Chapter 22

I placed down my bow and sat beside Hillary. Seryoso akong tumingin sa kanya, pero siya ay kanina pa nakangiti.

"What do you mean by that?" at last I finally uttered something.

"I am just using Lucas..." she replied.

Minsan nakakagulat din 'yang pagiging straightforward niya.

"...for me to be able to forget my feelings for your twin," she added.

My brows knitted right away. I am not expecting that she's gonna do that. I was about to talk, but she speaks again.

"I also knew that Lucas is a dumb as*, he hurts not just one woman, but more than ten, Sky, and I'll help those women he hurts, I promise," she paused as she closed her fist, facing down, "I know he's just playing with me, I'm not dumb. And, a game won't be exciting if there's only one player, so Lucas needs an opponent."

Oh, sh*t! Is this really Hillary Aeiou Madrigal?

"Stop playing with him, Hillary," I uttered. She looks at me, wondering. "I don't want you to hurt someone, and you don't really know who Lucas Martin is, we don't know what he can do if he finds out that you're just playing with him."

"But-"

"No buts, Hillary!"

"Sky, listen. My plan is good, I cannot just help those women he hurts, but I can also help myself. I can forget my feelings for Sun because I am busy thinking about my plan with Lucas Martin."

I shook my head in disbelief, "there's so much way for you to forget your feelings, Hillary, and you can't be a hero for those women he gets broken, don't involve yourself with their issue. You went here to study and not to give revenge for those women, understood?"

"Sky, this is the only way I can see to move on!" yes, she literally shouted.

I held both her arms and said, "don't get blinded by your feelings, Hillary, don't be swallowed by your emotions. You're a good girl with pure heart ayokong madumihan mo 'yon. I am saying this as your friend, end your plan. I don't want you to be regretful in the end."

She looked at somewhere else and she smiled with tears, "pero, ang sakit-sakit na, Sky, I just want to get lost whenever I am seeing them, gusto ko na ngang umalis sa skwelahang 'to," she said.

"I can always relate with you, as long as I am not yet over with my feelings for Veia, I will always get hurt, pero gano'n na lang ba, dahil nasasaktan tayo susuko na? Dahil nasasaktan tayo we're gonna divert our attention through other matter with lame intention? Dahil nasasaktan tayo we'll just cry and cry? Dahil nasasaktan tayo we'll just always feel down? No, Hillary, we're just brokenhearted, the time comes our wounded heart will be healed. We can feel happiness again and we can love again. So, at this moment we shouldn't do things that might give us the worst consequence. Despite being so down this time, we still need to think positively, and trust me we can easily get over this."

No one talks after I said my side. We're just staring at each other. Siguro she's still trying to understand what I've just said.

"Why am I so selfish to hell?" she broke the silence. "WHY AM I SO STUPID AS SH*T?! WHY AM I SO FREAKING WEAK?! WHY?!" she literally screamed out. Tsk, we're always fortunate na kapag andito kami walang tao or else matagal na kaming na-issue.

I slowly caressed her back, muttering, "because you're a human. No one was ever born being perfect. Lahat naging selfish, stupid, at weak. Sadyang ngayon mo lang naramdaman ang lahat ng 'to."

"Sky," she uttered my name in tears.

"I want you to always remember that I am here, I am here to fight with you, I am here to help you stand up when you're down. Pareho tayong nasasaktan, but I still have lots of space for your burdens, so don't forget to share it with me."

"Why are you like this? Why are you so good at me?"

I smiled, then I said, "I am always having this easement when I'm with you because I know that you're that person who knows how to value a friend. I am really picky when it comes to friends, Hillary, pero ikaw, I know from the start that you're worthy to become a friend."

"And now I can say that...I don't have any regrets for not closing the door to get to know you, Sky."

I smiled at her. I want Hillary to always feel grateful kahit sa mga maliliit na bagay na nangyayari sa buhay niya, at ayokong makalimutan niya 'yon dahil lang sa sakit na nararamdaman niya ngayon.

"Let's end the drama," I uttered again. "Nagutom ako bigla."

She chuckled as she hit my arm, "dahil hindi ka naman nag lunch, tss," she said, then she rolled her eyes inwardly.

"How did you know? Wait, are you stalking me?" I pulled a joke.

"Stalking your face," she then stood up, "I haven't eaten yet, tara lunch?"

"Together?"

"Hindi, let's invite Veia and Sun para mamatay na naman ang mga puso natin. Let's also join Lucas para mas masaya."

And, I can't help to burst in laughter and she can't also hide her laughs. I just realized that no matter how long the drama occurs there's always happiness comes right after.

We're on our way to the cafeteria when a familiar voice suddenly called me. He then comes closed to us. "Dad, what are you doing here?" I asked with knitted brows.

"I had a meeting with the school's directors," he answered.

"Ha? Why?" I asked again.

"They've been wanting me to become one of the school's shareholders, Sky, kaya tinawagan na naman ako to discuss some stuff."

I just nodded, "alright, so, are you now going home?"

"Yah, but..." he looked at Hillary, "you've grown up," he said, smiling.

"Yeah, and I need to glance at you more because it's been so long since the last time we've seen each other," Hillary replied.

"I know, Aeiou, but I am so glad to see you again," Dad sincerely said. "You know how much your Tito-Dad missed you," he added.

Who's Tito-Dad?

"Nahihiya ako na puntahan ka. I was still a kid no'ng huling nagkita tayo, I am wondering if you still know me," Hillary said.

Tss! I'm here, everyone! I exist!

"Your Tito-Dad won't forget this gorgeous kid," then Dad messed her hair.

So, my Dad is Hillary's Tito-Dad?

Ha? What the hell is going on?