Thirty-Eight

Inihatid ako ni Harry pauwi gamit ang sasakyan ng kanyang ate. Clarisse insisted of coming with us, but Mang Ben did not let her to. I felt bad when she started crying as soon as we left.

While driving, Harry keep on glancing at me.

"Stop that," I said to him.

He chuckled. "Stop what?"

"You keep on glancing at me and seriously, it's starting to freak me out." I admitted. I know for a fact that I look less human right now with dirty clothes, messy hair, and red puffy eyes. I don't want Harry to keep looking at me and realize that he had been kissing a monster instead of an 18-year old teenage girl.

Tumawa siya sa sinabi ko. "Sorry, I can't help it."

Kinurot ko ang tagiliran niya. He immediately place his lips ony my forehead the moment I leaned closer to him that made me smile from the inside. This guy and his stolen kisses.

I told Harry to stop a few blocks away from our house. Baka mamaya ay nag-aabang na sa akin si Mommy sa labas. When the engine died down, his hands remained on the steering wheel. Pareho lang kaming nakatitig sa bahay ko a few blocks away. Parehong ayaw bumaba ng sasakyan.

"Well..." Harry said, turning towards me as he searched for my eyes in the dim light. He did not need to say it. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to him. He pulled me closer as he buried his fingers on my hair. He kissed passionately I could have cried myself out. We were both gasping for breath when we pulled away. "I wish I don't have to return you home and have you for myself in the house so that I can kiss you anytime I want." He murmured on my lips.

I smiled, gently pushing him away. "You're such a hopeless romantic,"

He leaned back and chuckled. "Yeah," For a moment, gusto kong tanungin sa kanya kung ganito din ba siya sa ate ko. But I decided to keep my mouth shut. Pati si Harry din naman ay walang binabanggit tungkol kay Ate Annie ever since he confessed and we started kissing each other and acted more than friends.

"When will I see you again?" He asked softly.

I shook my head sadly. "Hindi ko rin alam,"

"Man, I'm missing you so much." Isinandal niya ang ulo sa headrest at pumikit.

I leaned closer to him and gave nibble kisses on his well-defined jaw. "Maybe when I can sneak out again," I winked.

He kissed my forehead and nodded. "Well, I'm looking forward to that."

"Okay," I nodded my head as well. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight," He smiled as I climbed out of the car. I race to our house without looking back because I know I wouldn't be able to stop myself from running back to him and escaping again. The house is eerily silent. I couldn't wipe off the smile from my face it must've shocked my mother because her eyes widen.

"Where have you been?" She asked, eyeing my suspiciously.

I shook my head, smiling slightly. It didn't even occur to me that I was mad at her earlier. "Sa kaibigan ko lang,"

Sinundan lang ako ni Mommy ng tingin hanggang sa makaakyat ako sa kwarto ko. I even spotted her shake her head before turning back to cooking. I washed up, put on some fresh clothes, and ever since Dad grounded me on the house, I joined them for dinner for the first time. Dad seemed surprised though, but he did not say anything. I just ate silently and volunteered to do the dishes as both my parents looked at me as if I'd grown another head.

They both went to the living room and casually chatted about Dad's day at work. The clock continued to tick as I started drying the dishes. It's half past 10 in the evening. Sobrang lakas ng ulan. But we were all startled when loud angry knocks banged the door.

"Mary Grace! Mary Grace!"

Kaagad akong kinabahan nang marinig ang pamilyar niyang boses. I left the glass I was holding and ran to the living room. Dad opened the door, and it revealed Jeremy. He is soaking wet. His eyes glassy and he smell so bad of alcohol and weed.

"Mary Grace!" He tried to approach me but my Dad shove him away.

"Now, who the hell are you?" Dad demanded. My mother place a protective arm around my shoulders.

"Mary Grace! I need to talk to her!" For a moment, I felt bad when he looked like he was about to cry. His eyes were pleading and his lips were trembling. But when I remembered what he did to me earlier, my fists automatically balled in anger.

Nilingon ako ni Dad. "Do you know this uneducated young man, Mary Grace?"

Hindi ko alam ang isasagot ko. I just opened my mouth but no words came out.

"Look, I'm so sorry! Nadala lang ako ng selos! Please, Mary Grace," Jeremy started wailing out.

"Is he your boyfriend?" My mother asked, surprised.

I pursed my lips. "Not anymore."

"We can still sort it out, yeah? I know you still love me! Please!" He tried entering but my father's large body prevented him from approaching me.

"Athena, call the police. This young man is out of his mind." Dad said, trying to sound calm. Then he turned to Jeremy. "Layuan mo ang anak ko." He demanded.

"No! I love her! Please, I really love her!" He protested.

Mom squeezed my hands as she went to their room to retrieve her phone. I heard her talking to the police and after a while, bumalik siya sa living room. "They're on their way," She announced.

"What, are you just going to throw away our relationship like that? Because of Harry?!"Galit na tanong sa akin ni Jeremy.

I looked away especially when both my parent's heads turned to me. I avoided their questioning looks.

"Umalis ka na, Jeremy." Mahina kong wika. "Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan pa,"

"No! No!" He shoved my father that made him angrier. My mom shrieked when he did not hesitated to punch him on the face just like what he did to Harry. Nagulat din ako sa ginawa niya. Lumapit kaagad ako at hinawakan ang mga braso niya.

"Dad, stop it!" I hissed.

"Thunder, you're the one who's going to jail if you keep on punching kids!" My mother scolded and even helped Jeremy up to his feet.

"Ayoko nang makita ang pagmumukha mo dito sa bahay ko, naiintindihan mo ba?!" He roared. Napabitiw ako sa kanya. Whenever my Dad gets angry, I automatically gets anxious around him.

I stepped forward him, my mom watching me intently. My eyes are stinging. Naalala ko ulit ang ginawa niya sa akin kanina. He was about to say something when my palm landed across his face so hard it made me winced. A small red mark pulsated on his cheeks. Tumulo ang mga luha niya.

"This is the fucking last time Jeremy," I said in anger, swallowing my sobs. "It's over." And even surprised myself with the firm determination I heard in my tone. I did not let him see me cry dahil tumalikod kaagad ako at pumasok sa bahay.

Jeremy shouted again but it was swallowed by the sirens of incoming police car. Napatingin kaming lahat nang huminto ito sa tapat ng bahay namin. Even some of our neighbors peaked out from their windows to see what's going on.

"Mrs. Ferguson?"The police officer wearing a black raincoat asked for confirmation.

My mother nodded her head. "Please take him away. He's trying to harass my daughter."

The officer's face scrunched in disgust nang makalapit ito kay Jeremy. "You're drunk." He stated the obvious. "And stoned." He added.

Dinampot niya ang nagwawalang si Jeremy sa tulong ng isa pa nitong kasamahan. They interviewed me for a bit, asking if I know him and the like. I answered honestly. Dad also told them to do everything that would make Jeremy stay away from me.

Nang makaalis na ang mga pulis, my mother sank to the sofa with her shoulders dropped. I fidgeted on my fingers again. Dad eyed me as he cross his arms over his chest.

"Well, Mary Grace? Care to explain how you ended up having a drunkard boyfriend?"