CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2- FACE HIM

MARIA

Just smile maria. Pretend that nothing happend between you two. Smile like you can't remember everything. Just chill and act cool. Chill ka lang, huminga ng malalim. Smile. Show him how attractive you are. Ipakita mo ang alindog mo sa kanya. Dahil ikaw si maria Isabella Dimasali AKA mayang. Aja!

I sighed heavily when he moved closer to me. I gulp then smiled at him showing that I am not afffected by his presence, But I'm actually shaking in the insides. Hindi ko pinahalatang naapektuhan ako sa presensya nito kahit na nanginginig na ang mga tuhod ko sa kaba. 

"Good morning sir. A-ahm welcome back po." Nakangiting bati ko sa kanya and I am just hoping na hindi nito napansin ang pagstutter ko. I don't want to sound so nervous infront of him.

His eyes wandered around my face then down to my lips. His stares lingered on my lips so I unconsciously swallowed. The smirk on his face just added to the nervousness that I am feeling. Out of nervousness, I bit my lower lip and I saw how his eyes darken. It looks like I did something that should not did. 

I gulp and I can feel my knees shaking but I still manage to act cool after. I know he can sense my nervousness and that is the reason why he is smirking. His smirk says it all. 

"Good morning too." Nakangisi nitong bati. It makes me confused how he shows emotion now. He always has this stoic face and it is not his habit to smirk. Well, siguro ang sumigaw ay pwede pa pero ang magkaroon ng mapaglarong emosyon sa mukha nito nakakapagtaka. Is he really that amused about what happened to us? Why? 

"So let's go." Aya samin ni miss Aria and I am very thankful that she is here. She just cut the awkward atmosphere between me and her son. 

I am really thankful that his mom is here so that he can't do anything. He can't confront me about what happened. I know he is thinking why I let him take me. I know the reason why I surrendered but not him. And I will never dare to confess why. 

I know my boss is a dragon. He always spit fire and that fire can burn you into ashes. And he did it to me but I still came back whole--physically. 

"Let's go hija?" Because I am spacing out I didn't realized that they are already inside the car. I looked like a fool outside and that embarrassed me. 

Nakakahiya ka talaga Mayang! You always embarrassed yourself.

Para maiwasan ang pagkapahiya pa ay agad na akong sumakay ng sasakyan. I didn't bother to look at his direction. I know he is smirking. He is smirking because he knows what's bothering inside my head. But not fully. 

I keep my mouth shut while watching outside the window. They are both talking and as usual he always answers his mom using one word. Para bang kinukulang sya palagi ng mga salitang mahahagilap. Yung kung ano nalang ang nahagilap nyang salita 'yon nalang ang sasabihin nya. 

I secretly shook my head while listening to their conversation. 

"So how's your trip? Did it go well?" Usisa ni Ma'am Aria sa anak nito. 

"Yeah." 

Pasimpleng ngumiwi ako sa sagot nito habang nakatingin pa rin sa labas ng bintana. Mabuti nalang talaga nandito ako sa passenger seat at nakaharap pa sa bintana kaya hindi nya makita kung ano mang expression ang ginagawa ko. 

"How about the deal with Mr. Gatchallan?" Ma'am Aria keeps questioning him but I didn't heard any of his response so I secretly glance at the rear view mirror and to my shock, he also is looking at me in the rear view.  

I wonder what's running inside his head this time. Why is he looking at me? Nahuhumaling na ba ito sa ganda ko? Well hindi ko naman sya masisisi. Iba nga talaga ang alindog ni Maria Isabella.

"Great." As expected, that was his answer to his mother. I can't help myself but to roll my eyes. My rolling eyes suddenly became big when I saw that he is still looking at me in the rear view. And it means that he saw---oh my gosh! Tanga ka nga talaga Mayang!

Ang kaninang nerbyos na nararamdaman ay mas lalong nadagdagan. Patay! What the heck did I do? Umirap na nga lang ako, nahuli pa! And with his expression right now I know that he is pissed. 

O my G!  Kailangan ko na bang mag empake o iindahin ko nalang ang sigaw na makukuha ko mamaya? Lahat ba ng swerte ay nakuha ko ngayong araw? Dahil kung oo ay ramdam na ramdam ko talaga. Well, note the sarcasm here. 

I sighed. I did all my best to divert my attention to something. I did it to ease the nervousness that I am feeling. Pero imbis na makaramdam ng konting kaginhawaan ay hindi ko naramdaman bagkus ay mas lalo lamang lumala ang naramdaman ko. It is because of my foolishness. And this is because of my foolishness why I am in this situation right now. Yes I know that it is because of my love for him. But what do you think people can do when they are in love? Sometimes they can be foolish or even worst than that. 

I know I am foolish, I know what happened is partly my fault. Even if we turned the world upside down, what happened is partly my fault. I was sober that time but I didn't do anything to stop him. I didn't do something and let this feeling dictates what I should do. I let him because that was my heart wants me to do. I know, I admit that, that part was my fault. I just added fuel to the fire. No, I played with fire itself. 

"Hija kumain muna tayo ng lunch. Manong ibaba mo kami sa pinakamalapit na restaurant." Turan ni Ma'am Aria kaya napatango nalang ako. Now, what's running inside my head is the possibility of getting pregnant. I know it is not impossible because we didn't use any protection that time. 

This is the only time that I realized how flirtatious I am. In my two years in the company, I managed to control my self. I didn't waver. But now, after all of my self- control, I already gave up. 

Napuno na ba ang puso ko at noong hinalikan nya ako ay hindi ko n pinairal pa ang utak ko? Nakiusap ba ang puso ko na sya naman ang sundin? Pero ano na ngayon ang mangyayari sa akin na ang puso ko ang sinunod? 

I know that there is a consequences. I am trying to be ready but I know I can't. Iniisip ko palang kung magbunga ba ang ginawa namin ay kung ano ang magiging reaksyon nito. Kaya doon ako kinakabahan at puno ng what if's ang utak ko ngayon. 

"Hija. Hija." Napatanga naman ako ng tinapik ako ni madam Aria.

Ngumiti ito sakin. "You're spacing out." Sabi nito kaya napakagat ako sa labi ko at pinilit na ngumiti. Masyadong malalim ang iniisip ko para marinig ang pinag uusapan nila kanina. I was drowning with my own thought throughout the ride. 

"Pasensya na po." Turan ko kaya ngumiti ito bago ako inaya. I even saw my boss smirk when his mother guided me to the restaurant. And it feels like I am her real child because she is really taking care of me. 

I feel so warmth because of how she treated me. I am really touch with her attitude. 

****WRITTEN BY: STRINGLILY****