Disclaimer: This novel has been carefully edited, but errors may still exist. Any typographical or grammatical mistakes are unintentional and do not reflect the quality of the story. Thank you for your understanding and support.
JEALOUSY
Halos mag dadalawang linggo na akong nagkukulong sa kwarto na ito, halos masaulo ko na ang lahat ng bagay na naririto sa loob ng kwarto, hanggang ngayon hindi ko parin matanggap na ikakasal na ako, pero hindi naman tungkol doon kung bakit ako nagkukulong, mas minabuti ko na gan'on nalang ang isipin nila dahil sa mga nakalipas na linggo subrang daming dokumento ang ipinasa sa akin ni Sevirous, hindi rin ako halos makapahinga dahil kinakailangan matapos agad 'yun at kapag natapos naman ay may ipapagawa ulit siya sa akin. Tho it was fine with me yun nga lang subrang nakakapagod.
Manang Silva was the one who's always bringing my meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner.
Halos sa dalawang linggo na lumipas ay paulit-ulit lang ang ginagawa ko: Kain, gumawa ng mga dukumento, matulog, kumain.
Nalaman ko rin na nasa Japan si Darcy, kapatid ni Kali, hindi ko alam kung paano siya nakarating sa ibang bansa she's only sixteen kaya wala kaming gano'ng impormasyon kung saan nangggaling ang lahat ng mga pera niya. Magkakapera man siya sa Racing pero hindi gan'on kalaki na aabot sa halos kalahating milyon na ginagasto niya sa isang araw lamang.
"Ija. Keyla, kumain ka na ba?" iilang katok ang narinig ko mula sa labas ng pintoan, hindi ako tumayo o sumagot man lang rito tamad lamang ako nakatingin sa pintoan.
"Keyla, ayos ka lang ba jan?" pilit nito binubuksan ang doorknob, nakailang pihit pa ito pero niya ito mabuksan, agad kong inayos ang mga gamit na nasa lamesa ng mini sala set ko na nasa loob ng kwarto itinago ko rin ang mga pictures na nagkalat sa lamesa, may iniimbistigahan kasi ako sa Hospital na pagmamay-ari ng mga Castillano, ang problema ay masiyadong pribado ang mga detalye tungkol sa may-ari.
Tanging apilyido lamang ang nakasulat rito walang pangalan, edad o ano mang personal na impormasyon.
Pinihit ko ang pintoan agad ko itong binuksan, pag bukas ko pa lamang ay bumungad na sa akin si Mama, Manang at isang matangkad na lalaki na may hawak ng duplicate carsd ng kwarto ko, nakaawang ang labi nito habang nakatingin sa akin nakakunot lamang ang noo ko habang pinagmamasdan silang lahat.
"What are you guys doing?" napangiwi ako rito habang nakatingin sa lalaking matangkad na nasa tabi ni Manang. Agad naman silang nagsi-iwas ng tingin sa akin.
"Akala kasi namin na-"
"Na ano? na nagbigti na ako? Gosh! I won't commit suicide!" sarkastiko kong saad sa kanila kita ko naman ang labis na pagkapahiya nila.
Ano na naman bang kabaliwan ang iniisip nila? Tsk. Wala ba silang tiwala sa akin?
Nagsi-iwas agad sila ng tingin sa akin pagkatapos ko 'yun sabihin nakatayo lamang ako sa harapan nila habang sila naman ay hindi makatingin ng maayos sa akin.
Tumikhim ako upang kunin ang atensyon nila agad naman silang natauhan nang marinig nila ang pagtikhim ko." Can we just eat breakfast? Instead na tatayo kayo jan?" nauna na akong bumaba sa kanila dahil mukhang wala pa silang balak na gumalaw sa kanilang kinatatayuan. Naiinip na ako kakahintay sa kanila.
Boses agad ni Aleesa ang narinig ko pagkababa ko pa lamang, mukhang may kausap ito. Ang aga naman ata niyang magkabisita.
"So totoo nga?"
"Anong totoo?" bigla kong sabat sa usapan nila lumingon sa banda ko si Aleesa at ang lalaking katabi niya agad na nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita kong sino ang kausap nito. Putangina talaga.
"Brielle?"
"Aziel?"
Halos sabay naming saad agad akong nag-iwas rito ng tingin dahil mukhang wala pang alam si Aleesa tungkol sa marriage contract na pinirmahan naming sabay ni Aziel. Ayaw ko naman makagulo sa kanila.
Naguguluhan na palipat-lipat ng tingin si Aleesa sa amin ni Aziel na ngayon ay nakatingin lamang sa akin. Umupo ako sa bakanteng upuan upang kumain na nang almusal.
"Wait, magkakilala kayo?" nakakunot ang noo nito habang nakatingin sa amin sasagot na sana ako ng magsalita si Aziel na nasa harapan namin. "Of course she's my-"
Agad na nanlaki ang mata ko nang mapagtanto ang gusto nitong sabihin,agad ko nang pinutol ang sasabihin sana nito,"A friend. Ate Aleesa, we just met the other day, uhm I don't know exactly nakalimutan ko na." putol ko sa sasabihin nito.
Napadaing si Aziel nang apakan ko ang paa nito sa ilalim ng lamesa." Babe are you hurt?" bakas sa mukha ni Aleesa ang labis na pag-aalala sa kaniyang nobyo na masama ang tingin sa akin.
Maya't maya lang ay agad na bumaba sina Mama upang sumabay sa amin na kumain ng almusal, mabuti nalang talaga at wala dito si Albert, naiirita ako sa pagmumukha ng isang 'yun."Ma, let's eat, Aziel's here!" masayang wika ni Ate Aleesa habang nakapirme ang ngiti nito.
This morning i called Severios and told him about the documents that he sent me yesterday, in my shock he told me about Kali's sister. Darcy, I couldn't take the revelation about Darcy. Who the fuck will buy that?
Kali's father is a politician, Tito had an affair with Darcy's mom. Kali knows how his father treated her mother like a damn trash, and I couldn't understand tita that time. Tita died in the late 30's due to stress that's what they told us, but we know it's not about stress something was up to.
Darcy, run away from her home maybe because she was getting too suffocated, and stressed there. I know Darcy is a smart girl hindi siya basta na lamang aalis dahil lamang sa mababaw na dahilan, I still remember what she said to me about politics. I wonder kung may kinalaman ba ito kung bakit siya umalis.
"Darcy, gusto mo bang tumakbo katulad ni Tito? You know the politician's life," i asked her.
"Sa Pilipinas ba?" tanong nito. I nodded at her, she caressed her hair from up to down while playfully looking at me,"Hindi." she paused a bit before continuing speaking." Madumi makipaglaro ang mga nasa taas. Ate, they don't serve justice for those who needed it," my brows furrowed on what she said, how can a fifteen year old girl talk like this?
"Ate, may hustisya daw para sa mga adik na pinatay, pero walang hustisya para sa mga pinatay ng mga adik, People are so loud asking for justice to those who got killed for using illegal drugs, but you know what funny? the justice to those innocents who got killed by the users didn't even make a sound..." she said plainly with her blank expression.
"So to your question I would gladly say no, I only had one reason and that is bulok ang sistema ng Pilipinas,"
Bumalik ako sa wisyo ng maramdaman ko ang pagkalabit sa akin nang kung sino, lihim ko pang kinurot ang kamay ko na nasa ilalim ng lamesa.
"Okay ka lang ba?" i smiled on Mommy awkwardly. Her phone rings loudly kaya napabaling ang atensiyon ko rito.
Tumayo ito at nagpaalam na aalis daw muna siya tumango na lamang ako dahil mukhang hindi napansin ng dalawang to ang sinabi ni Mommy dahil patuloy lamang sila sa paghaharutan sa harapan ko.
Everything feels so ackward after Mom left me with these two love birds. Minutes pass mom still didn't come back I wonder who she's talking to. And why is she taking so long.
Five more minutes passed again, I boredly looked at my food mukhang lalanggamin na ako rito. Tangina naman e.
Maya't maya lang ay nakabalik na si Mommy kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa pagiging weirdo nito, nakatulala lamang siya habang pabalik ito sa kaniyang upuan subrang lalim ng iniisip nito hindi nga ata nito napansin ang presensya ko
Uhm, Keyla. Can we talk?" wika nito bago sumulyap ng tingin kay Aziel bago bumalik ang tingin nito sa akin napakunot ang noo ko sa ginawa nito, I had a doubt that she already know pero sana wala siyang alam.
Bago pa lang kami nag ka-ayos ayaw kong magkagulo muli kami gayong hindi pa rin ako naniniwala sa sinabi nitong dahilan tungkol sa pag alis nya sa puder namin.
"Sure," sagot ko bago tumayo at iniwan ang dalawa na nag-uusap.
Mom gestured for me to sit beside her in the garden,"What do you want?" wika ko habang nakatingin sa kaniya.
"Hindi na ako mag paligoy-ligoy pa, I know about the marriage..."
Natigilan ako sa sinabi nito halos hindi na ako makatingin ng maayos sa kanya dahil sa pagkamuhi ko iniisip ko pa lamang na magagalit siya tungkol dito ay hindi ko na alam.
"Alam mo?" hindi pa rin ako makatingin ng maayos rito ramdam ko ang pagdampi ng malamig na hangin sa aking balat, ang mga huni ng mga munting ibon na nasa hardin.
Hindi na ako nagdalawang isip na tingnan ito,"Do you hate me now? 'cause i take ate Aleesa's boyfriend?"
Napasinghap ito sa sinabi ko, ang mga mata nito ay tila nangungusap,"No..."
Mariin akong napapikit sa naging sagot nito sa akin,"Why? you should be." sagot ko bago nag-iwas rito ng tingin.
"Why would i? You're my daughter Keyla," sagot nito sa akin ramdam ko ang kamay nito na nakahawak sa aking kamay.
"Cause i take ate Aleesa's boyfriend..." i softly chuckle before gazing at her. Her lips were parted in shock.
"You didn't, your father was the only one who arranged this marriage between you two," she said while softly caressing my cheeks.
"Aziel dearly loves your sister, I know that even he won't show it," sagot nito sa akin, assuring me that she's not mad at me.
Did Aziel really love my sister? Aleesa? my mind was full of questions that needed some answers. If he truly loved my sister why would he cheated on her? is that what he means about love? if that's the love then i don't want it. I couldn't settle for something like that.
Cheating is a choice not a mistake and Loyalty is responsibility not a choice, men and women should know that.
Bumalik na ako sa dining area naabutan ko silang seryusong nag-uusap, Aleesa's gazed went on me her eyes were swollen and red it looks like she's been crying for almost an hour I can't help but think that she knew something about the arrangement.
While on the other side Aziel was just coldly looking at her.
Imbes na tumuloy room ay mas pinili ko na lamang na umalis doon at iwanan silang dalawa.
Aalis na sana ako nang tinawag ako ni Aleesa nilingon ko ito at agad na bumungad sa akin ang subrang pula nitong mata namamaga na rin ito dahil sa subrang pag-iyak ang mga labi nito ay nanginginig habang nakatingin sa akin.
"Why?" i walked towards her maintaining my usual face expression. Her face were filled with hatred and anger the next thing i knew she slapped me so hard that I couldn't feel anything. Agad na tumakbo si Aziel papunta sa pagitan namin at agad na hinila ako papalayo kay Aleesa na ngayon ay nakatingin sa palad niyang nanginginig.
"What the fuck did you do now!" Aziel's face was getting darker while looking at Aleesa's who's now trembling in pain, I couldn't stop but felt pity on her right now. Aziel was so angry that he could destroy everything here.
His face was expressing so much rage that it made me nervous. His eyes looked very dark now. He even clenched his jaw hard. As if his going to kill anyone right now.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" his eyes were murderous while looking at Aleesa.
"She is your fucking sister!" his face was darker than before.
"You're going to marry my sister! what do you expect me to react?!" she cries so hard that she looks helpless. Unti-unti nitong binaling ang tingin sa akin.
Unti-unti siyang lumapit sa akin at lumuhod sa aking harapan," Please Keyla, I loved him so much...alam mo 'yun diba? Don't take him away from me, I'm begging you I'm down on my knees begging you please, please don't." my lips were parted in shock because of what she did.
Agad akong umatras palayo rito ngunit agad nitong hinuli ang aking kamay at paulit-paulit na nagmamakaawa.
I couldn't help but gaze on Aziel beside me. My gaze went on him, I don't want to get involved in their issues.
Aziel's face was softly looking at me."Aleesa, if that's what you want then I won't marry him-"
"Fuck no!" he said. I could even hear the anger in his voice.
Ang maliwanag na mkha ni Aleesa ay napalitan ng pagtataka sa naging asta ni Aziel."Why not? Aziel...she agreed not to marry you-"
"I said no! She is going to marry me whether she likes it or not, she's still going to marry me!" his tone was hard, as if he was on the verge of releasing his anger. Wala akong magawa kundi ang tingnan lamang siya na ngayon ay parang demonyo na nagagalit.
I remember that dad called me, mukhang na konsensya sa ginawa nito. He said na he will let me decide if i should back out as Aziel's bride. Pero, he can't give me the protection that I needed.
"Aziel, dad said he will let me decide if I'm going to marry you," I paused before looking at Aleesa."Or not,"pagpapatuloy ko pa sa sasabihin ko agad na umangal si Aziel sa sinabi ko.
Madilim ang mukha nito habang mariing nakatingin sa akin,"Why? 'cause you like someone? is it Gael?" his voice was almost in a hushed tone.
Nakaawang ang labi ko sa sinabi nito sasagot na sana ako nang biglang mag tumunog ang selpon ko na nasa aking kamay. I gazed on my phone and saw Gael's name on it i was hesitant to answer his call in the middle of this argument but i still choose to answer it so i can have a reason to excuse myself here so they could talk properly.
"Gael?" i asked while gazing at them, Aziel's face was dark and full of rage while staring at me.
[Hi hon, where are you?]
"Uhm...home!"
[I will go there, is it fine with you?]
"Ha, ah yeah sure."
[Bye, I'll be there!]
I was about to answer Gael but someone snatch my phone on me, I glared at Aziel who's now seriously looking at me while holding my phone in his right hand.
Mariin ang bawat tingin nito sa akin,"So it's Gael ha?" his eyes were full of rage while gazing at me.
"So?" masungit kong sagot bago inagaw ang selpon ko na hawak nito.
May sasabihin pa sana ito nang biglang dumating si Mommy nakaawang ang labi nito habang nakatingin sa aming tatlo."Did something happen while I'm away?" wika nito bago binalingan ng tingin si Aleesa na hanggang ngayon ay nakaluhod pa rin sa sahig.
Lalapitan na sana siya rito ng makita niya ang madilim na mata ni Aziel na mariing nakatingin kay Aleesa.
Tumukhim ito upang kunin ang atensyon ng dalawa na mukhang walang pakealam sa nangyayari sa kanilang paligid.
Halos hindi na ako makahinga sa labis na kaba."Ma, bakit po?" i tried not to stuttered luckily i succeed.
"I just want to tell you that a man was looking for you," wika nito na siyang nagpabaling sa atensyon sa dalawa. Kunot ang noo ni Aziel habang nakatingin kay Mommy na ngayon ay nakatingin kay Aleesa na nakayuko lamang at tahimik na umiiyak.
"Aleesa, what the hell are you doing!" hestirikal na wika nito habang pinapatayo si Aleesa."Shut up!" sigaw ni Aleesa habang ginugulo nito ang sariling buhok.
"Is everything okay here?" i heard a familiar voice spoke behind my back, I was about to look at who it was when Aziel pulled me closer to him.
His right hand was resting on my waist caressing it softly but in a possessisive way like it was claiming it as his. I was stunned to say I stayed still on what he did. Aleesa's was looking at me with her sharp eyes full of anger but with a hint of jealousy.
"Aleesa-" I was about to explained but Aziel interrupt me,"What the fuck are you doing here Gael?!" he's mad while looking sharply at Gael who's just smirking at me."Can't believe you're here bro," Gael said while smirking.
"Oh, i almost forgot. Aleesa is your girlfriend, that's why you're here," i almost kicked Gael's ass because of what he said.
He just put himself in danger even more, can't believe this guy.
"Shut the fuck up!" mariin ang bawat pag bigkas nito sa bawat salita. Mas lalo humigpit ang kamay nito na nakahawak sa aking bewang
Napunta ang tingin ko kay Gael na ngayon ay nakataas ang kilay sa akin,"Aziel, I'll excuse my self first. I needed to entertain Gael." wika ko upang pakawalan nito ang pagkakahawak nito sa akin, his brows furrowed on what i said he looked at Gael like he's going to buried him alive.
"Why? he can perfectly handle himself," he scoffed before giving Gael death glares.
I was so irritated because of what his doing, we make a deal and it's clear that we will pretend infront of our parents but not with my Mom and Gael especially not infront of his damn girlfriend.
This man is sick. I can't take him."Aziel our deal," naiinis kong paalala rito.
He looked at me with disbelief written on his face before he scoffed,"Remember our deal, also. Keyla!" my brows furrowed on what he said, I perfectly remembered every detail he said on me so I'm sure i didn't forget something." What deal?" irritatedly said making him frown in frustration."Did I forget something? Oh well. I'll make it clear, you're out of stock means you are supposedly only mine, you understand?" he said.
Halos itulak ko na siya papalayo nang maramdaman ko ang malambot nitong labi sa likod ng aking tenga."Let me go!" i was so irritated on him.
I tried to get off his hands on my waist but he gripped it even more I frowned in irritation on what he did.
Halos umiyak na ako dahil sa pagka-inis sa kaniya nang maramdaman nito ang pananahimik nito ay agad ako nitong pinakawalan, i glared on him before i excuse myself on them, Gael was just following me from behind. I was so irritated to the point that I could beat someone up just to release the frustration i felt.