Chapter 29
He moved closer and positioned his hand on my waist. I gulped but i pretended that i don't like it.
"Hey." i glared at him.
Ngumisi siya. Made him look even more handsome. Damn that look, damn that good looking physique, damn him.
"It's better this way." mahinang bulong niya malapit sa tenga ko.
That sent some shivering and electrifying effect on my body. Hindi ako nakaimik and let him hold me that way. I don't know but i like it-- no, i love it. I love the way he holds me, i love the way he touches me.
I sighed.
He's now my slave but why does it feels like na ako 'yong nagpapakaalipin sakaniya, ako pa rin.
Damn, this isn't right! but i don't want him to let go!
"Let go nga! baka anong isipin nila dito." i uttered and rolled my eyes.
"So?"
Napangiwi ako. At siya pa talaga itong may ganang magtaray saakin? Napailing na lang ako.
"Where's your table?" he asked.
Agad naman hinanap ng paningin ko kung saan ang pamilya ko, then i pointed it to him.
"There, doon na ako." sabi ko.
His jaw clenched then he nodded slowly. He finally let go of me, hudyat para umalis na ako at pumunta kung saan ang pamilya ko but remain standing in front of him. Hindi ko alam, something's stopping me to go. I sighed, sapilitan akong naglakad patungo sa mesa namin.
I looked back for awhile, tinignan ko kung nandoon pa rin ba siya and indeed he's still there standing.
"Okay na kayo?" Tanong ni Chlay nang makaupo ako.
I shrugged and didn't answer his question.
Hindi ko naman talaga alam kung "okay" na nga ba kami. May parte saakin na tinatanggi na okay na nga kami, sinasabing hindi kami pwedeng maging okay dahil sa ginawa niya noon, na baka lokohin niya ulit ako but my other mind wants be with him and risk again.
Hinanap ko ang table niya. The program started pero hindi ako nakikinig sa sinasabi ng host dahil busy ang mata ko kakaikot kung saan ang table ni Drexzel.
And there! i found him!
He's with Andrex. Ang mga mata niya naman at nakatuon saakin which made me to look away.
Those captivating eyes. I'm drowning.
"Kayo na ba ulit?" nabigla ako sa biglaang pagtanong saakin ni Chlay.
"W-What are you talking about?" i stuttered.
"Are you with Drexzel again?" iritadong tanong niya ulit.
"O-Of course not!" singhal ko.
"Why are you stuttering then?" his eyes narrowed.
Umirap naman ako.
"Because you startled me with your question! Obvious naman na hindi kami hindi ba? I'm not stupid to repeat what happened before." i said.
"Kung magtitigan kayo parang may sarili kayong mundo." ngiwi niya.
"Whatever you say."
"You know what my dear sister, i think you should stop denying to yourself, it is obvious that you still like him... Mas mahihirapan ka lang kung patuloy mong tinatanggi sa sarili mo na gusto mo pa rin siya dahil lang nasaktan ka noon, let it go and just follow what you really wanted."
"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?"
"You're one hella in denial queen." ngisi niya.
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin pero hindi na niya napansin 'yon dahil nakatuon na ang tingin niya sa harap.
Napalingon ulit ako sa table kung saan si Drexzel, nakatingin na siya ngayon sa may stage habang nagsasalita ang host. I sighed. Hindi ko alam kung tama ba ang kapatid ko, it's his observation, but was his observation true?
Bigla akong kinabahan sa sarili kong nararamdaman?
"I can see that you're with that young man again, are you two good?" tanong saakin ni lolo na nasa kabilang tabi ko.
"Well, i g-guess so..." i muttered.
Grandpa grinned.
"I can see how he looks at you, iha. Mukhang mahal ka niya." he smiled.
Agad naman akong umiling. No of course not, that can't be true. I mean, he's telling me that he's in love with me but...
Umiling ako.
"No he's not in love with me." i uttered. "He's in love with someone else..."
Kumunot ang noo ni lolo.
"He's in love with someone else? How come? The way he stares at you, iha, i know it too well 'cause that's how i look to your lola before..."
I sighed. Hindi ko alam. Ayokong maniwala dahil panigurado masasaktan na naman ako pero paano naman kung totoo nga? i would probably miss the chance...
Nagpaalam muna ako sakanila. I stood up and went my way to the comfort room. Inayos ko lang ang sarili ko and do some retouch. Nang pagkalabas ko ay nagulat ako nang sumalubong saakin si Drexzel.
"Anong g-ginagawa mo rito?" i asked.
"I saw you went here, kaya sumunod ako. I almost barged in..." mapupungay ang mata niya na nakatingin saakin.
"Why would you barged inside? May tao sa loob." i said.
"Nothing, i thought you were alone..." he muttered and move closely.
I couldn't chase my breathe now he's near. Wala ng tao dahil busy sila sa auction. It's just me and him in this narrow place, it's suffocating me as if he's taking my breath away.
"Can you feel me when we're this close, Chloe?" he said in a deep baritone voice.
I gulped.
He's hypnotizing...
"Do you like it when i'm near?" he moved even more closer and held my waist. "I hope you do, 'cause i want to be close with you all the time... closer than this."
My lips parted. I can feel his minty breath on my face. His lips were wet and red, as if it wants to be kissed.
Shit! stop yourself, Chloe!
"U-Uhm... i think w-we should go back." i muttered.
Natutop niya ang labi niya at umiwas ng tingin. He moved away and sighed.
"Alright."
Sabay kaming bumalik sa loob. Medyo lumayo ako dahil ang iba ay nakatingin sa direksyon namin. I saw Andrex looking at us with a grin plastered on his face. Umirap ako at nakita niya 'yon kaya siya natawa.
Mauuna ang table nila Drexzel bago ang lamesa namin. I thought titigil siya pagkarating niya sa mesa nila at uupo but he did not, instead, sumabay pa siya saakin hanggang sa marating namin ang mesa kung saan ang pamilya ko. He even greeted them.
"Good evening po." bati niya sakanila. nagtanguan naman sila ni kuya.
"Drexzel iho, ikaw lang mag-isa?" tanong ni dad sakaniya.
"I'm with my brother."
"Saan ang lolo mo kung ganoon, bakit hindi siya sumama?" dagdag na tanong pa ni daddy.
"He's old and ill, he needs to rest."
Medyo napahaba ang usapan nila, they're talking about the business and i can't relate kaya simpleng nakikinig lang ako sakanila habang nakatutok ang mata ko sa stage.
I got startled when i felt his rough hands on my thighs. Binalingan ko siya at sinamaan ng tingin.
"Stop touching me nga." sita ko sakaniya.
Lumapit siya saakin at bumulong. I can feel my family's eyes on us.
"Can't help it." he whispered on my ear then he chuckled, which made me shiver. literally.
Chlay fakely cleared his throat, kaya napalingon kaming parehas ni Drexzel sakaniya. I looked away when i saw them grinning on us.
"If you don't mind me asking, iho. Do you really love my daughter? I mean, sincere ka ba sa panliligaw mo?" asked mommy.
"Mom..."
"I do love her. I know it's hard to believe because of what happened from the past but i am insanely in love with your daughter..."
Pumungay naman ang mga mata ko. My brother's now grinning on me. Umirap ako sakaniya.
"But my granddaughter just said that you're in love with someone else." sambit ni lolo.
Napalingon sa banda ko si Drexzel kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. Kinabahan ako bigla. Bakit ba naman kasi kailangan sabihin 'yon pero totoo naman. He's still in love with Samantha, i just don't know why he's persuing me.
Power tripping, i guess? sinasakyan ko na lang.
"Indeed, i am."
I gritted my teeth. See? he did not deny that fact! mabuti na lang hindi ako nagpapadala sakaniya, mabuti na lang at alam ko na ang bagay na 'yon.
"But that was before, it was late that i found out that i am inlove with her noong pumunta siya ng America nang hindi sinabi saakin."
Bakit ko naman sasabihin? engot.
"Pero sinaktan mo siya noon." mariing sambit ni lolo.
"Yes, i did horrible things to her but i regretted those things. I want to make it right, and being with her feels so right that's why i'm here to persue her no matter what it takes."
I don't know but my heart just melted. I grunted on my head. No...
"Kung ganoon naman pala, anak. Bakit hindi mo siya sagutin? I can see that he's sincere..."
"It's not that easy, mom."
"I understand her, i don't want to pressure her. Ayoko namang sagutin niya ako dahil lang napipilitan siyang sagutin ako. I want her to love me again, the way she loved me before."
I looked away.
I sighed. It sound so good to my ear but i just can't give in. Hindi pwede, kung sakaling mahal ko pa nga siya gaya nang sinasabi ng kapatid ko, hindi ko pa rin siya hahayaan na makuha lang ako nang basta basta. I want him to earn me. Earn my trust, earn my love.
Mabuti na lang at tinigilan na rin nila kami. Nagpaalam na rin muna si Drexzel na bumalik sa mesa nila.
My mind flew. I can't stop thinking about what he have said, but i also can't stop thinking about Samantha's whereabout. She's nowhere to be found, i never seen here nang makabalik ako rito.
Where could she be?
In Drexzel's penthouse, i guess?
Iniisip ko pa lang na tinatago ni Drexzel si Samantha sa loob ng penthouse niya, uuwi siya doon at sasalubungin siya ni Samantha ng yakap, hindi ko alam pero nasasaktan ako.
Am i falling for him again? Tama nga kaya si Chlay? Tama kaya siya no'ng sinabi niyang i am just being in denial with my own feelings?
I got bored. Nothing's interesting in here. Tumayo ako at nagpaalam na lalabas lang. There is a garden in here, sa pagkakaalam ko. Nang makita ko na ang likod at nalamang mag garden nga roon ay walang pagdadalawang isip akong naglakad papunta sa isang bench na malapit sa isang fountain.
The cold air embraced my body kaya agad akong napayakap sa sarili at hinimas ang magkabilang balikat ko.
I should've brought some wine...
"Why are you here?"
Napalingon ako sa nagsalita at nakita kong si Drexzel 'yon. Napairap naman ako.
"Why did you follow me here?" i rolled my eyes once again.
"I'm your shadow." he grinned.
My lips twitched.
"Funny."
He chuckled and went near me. Umuli siya sa tabi ko. To be honest, hanggang ngayon ay naninibago ako sa kinikilos niya. Hindi naman siya ganito noon, he's cold and stoic, emotionless, heartless. I rarely hear him laugh, nor smile. But now, he's laughing and getting along, smiling, grinning, he's now showing emotions.
"Is there something bothering you? Is it about earlier?" seryosong tanong niya.
"I want to ask you something."
"What is it?" his brows furrowed.
"Saan si Samantha? Hindi ko siya nakikita, bakit wala siya? Are you hiding her? Are you playing games again with me? Tell me."
"What are you talking about? I am not hiding her, i am not hiding anyone nor playing games with you. I am fucking serious when i told you, them, that i want you back."
"But why does it feel that you're hiding something?"
He sighed.
"I am not hiding anything, i swear to you. stop doubting my love for you 'cause it fucking hurts."
"You can't blame me..."
"I know, that's why i am trying my very best to have you again."
"Pero hindi mo naman sinasagot ang tanong ko. Saan si Samantha?" i asked again.
Muli siyang bumuntong hininga.
"She's in london. She's busy with her own career now, i already cleared something between us... I am not in love with her anymore, i'm in love with you..."
I bit my lower lips.
I guess, i still like him but i won't make it easy for him. Earn me, Drexzel.
To be continued.