Spaces Between Us

Chapter three

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Inabot nang hapon at hindi pa din ako mapakali. Nagtaka si mama sa naging kilos ko kaya napagbintangan niya naman ako na may nagawang mali.

Dumating na din ang mga bisita nila. It was a private dinner meeting for all of their family at may maliit na stage silang inihanda para sa magpe-perform habang kumakain sila.

To prove her wrong, I decided to help. The servants were busy again serving them. I insist to stay at the kitchen and washed the dishes instead. For sure, the whole Rodriguez will be there included Julio, kaya iiwas muna ako.

It was past ten when we finished cleaning the whole place. My thought got occupied because we're busy the whole day. Saka ko lang naisip ang usapan namin ni Cleo nang makalabas na ako ng kusina.

I opened my phone to check their messages and I was right, ang daming chats nilang dalawa sakin. I tell them I was busy and apologized. Magtatampo na naman ang dalawang yon sakin but I have to prioritize my job first.

I waited for them to reply pero di sila online kaya pumunta muna ako sa garden para magpahangin. My mind still clouded by what happened earlier. I felt nervous and confused and at the same time, tensioned.

I can't forgot how huge his member was. It's gigantic.

My cheeks flushed when I remember it, but that thought faded as I reached the swing. I was expecting that I will be alone, ,however I saw a man's silhouette already sitting in there. Sa body built pa lang niya alam ko na agad kung sino yun.

Hindi pa ako naka-recover sa nangyari kaya minabuti ko na lang na umalis na lang. It's Julio, obviously. At ayoko din siyang distorbohin sa kung anong ginagawa niya doon.

“Don't go” he suddenly said, his voice firm yet low, stopping me to step back.

I had the choice to leave, but my body betrayed me. My feet froze, my heart pounding loudly in my ears. So, I stood still, and wait for him to approach.

The swing swayed slightly as he stood up, umikot siya para magkaharap kami. His eyes directly went to my direction.

Holding a beer in his left hand, he drink without breaking eye contact. Tinitigan niya ako – at doon ko napagtanto na lasing siya.

“Do you have something to tell me, Luciana?” he asked, his tone laced with accusations, before carelessly throwing the empty bottle to the side.

Tumigil siya sa harap ko, inches away, close enough for me to catch the scent of alcohol from him. His towering presence sent chills to my spine.

“Nothing, Julio” I manage to say, though my voice was weak. Alam kong gusto niyang umamin ako. And by that, I confirmed that he knew about my secret already.

I'm not scared – more like embarrassed than anything. The fact that he was the first to discover it was mortifying. But my reason for it wasn't malicious; it was simply born out of my silly infatuation towards him.

Julio let out a scoff, he seemed drunk. He close his eyes briefly as if collecting himself. “You're still in denial even if I caught you already. I didn't know that my father is paying a thief inside our house”

His words stung, and while I wanted to deny it, I couldn't. He was right.

I took a deep breath, my chest is rising and falling heavily.  “I can give it back to you” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mataas ang pride at arogante ang kaharap ko kaya nang mapaamin niya na ako ay mas lalo lang siyang ngumisi. “You surprised me. I thought you're some of a cheerful naive girl, but you're worst than that”