Chapter 39
I excused myself and went to a near comfort room. I stared myself at the mirror. Medyo kumalat ang mascara ko kaya agad akong naghilamos para matanggal iyon. I removed the rest of my make up, then applied a light lipstick para naman kahit papaano ay hindi ako mukhang maputla.
I once stared my reflection again. I hope this is the last time i will cry for him. Pagod na ako.
Nararamdaman ko pa rin ang sakit sa puso ko. Every beat hurts like hell, na para itong tinutusok ng karayom. It may sound cliché but that's how it is. Walang katao tao rito sa loob kaya malaya akong magmukmok. When i was about to turn my back and leave, the light suddenly turned off and the door slammed close. Agad naman akong nakaramdam ng kaba nang maramdaman kong may taong nakatayo sa harapan ko.
I don't know what to do, hindi ako makapagsalita, hindi ako makasigaw ng tulong. I'm in the state of shock. I can feel the person in front of me, overtowering.
Am i gonna die?
"W-Who are you? please don't hurt me." nanginginig ang aking boses, nagmakakaawa.
"It's me."
I frozed. My lips were hanging, hearing that voice again, that fucking voice that i missed. I know it's him, i know him too well, i'm in love with him that's why i know that this man in front of me is... Drexzel.
My longing suddenly changed with anger when i remembered why we are in this situation. Ang kapal naman ng mukha niyang sumunod dito, matapos lahat, What is this? closure? talagang sa CR pa talaga?
"What the fuck do you want? Gusto mo ba akong mamatay sa kaba, huh?!" i yelled.
Wala akong pakealam kung may makarinig man saamin sa labas. I don't care. I was about to push him away, nang naramdaman ko ang magaspang niyang kamay sa braso ko at nagulat na lamang ako na yakap yakap na niya ako. My eyes immediately watered.
Fuck, i missed him...
"I hate you..." i cried.
"I know... i know, baby." his gentle voice filled my ears.
Nang maalala ko bigla kung paano niya ako pinagmukhang tanga, na halos mabaliw na ako kakaisip kung bakit hindi niya ako kinocontact o kahit i-text man lang ay agad ko siyanf tinulak palayo. I can't clearly see his face, dahil nga madilim rito.
"Don't you dare call me that!"
I flinched when the lights turned on. Binuksan niya ito, at nanatili ang kamay niya sa switch habang nakatingin saakin nang diretso. I gritted my teeth.
He really looks good, mukhang mas lalo pa siyang gumwapo ngayon. Habang ako mukhang stress dahil sakaniya. He look really manly with his suit, which emphasizes his biceps, the two button of his polo are opened which slightly showed his chest.
I bit my lips. Nakakalimutan ko atang galit ako sakaniya!
"Pinagmukha mo akong tanga! Sana hindi na lang ako pumunta dito para hanapin ka! I wished that i didn't go here if i will just witness how you betrayed me... you betrayed me again." my voice are slowly fading.
It hurt so bad.
"Ang hirap mong mahalin, nakakapagod, nakakaubos..."
Umawang ang kaniyang labi at namungay ang kaniyang mata matapos kong sabihin ang mga katagang iyon. I saw the pain in his eyes, but I don't want to be deceived anymore.
"You should have told me na mahal mo pa siya! I will understand, i will try to understand but please not like this... sana hindi sa ganitong paraan. Do you really want to hurt me? masaya bang makita akong ganito sa'yo? Does it boost your pride and ego?!"
He stepped closer, i wanted to step backwards but i cannot go any further, nasa tapat lang ako ng sink kaya wala na akong maaatrasan. He held my hands and i aggressively avoided his touch.
"Don't touch me!"
He bit his lips frustratingly.
"I want you to listen to me..." he whispered.
It almost melt me. His massive warm voice can always take over me. What more if he touches me? embrace me? or worse... kiss me? Baka tuluyan na akong bumigay sakaniya.
"I am done with your lies, Drexzel!"
"Just please listen." the way he emphasized his words made me stop from talking back. As if i really need to listen to him?
Damn! Magpapauto na naman ba ako?
"Fine." sabay pahid sa aking luha.
"This is all just for show--"
"For show?!"
"Just let me talk first, please..." mariing sabi niya kaya napatahimik na lang din ako.
Whatever.
Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto niyang sabihin, he seems serious about it. Seryoso man siya o hindi, the question is... Am i going to believe him?
He sighed before he open his mouth once again.
"Again, this is all for show to corner Samantha's family. Our company lost a billions of money, and we are suspecting that it was them who took it."
"Paano kung hindi totoo?"
"Well, we know that it was them. We have proofs but not that strong to point them out. Lolo asked me to marry Samantha for show, i declined at first and asked Dexter to do it instead but we all know that Samantha is obsessed with me..."
"You should have told me! Maiintindihan ko! Bakit kailangan baliwin mo ako nang ganun?!"
"Baby, God knows how much i wanted to contact you, how badly i wanted to see you..."
Hearing those made my tears drop and my heart skipped.
"But i can't, we need to take more evidences. Samantha's always checking my phone. I'm sorry i made you suffer..."
Umiling ako. Hindi pwedeng gano'n na lang iyon. Sobrang nasaktan ako, halos mabaliw ako kakaisip kung saan siya, kung totoo ba ang mga balitang kumakalat. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong dapat kong gawin matapos marinig ang paliwanag niya. But one thing is for sure, if this one is true, i won't let Samantha win. But for now, hahayaan ko munang magdusa si Drexzel pero sisiguraduhin kong saakin pa rin siya babagsak.
That manipulating bitch! Kapag natapos 'to lahat kakalbuhin ko talaga siya!
"Umalis ka na baka hinahanap ka na sa labas." malamig kong sambit.
"Alright, but stay away with that guy." sambit niya.
My brows furrowed.
"Guy who?"
I saw his jaw moved. What? is he mad?
"The guy who's keep whispering to ears, his face was too close and it's an eye sore for me." mariing sambit niya.
"Malamang! May tao bang bubulong nang malayo?"
He gritted his teeth.
"It's making me jealous."
"E'di mag-selos ka!"
Akmang tatalikuran ko na siya nang bigla niya ako hinigit pabalik saka hinalikan nang mariin. I was caught off guard, i couldn't react. But as he moved his lips, i suddenly gave into his arms.
Nang matauhan ay tinulak ko na siya palayo saka sinamaan siya ng tingin. I rolled my eyes on him and turn away. Bumalik na ako sa table namin, taka naman akong binalingan ni Marie.
"Okay ka lang? Ang tagal mo atang bumalik?" kuryosong tanong niya.
"M-Madami kasing tao..."
"Huh? Eh halos wala ngang tao roon? Iyong totoo!"
"Nakita kong papunta rin si Drexzel roon, nagkita ba kayo?" said Vincent.
I frozed. Napatingin naman ako kay Marie na pinandidilatan ako ng mata. Umiwas na lang ako ng tingin pero alam kong hindi niya ako titigilan.
"I think you have a kwento to tell." ngisi niya.
Napailing na lang ako.
The whole night halos mahilo ako dahil panay ang irap ko sa stage kung saan sina Drexzel at Samantha. Hindi na rin nagtagal ay bumalik na kami sa suite namin. As Marie closed the door, her mouth opened like a gun.
"What now! Nakita no'ng Vincent si Drexzel papunta kung saan ka! Hindi pwedeng hindi kayo nagkita! Ano? Nag-usap ba kayo? okay na ba ang lahat? Nagkadramahan ba?!"
I pressed the bridge of my nose. Sumasakit ang ulo ko sakaniya.
"Marie..."
"Ano? sabihin mo! curious na ako dito oh!"
"Pwede ba?! Shut your mouth first, saka ako magkukwento."
She rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
Nang sa wakas matahimik siya ay agad akong nagsimula magkwento sakaniya. I told her about Samantha's family, how manipulative Samantha is, i told her everything minus the kissing part of course. That's our privacy.
"Ako na ang kakalbo sa Samantha na 'yon?!"
"Calm down!"
The night was chaotic. Halos hindi ako makatulog kakaisip. Hindi pa rin pumapasok sa isip ko kung totoo ba ang lahat nang iyon, totoo bang nag-usap na kami ni Drexzel. Too many revelation in just one night. Dahil na rin siguro sa pagod at pag-iyak ay nakatulog na rin ako.
Nagising na lang ako kinaumagahan nang marinig ko ang maingay na boses ni Marie.
"Siguraduhin mo lang na hindi mo na sasaktan ang kaibigan ko?!"
Fuck? sino ang kausap niya?
"I won't"
Agad akong napabangon ang marinig ang boses na iyon. Fudge! he's here?! anong ginagawa niya rito!?
Agad akong tumayo at binuksan ang pinto. And there i found Marie and Drexzel talking. Sabay silang napalingon sa pinaroroonan ko.
"Oh ayan gising na!"
I blinked.
He looked so fresh with his fitted white shirt and jeans. Mukhang kakaligo niya lang rin habang ako kakagising lang. Damn, sana kahit naghilamos man lang ako. This is embarassing!
Who cares! ano naman?
"Good morning." he greeted.
Umirap ako. Hiding my overwhelming emotions. Nilampasan ko siya ay dumiretso sa kusina.
"Nagbreakfast ka na?" it was a question from Marie to Drexzel.
Mas concern pa siya sa lalaking iyan ah?!
"Yeah, i already did."
Bumaling naman ako sa mabango at kaakit akit na lalaki sa likuran ko. Halos mapamura ako nang pagharap ko ay sobrang lapit pala namin sa isa't isa kaya napaatras ako. I cleared my throat.
"B-Bakit ka nandito?" mataray kong tanong.
"Just checking on you."
Umirap ako.
"I don't need the checking. Okay ako, hindi ko kailangan ng concern mo."
I think he did not expect that remark kaya hindi siya nakapagsalita. Bigla naman akong nakaramdam ng awkwardness. Am i too mean? Well, he deserved it anyway, i think.
"Glad that you're fine. Just tell me if you need something."
Hindi na lang ako umimik dahil baka kung anong salita na naman ang lumabas sa bibig ko. Hinintay ko na lang siya makaalis bago bumaling kay Marie.
"Arte." bulong niya.
"Anong arte ka diyan!" i exclaimed.
"Sa gwapong iyon? susungitan mo? Ang mga katulad ni Drexzel ay dapat niluluhudan!"
Sinamaan ko naman siya ng tingin kaya natigil rin siya sa pag-iingay niya.
Now that we already found him, and we already knew the truth maybe we will stay a little bit longer here. Maybe i'll take this as a vacation too, i need to relax my mind. I don't have any plans today, like going out shopping. Maybe I'll take a dip mamaya.
Nang dumating ang hapon saka ko napagdesisyunang bumaba at magswimming. Maybe the feels of water will refresh my whole being. Pero hindi ko inaasahang nandito rin si Drexzel. He's in the bar counter with his eyes glued on me. Umirap na lang ako sakaniya.
Just ignore him, Chloe!
I removed my robe showing my red two piece. Bigla naman akong nakaramdam ng pagkailang nang mahagip ng mata ko ang titig niya saakin.
Damn, what is he looking at?
Pinipilit kong baliwalain ang presenya niya. But his presence is too strong to ignore. Kabado akong bumaba ng pool at hindi namalayan na may lalaki na palang tumabi saakin.
"Hi."
It was the guy last night.
"You?"
He chuckled.
"Yep, me. I bet you forgot my name." he grinned.
Tinikom ko ang bibig ko. Muli akong sumulya sa pinaroroonan ni Drexzel at dumoble ang kaba ko nang makita ang galit niyang mukha.
"Uhm..."
"It's Vince, don't get too distracted with him. Ikakasal na iyan." wika niya.
Agad naman akong natigilan. Ikakasal my ass! It was all for show, alam kong hindi matutuloy iyon, hindi ako papayag na matuloy iyon.
Hindi ko namamalayan ang distansya namin ng lalaking ito. I was about to push him away when a huge man approached us, isa ata ito sa bodyguard ng hotel. Taka kong tinignan ang mama, mas lalo akong nagtaka nang inabutan niya ako ng phone.
"This is not mine."
"A call from our boss, ma'am." sambit nito.
My brows furrowed. Nagdadalawang isip ko iyong tinanggap saka sinagot ang tawag. Then heared the voice from the call... it sent me shiver that i couldn't answer him.
"Stay away from him or i'll drag you out of that pool."
Saka ako lumingon sa direksyon niya. He's giving me a menacing look, na nagkusa na akong lumayo kay Vincent.
To be continued.