09

    "I'm sorry," this time he looks apologetic. Nakainom din siya no'n, at nagtanong din siya kung lasing na ba ako, and when I did not answer he brought me to my room. So I wasn't really mad about it, it just felt weird because we kissed.

Just thinking about it makes me feel all shy.

"Let's just not talk about it!" iniwas ko ang tingin at pasimpleng itinago ang nag-iinit kong pisnge gamit ang dalawang kamay ko. Mabuti na lang at hindi na siya nagsalita ulit.

I just waited for him to finish cooking, then we ate together. I think he prefers to eat here than at the dining room, I already saw it and it was huge even the table is, so the people who will eat there will be far apart.

"I have something to show you," sabi niya habang kumakain kami. Tinanong ko naman siya kung ano 'yun kaso ayaw niyang sagutin. Kaya naman binilisan ko na lang ang pagkain at tinulungan na rin siyang maghugas ng pinggan.

Matapos ay dinala niya ako sa garden, agad akong napangiti nang makita ang dalawang golden retriever, they were still puppies. May kasama silang katulong na agad ding umalis no'ng makita kami ni Kaius.

"Oh my gosh!" I was shocked when they ran towards me. I couldn't contain my happiness as kneel down to touch them, both of them were all so playful.

"Alaga mo?" inangat ko ang tingin kay Kaius, nahuli ko ang ngiti niya na agad nawala no'ng tumingin ako.

"No..." Napaiwas siya ng tingin, ang isang kamay ay napunta sa batok.

"Ha? then why are they here?" The dogs were licking my hand so I kissed the top of their heads before looking back at Kaius again.

"They are yours." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Agad kong tinignan ang dalawa at saka napangiti.

"You bought them for me?" I didn't want to assume but he did say they were mine. Bigla kong naalala 'yong usapan namin ni Laira. Ginawa niya ba 'to dahil nakikinig siya no'ng sinabi ko 'yon?

"Adopted," he corrected. Knowing that they are adopted rather than from some pet shop made me happier. "My friend offered them to me. Since you said that you like dogs, I took them," he added.

"Anong pangalan nila?" Binalik ko na ang tingin sa dalawang aso.

"Wala pa." Napatingin ako sa kaniya at parang bata na ngumiti, mukhang naintindihan naman niya ang ibig sabihin no'n. Mahina siyang natawa.

"Syempre ikaw ang dapat magbigay ng pangalan," sabi niya na siyang nagpatalon sa puso ko. Hindi na sila masyadong maliit, I think they're around four months or maybe five.

"Tapos wala pa rin kayong names," bulong ko sakanila.

"They're both girls," rinig kong sabi ni Kaius.

"Aww, how about Dalia and Poppy?" the dogs wagged their tails more which made me happy with my decision. Tumango-tango ako, "Do you guys like it too? huh Dalia? Poppy?"

I named them after flowers because we first met each other at a garden. Kaius sat on one of the swings while I play with the dogs more. Then we all went back inside, I was holding Dalia while he held Poppy.

Maliit na bagay lang siguro para sa kaniya ang ginawa, pero para sa 'kin, ito na ata ang isa sa mga pinaka-masayang araw sa buhay ko. I loved dogs so much, I never thought I will ever have one. Now I have two because of him!

Maybe my decision to accept his offer wasn't all bad.

Days came and went, Kaius became more busy with work. He was almost always out but we would always have breakfast together. Some days he would cook and some days I would. The dogs kept me company whenever he's not around.

Habang tumatagal ay nagiging komportable na ako sa kaniya. Mabuti na lang at wala na gaano pumupunta rito sa bahay maliban kay Dean. Matapos ang ilang linggo ay tuluyan na gumaling ang paa ko, at ibig sabihin no'n ay kikitain na namin ang lolo niya.

"Don't be nervous, kasama mo naman ako," sabi niya. Tinutulungan niya akong mag-ayos ng gamit ko. Bukas na ang alis namin, at medyo kinakabahan ako. Hindi lang dahil makikilala ko na ang lolo niya kundi dahil ngayon na lang ulit ako lalabas.

Natatakot akong makita ni Ryle, at hindi pa ako handang makita ang mga magulang ko. I was afraid of a lot of things, but I tried to be brave. Maraming nagawa para sa 'kin si Kaius, kaya dapat lang ay gawin ko ang parte ko sa kasunduan namin.

"Will the dogs be fine?" iniba ko na lang ang usapan. Ayaw ko na masyadong isipin pa ang tungkol sa pamilya ko.

"Ilang araw lang naman tayo mawawala, aalagaan naman sila rito," sagot niya.

Nang matapos kami sa pag-aayos ng gamit ko ay lumabas na rin siya nang kwarto. Ako naman ay natulog na dahil maaga pa kami bukas. Mabuti na lang ay kahit maraming tumatakbo sa isip ko ay nagawa kong matulog.

Ako ang unang nagising sa 'min ni Kaius kaya ako na ang naghanda ng almusal. Sinundan ako nila Dalia papunta sa kusina at naglaro lang do'n habang nagluluto ako. Napangiti ako nang higaan ni Poppy ang isang paa ko, siya talaga ang malambing sakanilang dalawa.

"Why? gusto na mag-eat?" tanong ko sa dalawa. Sabay silang tumahol sa 'kin.

Tinapos ko na ang niluluto at binigyan na rin ng dog food ang dalawa. I watched them as they eat, they both look cute in the dresses that I bought online for them. Well it was Kaius' money but I picked them.

"Good morning, Everleigh." I smiled as soon as I saw Kaius walking towards me.

"Good morning," sagot ko.

It's only been weeks, but I can see that he really isn't the person I thought he was. Madalas nga lang masungit kapag galing sa trabaho, wala sa mood at minsan ayaw pa akong kausapin. Pero sinigurado niyang komportable ako sa bahay na ito.

Slowly I was beginning to trust him. I was a little happier, and I will try harder to get my life back together. After having breakfast together, we both went back to our rooms.

Naligo lang ako at nag-suot ng simpleng shirt at jeans, hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal ang byahe kaya nag-suot ako ng komportable lang. Tinali ko rin ang buhok bago hilain ang maleta ko palabas ng kwarto.

"Akin na," bungad ni Kaius. Hinihintay pala niya ako sa labas ng kwarto.

The luggage that we brought were small so he didn't have a hard time bringing them to his car. I think we're using a Jeep Wrangler, the last car I saw him use was a Mercedes. Ilan ba ang kotse nito?

When we arrived at the hotel, Dean was already there. Turns out he will be staying at this hotel too. We will be attending a party tonight, so Kaius told me to rest.

Hindi raw kasi makapupunta ang magulang niya, kaya siya ang pinapunta ng dad niya. He said that the party was safe, and that it was just a typical party with no connection to the Mafia. I still feel uneasy about the whole idea, maybe because I'm afraid to see familiar faces.

Just like how Kaius suggested, nagpahinga lang muna kami. Alam ko rin na pagod siya dahil madalas siyang umalis nitong mga nakaraang araw. Kaya no'ng makatulog siya sa kwarto niya ay hindi ko na siya ginulo.

The time of the party arrived, I found myself inside his car. I was wearing a long white satin dress with thin straps, and a high slit revealing my left leg. Believe it or not but Kaius was the one who bought the dress, I didn't even know when. The first time I saw this dress was when he handed it to me earlier. Meanwhile Kaius was wearing a Slim-fit suit. His black jacket that was left unbuttoned  matched his trousers. His white polo was showing with two buttons undone.

Nang dumating kami sa venue ay nando'n na rin si Dean, sabay kaming tatlo pumasok sa loob ng hotel at papunta sa party. The place might be huge but it was still pretty crowded to me. Just like all the parties I attended with my family before, it was filled with wealthy people.

I felt uneasy when I noticed a few people looking our way. I don't know if the boys did not notice or they just don't care. I held on to Kaius' arm tightly to calm my nerves.

"Tinitignan ba nila tayo," wala sa sariling saad ko. Mahina lang naman 'yon pero sigurado akong narinig nila Kaius.

"Ikaw lang ata, Mira," bulong din ni Dean.

"Anong ako? baka sa inyo," sagot ko.

"There's a lot of pretty faces in this place, but no one compares to you, Everleigh. That's probably why they keep glancing." This wasn't the first time he said something like that. But I always believe that they were ways to tease me or it was just his nature to be such a flirt sometimes. So I don't know why this time, he seemed sincere.

"Luh sana all." Mabuti na lang at nag-salita si Dean, nagawa ko tuloy umiwas ng tingin kay Kaius.

"Iwan ko muna kayo, mukha akong third-wheel eh," Sabi ni Dean bago maglakad palayo.

I felt my heart racing, I've received compliments before. But none of them made me feel this way. But that certain feeling vanished when my eyes landed on someone.

Natigilan ako't napabitaw pa kay Kaius. Bakit siya nandito, malayo ang bahay nila sa venue kaya umaasa akong hindi ko siya makikita. Gustong gusto ko na tumalikod at umalis pero napako na ata ako sa kinatatayuan.

"Ryle..."