SERIES 2: Trapped In Sadness

TIS Chapter 5

"Willa Jenica's father is our gardener. He was about to go to the garden that time when he saw the young Vaughn passed through the gate. The guards weren't aware of that. Vaughn keeps walking until a car came in and it almost hit him. Luckily uncle Bernard was there. He saved him, but dangers himself..." Kwento nito at huminga ng malalim. "Uncle been in the ICU for almost a month. After his recovery my parents gave him a gratuity but he didn't accept it. He was too good until Willa Jenica followed him here. My parents liked her so much. Same as her father, she's a kind woman too." Yumuko ito at umayos ng upo. Nabigla si Illyza nang mahagip ng mga mata niya ang pagpatak ng isang luha nito. He's hurt. "Then, mom and dad decided to set Vaughn and Willa Jenica into marriage as a payment for uncle Bernard's kindness."

Pumikit ang lalaki. Napatanga nalang siya. She felt the pain he's been carrying, the way he acts, alam niyang sobrang mahal nito ang babae.

Nakangiti si Illyza habang nakatingin sa cellphone niya. She's scrolling over social media, hindi niya alam pero napapangiti siya sa tuwing nakikita ang makukulit na anak ng mga kapwa niya artista. She finds them cute and adorable.

She's currently in a grocery store, bumibili ng mga kakailanganin niya when she bumped her cart to someone. As she raised her head nahulog ang puso niya at nahinto bigla ang paghinga niya. Sino ang mag-aakalang makikita niya muli ang lalaking hindi niya inaasahang makitang muli?

He's really handsome in his simple white shirt and a black pants and shoes. Halos mapalunok din siya nang pumasok sa ilong niya ang pabango nito na nakakadagdag sa kagwapuhan nito. His well-defined physique makes her knees went jelly. Mariin siyang napahawak sa hawakan ng cart para hindi mahalata ang panginginig ng kanyang mga kamay.

"Hey," bati sa kanya ni Vaughn at ngumiti.

"Ah," kumurap-kurap si Illyza na lumingon sa mga pinambili. She cleared her throat. "H-Hey, hey!"

Tumawa ang lalaki. "Hey, why are you stuttering?"

"May nakita kasi akong gwapo." Biglang lumabas sa bibig niya.

"Ha?"

Agad na umangat ang kanyang ulo sa lalaki nang mapagtanto ang sinabi. Napahinga siya ng maluwag, mabuti nalang hindi nito naiintindihan ang sinabi niya.

Umiling-iling siya. "Ah, haha..." Kumurap-kurap siya at nilingon saglit ang mga pinamili. "I mean, we cross our path again."

His brows arched. He grinned.

"Yeah, fancy seeing you here. How are you?" Lumapit ito sa kanya.

She smiled tightly at tumango-tango.

"I'm great. I'm doing great actually," she glanced at her wristwatch. She don't understand why she felt this kind strange feeling towards him. She sighed and looked back at him.

"Can we have a dinner tonight?"

"I'm sorry?" Tanong ni Illyza baka nagkamali lang siya ng rinig.

Napalunok siya.

Lumapit si Vaughn sa kanya.

Napakagat labi siya at bumaling sa ibang direksyon, she shook her head. She should not be feeling this way.

"Can we have a dinner tonight?" Ulit na tanong ng lalaki. Seryoso ang mukha nitong nakatingin kay Illyza.

"I-I'm sorry, I cannot. I got a job here."

"Oh really? That's good to hear." He tilted his head. "What job is that?"

The searing of his stares made her inner stiff. She looked back at him, holding her breath for seconds before answering.