Pumasok ako kinabukasan na parang lantang gulay. I wasn't able to sleep last night because of what happened in the restaurant and because of him. Hindi ko alam kung anong oras na ako kumalma at nakatulog na tuluyan.
My eyes were sleepy and I kept on yawning as I rode the elevator. At ng umukas ito ng tuluyan at kaagad akong naalerto ng makita kung sino ang nasa bungad. Pierce's eyes automatically looked at me and her eyes followed next.
Tumayo ako ng matuwid at naglakad may kalayuan sa pwesto nila.
They were on the door and Andra was basically outside. Sa may malapit lang sana ako sa may pintuan pero ayoko namang maistorbo ang pag uusap nila, but I think I already did because Pierce is already making his way to me with a playful smile on his face.
He stopped in front of me, blocking my view of Andra.
"I haven't had my dinner, samahan mo ulit ako at magpapatawag ako ng security sa baba."
Again. He is asking too much already, nasa trabaho ako at ang trabaho ay trabaho.
Umiling ako pero nagpatuloy ang ngisi sa kanyang labi.
"No. Nasa trabaho ako."
Pero kapwa kami napatingin ng muling bumukas ang elevator at lumabas mula rito ang mga pamilyar na mukha ng security kapag nagrerequest siya. I almost groaned at him.
"Pierce, mauuna na ako." Napunta ulit ang tingin ko sa harapan ng marinig ko ang boses ni Andra pero nanatiling nakaharap sa akin si Pierce.
"Go. Thank you for visiting." He answered her back while still looking and facing me.
Tumaas ang kilay ko sa paraan ng pagsagot niya. May sumasagot ba na nakatalikod sa taong kausap? That is just disrespectful.
"Pierce, g-goodnight..." Andra said next.
Akala ko hindi pa siya haharap pero tumalikod siya sa akin ng tuluyan pero hinawakan naman niya ang kamay ko at hinila palapit sa may pintuan.
"Goodnight." He simply answered her back and pulled me inside his unit.
Kitang-kita ko ang pagsunod ng mga mata ni Andra sa kamay ni Pierce na nakahawak sa akin at ang pagtalim ng mga mata niya sa akin.
Pierce closed his door, and he continued pulling me up to his kitchen.
Pinaghila niya ako ng upuan pero tiningnan ko lang ito.
"Hindi ako uupo." Mariin kong sagot.
But he is hard headed and before I could even think properly, he occupied our distance, grabbed my nape and kissed me on the lips fervently.
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa ginawa niya, but he is much a good kisser. It took me seconds to process what just happened and when he bit my lower lip, doon ko siya naitulak ng tuluyan.
My knees trembled and I just found myself, sitting on the chair that he pulled out.
I was catching my breath while he looked so calm, looking at me with a satisfied smile on his face.
Napasinghap ako ng bigla ulit siyang lumapit sa akin. He levelled our eyes, with one hand on the back of my chair, and the other one on the table.
Umiwas ako ng tingin at naramdaman ko na lang ang mararahan na halik niya sa pisngi ko. My eyes went wide and my insides panicked, muli ko siyang tinulak sa dibdib na siyang paghalakhak niya ng malakas.
I looked at him piercingly while he just shrugged his shoulders off while laughing.
"Namumuro ka na. Nanliligaw ka palang."
"It will be my birthday next week, let's have a date." He answered instead and opened his refrigerator.
Nakahanda na ang ulam niya sa lamesa at hinintay niya lang talaga ako na makarating dito para kumain.
Huminga ako ng malalim. He is too casual about everything and just impulsive.
"Does your management know that you are courting me? Wala bang magagalit? How about your fans?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong.
He gave me an ice cream as well as some take out club sandwiches. He sat down on his chair and started eating his dinner.
"Eat...and let's have our breakfast tomorrow morning. We should have our dinner and breakfast together." He concluded like it's nothing.
I wanna scratch my head. Halos hindi ko masundan ang mga gusto niyang mangyari. He is not just impulsive but very demanding too.
"And no, Matilda is fine with it. They can't really do anything much with whom I date, and my parents knew about it already. They actually wanted to meet you."
Hindi ko alam pero mas lalo yata akong nahilo sa mga sinabi niya.
I breathed in deeply. Too much information already and only a few minutes had passed.
"How about you? I wanna meet your parents too."
Hindi ko mapigilan na mabigla sa mga sumunod niyang salita. I cleared my throat and avoided his gaze.
"B-busy sila. At nanliligaw ka palang." Iwas ko sa usapan.
Napatigil siya sa pagkain at kitang-kita ko ang pagbabago sa mukha niya.
"Okay...no pressure. Maghihintay naman ako."
Our days continued just like that. Iyun nga lang ay mas naging madalas ang pagdalaw ni Andra sa trabaho ni Pierce, minsan naman ay sa unit niya mismo.
I didn't mind it because she will be a guest for Pierce's concert that will be held next month, and speaking of next month, my last duty would be after he finished his concert. That would be my last schedule.
Naghihintay ako sa may parking lot dahil may trabaho pa si Pierce. Lagpas alas syete na at sinabihan ako ni Sir Sebastian na baka alas otso na sila matatapos. They are now on the move of publishing his new song before his concert.
I looked at my time and it was almost seven thirty. Wala pang ilang sandali ng marinig ko ang pagbubukas ng elevator. Napatingin ako rito at nakita ang paglabas ni Andra sa elevator.
She was smiling with her manager but when she noticed me on the side, her smile faded.
I casually avoided her scrutinising gaze but she started walking towards me. She dismissed her manager and the two of us left.
Huminto siya mismo sa harapan ko at kahit na may suot siyang heels ay halos magkasing tangkad lang kami.
"You know what..."
Umangat ang tingin ko ng magsalita siya.
"Pierce must be really serious with you."
Walang halong pait o kahit ano pa man ang boses niya na siyang kinagulat ko ng kaunti.
She raised her brows at me and squinted her eyes.
"What's your proposal again?" She asked instead.
Huminga ako ng malalim. "What are you talking about?"
She rolled her eyes at me. "Patitigilin mo siyang manligaw and what is your condition?"
Sumeryoso ang tingin ko. Naninimbang kung dapat ko bang ituloy o hindi. May parte sa akin na nag aalinlangan na pero...
"Si Mama ang kailangan ko." Diretso kong sagot.
"Whatever it is, I am sure she will agree to it. And she never said 'no' to me." She confidently answered me back.
Muli akong nagbuga ng malalim na hininga habang pinagkrus niya ang kamay niya sa kanyang dibdib.
Wala naman akong pag aalinlangan noong una pero ngayon...hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito na ang nararamdaman ko.
Muli akong tumikhim at tumingin sa elevator kung bubukas ba ito kung hindi at baka dumating si Perce.
"What is it? Just say it to me!" Medyo naiirita na nitong sambit.
Muli akong nag ipon ng lakas ng loob at sa huli...I told her my condition.
"Iyon lang ang gusto ko..."
Her forehead creased with my statement and a few seconds later, a satisfied smile crept to her lips.
"That's it?"
Unti-unti akong tumango. "Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin iyon ginagawa ni Mama."
Tumango-tango siya. "Okay...I could convince Mom and I'm sure she would say 'yes'...but before that...make him hate you." Nabura ang ngiti sa kanyang labi sa huling salita.
Tumalim at nang iinsulto ang tingin niya sa akin.
"Not just a simple hate...make him hate you to the core...make him wish that he never met you...that is the hate that I want."
Hindi nagbago ang ekspresyon ko. For some reason, her condition is not shocking at all. If he really wanted Pierce and to get rid of me...then her conditions fit.
Matagal kong hinintay na may gawin si Mama pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi niya pa ginagawa. Kahit kay Brianna na lang at hindi sa akin...I just wanted someone to take care of her...kung sakaling may mangyari sa amin ni Papa.
With his health declining...and the type of work I am in. I just want her to be secured. Mabigat ang hiling ko dahil kung gusto talagang itong gawin ni Mama ay matagal na niyang ginawa. But she is still not doing it up until now, so I need to make a move.
"I'll contact you once I talk to her..and so start moving too."
She flipped her hair and turned around. I watched her back moved away from me. Nang makaalis na siya ng tuluyan ay saka ako nagbuga muli ng malalim na hininga.
Hindi ko alam. Her conditions were expected but still, ayokong makapanakit ng tao hanggat' maari...but my condition isn't simple too.
"Liberty..." I looked at the elevator when I heard a familiar voice calling my name.
His bright smile could literally brighten up the whole parking lot. Umiwas akong tingin at pinagbuksan siya ng pintuan ng sasakyan.
We were just talking about him and here he is now.
Naglakad siya papunta sa akin at ng bumaba ang tingin ko sa kamay niya ay napansin ko ang hawak ng isang tangkay ng puting rosas. Sa likod niya ay si Ma'am Matilda at si Sir Bruno na lumiko na at sumakay na sa kanyang sasakyan.
"Sasabay ako ngayon, pa drop ba lang ako sa building ko Liberty. At saglit may babalikan lang ako sa opisina."
She put her things in the car first and went back immediately to the elevator.
Kaya kami na lang ulit ang naiwan, parehong nakatayo at walang imikan.
"For you..." Marahan nitong panimula at inangat ang kamay niya.
The awkward air envelopes the two of us...or probably just me. Ako lang naman ang nakakaramdam ng ganito sa aming dalawa.
Inangat ko ang kamay ko para tanggapin ito, at pansin ko bigla ang kaunting panginginig nito.
Nang nahawakan ko ito ay napahigpit ang kapit ko at saktong naramdaman ko ang pagtusok ng tinik nito sa akin.
I gasped a little bit and renewed my hold on it. I looked at my ring finger and saw blood gushing out of it. Maliit lang naman pero dumaloy ang dugo palalabas.
Pero mas nagulat ako ng bigla niyang kunin ang kamay ko at mas lalo pa akong nagulat ng bigla niya itong isubo.
I am trained to not show ang expression, to endure pain and retain calmness but I was really shocked at this point.
His tongue started swirling around my finger and he started sucking on it. Tuluyang nanlaki ang mata ko sa ginawa niya. What he is doing felt so weird.
"What are you doing?" I asked in horror and tried withdrawing my finger but he held my arms tightly.
Maya-maya pa ay bumitaw siya sa akin at seryosong tiningnan ang daliri kong biglang natigil sa pagdurugo.
"Does it hurt?" Seryoso at puno ng pag aalala niyang tanong.
Nawala ng pagkagulat ko sa ginawa niya. He is too serious and too concerned for this little thing.
"H-hindi masakit." Utal kong sagot sabay iwas ng tingin.
I heard him sigh heavily. "Ako na ang magmamaneho."
Kaagad akong umiling. "Hindi malalim ang sugat at kaya ko pa ring magmaneho."
Pero linagpasan na niya ako ay inunahan sa umupo sa driver's seat. Ako naman ngayon ang napabuntong hininga sa ginawa niya.
"Listen to me just this time." Puno ng determinasyon nitong sambit at binuksan ang passenger seat sa harapan mula sa loob.
Wala na akong nagawa. Sumakay na ako at ilang saglit pa ay dumating si Ma'am Matilda. Hindi naman siya nagkomento kung bakit si Pierce ang nagmamaneho pero nakaramdam pa rin ako ng hiya.
It took us half an hour before we reached her building where we dropped her off. At nang bumiyahe na kami pabalik ng building ay nasa kalahating oras rin.
Pareho kaming tahimik pero hindi naman ako naiilang sa katahimikan. I am more concerned at what he did with my fingers, at hanggang ngayon ay ramdam ko ang...umiling ako. I shouldn't be thinking of those unusual things. It won't do me good.
We reached his unit and I am glad that he didn't forced me inside anymore...dahil siya na mismo ang lumabas hawak hawak ang first aid kit at isang upuan.
My mouth dropped open as I remained standing, looking at him sitting in front of me.
"Umupo ka, gagamutin ko." He seriously said and started opening some bottles of medicine.
I licked my lips and shook my head unbelievably. "Hindi na kailangan."
He looked up to me. "I won't leave it unless you do it."
Napasinghap ako sa sinabi niya. He is just over acting at this point.
"Uupo ka o papaupuin ulit kita? Choose. Whatever it is, it would be my pleasure."