The Oleander Woman [Free Space Series #1]

CHAPTER 64: Rumors

"The audacity..." Her jaw clenched by just looking at me. "I'm telling you, Tamg. Get out of here—bago ka pa makita ni Kaori!"

Her face screams a lot of emotions, which makes my forehead crease. I can see the anger, confusion, and sadness in it. Her lips are also trembling, like she just saw a ghost. And why does her face look so scared? Para rin siyang ilang linggong hindi natutulog. Sobrang laki ng eyebags niya, agaw pansin din ang maputla niyang mukha. 

Instead of answering her, I chose to ignore her and continue walking towards the door without responding. Walang sense kung papatulan ko pa siya. 

"Where do you think you're going?!" She pulled my hair when I was about to open the door.

"What the hell?!" Gulat na sigaw ko bago siya itulak palayo. Because of what she did, nalaglag at nagkalat sa sahig ang mga bawang na binili ko. "What was that for?!"

"You know damn well what that was for!" Nanggigigil na sinigaw niya pabalik. "This is all your fault! Bakit kasi dumating ka pa?!" 

My brows furrowed in confusion, but she just pointed at me angrily. 

"Kasalanan mo lahat 'to! Tahimik naman kami dati! Ngayong dumating ka, nagkaleche-leche na lahat! Lahat nalang! Sinira mo na lahat!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, annoyed. "Is this about Kaori?" 

"Of course it's about her! Who else would it be?!" She said sarcastically while kicking the garlic on the floor. "Masaya na kami dati! Siya, ako, kaming dalawa lang. Bakit kailangan mo pang magpakita ulit?! You left her already! Bakit bumabalik ka pa ulit?!" 

"The hell... Are you inlove with her or something?" Natatakot na tanong ko habang lumalayo sa kaniya.

She's crazy. Pati yung mga bawang sa sahig dinadamay niya.

"What if I am?! Ha?! Ha?! It doesn't matter anymore! Hindi ako magkakaganito kung hindi ka dumating! It's all going according to my plan, not until you came! You ruined everything! You ruined EVERYTHING!" 

My lips parted as I stared at her, full of shock. Yes, nakakaramdam ako na parang may kaunti siyang pagtingin kay Kaori way back when we're still teenagers, kahit na never niya namang inamin 'yon. Pero ngayon? No! I thought she only saw her as her friend, and all of those unbasis rumors are fake. Yes, they do have pictures together that were taken by the media. Pero maraming p'wedeng dahilan kung bakit sila magkayakap nung gabing yun. 

"I tried befriending you. I tried being good at you because I thought Kaori sees you as nothing but a cheater and a trash. Iniwan mo na siya diba? Nabuhay ka nga na wala siya. Bakit ngayon bumabalik ka pa?! Hindi ka na niya kailangan! She can now stand on her own two feet! She doesn't need you anymore!"

"You're insane." I shook my head before kneeling to get the garlic on the floor.

Pero mabilis din akong bumalik sa pagkakatayo ko nang sipain niya ang mga ito isa-isa. Kahit ang hawak kong paper bag, hinablot at binato niya.

"What the hell..." Hindi makapaniwalang bulong ko. I looked up and glared at her. "Have you gone crazy?!" 

"Enough with your garlic, Tamg! I'm talking to you!"

"And I don't want to talk to you. So, leave." I was about to turn around and walk towards my garlic, but she pulled my hair again. "Fuck! Let me go!" 

"Dapat sa'yo, mawala. Ang kapal ng mukha mong bumalik at agawin siya sa'kin? Ilang years na ako nang ako yung nasa tabi niya! I'm the one who's there when she needed someone the most! I'm the one who helped her recovery from the trauma you gave to her! You... Fucking destroyed her, and I'm the one who fixed her! Ngayong naayos ko na siya, bigla kang babalik na parang hindi mo siya iniwan?!"