CHAPTER SEVENTY-SIX:
More questions
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"You know what, Althea." Tyler said in his gritted teeth. He was trying to surpass the anger that is
bubbling inside him. "I used to think that you're reasonable."
Althea glared at him with disbelief. "What...?"
"I thought by using logic is enough to understand you- but I was wrong." He sighed loudly. "Who could
have thought that you will hate me with something that happened years ago?"
"What...?" Althea almost spat out blood that time. If she can stand, she already slapped him crisply on
his cheek. But all she can do at the moment is stare at him with anger bubbling in her throat. "What..?!"
"Your anger," he sighed. "Your anger is unfounded. It's unreasonable. I know you hate me, you have
the right. But- seven years had passed, seven years already Althea. Had that anger never eased eve a
bit? How can you hold such anger on me?"
"Tyler?!" She almost shouted in anger. Her face was heating up as she tries to surpass the madness
inside her, making her face and neck crimson. God knows how much restraints did this lady have in
order to not lash out on him. "You think my anger is unreasonable? Do you think my anger is just
because of what happened 7 years ago? Do you think I'm that stupid?!"
"Then what?" Tyler also almost shouted at her. If only they're not in the hospital and Kai is not outside,
maybe they were already shouting on top of their lungs. He knows, Tyler knows he too was being
unreasonable. But his questions that were not answered ever since they met again came rushing out
like a tide. They kept pouring out like the water from a broken dam.
He wants to ask:
Why do you hate me?
How much do you hate me?
Which part of me do you hate?
Which me?
Seven years ago? When we were in college?
Or years earlier than that? When we were on highschool?
Or do you hate me entirely that no matter how much time will pass, that anger will never subside?
But, again, why?
What have I done that it made you hate me that much?
Every question he has is like boulders in his heart, constantly weighing him down. He thougt he was
already okay, he thought fine and can charge without bringing up the past. But- here he was: bringing
up the past himself.
He was stupid, he know.
But there's no turning back since he let them ot already.
Words can never be taken back.
"Then what?" He asked again, he was directly staring at her eyes that seems like an endless deep,
blue ocean. A dangerous body of water where many unkown creatures lurks. The ocean that can be a
captivating for its beauty but deadly when angered, "Tell me. If its not from 7 years ago- then what?"
"You-" Althea was angry. Very angry. She wanted to grab a handful of his hair and pull them out from
his scalp- then make him go bald as a bowling ball that shines everytime the light hits it's smooth
surface. She wanted to prick his eyes that resembles the spring leaves, then make it bleed out.
How dare he. How dare he call her anger unfounded. How dare he call it unreasonable. How dare he
thinks that its something that can pass and disappear as the time passes! How dare he!
She wanted to tell him, that it was because of him. But she can just do nothing but open her mouth
without sound... She closed it again and gritted her teeth.
Tyler sighed and gestured, "See! See, this is what I am talking about!" He looked at the glaring Althea,
pain flashing out from his eyes after seeing the unfamiliar emotion in her eyes that is direted to him. He
chocked out the words. "You won't even tell me...!"
"You won't understand...!"
"How... How am I suppose to understand? I know nothing!"
Althea took a deep breath, and said shakily, "Tyler-"
"Althea..." Tyler cut in, his voice similarly tired as hers. He wanted to reach out and hold her trembling
hands. Her right hand was clenching the sheets tightly that it wrinkles. "Why can't you say anything?
Anything so I can understand your anger?"
There was a momentary silence. Althea was looking up at him, her eyelashes trembling. Her breathing
was heavy, she continues to bit her lips that it might even bleed out. He was staring down at her. His
eyes were tired, with a mixture of anger. That emotion feels disgusting for Althea. She felt revolted.
He's angry...? Ha!
Slowly, she responded between her gritted teeth. "And then what?"
"What...?"
"If you'll understand it- then what? What will you do? Console me?"
Her breathing was getting ragged, Tyler furrowed his brows and attempted to reach out and calm her
down but she slapped his hand away, the slap sounds so crisp inside the room.
"Althea-"
"Tyler!" She cut him of. "Even if you manage to understand- you can do nothing!"
You can't bring back the dead!
She almost shouted that sentence, her voice and throat is shaking under her control. She grabbed the
sheets again and spat at him slowly.
"Then let me tell you one thing, Tyler. I don't just hate you- I fear you-"
"- what-"
"Your name...!" Her voice is getting higher and higher, almost panicking. Tyler's back felt cold. Seeing
her tremble even more like she was recalling something teribble- even paling as seconds passes by-
Tyler knew he did something that made her recall things she doesn't want to.
But his name...?
Althea continued, forgeting to surpass her voice. "It's because of you-!!!"
"Althea-"
"Get out... Get out!" Althea's voice cracked. "Please... Please, leave me alone...!"
She huffed, and tried to collect her breathing.
Tyler remained standing in front of her, unmoving. Althea was angry again, how dare he not leave after
she told him to. Is he taking her as a joke?
"... About Kai."
Althea took a large breath and looked away. She watched her hazy reflection on the closed window.
She was gradually calming down, her emotions that suddenly bubbled up and steamed out from her
was dispersing.
She thought for a while and responded, her voice flat.
"... Keep him." Charlotte is still not here, Becca is not reliable enough, Jack has classes, Melanie is
away, and she is currenlty unstable. Her condition was just like five years go, when she can even
barely take care of herself, let alone Kai.
She inhaled again. "Keep him for now..."
Tyler responded after his silence. He asked with hesitation. "Tell me... Is he really not mine?"
"What-!!?" She glared at him. Is he stupid?! "No! He's not-"
"Then who's child?"
Althea opened her mouth before closing them again. "... That's none of your business."
"Tell me."
Althea's glare at him sharpened even more. She wanted to ask if he was seeking fight with her just
after she calmed herself down. But his expression was serious.
Althea's eyelids twitched and she sharply turned away. "I can't..."
She pursed her lips.
You know him. I don't want you knowing my past now. That guy know too much.
"I can't."
Tyler stared at her in silence before turning away. "Okay then."
He reached for the doorknob and opened it, but before he stepped outside, he stopped and said; "I'm
sorry."
He closed the door behind him and left the room, their arguements remained inside of him.
He furrowed his brows.
Now there are more things that begun weighing his mind:
Why does she fears him? No, who made her fear him? How and why did his name got dragged in it?
Also, who really is Kai's father? If it was a stranger, why would she bother hiding it? By how Althea
reacted, it seems like he is someone she doesn't want him to know.
Who?
For some reason, it feels like the answer is just near him.
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