Athaliah's Redemption (Ortega Series 1)

Kabanata 14

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XIV - Guilt

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Napatunganga ako sa sinabi niya. Ilang sandali rin akong nakatitig lamang sa mukha niya.

She looked conflicted.

"And I know you do as well."

"Ahi – "

"No. Let me speak," she held out her hand to stop me when I was about to go near her.

She eyed the bed, signaling me to sit down as she locked the door. She sat beside me afterwards.

"Before you think too much, I just liked him in a way not too deep to be considered romantic," pagsisimula ni Ahira.

She sighed deeply again. "Jedan has many likable characteristics kaya hindi mahirap magustuhan. Hinangaan ko rin siya ng ilang beses. Maybe I would have felt more if we never learned about Mommy's past with Tito Ahiezer."

Napalunok ako.

"I restrained myself. You should have as well."

I turned my eyes away from her. "Huwag kang mag-alala. Wala namang kung ano sa amin."

I could feel her scrutinizing stare at me. "Don't give me that shit. Hindi ganoon karami ang tawagan ninyo kung wala lang iyon... unless you were the one calling him? Or urging him to call?"

Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Inisip ko pa kung ako ba ang mas maraming tawag o si Jeroboam.

"Okay. Let's forget about that. I don't think Jedan is even serious with whatever is happening between you two – "

"Wala nga!" hindi ko mapigilang mag-react at tingnan siya nang masama.

Tinaasan niya lang ako ng kilay.

"Maybe you're right. I saw a post of Ammiel last night. Jedan was there and Celis too."

I looked at her with confusion. Celis? Sino naman iyon?

"Jam told me she's Jedan's ex girlfriend or something. Ewan. Even his sisters aren't sure."

Now I remembered the call from last night. May nagsalitang babae sa background. May pa-babe pang sinabi.

Umismid ako sa napagtanto. That must have been Celis whom Ahira is talking about.

"You're young, Margruite... and maybe Jedan was just friendly to you. Na-misread mo lang ang mga ginagawa niya," si Ahira habang titig na titig sa akin.

"Stop contacting him. Delete his number or block it. Bahala ka."

Sinuri pa niya ako bago muling nagsalita. "I'm sorry. We have to do this for Mommy too."

"It's already been years, Ahira."

I don't even know why I even reasoned that out.

"Alam ko. I'm not saying you can't try again. Pero hintayin mo sana." Bumuntong hininga ulit siya. "Mommy was in her early twenties then yet she wasn't able to take the pain. Ikaw, seventeen pa lang. Hindi mo pa kayang umibig ng isang Ortega. You're still too young to handle the pain some situation may cause."

Walang nagsalita sa amin. I could hear her sigh while I just stared at nothing in particular.

"I just don't want you to fall into that pit again."

I exhaled deeply. "I won't. I overcame it, okay? So let's stop talking about the past," I said with irritation.

"Ide-delete ko na," sabi ko habang hawak ang phone.