A Week Of Romance (Villa Martinez Series #5)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Tanned

"So, what are we doing today?" I asked Keegan.

I'm actually in his villa now. First time ko lang din nakapasok dito. And it's a large and spacious villa. Mas maganda ito kaysa sa hotel although maganda rin naman ang interior ng hotel ng Villa Martinez. Pero mas malaki lang din itong villa at kompleto pa na may kitchen nga rin.

"We'll continue playing games." He said.

Tama. Kanina kasi ay naglalaro lang kami ng isang game sa mga cellphone namin. Mahilig din naman ako sa computer games kaya nga lang sinusubukan kong gawin ang trabaho ni Mommy. Kahit pa interested din sana ako sa ginagawa ni Daddy...

At nalaman ko lang din na isang professional gamer din pala si Keegan. Grabe, mukhang mahilig nga rin talaga siya sa games. Kaya naman natuwa din ako lalo. Lalo na kanina na naglalaro kami sa phones lang namin at tinuturuan din ako ni Keegan ng laro. Kasi hindi na rin ako masyadong nakakapaglaro for the past years especially when I started working for my mom.

And now we're here inside his villa because he has his computer here. At dito kami maglalaro ngayon. I got excited and feel really happy to be able to play games again. Ang tagal na rin pala.

Keegan introduced me to new online games, too. Ang dami na pala lalo ngayon. Mas madami nang bago at mukhang mas improved pa na video games. Ano pa lang ba iyong mga nilalaro ko dati. Elementary at high school pa lang ako noon.

So in the end I really enjoyed playing games on his computer with Keegan. At ang galing galing niya pa nga talaga sa paglalaro. Of course he's a pro gamer and I was like a newbie.

However I really did enjoy it. And I wanted to play more online games with Keegan...

"Hindi ka mabilis umitim, 'no?" I asked Keegan when I noticed that. "Kahit pa ilang days na rin tayong babad sa araw palagi kaka-swimming." I smiled.

After playing games the whole day in his villa, kinagabihan naman ay nasa beach muli kami. Nakaupo sa buhangin sa tabi ng dagat at may dalang bote ng beer pagkatapos lang din naming mag-dinner. Gabi na at kalmado lang din ang ilang maliliit pa na alon sa dagat ngayon na nasa harapan namin.

Ngumiti rin siya sa akin sa binanggit ko. "I actually came here to get my skin tanned."

"Oh! Really?" My eyes widened a fraction. I didn't know... But well, we're in an island resort...

Gusto pala niyang magpaitim nang kaonti pero ang puti niya at hindi pa siya mabilis mangitim. Habang ang maputi ko rin namang balat ay naging medyo morena na nga. Baka pagbalik ko ng Metro Manila ay ang itim ko na.

Keegan smiled and nodded at me. "Yes..."

"Bakit naman? Do you hate your fair skin? Hindi ka rin naman ganoon talaga kaputi. Sakto nga lang. At ang ganda kaya. Bagay sa'yo." At nagdadaldal na naman ako ngayon dito sa harapan niya.

I don't remember myself being this so talkative like now compared from my past weeks. Wala na akong kinakausap pagkatapos kong malaman iyong kay Nathan at sa kay Maris...

Maris was my best friend pa kaya nagka-trust issue talaga agad ako. So I couldn't even get myself to trust even my other friends...

I sighed.

"You okay?"

"Oh." Nabalik ang atensyon ko kay Keegan. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at tumango. "Yeah, I'm fine. May naalala lang..." I just said.

At buti na lang ay hindi na rin naman ako tinanong pa ni Keegan. He's not like that, too. He's not the nosy type of a person. He just lets me speak and talk about what I want to share or where I'm comfortable at. So I can still keep my privacy to myself.

It's different when I was with my parents, or even with my fiancé Nathan, and even with some friends. Parang wala akong privacy sa kanila. My parents always ask me about me and Nathan. Palagi at pati pa halos araw-araw na. That I also got tired of it sometimes. Parang wala rin akong maitago sa parents ko. Because ever since even if they were both busy with their careers they can still see me. They still have eyes on me. They know what I was doing...

Napatingin pa ako sa paligid ko na para bang nandito pa rin iyong dating yaya ko noon na palagi palang nagrereport kanila Mommy ng mga ginagawa ko...

I feel like people were always invading even my most personal space and thoughts... I even thought that maybe I was just too transparent with my feelings and actions. But I was always asked by them... Even with my most personal matters... that I wasn't even that comfortable sharing in the first place. But I couldn't lie, too...

"Mabuti ka pa hindi madaling umitim. Ako kasi ang morena ko na ngayon, 'no? Just after few days of swimming..." I said and touched my tanned skin now.

"I think it looks good on you." He said.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya at ngumiti. Now I don't think I still care kung mangitim pa ako lalo rito.

"Thank you, Keegan..."

"Hmm? For what?"

I smiled as I looked at him. "For making me feel safe..."

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa at nakita kong ngumiti na rin siya pagkatapos.

I feel like he also wants to ask me... pero mukhang hindi na rin niya pinipilit. Hindi pa namin ganoon talaga kakilala ang isa't isa pero komportable na kami pareho.

Pakiramdam ko rin, I found real friendship with Keegan. Hindi ko pa man nga siya siguro ganoon talagang kakilala ngayon pero pakiramdam ko ay isa naman siyang mabuting tao...

I've never felt this safe and reassured before in my life...

Ilang araw ko pa lang siyang nakakasama pero nakasundo ko na siyang talaga. At pakiramdam ko naiintindihan niya ako. Naiintindihan niya ang ayaw at gusto ko... He also takes care of me while we're here in the island. Siya na ang naging bahala sa lahat ng activities naming dalawa rito. He also always treats me with our every meals. Hindi na niya ako pinapabayad sa kinakain namin. He prepares everything at maghihintay na lang ako. I wasn't alone here in the island. There's someone who looks after me while I'm here... I have Keegan...

And I was having fun...

That I think I have already forgotten that I was supposed to be sad and miserable because my fiancé cheated on me with my best friend who betrayed me...

Pero hindi ako naging malungkot... Dahil nandito si Keegan...

Marahan kong inunan ang ulo ko sa balikat niya. We were sitting just right beside each other here in the sand. Hinayaan lang naman ako ni Keegan na magpahinga sa tabi niya...

And together we just calmly watched the serene sea...