My days continued just like that. Papasok ako maghapon sa kompanya at bibisita sa kanya pagkatapos, pero hanggang ngayon, hanggang gate palang nila ako.
I am just so eager for Sunday to come. And by Monday too 'cause she will start working in the company. Although it is already Saturday, at bukas na ang lakad namin.
I am watching her as she serves another table and I'll drive her home right after, last day na rin niya ngayon dito. After that, she will work in the company all throughout the break.
"Matutunaw na naman si Ada, Gaston." Peter smirked at me.
Tinaasan ko lamang siya ng kilay. We are the only two at our table, drinking. Hindi naman kami maglalasing at nandito lang talaga ako para mabantayan siya.
I looked at Peter seriously and remembered Gunner's words to me. She is her brother, her step brother.
Huminga ako ng malalim. "You know that I love her, right?" I asked critically, trying to find a connection between her and him.
He looked at her too. And now thinking of it, Peter never looked at her with malice. It's so obvious that he doesn't have any intention to her.
Actually, isa siya? Or tanging siya lamang ang kilala ko na hindi nagpakita ng intensyon kay Carmella.
"Of course, I knew it from the very start. You are an asshole but you never looked at others the way you look at her." He breathily said while still looking at her.
Umiwas ako ng tingin ng bumaling siya sa akin. My curiosity is killing me already. I badly wanted to ask this topic to both of them but I do not have the right to do that. I am worried for her, and Peter is my friend. And the fact that she is living alone right now says a lot about what her current situation is.
I wanted to do my investigation, but I do not want to know her stories that way, I wanted her to personally tell me everything.
Kaya wala akong magagawa kung hindi ang maghintay. I need to patiently wait for her.
Huminga ako ng malalim at muling linagok ang baso ng alak sa harapan ko.
"Mama and Pauline will finally stay here in the country for her college." He suddenly blurted out.
I wanted to ask about his parent's relationship but I stopped myself. Peter never opened up to me the reason why his parents are not okay, but I think I have an idea now.
"Dito mag aaral si Pauline?" I asked instead.
Tumango siya sa akin. "Yes, she will start college here next school year, but they will be coming home around the start of our second sem. She will take electrical engineering too." He smiled a little bit.
Napahinga ako ng malalim. For some reason, his statement made me uncomfortable. I hope things won't get complicated soon, and I hope my Camella won't be in between. Ayoko siyang mahirapan.
"Kanina ka pa naghihintay?" She asked as she fixed her seatbelt.
I looked at her and smiled. "No, and...Peter kept me entertained."
I looked at her reaction as I mentioned his name, and for a second, she stared out of nowhere then looked at me.
I manoeuvred the car and then she started throwing me questions. Mabuti na lang at wala ng masyadong sasakyan sa hating gabi.
"He is your friend, right?" Her eyes were glued on the window car now.
I tried slowing down. "Yeah, he's a great friend." I chuckled at the end.
"I know...he is great…" She whispered but enough for me to hear it.
I swallowed hard 'cause I could definitely feel her sudden changes of atmosphere.
"He's the only one I could trust, of course aside from my cousins." I added more.
I glanced at her again but her eyes were still on the window car. I saw how she tightened her hold on her seatbelt.
"Yeah...I could trust him too…" She whispered something to herself.
I couldn't register what she said. "What did you say?"
Napabaling siya sa akin. "Ha?"
I chuckled at her reaction. "I am asking, what did you just say?"
"I didn't say anything." She avoided my eyes then looked at the window again.
Lumiko na kami malapit sa school at malapit na kami sa apartment niya. Few more blocks and I stopped the car.
I could feel how heavy the atmosphere was. I looked at her and she was now removing her seatbelt.
"Ako ang magbubukas ng pintuan mo."
Dali-dali akong bumaba at pinagbuksan siya. I smiled at her warmly just to ease her tension. If I didn't know any single information about her situation right now, I would take her answer about Peter lightly.
But things are now different.
Tuluyan siyang bumaba at lumakad papuntang gate nila. She faced me as I smiled at her warmly still.
"Don't forget about our date tomorrow. By 9am, you should be ready. And please eat a heavy breakfast."
"Okay...but where are we going? What's the location of the flower farm?" She asked curiously. Her mood became lighter too, nakahinga ako ng maluwag doon.
I smirked at her. "Secret. You will like it for sure."
She eyed me suspiciously like I was planning something evil.
"Don't look at me like that. I am going to let something bad happen to you." I wiggled my brows at her and she just rolled her eyes.
I laughed at her reaction while she remained looking at me like a nuisance.
"You're finished?" She asked sarcastically at mas lalo akong tumawa.
I am really in love with her reactions. Nagsusungit, nagagalit, naiirita, I love everything about her. It was such a sight to see her reactions like this.
My laughed slowly died hanggang sa sumeryoso ulit akong tumigin sa kanya. Huminga ako ng malalim at ngumiti ng marahan sa kanya.
"Please...sa akin ka lang magiging ganito. Ako lang dapat makakakita ng ganito sayo." I said seriously to her.
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa akin. She cleared her throat and bit her lower lip. Napako ang tingin ko sa kanyang mga labi.
"I am like this to other people too!" She defended herself aggressively. "You are not special, Gaston." She added more like I would believe her.
I looked at her face and she was as red as a tomato. "Yeah, sure, Carmella." I teased her.
She turned her back to me. She looked so irritated as she locked their gate. Hindi na niya ako muling binalingan bagkus ay medyo padabog pa itong naglakad papunta sa hagdanan.
Hindi ako umalis sa pwesto ko hanggang sa nakapasok na siya sa kanyang apartment.
Huminga ako ng malalim at pumasok na sa sasakyan ko. I went home feeling bothered by her situation.
I took a shower hoping that it would clear my mind, habang panay pa rin ang pag buntong hininga ko habang iniisip ang kanyang sitwasyon.
I went to bed naked at padapang nahiga sa kama. I opened my phone and it was near 11, she might be asleep but I still messaged her my goodnights. I do not want to wait for her reply 'cause I know it is almost impossible to receive a reply from her, pero hindi ko pa rin talaga mapigilang umasa.
Thinking about it now, I was never active with texting or calling. Ngayon lang rin talaga ako naadik sa pagtetext at lahat ng iyon ay dahil sa kanya. She really changed me into a completely different person, and surprisingly I like these changes. Napangisi ako sa sariling iniisip. I really really got it bad, huh?
I looked at my phone one more time hoping for a text but there was none. And slowly, thinking still about her situation, tuluyan na akong nakatulog.
Kaagad akong bumaba ng lobby ng malapit ng mag 8:30. I immediately saw our pilot for today, Officer Guzman waiting for me in the lobby.
"Sir, good morning po." Officer Guzman greeted me.
"Good morning too." I smiled warmly at him and looked at my wrist watch again.
I need to fetch Carmella first then we'll go. "You may go to the rooftop now, Officer. I'm going to fetch my girl first."
"No problem, Sir."
Ngumiti ako ng marahan. "Thank you, we'll be here in a few minutes." I tapped his back and quickly got out of the building.
Naghihintay na ang sasakyan ko sa harapan at kaagad akong sumakay paalis. I tried calling her and she quickly answered her phone.
"Good morning, Carmella." I smiled naughtily even though she wasn't right in front of me.
"I am already here, outside." I heard her on the other line.
"I am near. Wait for me for a little bit." Mas lalo kong binilisan ang pagpapatakbo.
Few more minutes at nakarating na ako sa street nila. I quickly recognized her waiting in front of their gate. Halos manlaki ang mga mata ko ng makita siyang nakasuot ng baby blue shorts kahit nasa malayo palang ako.
I swallowed hard as I stopped right in front of her. This is the first time in many years I saw her wear shorts. Kaagad akong bumaba ng sasakyan para mapagbuksan siya. But it was all halted as soon as I saw her legs in my plain sight.
Napalunok ako ng malalim ng bigla siyang magsalita. "What are you looking at?" Nagsusungit ang boses niya sa umaga, but it's fine.
I smiled at her warmly. "Good morning too. But you're more good looking than the morning." I winked at her and she raised her brows.
I looked at her one more time from head to toe. She is wearing her white shoes, baby blue shorts, her white long sleeves and white sleeves. She has her backpack with her and her white hat as well.
My eyes quickly went back to her boob area and I just noticed now how big are those with her fitted white sando. She always covers it with her huge shirts and long sleeves kaya ngayon ko lang din natitigan ng mabuti.
"Gaston!" She called me out, almost angry.
Kaagad na napabalik ang tingin ko sa kanyang mata. She looked at me like I had done something out of her dictionary again.
Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kanya. "I am just appreciating your...boobs…" my voice is so small I hope she didn't hear it.
"What did you say?"
Kaagad ko siyang pinag buksan. "Nothing. Lets go baka malate tayo." I smiled instead.
She eyed me more suspiciously before getting in.
I manoeuvred the car quickly, it was almost near nine. I drove as carefully as I could hanggang sa makarating kami ng condo tower.
I got out of the car and opened her door. "Let's go."
"Is this your tower?" She carefully asked while still sitting.
"Yes, why?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa akin. "Hinding-hindi ako papasok sa condo mo!" She emphasize each word at hindi ko maiwasang matawa ng kaunti.
"Carmella, baby. We are not going to date inside my penthouse. And of course if naging tayo na papasok ka talaga diyan." Napasinghap siya sa sinabi ko. "But that's not our destination, so let's go."
She looked at me suspiciously at ng maramdamang sigurong hindi ako nanloloko ay kaagad rin siyang bumaba.
I gave my keys to the valet at kaagad kaming pumasok sa entrance. She keep up with me hanggang sa sumakay na kami sa elevator. I tapped the rooftop and then looked at her, still eyeing me suspiciously.
"Where are we going, Gaston?" She asked again.
"Tagaytay. I know a private villa there with acres of flowers."
"Then, bakit tayo nandito? Sa kotse tayo---"
She stopped talking as soon as the elevator opened and we were greeted by the loud engine of the helicopter. Kaagad akong lumabas habang sumunod siya sa akin sa mabagal niyang lakad.
I looked back at her and she eyed me widely. "Lets go, baka malate tayo sa date natin."
Kaagad akong naglakad ng sumigaw siya. "Gaston, this is too much!"
I just smiled at her at hinila na ang kamay niya. She didn't protest as I intertwined our fingers. She can't do anything now.
A staff helped us get through as I guided her first inside. I quickly got in after and a staff closed the door for us. Our helicopter is one of the latest so we really do not need to wear headphones. We couldn't really hear that much of the engine so it's safe for us. We could converse freely.
I fixed her seatbelt and checked the lock of our door one more time. I looked at her and she remained lost in her thoughts as she stared out of nowhere. After checking everything, Officer Guzman started manoeuvring the helicopter and she suddenly held my arms.
The helicopter wasn't even that shaky but it is her first time so...and it favours me again 'cause this is one of the rare times she is freely clinging onto me.
She stayed like that for a few more minutes until the helicopter became stable. Bumitaw siya sa akin kaagad na para bang may nakakahawa akong sakit. I can't help but chuckle at her reaction.
"You should have warned me." Nagsusungit na naman ang kanyang mga mata.
I just raised my brows at her then smiled. "I know you won't agree and...look outside. The view is amazing."
I pointed out her window and she quickly looked at it. I heard her gaps and then she looked at me with amazement.
"You like it?"
She nodded her head immediately and looked at it again. I let her watch it to her heart content. We have approximately 20 to 30 minutes to travel before we reach our destination.