Chapter 43: The Photograph
Victoria Abbel's Point of View
"What should I call you?" I asked Trevor while I'm scrolling through my device. Looking for a perfect endearment. Of course! I don't want to call him by his given name.
Trevor lifted his gaze and met mine. His eyes were filled with confusion. Even though he looked so confused right now, whenever he is looking at me, it seems like he was not just looking at my physical attributes, he was looking directly at my soul. He made me feel like I am the most beautiful woman that he has ever seen. Okay, maybe I'm just a little bit exaggerating. Pero di ko babawiin 'yang sinabi ko.
Besides Trevor is a bit different now. Hmm, how should I put this? He looked rather free. He's no longer putting a wall between us. Just like what he had been doing for the past years. Nailagay ko na lang tuloy ang dalawang kamay ko sa aking jawline at itinukod ang aking siko sa hinihigaan. Admiring his looks while he's comfortable sitting on the single sofa. Ako naman ay nakadapa sa L-type sofa at pinagmamasdan siya sa kanyang ginagawa.
He's actually in my flat. Dalawang linggo na ang nakalipas mula nang pumunta kami sa beach kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan at aking mga pinsan. It was so hard to pretend at the beach that Trevor and I were just complete strangers. Pero buti na lang mukhang wala naman nakapansin sa mga kasamahan namin. I used to been so vocal with my feelings towards Trevor. But I've decided to make things private for now.
Ayaw din namin pagkaguluhan sa labas. Kaya naman napagpasyahan namin na dito na lang siya magstay sa tuwing mayroon itong free time. Trevor agreed to spend his time in my place and I am more than willing to let him stay.
One advantage of having your own place is that you can take your boyfriend in and do something wicked and fun. Natawa na lang tuloy ako sa sarili kong isipan. At dahil doon, kumunot naman ang noo niya habang tinitingnan ako.
"What?" He asked while frowning. I diverted my gaze at him and I can't still process that there was a famous rockstar sitting comfortably on the sofa while writing something on his device. Maybe a song lyrics or whatever. They are making their new song again for their comeback. A new album with eleven tracks on it.
"I mean, ano bang itatawag ko sa'yo? Baby? Love? Honey pie? Baby boo? Boo bear? Hmm, what else... amore mio?" I asked. Amore mio is an Italian word and when translated into English it means my love. I saw how his lips lifted when he heard me mention amore mio. Does he like it? I mean my cousins have their endearment, bakit kami wala? He called me Victoria or Tori and I only call him Trevor.
"Honey pie? Is that even a thing?" Natatawang sambit niya. His eyes glimmer when he laughs, showing his perfectly aligned teeth. I envy his teeth, I used to have braces when I was a kid. And it was really uncomfortable.
"It is!" Napailing na lang ito dahil bigla na lang tumaas ang boses ko. My shouting voice is my normal voice and my cousins are annoyed by it but it doesn't matter. Bickering in the family made everything fun.
"Hmm," napahawak ako sa aking pisnge at tumingin sa taas na akala mo ay nagiisip.
"Or should I call you... daddy?" I said using my sultry voice, while looking at him intimately. Pinipigilan ko ang sarili kong huwag matawa sa naging reaksiyon ni Trevor. Para itong mukhang mahuhulog sa sofa. Dali-dali niyang binaba ang device na hawak niya sa katapat na table at hinugot ang kanyang wallet mula sa bulsa ng kanyang pantalon.
It's now my turn to frown.
"Here." He said and put his wallet down as well as some credit cards.
"Here's my wallet. There is cash in it or if you prefer credit cards. Get anything you want." He said using his serious voice. I looked at him trying to figure out if he was joking or if he was really serious. I just love his eyes not leaving mine when we're conversing. I feel like no one ever looked at me like this for so long.
And then I suddenly remembered Timotheo, my dear friend of mine. When I left fourteen months ago or maybe fifteen, he was sad. Ayaw pa nga niya na umalis ako. Pero mukhang naiintindihan naman niya ang aking sitwasyon. We remained good friends after all these months and we definitely still communicate. Duh! We're in the digital age, what do you expect? I should probably tell him that I'm finally dating my first love! It will be news to him. He'll probably throw a party for me.
Pero iwinaksi ko na lang sa aking isipan at itinuon ang aking atensiyon kay Trevor. I even raised my eyebrows at him.
"Are you seriously giving me money and let me but anything I want?" Hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko at kinuha ang wallet niya sa may table. I reached for it while sitting lying on the sofa. Nakita ko naman ang pagtango niya sa akin.
"Just because I called you daddy? Ha! Trevor, when did you become my sugar daddy?" I laughed and stared at his serious face. But he seems so serious! I flip his black leather wallet open and true to his words, there are at least four credit cards stacked on the wallet and some cash.
"You're pretty loaded, huh?" Nagkibit balikat lang ang binata sa akin. As if he's silently telling me what would I expect from a successful person like him. If success is defined as being filthy rich, then I guess he's really successful. But if I define success as something as the ability to have the freedom of doing whatever you want to do without holding back, then Trevor is still successful in that area. I envy him! At a young age, he seems like he got a name of his own. While me? Still stuck in College and don't even know when I'll ever get that goddamn diploma. Good thing today is weekend, kung hindi ay may pasok na naman ako panigurado.
"Stop boasting hmpf," Inis na turan ko sa kanya at akmang ibabalik na sana ang wallet sa taas ng lamesa dahil wala naman akong balak galawin ang pera niya, besides I have my money of my own. I came from old money, duh! I own stocks in our company. I made some reasonable investments. Clevon assisted me with how to handle these investments. It's so hard to be broke these days. Besides who wants to be broke in these difficult times? No one, including me. I can't live being broke. I won't survive a day.
"I'm not boasting, agápe mou. Just clearly stating facts." Pabirong sabi nito. Trevor grins while looking at me, amused when he saw the shock on my face.
"Oh my! Did you just call me my love in a different language?!" I can feel my cheeks turning red. I wanted to scream from the cringe-worthy feeling or maybe because I felt so thrilled. Kung malapit lang siguro ang binata ay nakurot ko na ang tagiliran nito. Mukhang in love na in love naman ito sa akin. I want to flip my red hair.
"Never mind for the endearment thingy," I said, giving up the idea of thinking of endearment for each other. I didn't know that this will be cringe-worthy.
"Why? You suggested it first." He grins triumphantly. I pouted my lips while reaching for a photo paper that slipped on his wallet. Nahulog ito habang ibinabalik ko ang wallet niya sa orihinal nitong pwesto. It fell down on the carpet. Hindi ko na sana ito papansinin pero dahil mula ito sa wallet niya kaya napagpasyahan ko na lang kunin at ibalik.
But my curiosity got the best of me when I flipped the photo paper and saw a picture of a kid—probably age ten or eleven.
"You really looked so cute when you were a kid! Hindi ko nga alam kung anong nangyari ngayon?" I muttered and stared at his childhood photo. I heard him groaned but I don't give him much attention. Nakatuon pa rin ako sa batang mukha ni Trevor at mukhang wala naman pinagbago ngayon. The kid looked like he doesn't want his picture to be taken. Nakaupo ito sa swing nang naka nakasimangot at nakakunot ang noo. Nakatingin ito sa camera na parang walang buhay.
"Kahit bata ka pa ay napakahilig mo talagang sumimangot. But anyway, you looked really handsome when you used to be a kid." I mumbled while tracing the photograph using my forefinger. Intimately looking at the child in the photo. I smiled a little when I pictured Trevor in his teenage days. He looked cool that time even though he easily built a wall between us. No worries! I have massive chipping hammers. Hindi ako mapapagod tibagin ang pader na gagawin ni Trevor. Kahit humiram pa ako ng hammer ni Thor.
"Can I keep this?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang tinaas ang photograph.
"No," He hurriedly mumbled, still comfortably sitting on the sofa.
"Why not? Isa lang naman ito. For sure marami ka pang photographs sa bahay niyo." The photograph looks old over time. Unconsciously, bigla na lang akong napatitig sa old picture ni Trevor. He's so adorable. I didn't expect that this cutie boy will grow up handsome and super mean. He is mean. At least to me.
"Tori, please put the photo back inside the wallet and come here," mahinang sabi ni Trevor. Gone the funny tone on his voice. Napaangat naman ang tingin ko sa kanya. He spread his arms as if he's telling me to come to him. Walang pagalinlangan akong inilagay ang picture sa loob ng kanyang wallet at lumapit sa kanya. I sat down on his lap and put both of my legs are placed on the arm of the sofa. Pinulupot ko rin ang kamay ko sa matipuno niyang balikat.
"Pwede bang ako lang ang tingnan mo?" His voice is soft and low. I can feel his warm breath on my neck. His breath made me feel like I am a jelly. Buti na lang nakaupo ako sa kanya dahil kung nakatayo kami ay mukhang matutumba lang ako mula sa pagkatayo.
"What do you mean? Even all of the gods know that I've been looking up to you all along," I said still confused. But Trevor narrowed his eyes at me. The gaze he is giving me sent a voltage of electricity throughout my body. My stomach clenched, that's why I gripped tightly on his shoulders. Trevor slowly reached for my right hand and intertwined his hand with mine. I can't help but comment on his soft hands. It's understandable that he got callouses on the tip of his fingertips since he played the guitar. He gave my hands a light squeeze and so I looked down. It's hard not to notice that Trevor got nice nails. And I just love how nice everything is because it just proves that Trevor takes care of himself. And he even smell nice too—as if he just got out fresh from the bath. The kind of smell na hindi ka mapapagod amoy-amoyin araw-araw.
"Just focus on me, now." I instinctively nodded my head, kahit hindi ko maintindihan ang gusto niyang iparating.
"Promise me, Victoria. You will only look at me, do you understand that?" Another slow nod came from me as I tried my best not to swallow hard. His voice is low yet stern. May diin ang bawat salita na lumalabas sa kanyang bibig. His eyes are predatory as if he's giving me a warning.
"Yes," I simply said. Sumandal ako sa balikat niya. I want him to talk more. The smooth sound of his voice has always had a strong effect on me.
"Why are you being so weird?" I feel his stomach vibrate. He's chuckling.
"Ang lakas kasi ng kamandag mo, Victoria." Another squeezed from my hand and I almost catch my breath. Trevor really has a strong effect on me.
"Because your excitement is infectious." A smile hovered on his lips. I open my mouth and close them again. Only Trevor can make me speechless like this. When it comes to my brothers and cousins, I don't want to let them have the last words.
"What we should do now? Masyado pang mahaba ang araw." Sambit ko sa kanya at humiga sa kanyang dibdib. He's one hand caressing my red messy hair.
"Should we play a game?" Tinaas at baba niya ang kilay niya. Bigla na lang itong tumayo kaya bigla akong napasigaw dahil ngayon ay buhat niya ako na parang pang kasal. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa may balikat nya nang magsimula siya maglakad papasok sa aking kwarto. Ibinaba niya ako sa kama at akala ko ay papatong siya sa akin pero iba ang ginawa niya. Kinuha niya ang play station 5 niya at sinetup ito.
"What? Are we really gonna play a game?" I said, disappointed. I'm watching his every move.
"Are you expecting something else?" Nagkibit balikat naman ito sa akin.
"Hmpf!" Padabog na sabi ko. And something wicked just cross my mind. I'm going to seduce him while he's playing. Tingnan lang natin kung hanggang saan ka tatagal, Dmitri.
***