Chapter 11
Tumigil ang car ni Caspian sa harap ng isang pamilyar na restaurant. If I'm not mistaken, dito kami kumain nina Mommy when I got back from convent. Dito rin namin nakita si Caspian no'n.
"Is this your favorite restaurant, Caspian?" I asked the moment I got down from my seat.
This time, it was him who opened the car door for me. Hindi na me nakaangal kasi ang bilis niya nakarating sa side ko.
"You can say that." sagot niya saka ni press ang key fob.
Sabay kaming naglakad papasok. The double glass door were being opened by the restaurant staffs.
"Good evening, Sir Caspian and Ma'am." one of them make bati us.
"Oh, they already know you, Caspian? Siguro madalas ka dito kumain."
Hindi siya sumagot hanggang sa i-lead niya ako sa table sa dulo. Marami ang kumakain and all of them look really expensinve. Kung sa bagay, the place itself looks luxurious and elegant. Para bang wealthy people lang ang allowed kumain dito.
Made of premium glass rin ang walls kaya kitang kita ang mga tall buildings outside. Kagaya ng house ni Caspian na yari lahat sa salamin ang wall.
Caspian pulled the chair and made me sit down. I looked at him and smiled nang malawak. Walang expression ang face niya. He didn't smile back pero sanay na me.
"Ang bilis naman ni kuya dumating," sabi ko at ngumiti sa crew na I think ka-age lang namin ni Caspian. "Hi, kuya! I'm Embry."
He smiled at me, all warm and approachable.
"Hello, Miss Embry-"
"What do you want to eat, Embry?"
Napatingin me kay Caspian nang putulin niya si kuya waiter sa pagsasalita. I saw him staring at the menu while eyebrows forced together into a pronounced frown.
"I'll eat anything..." I said and took the menu in front of me. "I'll eat this and this, and this. Oh, I also want this, kuya!"
Lumapit sa akin si kuya waiter after I pointed what I want in the menu. He slouched a bit.
"Ito po, kuya. I want this Fresh Tagliolini with Butter and White Truffles. Tapos gusto ko rin po nitong Wagyu Steak and Golden Opulence Sundae for my dinner naman po. And oh! I also want this one. Mukhang yummy po..." I giggled and looked at him. "Nakuha mo po lahat, kuya?"
He nodded. "Yes, Miss Embry. Is there anything else you like?"
Tiningnan ko si Caspian. Nakasimangot pa rin siya and looked very irritated na. Ngumuso and focused my attention on him.
"Are you okay, Caspian? Bakit parang mad ka? Masiyado ba ako maraming in-order?"
Umayos ako ng upo. Sabagay. Expensive ang mga pagkain here kaya for sure more than twenty thousand ang bill sa order ko pa lang.
"Babawasan ko na lang ang order ko, Caspian-"
"Give her orders. I'll have the usual." sabi niya na ikinatingin ko sa kaniya.
He was giving the menu back to the staff. His facial expression was strict and authoritative.
"Yes, sir." the staff said.
Umalis na ito sa harapan namin. Sinulyapan ko ulit si Caspian at diretso lang itong nakatitig sa harapan while arms folded across his chest. He doesn't seem in the mood to talk.
Why kaya?
Tumayo me mula sa chair ko. Iniusod ko ito paharap at mas malapit sa kaniya. He lifted his gaze and looked at me with a crease on his forehead as if he's confused.
Naupo me sa harapan niya.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. "Wala naman. I just want to know why you look mad right now. Did I do anything wrong?"
He avoided my eyes and did not speak again. Mas lalong nanghaba ang lips ko dahil sa pag ignore niya sa akin.
I poked his arm. "Caspian..."
"What?" he asked snobbishly.
"What did I do?"
"Nothing, Embry."
"E, bakit masungit ka na naman? You're ignoring me."
Hindi siya sumagot again. I feel like ma-stress na ako sa kaniya dahil sa hindi niya pagpansin sa akin.
Tumingin ako sa paligid. I saw people busy eating their food. Some of them are talking lang naman while sipping on their wineglass.
I sat straight and bore my eyes on Caspian again. Huminga me nang malalim.
"How dare you?! I thought ako lang ang mahal mo! You even made a promise na ako lang till the end! Why are you doing this to me?!" I shouted while nagkukunwaring umiiyak.
I saw how Caspian become alerted. Napatuwid siya ng upo and unfolded his arms. Salubong na salubong ang kilay niya habang nakatingin sa akin at mukhang worried.
"Embry!" he whispered and gently hold my arm.
I covered my face but was trying to peek in between the gap of my fingers so I can still see him. I continued sobbing. He was glancing around. Napapansin niya na for sure ang pagtinginan sa amin ng lahat.
"Why, Caspian?"
I had a glimpse of the people around looking at us. Some of them were whispering like they're all tsismosa. I even heard one of them saying na nakakaawa naman me because it seems like I was fooled by Caspian.
"Embry..." Caspian keeps on calling me.
Nagpatuloy me sa pag-iyak na walang tears while peeking through my fingers. Mukhang bothered na siya habang nakatingin sa akin. Nang magpatuloy ako sa pag iyak, he brushed his palm against his face and stood up.
Hawak ako sa aking kamay, he gently pulled me with him. Using the other hand, I was still covering my face while I followed him walking towards the main door. Everybody was looking at us na talaga.
Caspian's back was facing me. I took that moment to remove my hand out of my face and looked at the people around.
I smiled at them and made a peace sign. Some of them were blinking their eyes as if hindi sila makapaniwala na I was fine naman talaga. That I was just making drama.
Caspian suddenly turned to look at me. Mabilis kong ibinalik ang hand sa face ko to show him that I was really crying.
Nakarating kami sa parking space. Maingat me binitawan ni Caspian. I felt the car behind kaya sumandal na ako doon. Naamoy ko ang pabango ni Caspian. His expensive perfume was embracing my nostril. I know that he's near sa akin. Hindi ko sure since nakaclose na talaga ang eyes ko.
I heard Caspian breathe out a sigh. Unti-unti ko inalis ang hand ko mula sa face and sinilip siya. I giggled when I saw him staring intently at me while jailing me against the car.
Humalakhak ako at tuluyan nang inalis ang kamay ko.
"Issaprank, Caspian!"
He didn't smile. He didn't look mad rin naman unlike kanina.
"I know that was you good timing me again."
Ngumuso ako. "Kasi naman bigla ka na lang parang nagalit or whatever. Hindi mo me pinapansin like I did something wrong. The last time I remember you being like that was when you're jealous of the senior guy who tried to court me!"
I can sti remember that. There was this senior engineering student who gave me a bouquet of flower during snack time. I was alone in the table dahil ipinatawag si Caspian ng teacher sa faculty. Lumapit sa akin si engineering student and handed me the flowers. Saktong balik naman ni Caspian.
Ganitong ganito 'yung mood niya noon! Pero sandali. Kanino naman siya magseselos?
"So you're trying to say that I'm jealous," he snapped.
Tumango ako. "I think so."
He licked his lower lip. It shone against the darkness. Medyo madilimkasi sa spot namin and tanging lamp post lang ang mayroon sa malayo.
"And if I really am jealous, what are you gonna do about it?"
"I don't see any reason for you to get jealous."
Nagseselos nga siya? Pero kanino? Kaming dalawa lang naman ang magkasama the whole day. Tapos naging masungit lang siya pag upo namin sa restaurant.
Wait. Hindi kaya?
"Omg! Are you jealous of kuya waiter?"
No words slid down his lips. He was just staring intensely at me as if he's looking for an answer to his question.
"Caspian? Selos ka sa kaniya?"
He suddenly looked down while his arms still cornering me. I heard him sigh. Hindi nagtagal at nag angat siya ng eyes at mariin akong tinitigan.
Umayos siya ng tayo. My body became stiff when he placed his hand on my waist and gently tugged me close to him. My eyes blinked when I felt his chin over my shoulder. It suddenly feels like my heart bursting out like a confetti.
"See the disadvantage of being too much in love with you, Embry?" he whispered as he let out a soft chuckle on ny ear. "I easily get jealous over anyone."
So, nagseselos nga talaga siya kay kuya waiter. Pero wala naman itong ginawa kanina. He just took our orders.
"Long years may have passed but the feeling of wanting you for myself remains undeniably strong..." huminga siya nang malalim. He leaned his forehead against my shoulder pero hindi pa rin ako makagalaw. "Gusto kitang ipagdamot sa mundo pero alam kong hindi 'yon ang nararapat. I'll just try to control this jealousy next time."
Hearing Caspian confessing me about his feelings felt strange but I'm actually liking it. Para bang okay lang sa akin makarinig ng ganito mula sa kaniya everyday. Aside from it's making my heart kilig... I also feel like he's the only man God assigned to tell me these kind of words.
"Caspian..." I called his name pero wala naman me masasabi. I just found myself hugging him back.
"Please stop making me fall for you even more. I'm already exceeding the limitation, Embry..." he uttered. "Masiyado na kitang mahal."