NOPI Chapter 76: Then don't

NOPI Chapter 76

Ed's POV

"Eveything was going well these past few days that I felt like I'm going to burst because of the joy and warmth I'm feeling inside. This.. this happiness won't be taken away from me, won't it?"

'Yan ang sabi sa akin ni Charles kagabi pagkatapos na pagkatapos nilang mag-usap ni Sephine through phone but.. but what.. what in the world just happened to them?

Hindi pa nag iisang araw after nilang magsabi ng I love you sa isa't isa.

"Why can't I go with you, Sephine? Hindi ako magpapakilala sa mga magulang mo kung 'yan man ang gusto mo""Charles, can't you just stay? May klase ka pa't maximum of 10 hours ang byahe papunta don""But you're mom. She's--""Oo, inatake siya sa puso at tinawagan ako ni dad para sabihing malapit na dumating ang sundo ko. That's why I'm rushing, right?""Hindi mo ba nakikitang nagaalala ako sayo? Hindi mo ba alam kung anong nararamdaman ko ngayon na nakikitang ganyan?""Alam mo naman palang ganito ako, bakit ba hindi mo man lang ako kaya intindihin, Charles? Can't you just wait for me?"

Nang tumahimik si Charles ay tumahimik na ang buong kwarto.

Pati kami ay hindi nakapagsalita dahil sa sandaling pagkagulat ni Charles sa sinabi ni Sephine.

"I could wait for you really. I just wanted to comfort you, just what the hell is wrong with that? Pwede mo namang sabihin ng diretso sa akin na ayaw mo akong isama eh, you don't really have to make any excuses for that too, right?" sabi ni Charles at agad nang lumabas ng music room - ng tambayan namin dahilan kung bakit nabigla si Sephine at agad na hinabol si Charles

Sumunod naman kami kaagad pero hindi na kami lumapit sakanila.

"Charles, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, okay? I'm just worried about mom""All the more so that I need to accompany you, right?""Come on, what's wrong about accompanying you?""You really don't have to, Charles. I already told you""The more you make me stay, the more I want to come with you""No!" sigaw ni Sephine bigla dahilan kung bakit nasira ang itsura ni Charles

He was biting his lower lip, holding in his pain from that sudden but stern rejection from Sephine.

"What.. what in the world will I have to do just to make you trust me, Seph?" tanong ni Charles na para bang nahirapan siyang itanong 'yun kay Sephine

Pinikit ko na ang mga mata ko sandali saka bumugtong hininga.

This is it.

Charles' limit.

"We have stop this, right?" tanong ko sa mga kasama ko pero walang sumagot sakanila kaya naman minulat ko na ang mga mata ko't tinignan na sila"We should but we won't" sagot niya kaya naman napa-"Tsk" nalang ako thinking that we really should but shouldn't at the same time"It's something they need to experience in order to make this relationship work" sagot ni Violet kaya naman huminga na ako ng malalim"Let's get inside" sagot ko't tumalikod na

*

Sephine's POV

"Bakit ba kailangang ngayon mo pa itanong 'yan, Charles?" tanong ko dahilan kung bakit niya ako nilapitan"Trust me, please. Hindi mo ba alam na kinakain na ako ng curiosity kong malaman kung ano man 'yung tinatago mo sa akin? Is it your family? Is it your status? Is it a man? Fck. I've been holding it in because I don't want to see you cry again but you.. why do you have to make me feel so helpless?" tanong niya kaya naman huminga ako ng malalim

Makita ko palang sa mga mata niya na nasasaktan siya para bang hirap akong huminga.

I hurt him again.

"Why does it have to be now? Can't it be later? My mom needs me, Charles. Please. We'll talk later, okay?" tanong ko habang pinipigilan ang sarili kong yakapin siya't hinawakan ang mga pisngi niya"So you could run away again?" tanong niya which was why my fingers that were touching his cheeks froze and I stared at him in utter disbelief"You..""I'm sorry for becoming a hindrance to you, for asking such stupid questions. You won't even answer me straight away" sagot niya't hinawakan ang kamay kong nasa pisngi niya't binaba na 'yon saka ako binitawan"Mag ingat ka sa byahe," dagdag niya't tumalikod na kaya naman napahawak ako sa dibdib ko dahil nakaramdam ako ng sakit"C-charles, it's hard for me too, okay? Is it too much for me to ask you to wait? Is it really that difficult for you to understand me?" tanong ko dahilan kung bakit siya napahinto sa paglalakad saka ako hinarap"Why are we always talking about you, Seph? Can't you see me? Is it really that difficult for you to understand me too? Do I really need to have to understand you everytime? How about me? What about me? Am I really important to you? Do you really love me?" pagkatanong niya non ay para bang tinusok ng karayom ang puso ko't tumulo na ang luha ko

How.. how could you?

Quickly hiding the pain he inflicted on me through his words, I forced myself to stop bawling my eyes out and spoke.

"I do. I really do," I sniffed and tried to stop my tears from falling but they just wouldn't stop

He just stood there. Looking straight in my eyes.

"We're both new to this kind of relationship, but we both know that communication is the key in order for it to last long. If you can't trust me, how could you expect me to put my trust in you?" tanong niya while looking at me with his aloof and indifferent black orbs

Just like the way he talks to someone he has his walls up in order to protect himself.

Why is he looking at me like that?

"Then don't," I whispered dahilan kung bakit siya nagulat at nilapitan na ako't hinawakan ang kamay ko"What.. what did you just say?" tanong niya't namula ang mga mata niya't unti unti na itong bumabasa

Napakagat na ako sa labi ko't pinigilan ang sarili kong umiyak ulit.

"Forget it. My mom needs me," sagot ko't hinila na na ang mga kamay ko't naglakad na papunta sa back gate na kung saan ay malapit lang sa kinaroroonan namin"Young miss," bati ni Kuya Steve (the driver) saka niya ako pinagbuksan ng pintuan kaya naman for the last time ay sinilip ko si Charles

Nang makita kong tumulo ang luha niya't tumalikod na't umalis ay napakagad na ako ng labi ko.

I shouldn't be mad. I was the first one who turned my back on him.

I let go of hands.

"Young miss?" tanong ni Kuya Steve kaya naman napatingin ako sakanya"Are you.. okay?" tanong niya kaya naman napanganga na ako't huminga ng malalim saka tumingin sa langit at napaiyak na ulit"My heart hurts.. my hearts hurts so much I feel like I could die,"

*

Charles' POV

"It's Charles. Hey, dude, look, he's crying""Sht. What happened? He actually looks so hurt and helpless""What happened to him?"

I didn't even bother to ramp and reply to all the students surrounding me and just walked straight to my dorm room. After entering the dorm, I saw my friends.

My friends who were clearly stunned to no point of return because it had been awhile since they saw me cry.

"Charles," sabi ni Ed pero hindi ko na siya pinansin at pumasok na sa kwarto ko't sinuntok na ang wall ko"Fck!" sigaw ko't pinagpatuloy na suntukin ang wall at huminto nalang nang makaramdam na ako ng sakit

Nagmamadali kong tinanggal ang jacket ko't itinapon 'to sa lapag.

Timing sa pagkakahulog nito ang paglabas ng phone ko sa bulsa.

When the sensitive phone felt a rough touch from the carpet, the screen opened and I froze when I saw my photo together with Sephine.

It was the photo Ed took on my birthday when we were dancing with each other.

The happiest moment of my life.

"We're both new to this kind of relationship, but we both know that communication is the key in order for it to last long. If you can't trust me, how could you expect me to put my trust in you?"

"Then don't"

Napahawak na ako sa dibdib ko't napaluha't napaupo sa sakit.

How could you say such a thing, Sephine?

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