Always, In All Ways (Change Series #4)

Chapter 39

"When I was at the hospital."

"Oh? Eh, nasaan 'to? Ngayon mo lang nakita?" Her lips parted a bit. "Bakit? Paano?!"

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na hininga bago tumingin sa kaniya. "Tinago ng parents ko. I accidentally saw it in their room."

Mas lalong nagulat si Addie. She even covered her mouth. "Bakit daw? Huh? Anong?" Hindi na niya alam kung ano ang itatanong sa akin.

"They said they wanted to protect me... but it was so wrong. Maling-mali na cinontrol nila ang buhay ko. They threatened Gio to leave me when they know that Gio is making me so much happy. Ayaw ba nila akong maging masaya?"

"Baka kasi gusto ka lang nilang protektahan pero..."

"Pero bakit nila kailangang itago 'yang letter na 'yan? Halos mabaliw ako kakaisip kung saan ako nagkamali, Addie. Kung ano'ng nangyari. All this time, they have the answer. I even asked them before kung kinausap nila si Gio but they lied."

Addie bit her lower lip and looked up, thinking. "Hindi ko rin maintindihan." She looked at me. "Tama 'yung intensyon pero mali 'yung paraan?"

"Mali pa rin." I said. "I want to leave that house for a while."

Addie held my hand. "Okay lang 'yan. Dito ka muna habang nag-iisip ka."

I cleared my throat and got the letter from her. "Oo nga pala..." I avoided my gaze, I just looked at the letter that I am folding. "Gio and I are... umh... he'll go here because..." Hindi ko alam kung paano sasabihin kay Addie!

"Ano?!" She almost shouted when she lost her patience.

"Okay na kami ni Gio." I closed my eyes. Akala ko ay sisigaw siya pero nagulat ako nang yakapin niya ako. "Okay lang sa 'yo?" I asked.

Bumitiw siya sa yakap sa akin. "Hindi ako okay na iniwan ka niya pero hindi naman pala niya kasalanan. Hindi rin ako okay na hindi ka niya nilabas noong nasa labas tayo ng bahay nila pero wala, eh. Kailangan ko na lang intindihin."

I smiled a bit. "Galit ka? Sa akin?"

"Hindi." she answered. "Diyan ka sasaya, eh. Kung saan ka sasaya, doon lang ako. Kung nakakapagsabi man ako sa 'yo, 'yun ay dahil concern lang ako but at the end of the day... it's still you who'll get to decide in your life. Sana iyon ang maintindihan ng mga magulang mo."

I held Addie's hand and smiled genuinely at her. "Thank you, Addie. Thank you for everything."

I flinched when she suddenly stood up. "Pero kailangan ko pa rin harapin 'yang Gio na 'yan!" She pointed me. "Humanda lang siya sa kin! Aba'y wala akong pakialam kahit abogado siya, ah!"

I chuckled. "Don't scare him too much."

I fixed my things to the vacant room, 'yung room dati ni Elly noong dito pa siya nakatira. Doon ako nagkwarto dahil hindi kasya ang gamit ko sa kwarto ni Addie.

I texted Gio na dito na lang pumunta, hindi na siya nagtanong, I'll just explain everything to him later.

Naghihintay lang kami ni Addie rito sa couch habang nanonood. Pinanlisikan ako ni Addie nang marinig niya ang doorbell, natawa lang ako at tumayo na.

"Hi!" I greeted Gio in a small voice when I saw him standing outside the gate while holding pizza.

He smiled at me. "Hello."

I opened the gate so he could go inside. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko nang malapit na kami sa pinto.

I chuckled. "Na-explain ko na, hindi na siya galit."

"Really?" He sighed. "Sure ka, ah."

"I didn't know that the great Prosecutor Vergara who can beat any opponent in court is afraid to my best friend."