The Art of Loving a Beast (La Fortuna Series #4)

Kabanata 5

Kabanata 5

Kiss

Bata pa lang ako, lagi na akong pinupuri sa pagiging masunurin at tahimik ko. In effect of my introverted nature, I was always observant and could easily pick up on social cues that lead to my predictions. Tita Sylvie even once joked about me being a seer. Pero hindi iyon totoo.

Kapag... lagi kang nasa sulok lang, nagmamasid, nakikiramdam, natatanaw ang bawat kisapmata at paghinga ng mga tao, mas nakikita mo kung sino talaga sila. Mas natatanto mo kung ano ang totoong gusto nila. It's in people's unguarded moments that they reveal their most authentic selves.

Sanay akong ako iyong nangingilatis, pero hindi ang kabaliktaran noon... Hindi itong ngayon. Hindi 'yong parang bawat galaw ko, tinitimbang niya. He looked and felt like a predator, a lion on the hunt for a weak prey to feast upon. And I was there, a lamb, weak and docile. Madaling mabiktima.

I refused to believe I was prey-like. Hindi naman ako mahina. Hindi naman ako tatanga-tanga. Isa pa, iba na ang dynamics ng babae at lalaki sa panahon ngayon. Women are no longer passive objects waiting for men to validate them. Meanwhile, men... don't always chase. They are more manipulative and wiser these days. 

Kaya bakit ganito? Wala pa kaming masyadong interaksyon, pero may parte na sa aking gustong magpaubaya. The desire to submit... and let Zadkiel lead me even to the darkest corners of the Earth was strong. 

"How did you know where I was?" he asked. Ang kanyang boses ay may katamtamang gaspang at pino. Samantalang ang kanyang mukha naman ay puno ng amusement.

I pursed my lips a little, trying to calm my racing heartbeat. "My best friend, Fiona, sent me a DM on Instagram. Nakita niya kasi si Stefan na may... kasamang babae. She thought I needed to know. I saw you in the background of the video she sent me, kaya nalaman kong nandoon ka."

Unti-unting nagsalubong ang kilay niya na tila ba may nalamang 'di maganda. Nilibot ko ang aking tingin sa paligid dahil baka may makakita sa amin dito. Not that Kuya Liam or Kenneth would shoo Zadkiel away, but I didn't want them to make a big fuss about literally nothing.

"So that's why you were pissed off? You were jealous of Stefan and his new bitch." Bakas ang iritasyon sa kanyang mukha nang sabihin iyon.

"W-what?"

"Did you cry yourself to sleep?"

Nanatili akong takang-takang nakatingin sa kanya. I did cry a bit earlier, but that was mostly because of Kuya Liam and Kenneth's stupid fight.

He scoffed. "You did, didn't you? The reason why you haven't eaten your dinner yet and have only gone out of your room now?"

"I washed up dahil nadumihan ako kanina dito sa hardin. I forgot the time while I was in the bathtub kaya rin huli na akong natapos sa pag-aayos. And as for my dinner, I initially wanted to eat with my cousins like we always do, but they were already done so I went here to check my garden instead."

"So you weren't waiting for me at all? You thought I would not show up anymore."

"Well, of course, Zadkiel. Ano bang gusto mong gawin ko? Hintayin ka buong magdamag?" I said it in the kindest and calmest way I could. "You said you would come here in the afternoon. Buong hapon akong naghintay at hindi ka dumating, kaya bakit pa ako aasa, 'di ba?"

Kahit anong kalmado ng boses ko, tunog naninisi pa rin iyon. Gayunpaman, totoong ayos na sa aking 'di siya dumating sa tamang oras. The wedding was probably more important than my silly outdoor activity, anyway.

It looked like he wanted to say something, defend himself or what, but he concealed whatever it was with a devilish smile.

"Good to know you aren't dumb. At first glance, you look like you are."