War with a Tease ONGOING

Tip 20: Overexcited

Overwhelmed with emotions, I brushed the tears away and quickly turned around. Not knowing what to do, I ran to the door in the room I first saw and it was the closet. Dahil nabuksan ko na rin lang naman ito, minabuti ko nang magbihis na ng maayos. I chose some baggy sports clothes and realized they were all mine. Chase must really have picked my clothes and let them be brought here.

Feeling a bile rose in my throat, I dropped my clothes and ran to the other door, yanking it open to find a toilet and I threw up. Downstairs, I could hear Chase shouting my name in stark panic but I paid no attention as I continued to painfully throw up, my stomach spasming. Grabe, napasobra nga yata ako sa aking pag-inom kagabi. Masakit na ang aking sikmura. Nagugutom na rin ako dahil walang laman ang tiyan ko. After I was done, I flushed the toilet and drank some water to clean my mouth.

When I lifted my head up, I saw my reflection in the mirror, my eyes filled with tears but there was a stupid grin plastered on my face. My lips were swollen and my body had all sorts of bite marks on them. Normally, my initial reaction would be to scream in panic and run away, but after I remembered every word Chase had said last night, somehow, I didn't feel weird about it anymore. Hindi din mawala-wala ang ngiti sa aking labi. Por Dios, por Santo, Jasmin Alonzo! Pinagalitan ko ang aking sarili. Bakit ba bigla ay nasisiraan na ata ako ng bait?

My grin faded and my eyes widened when I heard heavy footsteps coming closer towards the bathroom. I didn't need to look who was coming towards me as I stood in front of the counter, my hands on the edge of the sink. I could sense him, feel him, smell him—and I needed to calm myself down.

"Jasmin!" Chase called out and my breath caught in my throat at the sound of his voice. Looking back at myself in the mirror once again, I realized then I was still wearing Chase's polo shirt and I flushed scarlet. Ano na ang gagawin ko? Hindi pa ako handa para harapin si Chase ngayon pagkatapos ng mga naalala kong sinabi nito sa akin kagabi. Lalo na at ganito ang hitsura ko, suot-suot ko pa ang damit nito. Nahihiya ako.

With the sound of my heart beating in my eardrums, I quickly shut the bathroom door and locked it. I then wildly scanned the room searching for a place to hide. I saw nothing. Hala, paano na?

"Jasmin, nanjan ka ba? Buksan mo ang pinto! Ayos ka lang ba?" Chase shouted his voice filled with a concern and panic as he knocked at the door violently. Nakakatakot na baka masira pa nito ang kaawa-awang pinto sa lakas ng katok nito.

Hindi ako sumagot. Nanatili lamang akong tahimik. I waited at the counter for him to stop shouting and knocking, periodically looking up from the mirror to the bathroom door. Ano ba! Hindi ako sumasagot sa kanya! Hindi ba siya makaintindi na baka wala ako dito sa loob ng banyo niya?

Five minutes.

Seven minutes.

Ten Minutes. Can't he just go? Bakit ba hindi nito nilulubayan ang pinto? I was like watching a pot never boiling, waiting for nothing. Hindi ba talaga siya titigil?

"Hand me the keys, dammit!" Narinig kong utos ni Chase sa isa sa mga utusan siguro nito. Dumagundong ang boses nito at alam kong ngarag na ang mga tao sa labas dahil sa tono palang ng boses ni Chase ay handa itong pasabugin ang buong mansyon mabuksan lang ang pinto.

Fifteen minutes. Halos masira na ni Chase ang pinto. I forced myself to stay still until I absolutely couldn't anymore. Nararamdaman ko nang malapit na nitong mabuksan ang pinto. Matigas talaga ang ulo nito. Pagbigyan naman sana niya akong makapag-isip ng matino!