Whispers of Avarice (Casa de Castillo 1)

Chapter 17

Secrets

"Gusto mo ba ng strawberry milk?"

Napalingon ako kay Keanu dahil sa tanong niya. Napangiti na lang ako dahil sa pagmamahal nito sa strawberry milk. Kulang na lang ay maging kulay pink na ang dugo nito kakainom niya ng strawberry milk.

"Sure," sagot ko at ngumiti. "Ang hilig mo talaga sa strawberry milk."

"I developed a fondness for strawberry milk because of my brother," he shared, piquing my curiosity.

He pulled out a strawberry milk from his pocket and he deftly pierced the straw through the foil before extending it towards me. I graciously accepted the gesture, the cool sweetness of the beverage offering a brief respite. In that sip, a cascade of memories flooded my mind, invoking the image of Ynessa.

"Ah... ako naman, it's because of Ynessa that I grew to like strawberry milk," I replied, a bittersweet smile playing on my lips as memories of the past flooded back.

"Ang hirap siguro 'no..." aniya na nagpagulo ng utak ko.

"What do you mean?"

"Ang hirap mawalan ng tao na mahal mo. It hurts, deeply. It's just so painful," he expressed, and a trace of anguish flickered in his eyes.

I could relate to his sentiments. Losing someone you hold dear is undeniably challenging. It pierces through the heart, causing an overwhelming ache. Alam ko ang nararamdaman niya dahil nawalan na ako ng tao na mahal ko. Hindi siya namatay pero nawala siya sa akin.

"Taylah..." he called my name, and the sound of him saying it held a beautiful resonance.

"Hmm?" I responded, curious.

"Ang ganda mo," he complimented, causing my heart to skip a beat.

The moment those words escaped his lips, it was as if time momentarily stood still. A rush of warmth enveloped me, and an unexpected flutter stirred in the depths of my chest. The simplicity of his compliment carried a profound impact, creating a delicate yet palpable shift in the air.

I blushed. "Bolero ka talaga."

He grinned, his eyes reflecting sincerity. "Hindi kita binobola. I'm just stating the obvious."

"Kaya ka maraming nabibingwit na babae dahil sa pambobola mo." Mahina na sinuntok ko ang kanyang braso.

Napatingin siya sa akin ng masusing saglit bago napangiti ng mas malambing. "Totoo nga, ang ganda mo. Ang ganda m—"

Tinakpan ko ang bibig nito para matigil na ito sa pagsasalita. Mababaliw na ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Pakiramdam ko sasabog na ang puso ko sa sobrang bilis ng tibok nito. Hinawakan ko ang dibdib ko at huminga ng malalim.

"T-tumigil ka na nga!" naiinis na saad ko pero ang totoo hindi naman ako naiinis.

"E maganda ka naman talaga!"

Umirap ako sa kawalan. "Tigilan mo nga ako, Keanu. Hindi mo ako makukuha sa mga galawan mo."

Sinundan ko ito ng tingin nang tumayo ito. Kumislap ang suot nitong hikaw nang matamaan iyon ng liwanag mula sa lamppost. His face was a canvas of striking features, each detail harmonizing with the next to create a portrait of captivating allure.

Ang gwapo ni Keanu.

"Uwi na tayo. Gabi na," he said.

"Mamaya na ako uuwi."

"It's time for you to head home. While this is an exclusive and secure village, I can't help but feel uneasy about letting a woman be alone outside, especially at night," aniya at tinignan ako.