4 - Meredith

I was about to lean even more to kiss him pero tumayo siya kaagad tsaka tumikhim. Napatawa ako ng mahina at umayos sa pagkakaupo. I knew it. Hinding-hindi siya bibigay kaagad sa akin.

I smirked. “Are you a gay?” I asked and teased.

He look at me with a disgusting look. “What?!” His irritation is evident.

Napasandal ako sa upuan tsaka napahalukipkip habang malawak ang ngiti na inaasar si Josh. His reaction was priceless. Tila nawala bigla ang pagiging malamig niya nang sabihin ko sa kanya ang katagang iyon.

I crossed my legs and played with my hair, maintaining a smug smirk. “Oh, come on, Josh. You keep avoiding my kiss. Is it really that hard to kiss a girl?”

Mas lalong lumawak ang ngisi ko nang lumakad si Josh papalapit saakin, inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin at ilang pulgada nalang ang namamagitan sa aming dalawa.

He glanced at my lips and then gently cupped my chin, tilting it up. The touch of his hand made my heartbeat accelerate even more. I feel excitement. Hahalikan na niya ba ako?

“You wouldn't like the consequences, Ms. Devin.” He said in a low and husky voice, his accent makes me feel wet even more. Fvk.

I feel electrified when he gently brushed his thumb into my lower lips as his gaze never left mine. Fuck. Ganon palang ang ginagawa niya, feel ko basa na ako.

I smirked. “I love consequences, Mr. DePiero,”

Inilapit niya ang kanyang mukha lalo kaya napapikit ako, nag-aamba ng kanyang labi na ilapat sa aking labi.

But suddenly, the door swung open, and I heard a surprised gasp. I opened my eyes to see Cali standing there, her expression a mix of shock and amusement.

“Ow, didn't know you have visitor, Era,” she said with a grin, her eyes darting between Josh and me. Josh, now standing right in front of me, turned his cold, piercing stare toward Cali.

“What are you doing here, Cali?” I asked, annoyed.

Ayon na e! Hahalikan na ako ni Josh e!

Rinig ko ang pagtawa ni Cali pero hindi parin umaalis sa kwarto ko. "Dinner is ready. Bumaba na kayo, pakainin mo narin kasama mo at baka iba ang makain." she said while still smirking.

Binato ko siya ng unan pero kaagad ding sinarado ang pintuan. Muli akong napatingin kay Josh na nakaupo na sa tapat at hawak ang notebook.

“Dito ka, hindi mo matututunan ng mag-isa iyan.” sabi ko. Pero tinignan niya ako na puno ng pagtataka.

Napabuntong-hininga ako, “here. Sit next to me, Josh. You can't learn that without me.”

I pursed my lips as he just stared at me. Napalingon ako sa pintuan nang muling bumukas iyon at sumilip si Lia at Mel. Nakangisi habang palipat-lipat ang tingin sa aming dalawa ni Josh.

“Kakain na.” nakangiting sabi ni Mel. Pumasok si Lia at tinignan ng mabuti si Josh.

Josh stepped back in surprise at Lia's sudden intrusion. Lia playfully poked at Josh's cheek, causing him to adopt a poker face as he continued to look at me. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as the twins gleefully put him on the spot.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Mel asked, her tone dripping with playful curiosity.

Lia's eyes sparkled as she chimed in, “And what do you think of our sister, Era?” She grinned at me, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Josh shifted uncomfortably, clearly unprepared for the interrogation. Lia leaned closer, her voice taking on an exaggerated tone, “Does she look cute? Beautiful? Gorgeous? Hot?”

Mel, not missing a beat, added with a teasing edge, “All the boys can't resist Era's charms. Are you going to be any different?”

“Girls, stop it.” I interrupted. Nakatingin kay Josh habang iwas na iwas siyang mapatingin sa amin. Napatingin naman ang dalawa sa akin. “You're making him blush.” dugtong ko, kahit hindi naman talaga siya namumula. Parang hindi lang siya sanay na malapit sa kanya ang mga babae.

“Eh? Hindi naman,” sagot ni Lia nang mapatingin kay Josh na titig na titig sa TV kahit na hindi naman iyon nakabukas.

“Josh, right?” Mel asked. “Do you know that you're the first man Era brought here?” Dugtong ni Mel, dahilan para mapatingin si Josh saakin.

Tumayo siya at hinila si Josh patayo, nakisali din si Thalia. Jusko! Mga feeling close! “Come! Join us in dinner. You'll meet all of us.” Nakangiting sabi ni Lia.

Ni hindi nga nasagot ni Josh mga katanungan nila dahil sa sunod-sunod silang nagtanong, or baka ayaw lang talagang sagutin ni Josh. It makes me wonder tuloy what he thinks of me. Siguro nakukulitan na saakin.

I mean, I know people thoughts about me. Malandi, palaban, makulit, maganda, mapang-akit, friendly too to those who are kind and friendly too, palangiti, well—kind of matalino but not to the point like Cali na nag-aaral talaga.

Kunot-noong napatingin si Josh sa akin habang hinihila siya ng dalawa. Napatawa nalang ako ng mahina, because he's silently pleading for help.

Walang nagawa si Josh at nagpahila nalang papuntang dining area. At habang papalapit kami ay naririnig ako ang boses ni Eros sa sobrang lakas.

Pagdating namin doon ay nakita namin sila Cali kasama si Thaddeus ang boyfriend ni Cali, sila Eros, Dustin, Rafael, Andrei, Zen at Lila na mga kaibigan ni Cali. Habang nandoon narin sa hapag-kainan sina Ke, Poly, Ali, Thena, at Nia.

“Hoy! At bakit kapit na kapit kayong dalawa sa bisita ni Era?” Tanong ni Poly nang makita sila Mel at Lia na nakakapit sa magkabilang braso ng lalaki. Ilang na ilang si Josh at mukhang gusto nang umalis, pero hindi makatakas dahil kina Mel at Lia.

“He’s hot.” Kinikilig na sabi ni Mel at may balak pa atang agawin saakin.

“And gorgeous,” Lia added with a dreamy sigh.

Ke raised an eyebrow, causing Mel and Lia to immediately release Josh's arms, making me chuckle softly at their antics. Well, lahat naman kami takot kay Ke, except Cali, malamang magkasunod lang naman sila. But we're close.

“Sorry, we're a bit chaotic when we're all together,”I apologized to Josh.

He scratched his head nervously. “Can I go home now?” he asked quietly.

I looked at him with a mixed expression. “Something wrong at home?”

I could tell he was lying, so I pulled him to my chair and sat him down. “We still have lessons to cover. Just eat first.”

Dinner was a whirlwind of chaos. Cali's friends, Mel, Thalia, and Poly, had a blast teasing Josh with random, absurd questions. Ilang na ilang ang lalaki pero sumasagot din. Pero sa iilang katanungan lang.

Bumalik kami sa kwarto para masimulan na talaga ang pag-aaral na gagawin namin. I taught him some basics at tawang-tawa ako sa accent niya.

“Magandang umaga means good morning in english, but the word maganda has other meaning too. It means beautiful,” tumango naman siya, “like me.” Dugtong ko dahilan para mapataas siya ng kilay.

“Hindi ba ako maganda?” Naniningkit ang mga mata kong nakatingin sa kanya.

Kumunot naman ang noo niya kaya napahinga ako ng malalim. “Am I not beautiful?” Tanong ko. He tilted his head to sideways and stared at me as if he's trying to scan my face.

Huwag mo akong titigan ng ganyan, Josh! Hindi lang panty ko ang malalaglag! Pati narin ang puso ko! Shit. Delikado na ako.

“Try it again, Josh. Magandang gabi, pinakamamahal kong binibini.” sabi ko sa dahan-dahan na pagbigkas sabay basa sa aking labi.

“You're making fun of me.” nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sabihin niya iyon, nagtatampo na parang bata. Seriously? Nawawala pagiging cold niya dahil sa akin? Ang cute!

“What? Why would I?” I teased. Sinamaan niya naman ako ng tingin kaya napatawa ako ng malakas.

“From the word mahal it means Love, right?” he asked, furrowing his brows. I bit my lips and nodded.

“And binibini means, miss.” he continued so I nodded once again.

Inilapit ko ang mukha ko sa mukha niya na nasa tapat ko. Nakaupo ako sa sahig habang siya ay nasa sofa.

“So?” tanong ko, nakataas ang kilay. Umiwas siya ng tingin na para bang gets na niya kung anong meaning ng Magandang gabi, pinakamamahal kong binibini.

“I'm going home, it's getting late.” nag-ayos siya ng mga gamit niya kaya tumayo ako at lumapit sa book selves ko para hanapin ang Filipino - Italian dictionary.

Natuwa naman ako nang makita ko kaagad kaya lumapit ako kay Josh at nakatingin naman siya saakin na nagtataka.

“Here. It can help you with practicing tagalog.” tumango naman siya at tinanggap ang libro ko tsaka pinasok sa bag niya.

Ipapahatid ko sana siya kay Kuya Don pero kaagad namang may sumundo sa kanya. The way his driver bowed at him, looks like he's not just an ordinary boy. Gulat pa nga ako nang may nakitang baril sa gilid ng driver niya. Ganon ba siya ka high profile para may dalang baril ang driver niya? Nakasuot pa ng black suit. Maging ang lalaking nasa loob lang ng sasakyan at nakaupo sa passenger's seat.

“Bye! See you tomorrow!” I cheerfully said while waiving at him. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin hanggang sa tuluyang lumayo ang sasakyan niya.

Pero dumating ang biyernes ay hindi pumasok si Josh kaya ang lola niyo, lungkot na lungkot.

“This is the first time I saw you sad because of a boy, Era.” tawang-tawa na sabi ni Rian kaya mas lalo akong napanguso.

Lagot sa akin si Josh sa Lunes!

Noong sabado ay gumala lang kami ni Rian sa mall, kasama si River na pangalawang kuya ni Rian. Ginawa naming alalay dahil nag-shopping kami ni Rian. Kasama din namin ang dalawang bodyguards nila lalo na't gobernador ang kanilang ama at mainit ang kaaway sa pamilya nila. Kasama ko din si Kuya Don na driver ko at si Kuya Ash ang bodyguard ko.

“Bakit kasi kasama pa ako e.” Pagdadabog ni River.

Dalawang taon lang naman ang pagitan namin, kaya hindi ko na siya tinatawag na Kuya. Nasanay narin akong hindi tawagin ng mga kuya o ate ang mga nakakatanda saakin.

“Ayaw mo no'n, makikita mo si Ali.” nakangising sabi ni Rian. Hinuhuli ang kiliti ng kanyang kuya. Namula naman si River at napakamot sa batok.

River has a crush on Ali. Classmates sila sa SIA, but Ali has no interest in love life. Mas busy siya sa pagtatrabaho niya bilang sikat na artista at sikat na singer. But as of now, Ali is a trainee to become an idol.

“Kapag hindi ko nakita si Ali, sasakalin talaga kita!” natawa kaming dalawa ni Rian sa sinabi ni River.

Ganyan talaga love language nila, pero hinding-hindi papayag na may umaaway kay Rian dahil bunso nila at nag-iisang babae.

We're just talking about things, crushes and acads when I saw someone who's familiar with me to Rian. Josh.

He's with someone-a girl to be exact. Sobrang saya nung girl habang nakakapit sa braso ni Josh, habang si Josh naman ay minsan nangiti pero biglang sumeryoso din. I don't know why, but it makes me jealous.

Pero sino nga ba naman ako para magselos? Why do I feel jealous in the first place though? Dalawang araw pa naman kaming magkakilala ni Josh, so bakit?

“Hey, it’s that Josh, right?” Lumapit si Rian sa akin at tinignan mabuti ang dalawang naglalakad patungo sa direksyon namin.

“Who's that girl?” Sunod na tanong ni Rian.

Hindi naman maalis ang tingin ko kay Josh lalo na't ang cute nilang tignan dalawa. She looks Italian too. Kaya ba absent siya kahapon dahil may ibang pinagkakaabalahan?

Isang babae.

“Hi, Josh!” Rian greeted him cheerfully. Nabigla siya nang makita kaming dalawa ni Rian kasama ang iilang bodyguards.

“Chi sono loro, amore?” the girl asked Josh in a soft, melodious voice.

Amore... He really does have a girlfriend, doesn't he?

Nilingon ni Josh ang babae at muling napatingin sa amin, particularly to me. “I miei compagni di classe” he nonchalantly said.

“Ah, va bene.” The girl smiled warmly and extended her hand towards us for a handshake.

“Sorry, I can't speak English well. Uh, I'm Meredith.” she introduced herself with a shy but genuine smile.

I returned her smile and shook her hand. “I’m Era.”