahalata niya kaya naramdaman kong inalis niya ang isa niyang kamay na nakapulupot sa leeg ko but I stopped her. I brought it back around.

                 “You don’t have to say sorry. It’s not your fault, it’s mine.”

                 “Pero—”

                 “Lex, can I show you what I truly feel about this whole thing?” I interrupted her.

            Kumalas siya ng kaunti mula sa akin at tinignan ako quizically. “Huh?”

            Kailangan ko nang sabihin sa kanya. Kahit anong mangyari kailangan ko nang sabihin dahil konting-konti na lang sasabog na ako. If she takes it up too hard, susuyuin ko siya ng paulit-ulit, susundan ko siya sa kung saan mang lupalop siyang magpunta. Lalong walang mangyayari sa akin kung hindi ko sasabihin sa kanya. It’s now or never.

                 “Can I?” I asked again and hesitantly, she nodded for confirmation.

            Oh please Lord, let this be right…

            I grabbed the back of her head and pushed it against me. Her lips eventually crashed into mine. I sighed inside the kiss. Fvck, that feels so good.

            Pero sabi nga nila, all good things has to end. And I proved it right when she pulled back. I opened my eyes and stared at her shock face. s**t. Here it goes. Her options were pretty simple. Either she’ll slap me and kick me somewhere she desires or she’ll run away like a mad woman screaming that I’m a r****t or anything that indicates that I violated her.

            But she kept staring into my eyes. Hindi ko na namalayang na-crumple ko ang dulo ng T-shirt niya ng sobrang higpit dahil lang sa kaba kong umiwas siya sa’kin at tumakbo palabas ng pintuan ko. Ang lakas-lakas ng t***k ng puso ko na pakiramdam ko maririnig na niya. Lex… oh c’mon say something!

            But instead, she adjusted her right leg and place it on the other side so she can straddle me and then she kissed me. Willingly. “Fvck…” I muttered when she pulled away slightly again.

            Kinagat niya ang pang-ibaba niyang labi as she stared right to my eyes. Magkadikit ang mga noo namin, her lips was practically just an inch away from mine. That was smokin’ hot! “You wanna?” then she grinned.

            And I’m pretty sure my face mirrored that grin as I nodded pretty eagerly. “Hell to the yeah.”