C-10
"I'm looking forward to that." I heard him shouted which made me smile
Agad kong pinatay ang pinapainit kong tubig bago ko kinuha ang cup noodles na ipapakain ko sa kaniya. They don't have any stocks here right now at mukhang kakaubos lang din kaya huwag sana siyang magreklamo.
I poured the hot water on the cup noodles when I already opened it. I remember what 'nay Sarah always do whenever we get sick. Pinapahigop niya kami ng mainit na sabaw to ease the heat at para pagpawisan din kami kahit papaano.
I slowly walked back to the living room to give the cup noodles to him but my brows rose up when I saw him typing something on his phone. He shouldn't be using any gadgets dahil baka mabinat siya.
"Why are you using your phone, Mr. Celino? You're sick incase you forgot." Kung hindi ko lang hawak ang cupnoodles malamang, nakapamewang pa 'ko. Isineryoso ko ang mukha ko when he quickly diverted his gaze at me. I slightly pointed his phone using my foot so he placed his phone on the table.
"I was just replying to someone," he reasoned out before suddenly pointed the cup noodles. "What flavor is that?"
I checked the flavor on the cup before I looked at him. "It's beef. Why? You have an allergy?"
He shook his head before he stood up to get his cup noodles in my hand. Kinuha ko ang panyo sa bulsa ko nang bahagya akong matapunan habang hawak ko kanina ang cupnoodles.
"Wala akong nakitang stocks sa kitchen niyo kaya 'yan lang ang mapapakain ko sa 'yo," I reasoned out, still wiping my hands at nang matapos na 'ko, I putted it back fast on my pocket before I sat down on the couch, now staring at him.
"I was about to go sa grocery kahapon but that... happened," he pointed out. I knew what was he talking about so I just sighed. I didn't expect that I had witnessed how devastated he was in such a short period of time. He's drowning himself from drinking the liquor and then now, he got sick.
"Gusto mo bang ako na lang ang bumili?" I asked softly. I should be so calm and nice now because I know, everything he is showing, was just part of pretending. I quickly stood up when I thought he would approve with my suggestion but I looked at him fast when he placed his hand on my wrist.
"No. You don't need to go alone. I feel good lalo na't may nagaalaga sa 'kin." My brows rose up which made him chuckeled a bit. "Samahan mo na lang ako ngayon," he suggested. I gave him a curious look. He was about to stand up, leaving the cup noodles behind pero pinigilan ko siya.
"You're sick, remember? Hindi ka pa totally magaling kaya baka mabinat ka," I lectured him. "And maybe your sister will be mad at me kung malaman niyang nagkasakit ka pero pinabayaan lang kita. Anong oras ba uuwi ang kapatid mo?"
He shook his head. "Hindi siya uuwi dito sa ngayon dahil kay Claireez. She will probably staying there for one week, I guess?
I nodded so I just stood up. "Ako na lang muna ang bibili because you need to eat more lalo na't alak ang inalmusal mo," I pointed out. I noticed how irritated my voice was. I saw him pushing his tongue in the side of his cheek, trying to stop himself from smiling. I diverted my gaze at him, sinasamaan siya ng tingin.
Inilahad ko ang kamay ko sa kaniya para makuha ang pera. Alangan naman ako pa ang gagastos. Mariin niya akong tiningan pero tiningnan ko lang siya na walang pakealam.
I stiffed a bit when he suddenly put his arm on my shoulder before he started to walk, still wrapping his arm on my shoulder.
"What are you doing? I told you, ako na ang bibili! Napakatigas talaga ng ulo mo." I stopped a bit and just noticed that he was already wearing a mask and a hoodie. Sa sobrang inis, agad ko pa siyang nakotongan na ikinasama ng tingin niya.
"I'm sick and yet you still hitting me? Grabe ka!" Pagrereklamo nito and still, nakaakbay pa rin sa 'kin.
"Oh! So you're really aware na may sakit ka?" Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. How can be this man acting as if he's not drunk and sick?
He just rolled his eyes and continuing himself to walk, still his hand wrapping my shoulder. We stopped infront of his car. He was about to go in the driver seat but I yelled at him.
"Ako na ang magdadrive! Baka maaksidente pa tayo!" Iritang sabi ko. He groaned when I slightly pushed him beside para ako ang makaupo sa driver seat at hindi siya. Mas okay nang ako ang magdrive atleast nasa katinuaan ako... although kinakabahan pero kaysa naman siya ang magdrive.
I saw him shrugging his shoulder as if he's telling himself to have more patience with me. I wonder if it's this time na maayos ang pakiramdam niya, would he still trying himself to have more patience with me? Kapag pala may sakit siya, nagiging mahinahon siya.
He had no choice but to sit at the shotgun seat. I even felt his gaze as if he wants to do something bad at me but I just rolled my eyes at him and waiting him to buckled his seatbelt before I started the engine.
"I'll be the one who decided what will you eat today tutal one week naman palang wala ang kapatid mo." I spoke, focusing while driving on the road.
"You sounds like my mom, Lia. Stop it," pagrereklamo nito na ikinairap ko na lang. You're acting like a kid.
A 15 minutes had passed before kami tuluyang makapunta sa mall. Naalala kong hindi niya naubos ang pagkain niya kanina kaya inikot ko ang paningin ko para maghanap and luckily, may nakita akong puwedeng kainan. I automatically held his hand without hesitation at hinila siya papunta sa nakita kong kainan.
"We just here to buy some stocks, Lia." He pointed out when he already realized where would we go.
I stopped a bit to face him. I don't care how tall he is kahit pa nagmumukha akong maliit sa harapan niya. "You didn't finish your food kanina kaya kumain ka!"
"So many people here. Someone might see me." He even roamed his eyes everywhere, thinking that he possibly see someone he knew.
Tumingin din ako sa paligid to check kung may nakakakilala ba sa kaniya o sa 'kin pero mukhang wala naman.
"Ang arte mo! Nakamask ka naman!" I tried to reach his hand pero inilayo niya sa 'kin ng bahagya.
"Then try to eat while wearing a mask without looking stupid, Lia." He sounds pissed now but I don't care. I just mocking infront of him before I decided to pulled his hand again para makapasok na kami at para makakain siya.
I was just searching
some vacant seats and luckily, may nakita akong dalawang tao na mukhang papaalis na. I pulled him closer to me before I guided him to sit.
"You're making me like a kid," pagrereklamo nito.
"Because you're acting like one," sagot ko na ikinairap niya lang bago bumuntong hininga. "Ako na lang ang pipila para hindi ka gaanong mabinat. Huwag ka nang magreklamo dahil hindi rin naman kita susundin."
He was about to speak but I just turned my back at him without any hesitation. I bet, minumura na niya 'ko sa isip niya but I still don't care. Ako ang nakatoka at kasama niya ngayon kaya kahit ayaw man niya sa hindi, kailangan niya 'kong sundin.
I tried to take a glance at him but I just saw him leaning his head on the table as if na inaantok siya. Now, I can't stop myself to think that he was just acting infront of me that he was fine when in fact, he's really not.
"Anong order niyo po, Ma'am?" Napabalik ang atensiyon ko sa babaeng kukuha ng order ko. I just gave her a smile and she also did the same thing. After ko sabihin ang order ko, binigyan niya lang ako ng number bago ako tuluyang bumalik at umupo sa harapan ni Adriel na nakapalumbaba pa rin.
"Ang tigas naman kasi ng ulo mo. What did I told you? You don't need to be with me lalo pa't may sakit ka!" I crossed my hand when I saw him taking a glance at me before he raise his hand, animong sumusuko na.
"I just need to make myself sure. I don't want you to go here alone lalo pa't kanina ko pa napapansin ang dalawang lalaki na nasa gilid natin." He even slightly took a glance in the side. I curiously looked what he was staring at but I automatically refused to looked at them because of the sudden vibes I felt.
I leaned closer to him to whisper. "They're creepy as fuck. Why do they need to looked at me in that way?"
He sighed. "Because they saw their type, simple as that," he simply said which made me to looked again to the men in the side. My brows furrowed when the one guy even gave me a wink bago siya makipagtawanan sa kasama niya.
"He winked at me for goddamn sake! Geez!" I whispered again which made him chuckled a little.
"You're acting as if no one ever had a crush on you, Lia," he teased. Umupo na siya ng maayos nang dumating na ang order namin.
I leaned closer to him when the crew already done with our orders. I noticed how tired his eyes is pero nilalabanan niya lang because we're outside.
"I only know one person who has a crush on me." I smiled about that thoughts, thinking the face of Claude now.
"You're not sure. You'll never know." He shrugged his shoulder so I curiously looked at him. Naramdaman niya yatang tatanungin ko siya kung kaya't nagsimula na siya kumain.
I can't help but to watch his every move. The thoughts about him that he was just really pretending to hide his true feelings makes me worried even more. Hindi man kami magkasundo pero damang dama ko kung gaano pa rin siya kaapektado.
Now I realized, that even the most annoying person in this world, also experiencing something that we didn't even imagine.
"Finish your food and stop staring at me," he seriously said while his attention was still on his food. He didn't even took a glance of me but I felt on his voice that his kinda uncomfortable with my stare so I just did what he want.
Pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang pagkain ko at pinigilan na lang ang sariling pakatitigan siya dahil baka mawalan pa siya ng gana. My brows furrowed when I noticed how he stopped himself from eating and looked at the one direction so I did the same thing.
"Who is she?" I asked curiously when I noticed that he's staring to a pretty fine woman. Ibinalik na lang niya ang atensiyon niya sa kinakain. I didn't expect na sasagot siya but I was shocked when he still did.
"Celine, my ex," he said while eating calmly. I looked back at the woman who's already inside the restaurant with someone.
"Stop staring at her and finish your food. I don't want to stay here any longer." I heard how his voice cracked a bit because probably on his condition right now. Malamig pa naman. I just finished my food dahil baka mas lumala pa ang sakit niya.
Ako ang unang natapos at hindi rin nagtagal, natapos rin siya. I stood up first so I waited for him. Inalalayan ko pa siya nang mapansin kong hirap siyang tumayo dahil na rin sa nilalagnat siya.
"Should we go home na? You're obviously sick kahit pa nakamask ka," pagpuna ko. He suddenly held my shoulder to find the support for him. Napansin ko pa ang pagtingin ng ibang costumer but I just smiled at them.
I held his waist, giving him my support so he wouldn't lose his balance before we went out para magroceries. It's a bit weird that we're so close to each other na walang reklamo. But I felt the stares of other people na nakakakita sa 'min but I ignored it as much as I could.
"Kaya pa? Wait mo na lang kaya ako roon?" Tumuro ako sa direksyon kung saan siya puwedeng umupo para hintayin ako.
"I can't let you go inside without me especially when I felt that someone watching us." He slightly looked around and my eyes widened when he suddenly smirked before he turned his gaze back at me.
I unconciously roamed my eyes around to see who was he talking about. I tried to find them but I just saw nothing.
"Ginogood time mo lang yata ako para makasama ka sa loob," pangaakusa ko na pasimple niyang ikinataas ng kilay.
I was shocked when he leaned closer to me to whisper something. Lumapit din ako sa kaniya para mas marinig ko ang bulong niya.
"Look at the hotdog stall, Lia. Makikita mo sila." I secretly roaming my eyes again while I still listening to him.
"I have a bad feeling about them. We should go now. Huwag na muna tayo bumili sa ngayon," pagbulong nito bago wala sabi sabing hinila ako palayo sa grocery store.
"Take it slow, Adriel. You have a big steps compared to mine for damn sake!" Pagrereklamo ko dahilan para bagalan niya na ang paghila sa 'kin.
Sinubukan kong tingnan ang mga lalaking nagbibigay kaba sa 'kin. Those men who's giving me the vibe as if they literally doing some wrong things. Umiwas lang ako when one of them smirked.
"They're creeping me out. One of them even smirked at me! Sino ba sila?" I histerically asked when we already reached the parking lot before I opened the shotgun seat at padabog na umupo.
Adriel just seriously seated on the driver seat before he started the engine without even saying a words. I just decided to focused my attention on the road but before we finally reached the outside of the parking lot...may nakita akong isang lalaki na nakatingin mismo sa gawi ko at kumaway. Nagulat pa 'ko nang sumenyas siya sa kaniyang leeg na animong gigilitan. I panicked because of that.
"The heck!" I bowed my head to avoid his stare.
I felt the car suddenly stopped and after the seconds, someone's grabbing my wrist. I slowly looked up my head to meet Adriel's gaze na halatang may pag-aalala.
I tried so hard to looked around to see if that man still there on that place. But I looked back because Adriel directed me to look into his eyes.
"You should calm down. Nothing to worry about," pagpapakalma niya. I even felt how he was trying to talked even if he's sick.
"Something wasn't right. I feel like... I don't even know how to explain it!" I don't know why I felt scared because of his action. I feel like I need to do something to protect my family. I feel like there was a hidden message behinde those gestures of him.
It was just a gestures for damn sake but if gives me so much emotion that I couldn't explain. I took a deep breath with my eyes closed, trying to calm myself a bit. But I suddenly felt the thumb gently carressing my cheek which made my eyes opened and there, I saw Adriel seriously looking at me.
"I wouldn't do the same mistake again." Dahan dahan siyang ngumiti, giving me hope now. "Just trust me."
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