To Love and Avenge

Chapter 21

I'm thankful that after my call with Sheila, I was informed that Alle still has not yet arrived. So instead of driving directly to her house, I decided to better wait for her about a block away from their home. Because there will be no time to talk to her alone if her family’s around.

After waiting for like forever, I still waited patiently despite the growing annoyance towards myself and the situation I got myself into until I got a glimpse of a cab with a female passenger in it. My guts told me that it was already her. I waste no time, I get out of my car and immediately wave to the cab to stop. Indeed, it did stop but Ale remained inside. I walk to her side and knock on the window, gesturing for her to get down.

Look how stubborn this woman can be. She doesn’t even move a bit, instead, she just simply rolls down the window and I am greeted by her beautiful yet very furious face.

“What now?” she hissed right away.

“I guess we need to talk… alone?” I awkwardly asked her. She just closes her eyes with her lips pressed together to show me how pissed she is.

There is no turning back, I’m already into this so I might stand my ground.

“Dauis, please, not now. I still have a lot on my plate and I can’t afford to add you,” she said in a very forced, calm tone.

“Look–'' I started to explain but was interrupted.

“Just let it slip okay?”

“Just hear me out, will you. This will help you out.”

“You’ve done more than enough and messed up everything. I should go and find a solution, just stay away from this cause it’s a family matter.”

“Exactly!” I exclaimed.

Taken aback by my sudden exclamation, she stayed quiet while eyeing me, trying to figure out, or… do I look crazy in her eyes?

“I mean… Oh come on Ale, get up your ass from there, and let me talk to you for a moment, If you don't agree, then go ahead with your plan. But one thing is for sure, we can’t mess things up right now.'' I tried to convince her. She stayed still and did not respond to a single word until…

“Okay!” she said with a sigh as she slowly moved out of the cab and she instructed him to drop her things at the said address.

Whew! I thought she won't give me a chance. I thought to myself slowly releasing the breath that I unconsciously had been holding.

“Thanks,” I said in relief.

“For what? Now, don't waste more time and tell me everything you need to,'' she said in a very serious yet lazy tone.

So, I waste no time. I explained to her What have I told her dad when she wasn’t around. I also told her that I will help in any way possible for their company. And lastly was my greatest lie. That she’s pregnant.

She took all my words slowly, calmly yet seriously until I told her about the pregnancy thing. She immediately cut me short to interrupt.

“You just did what?” she asked astoundedly, wide-eyed.

“You heard it right Ale, to make my lies more believable.”

“Oh come on Dauis, you’re impossible,” she said, very annoyed with the situation. She runs her fingers into her hair and pulls it so she is facing upward. I know it’s pathetic but I can’t think of anything else. I looked at her closely, watching her every reaction. She looked down to the ground still grasping her hair and pressing her head between her arms.

Suddenly, she started shaking, I thought she cried until I heard a burst of very audible laughter from her which shocked me. I’m kind of confused but I get it that it is, perfectly due to the situation.

“Oh, good God in heaven, why d’you have to put me in this situation, what have I done to you to punish me this way. “ She said aloud and started pacing back and forth. I wanted to console her, but I got it that it might be her way to release her frustrations. She stopped in front of me and turned to face me, looking directly in my eyes, and said,

“I don't get it. Why do you have to involve yourself in this mess?”

“I don’t know, maybe I just wanted to help?”

She shook her head and laughed sadly.

“Dauis, DAuis, Dauis… spare me with this crap. I have too much and I don’t think I can still hold it any moment. I’m sure as hell going to burst at any moment now.” she said gesturing her hands out of frustration.

I stayed quiet. How am I going to tell her without getting her upset more? How stupid of me to become too reckless.

“I still don’t get it!”

“Look Ale, listen…” she stopped to look at me tiredly. She never speaks so I continue. “What happened the other night–”

“Please don’t bring it back again”

“No, you listen first. I feel responsible the moment I took you. I was your first, so I assume and take the initiative since you didn’t listen to me and you just ran away, it’s the only solution I can think of. Everyone is getting crazy around there.” I said pointing at their house.

“I was supposed to marry whoever devil they could have betrothed to me, but you came there, barging in our door telling everyone about this lie, and now my resolution was ruined.”

“Marry me then, end of the story.”

“You don't have to tie yourself to me just because you took my virginity. We wanted it, I wanted it. So, no hard feelings. I could even lose it to anybody around as long as I want it. We are grown-up adults now, I wasn’t the fragile Ale you knew before. It was just virginity, It wasn’t my life after all.”

“Just virginity? Wow Ale, do you hear yourself? You keep your virginity at almost 30, and you're saying in my face that it was just nothing? Don’t fool me around.”

“Dauis, I’m not, okay? I never keep it because of the thought of its importance. I was busy and had no time for it. So that’s it.”

I know she’s lying because she doesn’t want to marry me in the first place. But no matter what, I have to pursue her.

“It doesn’t matter, whether you like it or not, I already told your dad about it. Let alone drag you to church, I don't care. And regarding your company, I will come to find a solution for that. So don’t make any decisions.”

“You know what, you can still get your ass out of this situation–”

“No, I already made a decision so brace yourself.”

With that, I grab her wrist and pull her towards my car. I’m glad that she didn’t refuse. She quietly let me drag her. I know she’s trying to process everything that I have just told her. I smiled at the idea that she didn’t fight with it anymore but froze the moment she started to speak up.

“We can definitely file a divorce after that right?”

“I can say that you don’t want to be tied right? Why is that?”

“I have my reasons, I don’t think I need you to know about it. I will only agree to this for the time being but I wanted a divorce afterward. I think that sounds fair.”

“Suit yourself.” is all I can say. Anyway, it’ll be a good one.

We drove off to their house and were greeted by her whole family just outside. They gathered there to wait for her. I moved out immediately and turn to her side to open the door for her, like the perfect gentleman I can be. Or a lover?

“Ah, Ale.” the old man came to approach her immediately and greeted her with a tight hug. I stayed at the side and observe their every reaction.

“I’m sorry dad…” She started to sob. Three words, but it contains a lot of emotion in it. No matter how tough she is, she is still a softy towards her family. And I admired her more because of that. I come to like her independency, her toughness, and being crazy, yes, I admire a lot of it, yet I hate it at the same time. It’s crazy, it is. Because of her toughness, she seems to doesn't need anyone's help. She has a wall strongly built around her. And I wanted to break it and set her free. I wanted to make her feel that we are all here willing to extend our hands to her. But she let herself locked up in her cell.

“Hush now baby. Dady perfectly understands you. I am the one to be sorry.” he said while caressing her now shoulder-length hair, I assumed that she just cut it. The last time I saw her was when she has waist-length hair. She still looks beautiful in it anyway.

“But, I shouldn’t have run away.”

“baby, when we were upset we all tend to escape; escaping was our only solution, what was more important, was that you came back home.” he lovingly and consolingly patted her back.

She pulled herself away to look at her dad and her brothers apologetically. She only nods in response.

“Let’s get inside first. We have a lot to discuss. We need to sit and talk.” DAven interrupted.

They all headed inside the house and I was left with Sheila beside me. She simply dodge me with her elbow and smiled. My lips curled into a smile, understanding what her smile contains fully. I gesture for her to go ahead and I followed.