HEATH’S POV
It has been a while since I have felt great about waking up. Simula kasi nang ikasal ako kay Brianna, parati na lang putol-putol ang tulog ko. It’s like the problems keep on trying to wake me up, wanting solutions so they could rest.
“I don’t feel so good about this,” sabi ni Brianna habang nag-aagahan kami. “I don’t think this is the right decision.”
Umiling ako sa kaniya. “There’s nothing else that we can do about it. A lot of people already knows.” I sip on my coffee. “Besides, wala naman akong reklamong narinig sa daddy mo, so I think he’s on board with this. Tingin ko naman na-gets na niya kung anong plano ko.”
Napakamot si Brianna sa kaniyang pisngi. “But I don&r
BREE’S POV Alam mo ‘yun? ‘Yung gusto mo na lang manahimik ta’s biglang maga-appear ‘yung ex mong ayaw mo naman nang makita? “I don’t owe you my time, Aidan,” sabi ko sa kaniya. Sa totoo lang, nanghihina ako. I didn’t expect that I would see him again after he let me leave that place. “Alam ko,” sabi niya sa’kin. “But can I just have a few minutes? I… there’s something that I have to tell you.” Napatingin ako sa bodyguard na umupo sa may cashier at naka-krus lang ang mga braso sa kaniyang dibdib. Ang dalawang guard a
BREE’S POV“Do you actually have experience dating people?” tanong ko kay Heath habang nasa loob kami ng kotse.“Yeah,” sagot niya sa’kin na dapat naging obvious ‘yon. “But I have never dated seriously. I only liked humoring people sometimes.”“What do you mean by that?”“Iyong tipong akala nila may patutunguhan kami pero wala naman talaga?”I snort. “Ah, paasa ka pala.”“It’s not my fault. I’m a busy person. Kapag sila nag-demand na sa’kin ng oras, I draw the line there. There are far more important things than love.”
HEATH’S POVInakala kong magiging disaster ‘tong hapunan na ‘to pero hindi naman pala. Maybe I should take Brianna out more. She’s more subdued in public and we can actually make a decent conversation happen.After dinner, we both step out into the balcony and lounge across one of the sofas. Masyadong madaming ilaw galing sa mga nagtataasang mga building para makita pa namin ang mga bituin.Brianna sits close to me, our thighs touching.She lets herself rest against the seat, her head tilted to the sky. “Sobrang busog.”“As a chef, I find it hard to believe that you enjoy another person’s food.”“I mean,&rdquo
BREE’S POVNakaka-overwhelm isipin na parang ang daming sumusuporta sa pagd-date namin ni Heath. Lumabas na ang mga litratong nakuha sa overlooking restaurant.Kahit ako biglang nagtaka.Did I really look that happy when I was around him?O baka kasi sa dami ng nainom ko kaya gan’yan ako makangiti?#BREEngTheHEATHAng dami din nagpapadala ng invites sa mga party. Ganito pala pakiramdam ng isang celebrity couple. Kung ano-ano ang perks ang nabibigay. May mga nag-aalok na nga ng endorsements.Tingin ko naman hindi papatol si Heath sa mga ganitong bagay pero tinabi ko pa din ang mga s
BREE’S POV Heath got home an hour before we’re supposed to leave. Nagkita naman na sila ni Maeve at nagbatian bago ito nag-disappear sa kaniyang kwarto para magbihis. Pinigilan ko ang mga emosyon ko hanggang sa matapos akong ayusan ni Maeve. My long hair is in loose waves down my back. The red satin dress I’m wearing looks like it would slip down my shoulders and leave me naked any second. Sa sobrang pagmamadali kong maabot si Heath, hindi ko na masyadong pinansin kung paano niya tinignan ang naka-expose kong balikat, dibdib, likod, at legs na dulot ng high slit. Mabilis akong kumapit sa kaniyang braso at pumisil nang mariin pagbaba ko n
Maeve’s POV2 weeks ago“Hoy, Maeve! Ano na nga balita do’n sa ate mo? Talaga bang nagd-date sila nung Heath Carnell?” tanong ng chismosa kong blockmate.Naglabas lang ako ng isang ngiti. “I don’t think that’s anybody’s business,” sagot ko lang dahil wala naman talaga akong alam kung ano bang dapat kong isagot.“Ito naman! Hindi ba pwedeng chimismis ka kahit kaunti lang? Pumirma ka ba ng NDA kaya hindi ka pwedeng magsalita tungkol do’n?”Natawa si Maeve at tinuon na ang mga mata niya sa kaniyang planner. Hmph, let them think what they want to think.Hindi ko din naman kasi maintindihan din kung ano ba
BREE’S POV“There are a lot of people in the world who could possibly want to kill you, Brianna,” Heath answers my question. “Trust me, none of these women are one of them.”Napatingin ako sa mga babaeng parang ang sama ng tingin sa’kin. “Edi anong problema nila?”Heath does not even look their way. “I don’t really care. Come on, let’s just go around. The earlier we get to leave this place the better.”Kumapit lang ako sa braso ni Heath. Ang dami kong nakikilalang mga tao, pero sinisigurado din niyang laging bago ang baso ng champagne sa kamay ko. Kaya hirap na hirap akong umalala ng mga pangalan dahil parang lumalangoy na ang utak ko.
HEATH’S POVI am right. Brianna is a more bearable companion when she drinks. Pero kapag sumosobra na, parang ayoko na.“What do you mean freaky?” I ask her, my forehead creasing.She could not mean…“Ano ba, Heath?” she asks, her face red with all the alcohol.Will it be so weird to say that she looks so much prettier with her face flushed?“Don’t tell me you haven’t done things in public places before.”Brianna starts to walk away. Her fingers lingering from my arm to my fingertips until she had to let me go.
HEATH’S POV If you’re going to ask me why I’m still managing Anino—the mafia, it’s not because of the money. I have plenty enough of that to last me lifetimes. Pero bakit nga ba? It’s more about the constant thought of getting caught. Of living my life always right on the edge. It enables me to live my life to the fullest, every single second of it. You know, that feeling that makes your heart pounds? I want that everyday. Alam ko namang hindi ako tatanda. Well, I have hopes. Pero hindi na ko umaasa. As I’ve said before, mafia lords tend to die young.
BREE’S POV“Bakit ang tagal mong mag-video? Kanina pa tayo nakatayo dito.”Umikot ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Rainier. “Sabi ko naman kasi ako na lang mag-grocery eh! Therapy ko kaya ‘to. If you’re so bored, go ahead and wonder around.”“Ano pang silbi ko kung hindi kita sasamahan kung sa’n ka pupunta?”“Fine, just go to the meat aisle. Kitain na lang kita do’n. I know you need your protein.” Masama pa ang tingin sa’kin ni loko bago nagsimulang lumayo. “And get some for Heath, too.”Rainier snorts as he turns his back on me.Finally, some peace. Ayaw kasing umayos ng camera ko ngayong araw para sa vlog. Malapit na kasi akong
HEATH’S POVAng weird sabihin na maayos ang buhay namin nang ilang araw. Tina-try pa din naming i-trace kung sino ang mokong na ‘yun na nag-hack sa system namin. Pero masyadong malinis. Hindi ko alam kung paano namin siya mahuhuli.“You suck at this, Rainier!” reklamo ni Maeve pagpasok ko ng salas.“What?!” tugon naman nito.Nasa carpet ang dalawa at parehong may hawak na controller.“You’re supposed to be good at this,” dismayadong sabi ni Maeve. “Akala ko ba militar ka? Why can’t you shoot at this kind of games?!”Natatawang sumagot si Rainier. “Well, it’s di
HEATH’S POV“System breach,” bungad sa’kin ni Eli paglabas ko ng elevator. “I think they are trying to get information that they could possibly leak.”“What’s happening now?”Pumasok na kami kaagad sa opisina ko.“No other threats?”“None as of the moment,” sabi ni Eli habang nakatingin pa din sa tablet niya. “Matindi ang IT team nito. Ang nakakapagtaka lang, kung nabuksan nila ang system at kaya nilang pabilisin ang pagkuha ng data natin pero…”“Pero ano?” tanong ko pagkaupo ko.“Pero hindi nila tinutuloy
BREE’S POV“I can come with you if you want,” ang sabi sa’kin ni Heath nang sabihin ko sa kaniyang pupunta ako sa bahay ng daddy ko.“It’s fine. I can handle it,” lang ang naging tugon ko. Sinamahan ako ni Rainier.“You’re quiet,” obserba ko sa kaniya. “You’re giving me the feeling that you don’t really agree with what I’m doing.”“Your dad is my boss. I don’t speak against my higher ups. Besides, it’s a family matter. I can’t comment on it.”Some part of me is wishing that he would say something. Na parang ma-comfort ako na tama ‘tong ginagawa ko. I hardly go against my father’s wishes. A
BREE’S POVIsang oras din ang tinagal ng byahe namin bago kami nakarating sa presinto. Nang makita ako ni Maeve, ni hindi manlang ako binati nito. Malamlam at antok ang ekspresyon ng mukha.“Where the hell were you?” tanong ni Heath kay Seth. “You were supposed to keep an eye on her.”“Nasa bahay na siya kagabi,” depensa ni Seth na mukhang aligaga din dahil napapagalitan siya ni Heath. “Hindi naman siya nagsabi na lalabas siya.”“Ano ba nangyari?” tanong ko.Ngayon ko lang nakita nang malapitan si Seth. Huli ko siyang nakita may mga dugo pa sa balat niya dahil doon sa palaro sa Anino. Ang laki niya pala talagang bata. ‘Yung tipong gustuhin nga tala
HEATH’S POVAlam mo ‘yung pakiramdam na ang sarap lang mang-asar ng mga taong madaling mabwisit? Gano’n lang naman ang plano kong gawin kay Brianna. I like it when she gets annoyed because of me. Usually, hindi naman ako ganitong tao, pero ewan ko ba. There’s some satisfaction that I get whenever I get a reaction out of her.Akala ko nga masaya na ko sa gano’ng reaksyon mula sa kaniya. Na kapag nainis na siya sa’kin, solb na ko.Hindi ko naman inakala na may mas ikaliligaya pa pala akong makuha maliban sa inis niya.I bite on the inside of my lips as I keep the grin on it.I remember every second of last night.I doubt that you could
BREE’S POVKahit naman hindi ako sobra-sobrang nalasing kagabi, gumising pa din ako nang may sakit sa ulo. Pungas-pungas pa kong nag-inat hanggang sa lumabas si Heath mula sa banyo na may towel sa kaniyang bewang.Natigil ang paghikab ko nang magtama ang aming mga mata.“Great, you’re awake,” sabi niya lang sa’kin at kinuha ang kaniyang bag bago bumalik sa banyo.Binaon ko ang mukha ko sa unan.Shit. May nangyari nga pala kagabi.Anong gagawin ko?Talaga bang hindi ko papansinin kung anong naganap?I clea
BREE’S POV“All you have to do,” panimula ko at hinawakan ang kaniyang tie. Dahan-dahan ko itong inalis sa kaniyang leeg. “Is stop.”“Stop?” he asks with a light chuckle.“Yes. A full stop.”“I don’t get it.”“Stop trying to get me.” I twist on his lap, making sure that my butt grazes that thing being hidden by his pants. I straddle his waist and tilt his head up. “Let me come to you.”“I see,” he says. His hands rested on my hips and I’m going to burn in hell for wanting his touch all over my body.“Tell you what.”“Yeah?