Maginoong Medyo Bastos

Chapter Twenty-Three

Napatitig siya sa lalaki nang ilang segundo, sumagi sa isip ang itsura nito kanina. For a brief moment, Vannessa doubted her mind. Maybe her mind just made it up because of exhaustion? However, she knew that it really happened, and she couldn't deny the immense worry that she had been feeling inside her chest.

Wala siyang problema sa paninigarilyo nito. Ang problema niya ay ang dahilan kung bakit niya nagawa iyon. He looked so lost that time. He looked like someone whose world had just crumbled beneath his feet.

She wanted him to open up to her.

Vannessa couldn't remember when she started caring about him. It was easier when she still disliked him because back then, she didn't think about the thought behind his eyes. Now all she wanted was for her to understand every single thing that was inside his mind.

She swallowed the lump inside her throat, realizing that she had already been staring long enough.

"Let's go?" Jax said, extending his hand to the both of them.

She blinked before nodding.

The three of them went out of the hotel together as the others had already been waiting in the parking area.

Jax was trailing behind them while she held Bee's arm, and matching her pace. When they reached the van, they made Bee comfortable first before Jax motioned for her to follow.

Vannessa stared at the guy for a few seconds, pondering whether she should say it or not. Wala naman sigurong masama kung sasabihin niya.

"Jax," tawag niya rito. Noong lumingon ang lalaki ay kaagad nakaramdam ng kaba sa dibdib si Vannessa na wari ba'y hindi na niya alam ang sasabihin. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin nang isang segundo bago ibinalik ang tingin dito. "Kung kailangan mo ng kausap, nandito lang ako."

Hindi na niya hinintay pa ang sasabihin nito dahil kaagad na rin siyang pumasok sa van dahil sa kahihiyan.

Sumunod naman din ito kaagad sa kanya at dahil wala nang bakanteng upuan, naupo rin ang binata sa tabi niya. Mas lalo lang tuloy lumakas ang pagkabog ng dibdib ni Vannessa.

The thing was, she was never that close to a guy ever since. She got along with her other guy colleagues, but it was because she barely talk to them either, especially if it didn't involve work. Bukod kay Greg, wala nang iba pa. Then Jax happened.

He slipped into her mind without her knowing. Para nga siyang nabibingi sa lakas ng kabog ng dibdib niya habang katabi niya ito sa van. Naaamoy niya ang pabango nito. Ang bango. Ba't parang mas lalo siyang bumango?

"May gusto ka kay Jax, 'no?" bungad na tanong sa kanya ni Lee pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya sa kwarto, bitbit-bitbit ang dress ni Bee.

Kaagad naramdaman ni Vannessa ang panginginit ng mukha nang marinig iyon, hindi pa rin nawawala sa isip niya ang hapos na itsura ni Jax kani-kanina lang. Tiningnan niya si Lee tsaka kumunot ang noo. "Pinagsasabi mo," aniya.

"It's alright, girl. He's a good man. I just know it." Pinagmamasdan nito ang bawat kilos niya kaya hindi mapigilan ni Vannessa ang mas lalong makaramdam ng kaba. Gusto niyang awatin ito kasi hindi pa nga siya nakakausad sa nangyari kanina, ginigisa na kaagad siya ng kaibigan. "You seem different lately. Different in a good way. Before whenever I mention Jax's name, you'd have this crease in your forehead. It's different now. I'm happy for you. Dalaga ka na talaga!"

"M-Malisyoso ka lang talaga. Magkaibigan lang kami. Ewan ko sa 'yo," depensa niya. Just thinking about her liking him was already enough to send shivers down to her spine. Sure, she could see why a lot of women would go head over heels for Jax Dela Fuerte, but she wasn't one of those women. "Go back to your room, will you? Magigising mo pa si Bee, eh, ang ingay-ingay mo."