Isinisingit ang pagsulat habang nagkakandaloka sa kabusyhan..:)
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Chapter 29
Meanwhile in the Philippines…
Puno ng lumang makakapal na libro ang library. Abot hanggang kisame at nakalinyang mga helera ng estante. The room smelt of leather and books. Despite the old style, the library was superbly free of dust to every nook. Tahimik na sumisipsip ng napakamahal na wine sa baso ang dalawang lalake. Hindi nakapagpigil ang isa na mas nakababata at ibinoses ang nasa utak.
“I’m tired of waiting Kumpadre. Kelan ba talaga siya darating? Malapit nang matapos ang taon. Are you sure mapapauwi mo siya?” Hindi makatingin ng diretso na tanong nito.
Tiningnan siya ng matalim ng mas matangkad at mas mukhang taga ibang bansa na lalake. “Are you doubting my word?” Halos pabulong ang boses nito. Parang gumagapang na gagamba sa balat ang epekto ng boses nito.
“Hindi naman. Ang kaso, the year’s gonna end soon. My daughter’s heart is at stake. So is our business. Lahat nakasalalay sa pag-uwi niya-”
“You need to learn a lesson. When I say he’s gonna come home, then he will.” Matigas at puno ng awtoridad na sabi nito.
The other meekly nodded. Walang sumasalungat sa Patriarch ng malaking angkan ng mayayamang Stevens. Lalung-lalo nang walang kumekuwestiyon sa sinasabi nito. He’s lucky at intakto pa ang katawan niya. Damn lucky.
And he ain’t gonna push his luck.
Trixie
“Hey Trix, have ya’seen Izzy?” Some guy asked her. Sanay na siya na ganito. Parang lost and found booth ng best friend niya.
She shook her head at ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad. Startlingly, sumunod ito sa kanya. She raised her brows as a question.
“Ya’want a drink?” He asked shyly yet pasigaw dahil sa ingay sa paligid at kinamot pa nito ang batok nito which is disturbing. She doesn’t like unsure guys since napaligiran siya mula pagkabata ng mga confident stubborn Stevens men. Mula Grandpa, Dad, cousins up to her Kuya.
So hindi pala sa best friend niya ito ngayon. Sa kanya pala. Sa magbabarkada, siya ang pinaka hindi habulin ng lalake dahil sa Kuya niya. Sometimes she’s pissed and sometimes she’s thankful for the invisible protection. May kakaibang aura kasi ang Kuya niya na kahit noong hindi ito nakapwesto sa student council ay natataboy pa rin nito ang mga gustong pumuntos sa kanya.
Isa pang hadlang at advantage ang age gap nila. Isang taon lang ang agwat so ever since nagsimula silang mag-aral, konting iyak lang niya, her Kuya would act all superman. So apt since he decided to wear glasses.
She wonders what her Kuya and her best friend is doing right now. She sure hopes sumiklab na ang matagal ng pag-iinit ng dalawa sa isa’t-isa. She suspected all along may papaupuntahan ang sobrang pagkamuhi ng dalawa. Defense mechanism for unexplained attraction.
“Ya’want?” Tanong ulit nito.
She blinked her eyes and shook her head again at na-realize that she really hasn’t said a word to him. “No thanks.” Sagot niya and smiled apologetically.
“Ya’sure?” Bigla itong lumapit sa kanya, a little too close so she backed away only to be crushed into someone’s protective body. She saw the guy pale kaya nilingon niya ang nagligtas sa kanya ang flinched when she saw his face.
Brigham’s face is scowling at the poor lad effectively scaring him away. Ayaw niya itong makita ngayon. Tumalikod siya dito at mabilis na naglakad palayo.
“Trixie!” Brigham called and barely caught the hem of her blouse.
Mas binilisan niya pa ang paglalakad.
“Trixie!” This time, it wasn’t his voice. It’s Missy’s.
Nilingon niya ito and the petite girl hastily grabbed her wrists forcefully leading her away from the crowd. Too much power from a small girl like her, she almost smiled. She saw at the corner of her eyes the retreating figure of frustrated Brigham kaya nakahinga na siya ng maluwag. At least alam nito ang limit nito.
“What’s the problem Missy?” Tanong niya dito nang nakahinto na sila sa sulok.
“That bastard is in the party. Who invited him?” She hissed.
“Hey! Calm down. Bastard who? I only know the king of bastards and he was just recently dumped by our best friend.” Sagot niya dito na tinutukoy ang ngayong ex na ni Izzy na si shitface Clark.
Missy didn’t get the joke. Galit na galit ang mukha nito. “Michael Latrosse’s stalker of a son is in here.” Bulyaw nito.
“Latrosse? You mean the vice mayor?” Tanong niya dito and remembered the kid devirginized by Missy na naglakas-loob lumapit dito last Monday sa parking lot. “Oh. That kid…”
“Yeah! And that kid is stalking me! Arghh! He thinks he’s in love with me! Isn’t he stupid?” Nagpapanic na babble nito.
Muntik na siyang ngumisi. This is terribly weird. Missy is always the one in love with every man she dates.
“Missy, I think you’re overreacting.” Sabi niya dito.
She looked at her wide-eyed. “Am I? God! I didn’t know how to react when he told me that. I just yelled ‘Are you kidding me?’ and then I ran-”
“Bitches!” Someone yelled cutting Missy’s raving.
Napalingon sila at nakita ang galit na galit na mukha ni Nina. She angrily marched papunta sa kanila. Her very scanty party outfit makes the men lick their lips. “Where are your knives Trix? I need a set.” She angrily spat.
In the kitchen, of course. Pero hindi niya iyon sinabi ng malakas. “Why?” She asked instead.
“Oh, I’m just going to castrate Riley.” Pasimple nitong sagot.
“What?!” Sabay-sabay nila ni Missy na sigaw.
“Nina, calm down.” Si Missy naman ngayon ang nagpapakalma dito. How ironic since just a few seconds ago, ito ang dapat pakalmahin.
“What did he do Nina?” Tanong niya dito.
“He’s just currently cheating on me so I thought I might surprise him by cutting his penis… leaving it inside the girl’s vagina.” She grinned wickedly or maybe bitterly.
Oh no… She can’t let that happen. Kahit kumukulo din ang dugo niya kay Riley. That douche! Andito sila sa bahay nila and she won’t be able to handle the press pag lumabas ang ganoong balita since kilalang plantation magnate ang mga magulang ni Riley. Lalung-lalo na ang mga reaksyon ng mga magulang niya dahil on the first place, wala dapat party na nangyayari ngayon
God, where is Izzy when you need her? She knows how to handle this.
Pero somehow, masaya siya na wala ngayon dito si Izzy dahil alam niya kung asan ito. With her Kuya! At last!
She pursed her lips nang nakita niya ulit sa line of vision niya si Brigham. Na-realize niya na kung nasa gulo si Izzy, si Brigham nag-ha-handle lahat. Crowd and press people control pati na rin kicking someone’s butt. Should she ask him?
Napabuga siya ng hininga. Of course she should. She won’t let him interfere sa personal life niya but if it’s about to be ruined, her pride can be lowered a bit for everybody’s sake. Maiipit ang Kuya niya kung saka-sakaling magkabukingan at pinilit niya lang din ito.
“You two wait here or in my room. I’ll talk to Brigham. He’ll know what to do.” Sabi niya sa dalawa na nag-aaway na yata.
Nang iniangat niya ulit ang ulo niya para hanapin ito, he’s gone. She quickly scanned the thick crowd grooving and looking high. Not even his shadow could be seen. Where the hell-
“You need to talk to me?” An amused voice spoke behind her na nagpatalon sa kanya.
Damn his sneaky! Sa inis niya sa amused na expression nito muntik niya ng sabihing wala siyang kailangan dito. She squared her shoulders at pinandilatan ito ng mata hangga’t nawala ng nagbabantang ngiti nito.“My friends and I – we’re up to cutting someone’s penis.”
He instinctively covered his zipper and took a step back.
“Geez Brigham, not your penis, though I wouldn’t mind cutting it with a bread knife.” Pang-iinis niya. Gustung-gusto niyang tumawa sa panlalaki ng mga mata nito at konting pamumula ng pisngi na sa tingin niya ay guni-guni lang ng mahagip ng ilaw ang mukha nito.
“Tapos ka na sa joke mo?” He snapped.
“Old man, that wasn’t a joke.” Pang-iinis niya pa lalo dito.
“Stop calling me old man!” He glared at her.
Hindi siya ang tipong umuurong kapag hinahamon. “At ang buong akala ko ikaw ang pinaka-passive magpakita ng emosyon na tao. Am I getting on your nerves?”
His eyes turned cold. The bodyguard Brigham is back. “Not at all. Now I’ve got work to do. If you’ll excuse me-”
“I am your work Brigham and you damn well know you’re not excused.” She stated.
Kung sino man ang nakarinig would have to be shocked. Kilala siya as the happy go lucky Trixie. Ang walang pakialam. Pero ngayon, the Stevens blood took over. She’s not the authoritarian type pero pag naiirita na siya o malapit ng magalit, nilalamon siya ng bad side of Stevens blood. At seldom pa sa seldom mangyari iyon. It has to be Brigham.
“Glad to finally meet your true color Miss Stevens.” Nang-iinsulto nitong sabi nang hinarap siya ulit nito.
“For the record, hindi ako nagtatago sa likod ng Lolo ko. Now follow me dahil may ipapagawa ako sayo. Or do I need to ask first kung pwede mo bang gawin yun because you might be crossing someone other than Tito Isidore.”
Sa bilis ng galaw nito, halos hindi niya nakita. Naramdaman niya lang na nakasandal na ang likod niya sa pader at bumulaga sa harap niya ang galit nitong mukha. “I’m warning you Trixie. Wala akong ginagawang masama. My loyalty belongs to Mr. Stephens.”
“Prove it. Don’t let my Grandpa send Kuya back home.” Panghahamon niya dito.
Bigla na lang siya nitong binitiwan at inilagay sa likod ang kamay na para bang ito ang nakakataas na posisyon sa kanya. “I don’t have to prove anything to you.”
“Damn you.” Inis niyang sabi.
“Do I get to say same to you?” He smiled bitterly and then turned his back. “Find me after you’ve calmed down then we’ll settle the problem with Nina’s cheating boyfriend.”
“Glad to finally meet your true color Mister Hallwick. Sa tingin mo you can pacify me later? Trust me, ngayon pa lang the answer is no.” Hell no. Arrogant bastard.
Dahan-dahan itong lumingon sa kanya at alam niya na kung bakit ipinagkatiwala ng Tito Isidore niya ang buhay nila ni Izzy kay Brigham. He was terrifying.
And she’s not even a tad bit scared.
Sinuklian niya ang tingin nito ng mapaklang ngiti at naglakad. Muntik na siyang matawa nang maramdaman niyang tahimik itong sumunod.
Muntik na siyang tumakbo nang inakbayan siya nito.
“You’ll say yes Trix. You’ll bloody say yes.” He squeezed her shoulders. “Because I don’t take no as an answer.” He said with no room for challenge.
~~~
Anyare sa dalawanh yun?:) haha
pavote po if deserving...:)