Lumabas na si Stephanie ng cottage nila suot suot ang kanyang oversized sunglasses. Nagbihis na sya ng duster at nagpasyang maglakad lakad muna sa beach para mahanginan at mabawasbawasan ang kanyang headache. Palabas na sya ng gate papuntang beach ng narinig nyang may humahabol sa kanya.
"Gigi, wait up," Enzo jogged after her.
"O, Sir Enzo, kayo po pala," Stephanie said tiredly.
"Gising na pala ang mahal na prinsesa," he smiled at her. "Okay ka na ba?"
"Po? Medyo may hangover pa po."
"Saan ka ba pupunta?"
"Dyan lang po sa may dagat, maglalakadlakad."
"Do you mind some company?" he smiled at her again.
"No, not at all."
Lumabas na sila ng gate at tinulungan ni Enzo si Stephanie humakbang over the uneven sand. Tinangal ni Stephanie ang kanyang tsinelas at naglakad along the shore, the foamy waves hitting her ankles. Hinawakan nya ang laylayan ng kanyang palda pataas para hindi ito mabasa.
"Alam mo, nakakatawa ka palang lasing," Enzo chuckled.
"Ha? Sorry ha. Nakakahiya ba?"
"Hindi naman. Ang cute mo nga eh. Mas bratinella ka pa pala pag may tama na," he nudged her with his elbow.
"Tigil tigilan mo nga ako ha," sabi nya ng may pagkamataray pero natawa na rin sya.
"Ang ingay ingay mo tapos lahat ng tao kinakausap mo, sinasayaw mo...sobrang fun to be around you."
"Hay, ano ba yan..." she covered her face with her free hand. She had heard tales of her drunken escapades from Rachel and their other friends, so hindi naman katakataka kung may ganun ngang nangyari.
"Tapos nung nakapiggy back ka kay Ashton, ang sabi mo pa nga, 'Go, horsey! Faster, horsey! Tigidig, tigidig!' Tawa kami ng tawa nila Eman at Lota pero yung mukha ni Ashton, hindi na maipinta."
"Oh em gee, ginawa ko talaga yun?"
"Oo! Hindi mo na matandaan?"
"Grabe, nakakahiya naman sa amo ko! I'm sure wala na akong trabahong babalikan mamaya," Stephanie shook her head.
"Okay lang yan," he slung an arm over her shoulder. "If ever he fires you, I will just bring you back to Manila with me and dun ka na lang magtrabaho sa bahay namin," he smiled again at her.
Mahilig talagang ngumiti si hijo...parang bata lang, walang pinoproblema, napakainosente. "If I go back to Manila, there's a good chance I won't work for you...or see you ever again, for that matter," she whispered to herself.
"What was that?" he said to her, his eyes questioning.
She was about to speak up when she saw Ashton striding towards them, his board shorts hung low on his hips, exposing his abs and that v-line girls love so much, holding his surf board in one arm and running his other hand through his wet hair. Stephanie just stared at Ashton, swallowing the saliva that threatened to dribble down her chin. Drooling over boys had never been her style.
Ashton was unsmiling as he looked at her. Her skirt was raised above her knees, exposing her perfectly shaped cream colored legs to the world. He was also annoyed that Enzo's arm was comfortably slung around her shoulders. He looked into her eyes, found that her chocolate colored orbs were also staring right back at him. Fearless talaga itong babaeng ito pagdating sa titigan.
"Hello, Gigi," Ashton said seriously. "You look like you're okay."
"I am."
"Pwede ba kitang makausap? In private?"
"Bro," Enzo began. He had a bad feeling about this talk. He hoped his feelings were wrong.
"It's okay," Stephanie said to Enzo and touched his forearm.
"Alright, I'll just head back to the house and get my surfboard."
"Sige," Stephanie began following Ashton as he walked down the beach. "Sir Ashton," she huffed as she caught up to him, his long strides too quick for her shorter legs. "I'm sorry about last night. I was really wasted, and I know that's not an excuse for whatever I may have said or done, so I can only offer my sincerest sorry," she bit her bottom lip.
Ashton looked at her. "Alcohol brings out people's honesty," he said seriously.
"I can understand if I'm fired," she looked down at her feet as the water landed over them.
"You're not fired," he looked away from her.
"I...I'm not?" she looked at him in surprise.
"Nope. Wala ka namang ginawa na unforgivable. You did try to pick up someone for me," he laughed.
"Oh my...I'm so sorry! Successful naman po ba? Maganda naman po ba?" she covered her face with one hand.
"Hindi. Sorry, pero I wasn't interested in her, even if maganda nga sya," he stole a glance at Stephanie again. "I'm actually pretty interested in someone else," he looked at her meaningfully, but she didn't see his face.
"Ay, oo nga po pala...not that I was eavesdropping, pero I overheard na may girlfriend ka na pala."
"It's complicated."
"I can relate."
"Huh?"
"Sa complicated na yan."
"So may boyfriend ka back home?" he asked uneasily, although he wanted to know the answer.
"Depends."
"On?"
"On many different things...on many different people," she shrugged.
"Wow. I never expected you to just sit there and not do anything to change your situation."
"Well, sometimes you just do what you have to do."
He felt relieved that she didn't have a boyfriend, but at the same time he felt troubled that the moment she returned home, she would. She was in the same boat as him...with someone else in control of one aspect of their lives. His free hand reached for her free hand and squeezed it. Dahil sa ginawa nya, napatingala si Stephanie sa kanya. He faced her slowly and started leaning down.
"Gigi!" Enzo returned now also wearing board shorts and a rash guard while carrying his short board. "Wanna surf?"
Stephanie let go of Ashton's hand and turned to Enzo. "Uh, hindi ako marunong eh."
"Tuturuan kita!" Enzo said excitedly.
"Wala akong pang surf."
"May swim suit ka ba?"
"Wala eh."
"I bought you one when I bought my rash guard."
"Ano?" nagulat si Stephanie sa narinig.
"Binigay ko na kay Carlota. Sige na, magbihis ka na. Hintayin ka namin dito."
Stephanie looked at Ashton as if asking for permission. Ashton just smiled at her in confirmation. Sa totoo lang, matagal nang gustong magswimming ni Stephanie pero hindi nya lang magawa kasi wala nga syang dalang swim suit. Sana lang cute ang napili ni Enzo. Mabilis syang nagbihis at sinuot ulit ang kanyang duster. Binalikan nya na sina Enzo at Ashton na ngayon ay nakabalik na sa may gate.
"I'm ready," she stated. She wasn't about to let this moment pass her by.
"Susuotin mo yan?" Enzo asked her.
"Of course not, silly."
She reached for the hem of her duster and pulled it up over her head, first revealing her legs, then her flat stomach, and then her chest. Enzo picked a simple black two piece bikini. It was sexy, but for as much skin as it exposed, she didn't feel like she was exposing too much or exposing things she wasn't supposed to. Both brothers just stared slack jawed at Stephanie. Did this girl even know how she affected them? Malamang.
"Okay, first I'll teach you how to get on."
Enzo dropped Ashton's surfboard flat on the sand. He decided to use Ashton's because the long board was easier for beginners to learn on. Enzo taught her how to paddle using her arms while laying on her stomach and then hopped up on the board using her arm and leg muscles. They practiced a few times on the sand while Ashton just sat on the sand near them, watching the two. After about 20 minutes on the sand, Stephanie told Enzo that she was ready to try surfing.
At first she kept losing her balance and falling into the water, the first time making Ashton run into the ocean because her wiping out made him extremely nervous. Luckily she resurfaced laughing at herself. They surfed for about an hour and she even was able to stand up the last few times on the board. Enzo carried both his and her surfboards back to the shore as she walked out of the water while finger combing her hair back with both hands, her stomach stretched taut and her chest sticking up, the sight so sensual that Ashton couldn't help but just stare at her. Naaakit sya ni Stephanie even if unintentional ang ginawa ng babae. He held up her towel for her, waiting to wrap it around this beautiful, sassy girl.
"Sorry I took over your board," she told him as she wrapped her towel tighter around her shoulders.
"No worries. I'm proud of you. Nakaya mong tumayo after just one lesson."
"Ang hirap pala! Pero if you never try, you'll never know, kaya salamat. Salamat din, Enzo," she smiled at the younger Benitez brother.
"My pleasure," Enzo replied. "I had fun."
"Me too."
***
"Kelan nga ulit uwi mo?" Ashton asked Enzo.
"Already kicking me out, big bro?"
The two were in the home theater watching an action movie about a super hero who got injected a serum to give him super human strength and turned him from a scrawny boy to a muscular man. They were rewatching it in time for the sequel that was about to open in theaters.
"Yes. Overstaying ka na," Ashton laughed.
"I'm here until Tuesday. I promised mom na one week lang ako dito."
"Bro, yung promise mo ha. Huwag mong sabihin na alam mo kung nasaan ako."
"Hey, it's your secret to tell, not mine," they trained their eyes back on the screen. "Oo nga pala, bro, ilakad mo ko kay Gigi while I'm not here ha," Enzo looked at his brother.
"At bakit ko naman gagawin yun?" Ashton kept his eyes glued to the screen.
"I'm really interested in her. I've never met anyone like her before. Beautiful, brave, bold, and fierce. Ang hirap nya ng iwanan," natawa si Enzo sa sarili.
"You're a big boy now. Dapat may sarili ka ng diskarte," Ashton said boredly.
"Oo nga, pero it doesn't hurt if you let me call her once in a while, kahit after work hours."
"That's not really up to me."
"Sige, tatanungin ko sya."
"Ano to, phone pal?" Ashton teased his brother.
"May ganyanan?" Enzo punched his brother's shoulder playfully. "Basta, pag naging kami ni Gigi, invited ka sa kasal."
"Wow, confident. Don't count your chicks before they're hatched, baby bro."
"I just like to think positively. Eh ikaw, kelan ka magtithink positive? Kelan mo haharapin ang future wife mo?"
"Why do you always have to bring that up?!" Ashton said exasperatedly and threw his hands up in the air?
"Because it's reality, bro. I'm so glad I'm not the first born son. Walang expectations; walang responsibilities. Free to do what I want, when I want."
"Yeah, well, you forget that you are also Watson Benitez's son. Walang free free."
"Kuya, tapatin mo nga ako. Are you gay?"
"What? No!" tinapunan nya ng throw pillow ang nakangising Enzo.
"Eh kasi, wala ka namang girlfriend ngayon. Tapos ayaw na ayaw mo sa nirereto ni mommy sa yo. Parang allergic ka pa nga eh."
"Hindi naman sa ganun...pero ayoko lang talaga na pinangungunahan ako. Besides, I'm busy."
"Busy vacationing and hiding out. Buti na lang marami ka nang naipon from working for dad. Napatayo mo nga itong safe haven mo eh. Hangang hanga ako sa yo."
"Ganyan dapat, Zo. Hindi puro babae ang inaatupag mo."
"Excuse me, hindi puro babae. Isang babae lang. Gigi lang."
"Sa lahat ng babae, sa bratinellang dragona ka pa talaga nahulog."
"Iba ang magic nya, kuya eh. She's like a magnet. Sya lang talaga."
I know what you mean. Grabe, kapatid ko ba talaga ang karibal ko? Napabuntong hininga si Ashton. It doesn't matter. I'm practically engaged, and I can't fall for Gigi. Correction, I can't fall for her deeper. Hanggang boss/employee lang ang pwedeng relasyon naming dalawa. He let out a curse word under his breath and napatingin tuloy si Enzo sa kanya.
"Grabe, ang sexy ni Agent Carter," Ashton covered up.
"Not as sexy as Gigi kanina. Natulala talaga ako. Akala ko she was sexy in her jeans kagabi pero kanina...yowza!" bulalas ni Enzo na halatang may halong pagnanasa.
"Loko ka, binilihan mo talaga ng bikini?"
"And it was worth every piso."
His brother smacked him upside the head.
"Huwag na huwag mong paglalaruan si Gigi, Zo."
"I have no intentions of playing with her, bro. I really like her. Not only that, I'm scared na she will personally chop off my balls if I hurt her."
Natawa si Ashton sa sinabi ng kanyang kapatid. That's my girl.