Love hurts but I'll love you anyway.

--

"Mahal kase kita."

Natigilan ang dalaga sa narinig. Even her tears stopped falling. She felt her heartbeat sped up na para bang hinahabol sya ng sampung kabayo.

Did he really mean it? What will she say if he does? Punong-puno ng tanong ang utak nya. 

Kumawala sya sa pagkakayakap ng lalaki. Unable to meet his gaze, tumingin na lamang sya sa Adam's apple nito.

"You're kidding... right?" She asked, unsure.

He let out a loud sigh.

Ohmygosh little organ, if he said yes... I'd die!

He tilted her chin up with his two fingers. Nagtama ang mga paningin nila. Gustong yumukong muli ni Dama sa sobrang hiya but he didn't let her.

"Mukha ba akong nagbibiro?" Seryoso nitong tanong sa kanya.

Hindi nakasagot ang dalaga. Something seemed to be stuck on her throat at the moment. But she managed to shake her head... 

"B-Bakit--K-Kelan pa?"

Zelo averted his gaze. "Matagal na."

--

Zelo hated it. Hated that feeling towards Dama that keeps on growing more intense as days go by. Pinigilan nya ito. Maraming beses na. He even courted another girl for the hope that one day, he'll be able to let go of his feelings for her.

Mahirap magkagusto sa isang Dirham. Ang dami mong kalaban. There's the press... then those socialites na ang palaging bukang-bibig ay hindi kayo bagay. Nandun yung ibang tao na tingin sa 'yo ay gold-digger o social climber.

Nandun yung insecurity and trampled ego...

Lahat-lahat na.

Kaya lahat pinilit nyang gawin maiwasan lamang ang dalaga. But fate really has a way of playing pranks on you. Kahit nananahimik ka na nga at walang ginagawa para maka-attract ng kamalasan... mamalasin ka pa rin.

Almost two years ago, Megan talked to him and said that she might need his help to straighten her daughter's attitude. Hindi naman sya makatanggi. Why would he? Suportado ng pamilya Dirham ang pamilya nila. That's the least he can do to show his gratitude.

And so... he hastily thought of ways to kill his feelings for her... He knows that once na mapalapit sa kanya ang dalaga, he'd surely fall for her harder.

Kaya niligawan nya si Tassie. And sometimes, it works. Sometimes, it doesn't. But he's fine. He WAS doing fine... that is... until she came into the picture.

He doesn't like Dama at all. In fact, he hates her. He hates the way she screams at the help. He hates the way she gets everything she wants and still has no appreciation for her parents. He hates the way she spends her money on worthless things...

He hates her. And he hates himself even more... because he fell for her inspite all that.

"Eeeee... seryoso ba yan?" Tanong sa kanya ng dalaga na nagsimula na namang umiyak. Napasimangot sya. It's not in his nature to be all out sappy and romantic. He was actually been called frigid and cold many times. 

Hindi rin sya sweet... pero kapag may sinabi syang isang bagay that he'll be too embarrassed to admit... that means he's pretty serious.

Kinutusan nya ito. "Seryoso nga sabi."

"Eh bakit ka nananapok?" 

"Eh ikaw kase." Iritado nyang sagot.

"Ang sakit mo namang magmahal." Reklamo nito sa kanya.

Nginitian nya ito saka pinahid ang luha na nasa pisngi nito. "Sorry. Nasanay lang."

They both fell silent. Tumungo ang dalaga at pinahid ang natitirang luha sa mata using her hands. He just stared at her. Until now, he couldn't quite fathom the idea of even liking her. Why did he like her in the first place?

Normally, he'd be attracted to someone like Tassie... maganda, mabait at matalino. Not Dama. Pero ayun nga... since his childhood days, palagi na syang nakatingin dito mula sa malayo.

Ang saklap lang. Ilang taon syang ganun.

Then finally... she professed to him.

Ang saya nya lang nung time na yun. Gusto nyang magsisigaw sa sobrang saya. But then again, there goes that grave feeling. 

Hindi nya na dapat papatulan ang dalaga but when he saw her cry because of him... hindi nya na napigilang mag-confess.

Kaya heto sya ngayon, litung-lito.

--

Dama woke up feeling her eyes sting. Sa kaiiyak niya, ayan na naman ang mga mata--maga. Kinapa nya ang phone sa bandang ulunan at tiningnan ang oras.

7:15pm

She wondered kung nakauwi na ba ng bahay si Manang Pacing at Meera.

She was about to get up ng maramdaman nyang may nakayakap sa kanya. Halos mapasigaw sya sa gulat.

She totally forgot that she fell asleep in his arms earlier that day.

"Ayan. Iyak kase ng iyak... inaantok ka na?" Marahan nitong tanong sa kanya ng maghikab sya. She nodded her head sleepily saka sya nahiga sa papag. Maybe he saw her discomfort as she tried to angle her head for it to be rested properly so he offered her his arm.

Dun nya ipinatong ang ulo nya as he embraced her.

"O-Okay lang ba sa 'yo?" Tanong nya sa binata.

She saw him nod. "Matulog ka na." Sabi nito sa kanya.

Isiniksik niya ang ulo sa may leeg ng binata. She saw his Adam's apple go up ang down as he take a gulp. She smiled to herself saka pumikit... hanggang sa nakatulog na sya.

Now that she's awake she checked for signs na gising na rin ang katabi. He wasn't. 

"Zel--"

"KUYA!!!"

Parang may sumagkid sa lalamunan niya ng marinig ang boses ng batang si Meera. Tantsa niya ay nasa labas na ang mga ito ng bahay.

"Zelo wake up!" She hissed.

Umungot ang binata. "Ano?"

"Nandyan na sila!"

Antok man ay napilitang bumangon ang binata.

"Lalabas na 'ko. Pretend that you're asleep." Utos nito sa kanya. She nodded and laid down the bed again. Saka sya pumikit.

She heard him open the door.

Then she felt him kiss her forehead. "Good night." He whispered.

"Kuya!"

"Oy! San kayo galing?"

"Namyesta kami ni nanay sa kabilang bayan kuya! Sayang di kayo sumama ni ate--ang daming pagkain!"

Dama opened her eyes.

"Talaga? Nag-uwi kayo ng ulam?"

"Hindi lang ulam kuya! May dessert pa!" 

She heard Zelo laugh. Pero ewan ba nya... when she heard Meera's bubbly voice talking about left-over food, she felt something else. Parang nakaramdam sya ng awa... awa sa pamilya nina Zelo at sa lahat ng pamilya na kinakailangan pang mamyesta para makatikim ng masarap na karne.

She remembered those times na ipinapataon nya sa katulong ang pagkain kapag hindi nya nagustuhan ang luto. They were begging her back then na ipakain na lamang sa iba ang pagkain na yun but she insisted it be thrown on the garbage.

Hindi na nga naman ito mapapakinabangan pa kase nasa basurahan nya.

I'm that bad huh?

Biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng kwarto and in came Zelo.

"Tara kakain?"

Tinanguan nya ito. Inalok naman nito ang kamay nito sa kanya. Kinuha nya iyon and she was helped out the bed by him.

"Masakit pa ba?" He pointed at her hand. She nodded. 

Nagulat sya when he took her injured hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Sorry." He muttered after.

Hindi na sya nakapagsalita.

Hinila sya nito palabas ng kwarto. Binitawan din nito agad ang kamay niya ng makita sina Meera at Manang Pacing sa kusina na nag-aayos ng hapag kainan.

"Hindi pa kayo kumakain?" Tanong ng matanda sa kanila. Pareho silang umiling.

"Ay ate! Marami kaming dalang ulam!" Meera exclaimed. Nginitian nya ito at pinisil sa pisngi.

"Talaga?"

"Oo ate! May menudo... kaldereta... saka lechong kawali! Tapos pinabaunan pa kami ng ube halaya!"

"Wow." She made an impressed face. Ibinaling nya ang atensiyon sa hapag. True... marami ngang putahe. But compared to her lunch at the mansion... wala pa ito sa kalahati ng regular nilang handa sa mesa.

She sighed.

Might as well eat.

Naupo si Zelo sa tabi nya.

"Pakiabot--"

Hindi na nya natapos ang sasabihin ng ipaglagay sya nito ng kanin sa pinggan.

"Saka ano--"

Tapos nilagyan nito ng ulam iyon.

"Thanks." Nasabi na lang niya.

"Kuya may sakit ka ba? Bakit ang bait mo kay ate?" Takang-tanong ni Meera sa binata.

Napasinghap na naman siya ng biglang hawakan ng binata ang kamay niya... her injured hand. Ipinakita nito iyon sa mag-ina.

"Ano'ng nangyari?!" Manang Pacing looked horrified upon seeing her hand... na medyo may pasa-pasa na. Ni langaw nga bawal makalapit sa kanya tapos ngayon... nagkapasa pa?

"Kasalanan ko." Sagot ni Zelo.

"Ano ba yan anak? Di ba sabi ko babantayan mo itong si Dama? Mananagot tayo sa mag-asawa nyan eh..." Manang Pacing reprimanded.

"Okay lang po. It was partly my fault naman." Pagdedefend nya sa lalaki.

Napabuntong-hininga si Manang Pacing.

"Wag na kase kayong mag-away ha? Nagkakasakitan na kayo eh." Pakiusap nito sa kanila.

"Hindi na nga po." Pangako ni Zelo. She felt him squeeze her hand before he let it go. "Sorry." He said to her.

"Sorry din." She replied.

"Tss. Sorry sorry... tapos bukas away na naman?" Naiiling na puna ng bata.

"Haynako. Kumain ka na nga lang." Halos ay magkasabay nilang sabi. Natawa tuloy ang mag-ina.

"Mukhang nagkakadikit na ang bituka nyong dalawa ah?" Nakangiti nitong sabi.

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa ng binata... and then they both smiled to each other. 

They both bear a secret that no one else must know or else, they may be screwed.

Pero hanggang kailan?

xxxxx

AN: Sorry sa UD, I lost the motivation along the way. Hope it's fine. Medyo hindi sya nakakakilig but then again, I don't think I'm the expert at that. Pero sana magustuhan nyo pa rin. Ayun...

I swear, if I ever see another UD NA PO!! knowing all too well na kakapost ko pa lang, magko-quota ako sa comments and votes. Depende sa mood ko.

It will be ugly, I tell you. So... konsiderasyon lang naman po at konting patience ha?

Salamat.