Chapter 30
"Kung siguro ako 'yon baka natunaw na ako." she grinned dreamily.
We're here at my office and we are having a little chitchat about what happened last night. Naikwento ko nga sakaniya ang nangyari kaya todo tili naman siya nang malaman niya ang mga sinabi saakin ni Drexzel.
"Pero hindi naman ako 'yon kaya..." she shrugged.
Umirap ako sakaniya pero hindi pa rin matigil ang bunganga ni Marie at patuloy pa rin sa pagyugyog saakin.
"Pero hindi ka man lang ba kinilig ha? Wala ka na bang puso?" she shook me.
Iritadong tinanggal ko ang pagkakahawak niya saakin.
"Stop it nga!"
"Wala ka na ba talagang feelings para sakaniya? Sayang naman effort niya kung babaliwalain mo lang?"
"Binabalewala ko ba?"
"Bakit hindi ba?"
"Hindi." sagot ko.
Her grin grew bigger and moved even more closer to me. Medyo napalayo ako sakaniya dahil sa ngisi at tingin na binibigay niya sa'kin.
"You're creeping me out." i said.
"Hindi mo siya binabalewala kung gano'n, anong ibig sabihin no'n my friend?" she grinned.
I sighed. There's no point hiding it from her, she's my bestfriend after all.
"Well... I am not sure about this but i think i am starting to fall for him again." i muttered. She was about to shriek but i spoke again so she stopped. "I still don't know, maybe i'm just confused or what but i don't want to realize someday that i fell for him when it's too late."
"Chloe..."
I rolled my eyes when she gave me a dramatic look.
"But then again, natatakot pa rin akong sumugal... natatakot ako na baka matulad na naman sa dati."
Ngumiwi naman siya.
"Hindi ka naman tinatanggalan ng karapatan na matakot para sa sarili mo, but you know... kung patuloy mong pipigilan ang sarili mo, you will lose your chance."
Both of us sighed. Alam ko naman. My brother's right, i should stop refraining myself because it might be too late for me when i decided to fight for my feelings. Yes, i am still in love with him maybe i was just blinded by my fear and hatred towards what happened from the past. But it would be too coward for me not to risk this time.
But i won't give him the satisfaction that easily.
The next day Andrex visited me sa café. Medyo nasurpresa ako dahil hindi ko inaasahan na pupunta siya rito or maybe i was just expecting that it was Drexzel at hindi siya. Marie's out with her boyfriend, naboboring na rin naman ako rito kaya i entertained Andrex.
"What brought you here?" i casually asked.
Ngumisi naman siya.
"Don't you miss me?" he grinned. Inirapan ko siya pero ngumiti na rin ako kinalaunan.
"Bakit naman kita mamimiss?"
"Parang wala naman tayong pinagsamahan, lagi pa nga kitang binabalaan noon sa kapatid ko, hindi ba?"
Ngumiwi ako.
"So you went here just to warn me again?"
"Hindi na, i came here para makipag-catch up lang." he chuckled.
Pinapasok ko siya sa opisina ko dahil occupied lahat ng tables sa labas. I asked Mae for a cup of coffee for the both of us. Nilibot niya naman ang tingin sa buong opisina ko.
"Don't you think your office is too small?"
"I'm fine here, kumportable naman ako." sagot ko naman.
Dumating naman si Mae dala dala ang kape naming dalawa at dalawang sliced cheese cakes. Bago umalis si Mae, Andrex winked at her. Namula si Mae kaya agad siyang lumabas. Napangiwi naman ako sa ginawa ni Andrex.
"What a flirt." i gave him an annoyed look.
"Bakit selos ka?" he chuckled. "Pasensya na pero may fiancee na ako."
"Exactly, you're flirting kahit na may fiancee ka na? Mabuti na lang at hindi ka niya nahuhuli." sambit ko sakaniya.
He shrugged.
"She doesn't give a damn, we both loath each other." ngumisi siya pero may kakaiba sa mga mata niya. "Anyway, let's not talk about her."
Biglang nagpalit siya ng emosyon. Inirapan ko naman siya, he chuckled.
"Ano pinunta mo dito kung gano'n?"
"Wala naman, gusto ko lang naman kayo kumustahin ng kapatid ko. So how are you guys?"
"What do you mean?"
"Hindi ba't nanliligaw siya sa'yo? I'm curious kung sasagutin mo ba siya but if i were you hindi ko siya sasagutin dahil sa ginawa niya noon sa'yo." he smirked.
"Labas ka sa magiging desisyon ko, stop being a nuisance." iritadong sambit ko.
He barked a laugh.
"Damn woman, chill. Bakit? are you falling for him again, sasagutin mo siya kung ganoon?"
"Andrex, will you just shut up?" umirap ako.
He both raised his arms.
"Okay! Okay! Hindi na ako makikichismis, pero para lang sabihin ko sa'yo... totoo ang nararamdaman ni Drexzel para sa'yo." seryosong sambit niya.
Seryoso ko rin siya tinapunan nang tingin.
"Why are you telling me this?" i asked.
He shrugged.
"Because i think you deserve to know, matapos ang nangyari noon sa tingin ko deserve mong sumaya. But let me warn you again just like how i always does... Hindi si Drexzel ang kailangan mong bantayan kun'di si Samantha." he said with a stoic face.
"Ano ang ibig mong sabihin?"
But unfortunately before he could answer, a knocked disturbed us both. Sabay naman kaming napalingon sa may pintuan at laking gulat kong naroon si Drexzel na seryoso kaming tinitignan. Napatayo naman ako.
"Did i disturb something?" he uttered with his cold menacing face.
"W-Wala naman--"
"Yes you did, brother. As you can see nagkakamabutihan na kami ni Chloe..." said Andrex.
Drexzel's jaw clenched. Pinanlakihan ko naman ng mata si Andrex. Ano bang pinagsasabi nito?
"May fiancee ka na." malamig na sambit ni Drexzel.
"She won't mind."
"But i do mind, that girl is mine. Back off, Rex or i will tell Ven--"
"Fucker you know how to play this game now, huh? Fine, i'll back off. I'm just fooling you, masyado kang seryoso." sambit ni Andrex.
Napangisi naman si Drexzel at Sinenyasan si Andrex na lumabas. Umirap ang kapatid niya at lumabas na nga ng opisina ko. Kaya dalawa na kami ngayon ang natira dito. Shit naman. Naglakad na siya papunta saakin at literal na nanlaki ang mata ko nang bigla niya akong niyakap. I couldn't move.
"U-Uhh..."
"Stop making me jealous, i had enough five years ago..." he muttered.
"I'm n-not making you jealous and w-why are you hugging me?" i bit my lips to make it stop from trembling.
"Yes you are. You're making me jealous unconciously, wanna know a secret." sambit niya at marahang humiwalay mula sa pagkakayakap saakin.
"What?"
"I know what you think about me before, i am cold, too serious and grumpy. But little did you know that you are slowly changing me, when you told me that you like me i don't know but... i feel relieved and happy. And when everytime i saw you with my brother i feel like he's stealing you away from me and i hate how it feels..."
My lips parted.
"So y-you're telling me that you liked me before?" hindi makapaniwalang sambit ko.
Oh no! don't fall for his trap yet, not just yet. Kailangan mo pa siyang pahirapan! Stop being so marupok to him! Hindi nakakaganda 'yan!
"I wasn't aware of it, or maybe i was just being in denial." sambit niya.
I don't know but my heart just melted. Hindi ko alam pero ikinatuwa 'yon ng puso ko. To be honest, wala talaga akong kaalam alam sa tunay niyang nararamdaman noon but hearing this... i don't know if it's true pero malaki ang naging epekto no'n saakin.
"I don't know what to say..."
He grinned.
"You don't have to say anything. Just keep your eyes on me."
Mas lalo akong natameme. Hindi ko alam kung kailan ako masasanay na ganito siya! He's just too irresistible!
"Wanna go somewhere?" he asked while holding the tip of my fingers.
"Where?"
Nagkibit balikat siya.
"I don't know, anywhere you choose." sabi niya habang nakatingin sa mga daliri kong hawak niya.
"Penthouse mo." i uttered absentmindedly.
Napaangat siya ng tingin saakin. Then he slowly nodded and agreed to my suggestion. Hinintay ko muna matapos ang trabaho ko bago kami didiretso sa penthouse niya.
"What about my car?"
"We'll pick it up tomorrow."
Tumango ako at dumiretso na nga kami sa kotse niya. This is far from his old car, this is brand new and more luxurious this time. Mabango rin ang amoy ng kotse niya, smells like a manly minty after-shave. Napansin niya ang pasimpleng pag-amoy ko kaya napangisi siya, napaiwas naman ako nang tingin.
Parang sinusunod ko na lang siya. Whatever he says, i always allow myself to give in to his commands just like before. Is this bad? but why does it feels so good?
Nang makarating kami ay agad agad siyang bumaba at pinagbuksan ako ng pinto. Nang makababa ay hinapit niya ang bewang ko papalapit sakaniya, i slightly pushed him away.
"You're too close?" i rolled my eyes.
He grinned.
"I thought you like me this close?" he said with a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"Wala akong sinabing gano'n!" singhal ko sakaniya. Tinawanan niya lang ako at mas lalong hinila ako papalapit sakaniya.
My heart skipped.
"Okay then, ako na lang. I like us this close, i want you even more closer than this."
My mind got scandalized. Agad ko siyang hinampas sakaniyang braso.
"Ang bastos mo!"
Napaawang ang labi niya at nakatitig saakin. Then later on, he barked a huge laugh. My face flushed. Anong nakakatawa? He thinks i'm too innocent and naive? I know what he meant duh!
"Baby, what are you thinking? Anong bastos?" natatawang sambit niya.
I glared at him.
"I know what you meant. You want us to have sex, hindi ba? Kasi hindi sapat sa'yo ang ganito kalapit!" i said, accusingly.
Mas lalo siyang natawa.
"I did not mean to sound like that, i just want to be closer to you as much as possible but not in that kind of way... pero pwede rin." he grinned.
Umirap ako sakaniya. I feel flushed about our topic kaya hindi na lang ako umimik hanggang sa makarating kami mismo sa penthouse niya. The place doesn't even changed a bit, kung ano ito noon ganoon pa rin ang itsura niya hanggang ngayon.
I suddenly remembered the last time i stepped on this place. It was him and Samantha together, and the rest of it ayoko na masyadong alalahanin.
"Hindi mo man lang ba naisipang umalis rito? I mean, it's been a year and you're still here..." i uttered as if wander my eyes around.
"Because this is the place that reminds me of you..."
Natigilan ako. Nilingon ko siya and i got startled when i saw him too close to me, few more step and he'll definitely invade my personal space. Marahan ko siyang tinulak.
"Don't be too close." umirap ako nang pakunwari. "And stop talking nonsense."
"How can i get you back?" he muttered with his weary eyes looking straightly to me.
Napaiwas ako nang tingin. I hate how he makes me feel, the feeling that he can make me give in with just one snap of a finger or even just a blink of an eye, that easily. He's my slave now but it feels like he's not at ako pa rin ang nagpapaka-alipin sakaniya.
"Prove me something and maybe... just maybe, i will let you in again." i gulped.
He moved even closer.
"I am not really good at words, i already told you that. So i am acting how i feel but action without a word is confusing too that's why i am doing it both, just to prove to you that this is real, my love for you is real." he said with his piercing and intense looking eyes.
"How did you know that it's love? Maybe you're just confusing yourself too." mariing sambit ko.
What if naguluhan lang siya noong umalis ako? Nasanay lang siya dahil lagi akong nasa penthouse niya, everyday we're together. Kaya noong nawala ako nanibago siya? Ayokong dahil nasanay lang siya saakin kaya mahal niya ako, because that's far from the real meaning of love.
He sighed.
"I just know. Come on, i am not really good at words."
I stared at him, full of dominance.
"I don't want to be fooled again, not you nor anyone. Show me what you got, Drexzel Avello Acosta."
He stared back with the same intensity.
"I'll show you."
And before i could react, i just found our lips pressed to each other.
To be continued.