OBSIDIAN ISSUE #2 : WOUNDED

SEVEN

"Ba't mo ginawa 'yon? You fooled me!" I fired like a provoked kitten. Nanginig ang boses sa kabila ng subok kong maging buo.

Unbothered, one thick brow of his shot up. A dark smirk twisted in his lips.

"Ba't ka lumangoy? You could've just walked away and let me drown."

Hinihingal ako sa inis. Nag-iinit ang dibdib ko sa guilt at pagsisisi. Because fine, he's right! I should have left him but the mere thought of it already scared the remaining life of me.

"Or...you could've just let someone do it..." He cooly slid the towel off his neck as he began an unbothered and laid-back walk towards me, but all screaming with self-assuredness, virility and rebellion.

Pinanood ko ang paglapit niya sa nanghahasik ko pa ring mga mata.

"Pero ikaw ang kusang gumawa at umangat sa 'kin..."

Para akong sinilaban nang huminto siya sa harapan ko. Like a lit match, I jerked from his flame, yet my desire to move away was overwhelmed by his rough and profound presence, burning down my ammunition to fight and prove him wrong. He seems to be a master who holds the cage of hypnotic ground where I am in, trapping me in his tall built and shadow like a savage wolf looming over a caught and helpless lamb.

"So, I'll ask you the same...Sam..." he trailed off.

Walang sumusuko sa titigan. While I was breathing fast and shallow, Angelov remained calm and unperturbed while he properly wrapped his used towel around my trembling shoulder. Gulat akong napatingin roon at nang magbalik tingin sa kanya, mas nagimbal pa sa paglapit ng mukha niya sa akin.

"Bakit mo ginawa 'yon?" nanghahamon niyang tanong, ngunit may bahid ng pagpapaamo.

Natigilan ako. He tilted his head so his lips could breathe directly right on my ear.

"Why... did you save me... Samara?" he whispered slowly, a crack in his voice on my name.

The suggestive question caught me off guard. My heart keeps on pushing me to run! But this man possessed the lock to keep me still in his hands on my arms. When he pulled away, nakuha pa niyang kalabitin ang hibla ng buhok ko para kumiliti sa aking pisngi. I shivered in my insides. Nakangiwi kong iniwas ang mukha ko sa kanya habang naririnig ang buga ng ngisi at ang mainit na hiningang inaapoy ang aking pisngi.

He calls me Samara. He has my full name but he still calls me Samara...

My glare at him lost its intensity. While his eyes gleamed with devilish amusement that is trying to take away the life of my remaining joy just like how the grim would do it himself. Kinabahan ako sa pagbaba ng tingin niya sa aking labi. Binawian ng buhay ang kanyang aliw.

"D? Okay ka lang diyan?"

I heard muffled voices behind me. Sa halip na pagtuunan iyon, kinulong ko muna ang sarili sa bitag ng lalake sa harapan. Angelov's jaw clenched so hard while giving his eyes more time to live in the world of my lips. Isang beses siyang humakbang paatras, kunot ang noo. He looked so conflicted and miserable. Bukod pa roon, hindi ako dapat magkamali sa nahuhuling takot sa kanya bago inangat ang tingin sa mga paparating na tila iyon ang maghahatid sa kanya sa kaligtasan.

"Why are you so...wet?"

Pinangunahan na ni Sydney ang posisyon sa aking tabi hindi ko pa man nahanap ang lakas na makapagtanong. Bumaling siya kay Angelov na tila sa kanya makakasagap ng angkop na paliwanag.

"Yeah, she's wet, alright," he said, his voice rough adjusting from the fear I caught on him a while ago.

"Nag-swimming ka ba?" baling muli ng kaibigan sa akin.