Just The Strings (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 35

#JustTheStrings

Kabanata 35 

My forehead was in a permanent state of crease when I saw Parker's name. It had been a month already. Isang buwan na wala siyang paramdam. Ni ha, ni ho, wala talaga. Tapos ngayon... ito? And of all things he could like, iyon picture pa talaga namin ni Saint? Something was weird. Lahat na lang ng tao sa paligid ko ay mayroong kakaiba... I wanted to ask them but I didn't want to push them. I knew that they have problems of their own so I wanted to give them as much time and space. But I was really worried. I just wanted them to be fine, kung anuman ang ginagawa nila.

I clicked his name until I was redirected to his profile. Wala namang bago. Iyong latest post sa wall niya ay noong isang buwan pa... But to return the favor, I liked his latest post—which was a quotation related to soccer. Para lang naman malaman niya na ayos na kami. A month had passed already and it seemed like he was already working on bettering himself. Iyon lang naman kasi ang gusto ko. I wanted him to admit that what he did was wrong... and what he asked from me was wrong. Why would he ask me to choose him when all of his life, I was never an option? It was too unfair.

And I like Saint. And I am happy with him. Bakit hindi makita ni Parker iyon?

But I guessed that everything's fine now. He already said his apology to Cindy and he's working on his life now. And since he liked my post, I would take it na okay na siya kay Saint... I was happy for him.

After that, I stayed true to what I told Saint. Dahil first day pa lang naman ng klase at wala pa talagang masyadong binibigay na assignments, nag-advance study na lang ako tutal sinabi ko naman sa kanya na marami akong gagawin, e. I felt really guilty for acting out earlier. He didn't deserve that. Kaibigan lang naman niya si Dani. Sa kanya na mismo nanggaling kaya bakit ako nagdududa?

"Imo naman..." I heard Papa said. "You need to eat."

Mama was adamant. Naka-tingin lang siya sa kawalan.

"Preston's fine."

"I need to see my son," matabang na sabi ni Mama.

Papa sighed. I knew it was a tough choice on his part... Papa had always been fair in treating us all kaya nga mahal na mahal namin siya. And what was happening was only putting him in a sore spot. I knew he wanted to respect Kuya's decision to move out and also his discretion to keep everything a secret. Kahit nga ako hindi ko alam, e. But based on Kuya Benj's words, I was guessing that the gravity of the situation was really bad.

...but I also knew that Papa wanted to tell Mama. Especially when Mama's acting this way. Buntis pa naman siya kaya hindi dapat sumasama iyong loob niya nang ganito. Baka kung mapaano si Cayden.

"Imo..."

"Bakit ba ayaw mong sabihin? Pupuntahan ko lang naman siya. I just want to see for myself that my son is fine!"

Natahimik kaming lahat sa mesa. Biglang nahulog mula sa bibig ni Riley iyong chicken na kagat niya habang si Finley naman, hinatak iyong shirt ko. I looked at him and faintly smiled.

"Mama's just worried," I told him. I didn't want them to think that our parents were fighting. Finley had enough trouble at school. Baka mamaya isipin niya na ayos lang magsigawan. And he's still very young and he had the tendency to mimic actions... kagaya na lang ng pagiging mini-Saint niya ngayon. He's copying everything about Saint. Magkapareho na nga sila ng haircut ngayon, e.

Papa didn't argue with Mama. He just let her walk all over him. Kami naman, tahimik lang na nakikinig... although what I really wanted to do was to bring my brothers back to their rooms. Hindi dapat sila nakaka-rinig ng ganito.