Chess Pieces #2: Hunter Sanford

Chapter 22

I was staring as the sun setting down in front of me. The sky turns orange by the sunset as well as the sea. It looks so mesmerizing how that ball of fire could change the colors of the scenery in my eyes. Parang kanina lang ay parehong kulay asul pa ang dagat at ang langit.

It amazed me and yet, my mind is wondering around. I'm thinking of the new feeling that's building inside my chest. I know that it is directed to Hunter. He's the only one who made me feel this way. Confusion, nervousness, palpitations, feeling out of breath, heart's beating fast... Lahat ng iyon, sabay-sabay ipinadama sa akin ni Hunter.

Am I falling inlove with him?

Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko with that thought. Mariin akong napapikit sa naging reaksiyon ko at napasabunot na lang ako sa buhok ko.

What the hell, Artemis? The last relationship that you had, the guy cheated on you! And now you're falling inlove again? Can you even trust him?

Maybe? My Kuya Helios trusts Hunter, even Apollo. So I bet that he is really a good man. Si Joshua ay halos magkasiraan pa kami ni Apollo para lang mapalayo ako sa kanya. But as for Hunter, ipinagtutulakan pa nya ako.

But the thing is... Can I trust him? Will he not break my trust? Will he not break my heart?

Hunter invited me to have our dinner at his yacht. He said that he wanted to watch the crescent moon. Pumayag na lang din ako. It looked like I don't have any other choice naman.

Inistorbo pa nya sina Nanay Flor at Jane para ipagluto kami for our dinner na babaunin namin sa yacht. The nerve of him to invite me to his yacht when he doesn't even know how to cook. Ire-reheat na lang daw in case na lumamig and I'm like... What the heck?

I went inside when the sun finally had set and the moon appeared. Dumiretso ako sa may kusina para uminom and I saw Jane, who's cooking for our food later.

I just nodded at her to recognize her presence when she looked at me. I get a glass of water and at the corner of eyes, I saw Jane staring at me while I'm drinking.

"Hindi ka marunong magluto?"

I was surprised that she's actually talking to me. Hindi talaga kasi kami nag-uusap na dalawa. She's only talking to Hunter. Para ngang wala ako dito sa bahay kung umasta sya. So it's a surprise that she's engaging a conversation with me.

Umiling ako. I haven't finished drinking yet when she asked me that question. Tinignan ko lang sya mula sa gilid ng mga mata ko at inubos na ang laman ng baso.

"Paano ang mga kinakain mo? Sinong nagluluto?" Jane asked again.

It made me confused pero I still decided to answer her.

"The cook. We have a cook in our house."

Tumango sya. "Ah... Si Sir Chase din kasi hindi marunong. Kaya nga nandito kami ni Nanay para ipagluto sya."

She resumed stiring the ingredients in the pot. I was just watching her even though I wanted to leave na. But it seems like she has a lot more to say and I don't wanna be rude by walking away.

"Sa gawaing bahay, marunong ka?" tanong nya ulit and I just shook my head. "Si Sir Chase din, hindi marunong."

I pursed my lips. I have a feeling that I will not like where she is going. She's trying to tell me something and I'm not dumb not to figure it out.

"Kami rin ang gumagawa ng mga gawaing bahay para kay Sir Chase. Minsan ay ako lang talaga para makapagpahinga si Nanay."

Well, share mo lang?

I crossed my arms over my chest and rested my lower back on the counter top. Ayokong sagutin sya ng pabalang. I wanted to tell her that of course, she needs to do that because that's her job. Amo nya si Hunter kaya malamang ay dapat nyang pagsilbihan.