Behind Curtains (ONGOING)

Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

Room

"Or not," I shrugged when he did not respond in any way. "No need to turn me down viciously. Pa-kapit,"

My grip on his sleeve tightened as I used his arm to support my body. I hopped off the stool where I was sitting.

Papalabas na ako noong bar, nang may humarang na iilang katawan sa dadaanan ko sana.

"Killian!" naiinis na tawag noong isa, the tallest and the only man among the three. "Killian, there you are!"

I stepped aside when they made their way against where I was headed.

Walang lingon-lingon akong lumabas ng bar and almost made a run for the nearest lift. Pumasok kaagad ako, and immediately tapped my keycard before violently pressing a button so the elevator would close. With me the only one to occupy it.

I was thankful that no one else was inside. Because with the way that I was feeling now, I do not need any more human contact, in any form whatsoever.

Nang marating ko na ang aking hotel floor, doon na ako nakahinga ng maluwag.

So much for being someone's wife, natawa ako sa sarili, massaging my head as I slowly trudged the hallway towards my room; trying so hard not to hear the muffled noises from each doors I have to walk past by.

I realized I was short on my drink when I still felt a bit ashamed with how I acted. Liquid courage can just take you anywhere, pero hindi na yata ako tinatablan.

My well-kept prudeness will always find its way to overpower my murky judgement. And to think I've been drinking for about a week now, it just doesn't know how to give in.

Ngunit, nararamdaman ko na, if ever my past intake would catch up on me, malalang hang-over 'to sakali. Nailing ako sa pinag-gagawa, but encouraged myself anyway. I wouldn't have any other chance to taste those kinds of drinks the moment this holiday break ended, so I might as well spoil myself.

Kumusta, internal organs, pumipintig pa ba kayo? I jokingly thought. I-balato niyo nalang kaya sa 'kin 'to?

I was too engrossed with giggling at myself, that when I felt cold taps against my shoulder ay agad akong napa-igik at napasigaw. And when that cold hand landed to cover my mouth, akala ko ay talagang hihimatayin na ako. Lalo na noong itulak ako ng kung-sino at idiniin pa sa pader.

Oh my God, kriminal?!

My eyes and arms were frantic as my heartbeats rang to my ears. Hindi ko alam kung saan dapat ako kakapit, so I had my fingers latch tightly on his arm, as if to claw them off my face. My lids were blinking rapidly, kaya hindi ko rin mamukhaan ng maayos 'yong lalaki sa aking tapat.

I only knew he was a human male through his musk, and also because of the gravel that came with his talk.

Which, to be honest, only frightened me more.

"Hey, I mean no harm," the man, covering my mouth said, sabay dahan-dahang may inaangat sa pagitan ng aming mga mukha.

Napatingin ako sa kanyang hawak, kinakabahan pa rin.

"You left your wallet at the counter. I only knew what floor you were in, because of the keycard jacket that was inside of it," he explained.

I stared at the man in front of me. My grip on my keycard tightened, ngayon lang naaalalang may bitbit nga pala ako kanina, maliban dito. Dahan-dahan na niyang ibinaba ang kanyang palad when both of us felt I was beginning to calm down at this point.