5

Chapter 5

MATULIS ang labi ni Midnight nang lumabas ang nurse sa kwarto na inuukupa niya. His elder brother Chaos was standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest.

Mataman siya nitong pinagmamasdan habang walang imik.

“What happened?” Finally, Chaos broke the silence.

It wasn't Midnight’s intention to let this man know about what happened, kaya lang ay mukhang tsismoso talaga ang kanyang kapatid, na nagkataon pang napadaan daw sa pinangyarihan ng aksidente, kung saan siya nabangga.

He got a minor cut on his forehead. Lucky for him. If not, he'll be needing plastic surgery.

Tahimik lang naman siya na umiinom, hanggang sa may babae na lumapit sa kanya at nilandi-landi siya. He didn't even pay attention to that slut. Wala siyang kaalam-alam na ang babae ay may boyfriend na nasa loob din ng bar. That had put him into trouble. He was about to go home when he was confronted by a stranger who had a backup. Umiwas siya sa gulo hindi dahil sa takot siya pero dahil wala siya sa mood na makipagsuntukan.

Midnight thought it just ended there but it didn't. Hinabol siya ng mga lalaki kaya napilitan siyang lumaban, at kahit na mag-isa lang siya ay hindi naman sa kanya umubra. And he got bumped when he left for the second time, riding his car.

“Dad was so mad. Nasabon ang mga bodyguards mo.”

“Tang-ina naman si Dad. Ano ako nine-year-old para mag-bodyguard?” inis na tanong niya sabay kamot nang marahas sa ulo.

“And explain that to him now that you're bruised,” Chaos told him.

He just sighed again until the door swung open. They both looked at the door, same facial expression. Medyo lamang lang ng isang tabong pagkaseryoso ang mukha ng kanyang Kuya.

Lalo siyang nanghina nang makita ang pumasok sa pinto, na medyo tumigil pa at pinagpalitan sila ng tingin na magkapatid.

Chaos cleared his throat and looked at him. Humakbang iyon at pumunta sa may isang sulok, para bigyan ng space ang babaeng nasa pinto.

Desire came in after staring at Chaos.

“Good evening po, Don Leonardo!” Magalang na bati ni Desire kaya napahalakhak si Midnight nang di inaasahan.

Chaos looked at him with disgust.

“B-Bakit?” Takang tanong ng dalaga, na lalong nagmukhang inosente.

“He is not my Dad. If he's here, would you still come in?” Midnight asked her.

She just shrugged, “Bakit hindi? Si-Sino siya?”

“He is my brother, Chaos.”

“Diyos ko. Sorry po,” hingi ng dalaga ng paumanhin sa lalaking napagkamalan na matanda.

Hindi naman niya namukhaan kaagad ang lalaki kanina pero ngayon na natitigan niya ang mukha no'n ay natitiyak niya na hindi pa iyon matanda. His suit was the reason why he looked older than his age But his face wasn't even old. Naka-focus kasi siya kay Midnight kaya akala niya ay matanda ang kapatid nito, na napagkamalan niyang si Don Leonardo.

“Where's Abby?” Midnight asked right away, expecting to see the woman he was dying to see.

“Kaya ka ba bumangga ay dahil in-expect mo na pumunta rito si Ate? Are you that desperate?” Makahulugan ma tanong ni Desire sa kanya, bagay na ikinabuntong-hininga niya.

“Sorry to say but she's not with me. Ni hindi ko nga siya makausap. If I were you, I'd fix my life. Nothing will happen if you keep dwelling on that postponed engagement.”

Nanatili na nakatitig si Midnight sa dalagang nagsasalita. Parang mas masakit iyon kaysa sa kung anong pakiramdam man. He was just slapped with the truth.

“Fine. Gusto mong malaman ang totoo? I couldn't talk to her because Kuya Gian was there with his entire family. They made pamanhikan.”

His jaws clenched.

“Ayokong saktan ka pero mas mabuti na malaman mo ang totoo. Matutuloy na siguro ang kasal nila. I see no reason why it can't happen, unless Ate will change her mind and learn to fight for you.”

Midnight can't accept the fact that Abby can't even fight for him. Hindi ‘yon. Takot si Abby kay Salvatore kahit noon pa man. Kung may dapat man paglabanan si Abby, iyon ay ang takot at hindi ang kung ano. If she will only stand with him, he is even willing to fight for her.

It goes hand in hand. Hindi naman pwedeng ipaglaban niya ang babaeng takot na ipaglaban siya.

“How did you manage to escape?” He rather asked Desire.

“I asked permission from my Dad. I didn't escape,” ngumisi ito na parang nakakaloko.

“Hindi ako maniniwala na pinayagan ka ng Daddy mo na puntahan ako.”

“I didn't say that I'd see you. I said, I'd visit a friend. And since I was an obedient daughter ever since, he said okay. I was with his bodyguard anyway,” tila pagmamalaki pa ng dalaga saka siya pinasadahan ng tingin, “What's the diagnosis?”

“I just had a minor cut here,” he pointed at his forehead.

“Malayo sa bituka,” ani pa ni Desire, bagay na nagpataas sa sulok ng labi ni Chaos, habang tahimik na nakikinig sa isang sulok.

The lady looks childish and kind of sweet. Imagine, anak ni Salvatore ay narito at kaharap nila, habang ang pinakahihintay ng kapatid niyang timang, na bumisita ay naroon sa mansyon may kasamang lalaking pakakasalan daw.

This lady is quite braver than Midnight’s ex-girlfriend. Baka mas magaling itong magkarinyo kaysa sa kapatid. And he likes the way she speaks.

Saglit niya itong pinasadahan ng tingin muli. Nakasuot lang ito ng candy pink na cotton short, na halos tumakip lang sa pwet. Nakasuot din ito ng cropped top na puti kaya medyo labas ang t'yan, tapos ay naka-sweater na pink din.

Maganda ito.

Mahaba ang buhok ng babae na kulay brown, abot sa balakang, hindi katangkaran pero sapat na para sa average height ng isang babae. She has cute dimples on the upper corners of her lips.

“Other than that, wala na?” usisa pa ni Desire kay Midnight kapagkuwan.

Napilitan na umiling ang binata.

“Uuwi ka na raw ba?”

Tumango siya. He sighed after a moment.

“You better fix yourself, Kuya Midnight. Don't ever do this again. Ni hindi aware si Ate sa mga ginagawa mong ito. Kung naniniwala ka na mahal ka niya, pwede mo siyang ipaglaban. I better get going now. Sir,” baling nito sa kanyang Kuya Chaos.

“I'll accompany you outside,” Chaos offered.

“Thank you,” she smiled a bit, and looked at him again.

Wala na itong sinabi, tinitigan lang siya at parang dismayado pa sa kanya. Kulang na nga lang ay mailing ito.

Hindi sila close ni Desire. Nagkakausap lang naman sila noon ay kapag nag-aaway sila ni Abby. Ito ang tulay niya para makipagbati. Kinukulit niya ito para kausapin ang Ate niya para sa kanya, o pilitin na magsalita sa kung anong mga sinasabi ni Abby tungkol sa kanya.

Nang makalabas si Chaos at Desire ay naibaba ni Midnight ang ulo sa pader. He sighed again. Hindi matanggal sa isip niya ang sinabi ng dalaga na magkasama si Abby at ang mapapangasawa. Hindi siya maniniwala na walang mangyayari sa dalawa. Sanay si Abby sa sex. At hindi siya makapaniwala na basta lang siya kayang ignorahin ng babae. Alam niyang mahal siya ni Abby. She's just terrified to fight for him.

Lalong sumidhi ang nararamdaman niyang galit kay Salvatore. If that old asshole didn't stop Abby from accepting his proposal, they would probably be engaged by now.

He must not accept defeat from that man. Pakialamero talaga iyon. Hindi pa rin iyon matahimik na natalo ng Papa niya sa negosyo kaya ngayon ay pilit pa rin na binubuhay ang away ng dalawang pamilya.

He must not stand undefeated. He thought that The accident would make him see Abby again but it didn't. It only made his anger get worse.

He looked at the door again when it opened. It was his brother again.

“Are you feeling better now? Let's go home since your ex isn't even coming to see you.”

Napilitan siyang tumikal sa pader at umayos ng upo sa stretcher.

“Demonyo talaga si Salvatore. He was always strangling his daughter.”

“But he wasn't strangling the other one. Baka pasaway ang ex mo kaya itong isa ay malayang nakakalabas kung kailan gustuhin. Markado na ang Abby mo, ‘tol.”

“Tang-ina niya. Mamarkahan ko rin siya. He just has to wait and see. I'll make him suffer.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Chaos asked him, putting his hands on his waist.

I'll make a plan. Dapat ay masaling ko si Salvatore sa pinaka-masakit na paraan na mararamdaman niya kung anong ginawa niya sa akin. Nasa kay Abby nakasalalay ang lahat. If Abby will not going to fight her father, then they’ll be all sorry.

Hindi siya naging anak ni Leonardo Castelloverde para lang maging isang talunan at nakakatawang nilalang.

Many people witnessed what happened during the engagement. He was like a rotten rat back there. He was so hurt and humiliated. Nag-trending pa talaga siya sa social media.

A handsome longhaired multi-awarded soccer player of the famous group Hard Balls was dumped by the father of his fiancée.

Nakakatawa. Katawa-tawa siyang talaga. Sinong mag-aakala na ang isang tulad niya ay mapapahiya nang husto sa mismong araw ng kanyang pag-aalok ng kasal?