Charm's Slap

*Naomi's POV*

"Saan ka pupunta?"

"Somewhere."

"You're going to her??"

"Yes."

Nathan was discharged last night.

I'm eating breakfast while watching him walk around the house.

"Akala ko ba pinag-usapan na natin to??"

"But I didn't agree to any of your conditions." He said. "Can't you just let me be with her?"

"No, ayaw kong piliin mo siya."

"Mama naman."

"Enough! Kung hindi ka gagawa ng oras para kay Theia, you're grounded!"

"What about school?"

"Kung papasok ka, sige. Pero may hatid sundo ka na."

"Ma!"

"Saan mo ba kinukuha yang lakas ng loob para sigawan ako?" Tanong ni Mama. "Mas mahal mo ba siya kaysa sa sarili mong magulang? Kaysa sa sarili mong pamilya?"

"Ma, that's not what it meant."

"Then what?" Sabi niya. "Gaano mo siya kamahal para kausapin ako ng ganyan??"

"Ma, stop. Please.."

"No." Mama said. "Hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi mo pinipili si Theia."

"Ugh. Fine!"

He stood up after putting his shoes on.

"Where do you think you're going??"

"I'm going to her."

He grabbed his backpack and got out of the house.

3 minutes later, my phone started ringing.

*Unknown number calling*

"Ate."

"Nathan??"

Tumayo ako at lumabas ng bahay. Bukas yung garahe. Wala yung kotse ko. "Where is my car?"

"I'm using it right now. Send me her address."

"Teka-- ano??"

Address ni Theia?

"Send mo sa'kin, okay? Thanks, Ate."

"Wait--"

He already hang up.

"May problema ba?"

"Wala, Ma." Sagot ko. "Tumawag si Nathan. I-send ko daw sa kanya yung address ni Theia."

"Buti naman at napag-isip isip niyang pumunta."

"Ma, did you buy him a new phone?"

"Oo. Pero hindi pa nabibigay ng Papa mo."

Edi kaninong phone yung gamit niya?

"Is there something wrong?"

"Ma, hindi ba mali yung ginagawa natin?" Tanong ko. "Pinipilit natin siyang maalala si Theia."

"We need to." Sagot niya. "Or he'll regret not remembering her."

Pero paano kung hindi siya magsisi?

Paano kung hindi niya naman maalala si Theia pagtapos ng lahat ng to?

I quickly typed a message for him and Alec.

******

*Alec's POV*

I sat on the sofa in front of him para magkaharap kaming dalawa. Patuloy lang siya sa pagtingin sa paligid ng bahay.

"Nathan."

I knew that would make him look at me. He did. Yung tingin niya kanina na nagtataka, inis na ngayon.

"Pwede bang tigilan niyo yung kakatawag sa'kin ng ganyan?" Sabi niya. "I don't remember giving you permission to call me that way."

You may not remember pero tinanggap mo ko bilang parte ng pamilya niyo.

"So your point?" I asked. "Why are you here?"

"I'm sure alam mo kung bakit, Kuya."

I heard him emphasize the word Kuya.

He's testing me but I don't care. I need to focus. Para kay Theia 'to.

"Just go straight to the point, James."

I don't know what to call him anymore.

"Nandito ako para gawin yung kondisyon ni Mama."

"Kondisyon?"

"I'm sure you know what it was." He accused. "If she's really your sister, I'm certain you agreed kaya ako nandito."

Kanina niya pa sinasabi na alam ko but I don't.

"I have no idea what you mean."

"Stop pretending."

"Then stop beating around the bush!"

What did they tell him to do at galit na galit siya?

"I don't know what they told you pero hindi mo dapat ginugulo yung buhay namin dahil lang sa tingin mo kami yung may kasalanan."

"Then why do you keep insisting that I know her??" He said. "I don't even remember who she is. Hindi ko nga alam kung nakilala ko ba talaga siya."

"Are you sure you don't remember her?" I asked. "O pinipigilan mo lang na maalala siya?"

"What are you talking about??"

"You remembered something." I said. Si Manang. "You know you've been here before. Ayaw mo lang maniwala."

"Hindi ko alam kung anong sinasabi mo."

I saw him clenched his fist. Tama yung hinala ko.

"Really? Hindi ba talaga, Nathan?" I pushed the idea in his head. "You even said Manang's name ng walang nagsasabi sa'yo. You were wondering how that happened pero hindi ka nagdalawang isip na yakapin siya."

Hindi pa huli ang lahat.

May pag-asa pang maalala niya si Theia.

"I told you to stop calling me by that name!"

"Fine, but don't shout." I told him. "Hindi namin kasalanang nakalimot ka."

Bago pa man siya makapagsalita, I held up one finger to stop him.

"Now, what do you need? Why are you here kung hindi mo naman siya maalala?"

"This was their condition." He looked away. "Gusto nilang ihatid sundo ko si Theia sa school."

Ihatid sundo? Pero bakit?

"Hindi ka obligadong gawin yan, James."

Bumalik nanaman yung mga panahong kailangan kong mailang sa kanya.

He's not a part of the family. Hindi narin siya parte ng buhay ni Theia.

"Pero yun ang gusto nila."

"Gusto mo ba?"

"..."

"I know you don't." I said. "Wala ka lang choice kaya ka nandito."

Hindi parin siya umimik.

Kanina ang dami niyang sinasabi tapos ngayon tahimik lang siya.

"Hindi ka namin pipilitin kung ayaw mo kay Theia." Totoo. Ayaw kong pilitin siya. "Masasaktan lang siya sa ginagawa mo."

"If you can't accept that she was a part of your life, then don't. Alaala mo yan." I stood up and went to the kitchen. "You even neglected the therapy kaya desisyon mo lahat ng 'to. It's your choice kung anong gusto mong gawin."

I grabbed a pitcher from the refrigerator and poured half of it in a glass.

"I'm sorry if you felt na pinagtulungan ka namin." I said. "We're doing everything we can para maalala mo siya and if you don't want to, you're free to go."

He hesitated for a moment then walked out of the door.

Gusto ko mang maalala mo siya, masasaktan lang siya pag nalaman niyang napilitan ka lang.

Ininom ko lahat ng tubig mula sa baso. I held the glass tightly and threw it away. It automatically shattered on the floor.

"F*ck!"

Kailan ba matatapos 'to?

Ayaw ko nang masaktan si Theia.

******

*Charm's POV*

I closed my eyes nung narinig kong nagbukas sarado yung pintuan and more tears started to fall.

I knew he would leave.

Narinig ko lahat lahat and managed to stay silent kahit kanina pa ko humahagulgol dito.

What Kuya said was true. Hindi namin siya pwedeng pilitin. Not because we don't love Theia enough to make him do it. But because we love her so much na hindi namin kayang ipagawa yun kay Nathan.

I'm sure she feels the same way.

She would do the same. Hindi selfish si Theia.

Anong gagawin ko, bessy? Kailangan kitang protektahan mula Nathan pero paano??

Mahal mo siya.

Paano kita poprotektahan sa taong mahal mo?

***

"Mine, una na kami ha?" Narinig kong sinabi ni Vin. "Nagugutom na talaga ako."

Sa sobrang pag iisip, hindi ko na narinig yung pagdismiss ni Ms. Rita.

I couldn't forget what Ry said last night. Habang nag eexam kami, paulit ulit yun sa utak ko.

I needed my revenge lalo na't mukhang isusuko lang talaga namin si Nathan.

"Charm, tara na?"

"Mauna na kayo." I smiled at her. "Kakausapin ko lang si Ms. Rita."

"Sure. Sunod ka agad ha."

Tumango naman ako and watched her follow the others. I patiently waited for everyone to leave the room including Ms. Rita.

Yes, I lied to Erica.

May kakausapin naman talaga ako.

Hindi nga lang si Ms. Rita.

I made sure na maiiwan siya. I took something from her bag earlier. Buti nalang wala si Nathan. No one can protect her now.

I stood up and silently walked towards her.

"Ivy, are you looking for this?"

Kasabay ng pagharap niya..

*pak*

I slapped her.

She was glaring at me habang hawak hawak yung pisngi niya.

I put all the strength that I have on that slap kaya siguradong masakit yun.

Pero hindi ako naawa sa kanya.

"What's your problem???"

"Talaga? Hindi mo alam??"

This was all her fault.

"Ikaw!" I shouted at her. "Ikaw yung problema!!"

Kung hindi niya kinausap si Theia, edi sana hindi siya mawawalan ng malay.

I was about to slap her again nung may pumigil sa braso ko.

Si Ryan.

******