Thorns And Roses

Kabanata 24

Kabanata 24

"ARE you serious?" I asked him. He remained driving, I saw him bite his lip as he slowly nodded at me.

"Yup..." aniya na parang wala lang.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I hissed, shaking my head. "Look at you, ni hindi pa nga gumagaling 'yang pasa at sugat mo!"

"It'll be fine, Zid," aniya at nilingon pa ako. He smiled at me reassuringly but I just shook my head in annoyance.

"After you take me home, aalis ka na, okay?" I said. "Don't even think of going in our house, you want to get killed?"

"It'll be fine, I promise you." He said.

I sighed, sinuklay ko ang buhok ko at pinagmasdan ang braso kong may kalmot ng tarsier na may lahing pusa.

"Are you hurt?" aniya at sumulyap sa akin. Hindi ko siya sinagot at naiiritang pinagmasdan lang iyon kalmot ko.

Suddenly, I realized he was pulling the car over. I stopped, nilingon ko siya at nakita kong tinatanggal niya ang seatbelt at lumapit sa akin.

"Let me see..." he said huskily. I didn't do anything when he held my arm softly to examine my scratches, he sighed and caressed it.

His eyes were seriously deep, like he had a problem as he inspected my skin. His thick, silky brows furrowed, almost meeting each other.

His reddish lips were slightly parted and his angled jaw clenched tightly.

"Why?" I asked.

"Nothing, I just want to say sorry..." he sighed. Nakita kong binuksan niya ang maliit na compartment sa kanyang sasakyan at kumuha ng ointment doon.

"It's not your fault anyway," sabi ko. "It's that woman, I wonder kung paano mo siya natiis nang ilang taon?" my forehead creased.

"We weren't seeing each other that often," aniya.

"Oh? Thought you'll marry her?" I asked him stiffly.

He stopped, I saw him closed the ointment bottle and put my hand slowly on his.

"It wasn't true," he denied rather calmly.

"Oh, really?" my brows raised at him. "I remembered it clearly, Mr. Valderama."

"Zid..." he sighed, dinala niya ang kamay ko sa labi niya kaya sumimangot ako at hinila ito mula sa hawak niya.

"I came and looked for you," he whispered. Hindi naman ako umimik roon at tumitig sa kawalan. Humalukipkip ako roon at nagsalita pa siya.

"I... did everything but I couldn't find you," he said quietly.

"Then you didn't do everything," I stopped him, staring at the empty road.

"K-kung nakakilos lang ako kaagad, I should have found you sooner," he whispered. Nilipat ko ang tingin ko sa kanya at nakita kong nakatingin lang siya sa manibela at parang wala sa sarili.

"Why?" I asked. I saw him stilled for a while and stared at me.

"Nothing..." he whispered. "It's my fault anyway. I abandoned you, I'm a coward..."

"Did you regret it?" I asked with full of coldness.

"Noon, oo..." he said, staring at me, his eyes were full of unnamed emotions. Every glint of his eyes makes my heart beat fast. "But now, not anymore..." he smiled sadly, heaving a deep sigh. "Seeing you right now, made me happy. You're successful, you have your family back. You have a lovely daughter and I'm really proud of that."