Chapter 20 – Luke Cruzate
Blake’s P.O.V.
Today is Rein first day of school. I mean, first day of studying again. I watched her hurried herself as she rushed prepararing everything she needs. With her cute sundress and pretty face, you wouldn’t even think that she’s already 25. She looks like she just turned 18.
“Blake, nakita mo ba yung sandals ko? Yung color brown?” I wiped away the sweat that was forming in her forehead and tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear.
“Don’t be too much in a hurry, Honey. Yes, alam ko kung nasaan. I’ll get them for you.”
“Thank you so much for allowing me.” She hugged and kissed me in my cheek and went back to put the things she needed inside her bag.
I went to the shoe rack and grabbed her brown sandals. I knew that this was her favorite because she always wears this with everything. I handed it to her and went downstairs for coffee.
Everything went different when I allowed her to study again. She became really thankful and sweet. The reason why I allowed her in the first place was because I thought this was the only way I could make it up to her with all the lies I did.
I also knew that I was hurting her because of the girls I brought home sometimes and about me dating even though we’re married.
But whatever this girl is doing, even the smallest things I knew inside that I was falling for her. I just realized that the night Ella and her had a girls night out.
Pagkatapos ko siya ihatid sa meeting place ni Ella, I couldn’t sleep dahil kung ano-ano naiisip ko na pwedeng mangyari sakanya on her way home. I mean, it’s almost 3am and she still isn’t here.
Before I even die here worrying about her, I stood up and decided na samahan ko na siya para sabay na din kaming umuwi.
When I opened the door, I saw a car stopped in front of our gate. It wasn’t really normal in this exclusive subdivision for someone to park in front of a gate not unless it was their visitor. I went back in, stopped at my tracks, and closed the door. Sumilip lang ako sa maliit na window in the living room.
Good thing we had our lights by the gate turned on because I could clearly see that Rein was inside that car with a man. Rein was smiling. The type of smile I didn’t see when she’s around me. I was about to go back to the couch and pretend to sleep when the next thing I saw stopped me.
Rein kissed the man. Yes, she was the one who started it. Tapos before pa sya bumaba the man gave her a smack on her lips.
I felt my self stiffened with what I saw. My heart beat loundly and my fists curled with the feeling I felt. Nung nakita ko na papasok na si Rein sa gate, tumakbo ako papunta sa couch and pretended to sleep.
My mood shifted when I remembered that night. Clearly, I have the right to be jelous because I am her husband. Dapat hindi niya yun ginawa.
Rein’s P.O.V.
“Remember, Rein. No one needs to know about us. Just think of an excuse with your new surname. And don’t entertain guys, okay?” Blake told me before I get out of his car and he drove away.
Bigla nalang nagiba yung mood niya nung pagkababa ko sa room. Nakita ko kasi siyang tulala tapos nung tinawag ko siya, he looked at me nang parang galit siya.
Anyway, my schedule says I only have to go to school every Mondays to Thursdays. Today’s Thursday so I don’t have classes on the following days. I have Studio and Drawing classes today.
“Good morning, ma’am.” The guard greeted me with a smile. What a good way to start my day.
I just smiled back and walked my way to the entrance. Suddenly, I got nervous when I saw that everytime the students swipe their ID’s, their name and picture would appear in a screen. Pano nalang kung may makakilala kaagad saakin nito?
Stupid me, kanina pa nila ako kilala. They’ve been looking at me eversince I stepped out of Blake’s car. I thought to myself as I swipped my ID and hurriedly walked inside one of the elevators that were going up.
My first class was on the 8th floor of the building. I felt awakward atmosphere once I went inside our room. It was just an open spaced room which had 3 long tables and chairs around it.
“Diba siya si Rein Villafuerte??”
“Isn’t she Erika Yllustre’s daughter?”
“She’s so pretty…”
I heard some of the girls whispering but I didn’t look at them. My blockmates were already there but we all remained silent until our professor went in and asked us to sign for attendance.
My blockmates belonged to the age brackets of 16-19 years old. Some of them were scholars and some of them, based on the schools they graduated their highschools in, were also part of the highclass society here in the Philippines.
Studio class went normal except for the fact that we didn’t get to introduce ourselves kaya we barely even know each other and our professor asked us to draw a plan for a plate agad. Blake and I had lunch for my 45 minute break and to my surprise, no one really noticed us and we were both thankful about that.
Blake told me that he’s going to wait for me ‘till my class ends and sabay na kaming uuwi. Blake’s real attitude was starting to show and I must say that he really isn’t that bad. He kissed me in my cheek for his ‘good-bye kiss’ daw at hindi ko alam why I felt sparks when his lips touched my cheeks.
I was smiling while I was on my way on the 14th floor for my drawing class. I kept on thinking that maybe, Blake and I’s relationship will work out. It will just take time.
The set-up on the 14th floor was the same as my class earlier, only it had bigger space and open windows which gave good views of Makati and Taft Avenue. The 3 long tables were formed into a U and the professors table was exactly in the middle.
I sat on the seat that was in front of the professor hoping that I would learn more techniques in drawing since I only know how to draw abstract art.
A few minutes more and my blockmates started filling up the empty seats beside me. I felt some of my blockmates didn’t like my presence, probably because I was too old. I just pretended to read my pocket book as we were waiting for our prof.
My sister started texting me like crazy telling me that Mom knew about her relationship already. I got too concentrated in texting her that I didn’t have the attention to look at the people who were entering the class.
I heard traces of white board marker in the board pero my sister was already panicking too much she started giving me missed calls. I bowed my head down and hid my phone under the table to text her.
“Holy sht.” I heard the man standing infront of us curse and my blockmates started staring at me.
“Bakit kayo nakatingin lahat saakin??” I asked Martin who was sitting beside me not minding of the person who cursed, which I guessed was our prof.
“I am guessing because our prof cursed when he saw you?” When he said that, my eyes automatically shifted to our prof.
My body felt stiff when I saw his familiar face and body built. He was still looking hot like the first time I saw him. He was just wearing a simple shirt and faded jeans yet he still looked like the typical ‘boy next door’ type.
“Aren’t you gonna answer that?” Martin asked me referring to my phone which was violently ringing. I turned it off and just gave my professor a faint smile. I didn’t really know how to act.
“Aheemmm…” Lahat kami napabalik yung attention sa prof namin. “Sorry for the wrong start, class. I just thought this young lady looked like someone.” He laughed off the awkwardness and one of my classmates decided to joke him.
“Sino, sir? Ex niyo?” Bigla siyang tumawa ng sa sinabi ng isa sa guy ko na blockmate.
“Hindi naman. To think of it, I’m starting to like this class kahit kakapasok ko palang dito.” He told us while he was directly looking at me while smiling like he meant something else. My knees felt week with his eyes. ‘Ang ganda talaga ng mata niya’ I thought to myself.
“Anyway, I’m Luke Cruzate. I graduated fine arts from UP. I’m 21. Hmmm…. Ano pa ba?” He walked around and stopped directly in front of me. “Just to add up something personal, to those who are probably wondering why I have these kind of eyes, I’m half European. My Mom’s from London and my Dad’s a Filipino.”
‘I wish I knew that the first time we met’ Kinakausap ko lang ng kinakausap sarili ko while I was staring at him.
“Just call me Luke. Wag niyo na lagyan ng Sir or Prof. I want this class to be open as possible. Parang magbabarkada lang tayo dito, okay?”
“Yes, Luke!!” My blockmates answered in a chorus. I can tell that they were all starting to like our professor. But ako, I didn’t know what to feel.
“So now, wala munang drawing. Bonding muna tayo. Introduce yourselves and lets ask each other questions. Kahit ano, walang limit yung questions na iaask sainyo. Ang hindi sumagot sa question niya would start with a sketch to be submitted later agad. Let’s start with the pretty lady in front of me.” He shifted his weight in my part of the long table and leaned in which caused our faces to be inches away when I stood up. Lumayo naman ako konti and I’m guessing he got what I was trying to tell.
“Hi, everyone. Hi… Luke.” Lumayo naman ako konti and I’m guessing he got what I was trying to tell kaya he backed off a little. “I’m Rein Allyson V. Bustamante. 25.”
“Magka-age lang pala tayo eh. Bakit 25 ka na? Late ka ba pumasok or what? Where did you finish highschool before?” Luke butt in. I knew he was getting this opportunity for us to know each other more since all we did when we first met was to kiss each other.
“No, this is my second course na. I graduated as Summa Cum Laude in Liberal Arts in Ateneo before but I’m an interior designer and professional photographer. And nung highschool, I graduated as valedictorian sa Poveda.”
“Impressive. Do you have a boyfriend?” Parang kaming dalawa nalang nauusap but everyone seemed to be interested with my life story.
“No.”
“Husband?” Nagulat ako sa tinanong niya.
“No!”
“Then why is your last name Bustamante? And why are you so defensive?” He asked back.
“Villafuerte is just a screen name and I am not defensive, SIR.” Padabog ako umupo and I crossed my arms infront of my chest.
“Why are you pouting, Ally?” He smiled crazily and lalo akong napikon. That was the nickname he called me when we first met.
“I’m not pouting, SIR CRUZATE. And my name is not Ally, it’s Rein.” What I told him was actually a lie. I have pouting as my mannerism when I don’t like something that was happening and nakuha ko yun sa mom ko.
“Whatever you say, Ally. Okay, who’s next?” Our class just went on by introducing one another and asking questions. What happened to Luke and I earlier was like fighting with fire. Buti nalang my blockmates didn’t notice something different from the both of us.
When the class ended, I walked away without greeting Luke a goodbye. He tried to talk to me but I went in a hurry para d niya ako mahabol. When I got out of the SDA building, heavy rain poured down.
I started to get worried because Blake texted me earlier telling me he had an emergency and he had to go na. Ngayon, I’m desperately waiting for a cab here in Quirino while my dress is already wet and I’m cold. And sa sobrang kamalasan, wala pa akong umbrella.
1 hour na akong naghihintay and I was starting to cry kasi hindi ko na alam gagawin ko. I felt hot and I was starting to get dizzy. I tried calling Blake but my phone’s battery went dead.
“Ally!” a black Neon Dodge stopped right in front of me and opened the door. I didn’t get to see who it was because my vision was blurry na but I went in.
Luke wrapped a jacket in me the moment I went in. He was the one who put my seat belt while I was just leaning in the car seat. He touched my forehead and made me look at him. “Sht. Ang taas na ng lagnat mo! Bakit ka kasi nagpaulan?!”
“I just want to go home…” I told him while I was sobbing and he was hugging me.
“Shhh… don’t cry. I’m gonna take you home. Just sleep if you want to. Drink this.” He handed me a papercup from Starbucks which I think was Chamomile Tea. After I drank it, I drifted off to sleep.
Luke’s P.O.V.
I felt guilty after Ally and I’s second encounter. I got too upset learning that she was one of my students this first term kaya ganon nalang yung pag uusap namin kanina. Buti nalang hindi nahalata nung mga blockmates niya na may something saamin dahil pag nagkataon, parehas kaming lagot.
Pauwi na sana ako when I saw a girl standing in the rain. Laking gulat ko nalang when I went more near her, na si Ally yun. Her face was red and she looked like she was going to collapse anytime. Binuksan ko yung door and agad naman siyang sumakay. She was crying and having a fever.
She went to sleep while I was driving her home. I took responsibility of her na din kasi I know where she lives.
Good thing it stopped raining nung nasa bahay na ako nila Ally. When I rang the door bell, I was expecting for her parents of siblings na lumabas pero I didn’t expect to see Blake Bustamante go out of their house.
He looked at me from head to toe with anger. I didn’t know why. This was the first time I saw him but I’m guessing we wouldn’t be in good terms. “Ano kailangan mo?” He asked.
I was thinking that Blake and Ally were cousins because they had the same last names. Fair enough that they would be staying in one house. “Your cousin’s sick. She’s in the car.”
“What are you saying? Sinong cousin?” He walked towards my car and sumilip sa window. Nataranta siya when he saw Ally sleeping soundly and he thought na walang siyang malay kaya he opened the car door agad and checked her.
“What happened to her?” He was checking Ally’s temperature over and over again.
“Nakita ko kasi siya sa daan. Nagpapa-ulan so I offered her a ride home. I’m Luke Cruzate by the way. Ally’s professor.” I was supposed to shake hands with him pero tiningnan niya lang ako ng masama.
He carried her in his arms and papasok na siya sa gate when he looked back at me. “Do yourself a favor and stay away from her. You’re a professor, diba dapat you know best, Sir?” I saw him smirk before he turned away.
I felt unwelcome with him. Afterall, Blake Bustamante doesn’t have a good attitude so I just disreguarded it. ‘Ally has a weird cousin.’ I thought to myself while driving away. Para kasi siyang nagseselos eh.
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