Chapter 1.1: Comeback

VENUS felt the anger inside her chest when someone entered the flower shop. She can't be wrong or mistaken. She knows the way he stands, the way he walks, she knows all of his motion.

Masyado niyang kilala ang taong nakita niya kaya hindi pweding nagkakamali lang siya o di kaya'y namamalik-mata.

Kaswal lang na lumapit ang lalaki sa counter at hinarap siya.

She froze when their eyes met. His features are still the same but he's more manly now. He still has those long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, his aquiline nose, adequate cheekbones, well-crafted jawline, and his red sensual lips.

Then she breath heavily when she glances at his eyes again. It is beautiful and still purple. A rare and magical eye that can send thousands of shivers into her spine years ago.

"Welcome to Giselle's Flower Shop, Sir." She greets him with a fake smile and a fake casual welcome. Then she scans him from head to toe, it's been a decade but he still hasn’t changed a bit. He's still into leather jackets and denim jeans. "What flowers do you like to order, Sir?"

"Well..." His eyes were scanning the whole place and yup, his voice was still husky and sexy. Then he looks at her again, trying to observe the person he hasn’t seen for a decade. The girl he left without goodbye. "I would like to order one Venus Flower, please."

Sarkastikong tumawa naman si Venus at bahagyang napailing-iling. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din nagbabago ang tono ng pananalita ng lalaki. "Well sorry to inform you sir that the flower you like to buy, been not available at the moment."

"How are you?" Kaswal lang na nagtanong si Mathis sa dalaga na parang wala lang sa kanya ang lahat na nangyari. Venus heart ache, she doesn't know why but the moment she stares at his lovely purple eyes brought back the forgotten memories with him. "It's been a decade, right? You have changed a lot."

"Well, I take that as a compliment." She winked while trying to hide that she's not comfortable talking to a person who’s like a ghost from ten years ago. "You're still into leather jackets?"

"Uhm yeah. I just like them." He smiles, showing his perfect set of white teeth. As he looks at her, Venus changed a lot.

The innocent and sweet Venus he met a decade ago no longer exist but replaced by a confident, sexy, and a wild-looking woman.

He felt hard and his jeans tightened.

"Yup, same old you..." Nag-iwas naman siya ng tingin sa lalaki at mas itinuon na lang ang kanyang tingin sa ginagawa niya kanina bago dumating ang malas sa buhay niya.

"Yup same old me..." He agreed but he still can't get enough staring at her. Deep down he wishes that it's not too late for him. Na hindi pa huli ang lahat at baka pwedi pa niyang itama ang mga pagkakamali. "Are you free? Can we have a coffee together?"

At napatingin naman siya ulit sa lalaki. Hindi siya makapaniwala na makikita niya ulit ang lalaking minamahal niya noon. Hindi niya inaasahan na makikita ulit ang lalaking nang-iwan at sinaktan siya noon.

Ang kapal din ng mukha! She thought.

"Okay..." She flatly said. Bukod kasi sa wala na siyang gagawin pa na iba ay may gusto siyang malaman. May gusto siyang alamin mula sa lalaki na sampung taon niyang hindi nagawang itanong at kailanman hindi niya malalaman ang kasagutan. "Well may Café sa tapat ng shop ko. Diyan na lang tayo?"

"Yeah sure. Wherever you like, mí Corazon..." Pilyong napangiti naman si Mathis nang makitang natigilan ang dalaga sa kanyang sinabi. He's right, she's still affected and that was proven because of the endearment he used to call her a decade ago.

"Stop calling me that. You don't love me anymore and I don't love you anymore. Is that clear?" She raised an eyebrow at him. Ang kapal kasi ng mukha ng lalaking ito. Pagkatapos siyang iwan sa mismong araw ng kasal nila ay basta-bastang magpapakita na lang ito na parang isang ligaw na kaluluwa matapos ang isang dekada.

He chuckled. "Okay, you say so. I can't argue with that, baby..."

Damn! Why does he sound so sexy and hot? Quit it, Vee! Tugon ni Venus sa kanyang sarili.

Pero kahit na ganun pa man ay hindi pa din mawawala ang sugat sa nakaraan. Ang sugat na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa naghihilom at natabunan na ng matinding galit at poot.

"Don't call me 'baby', unless you mean it..." Pilyong napangiti naman si Venus. If she has to play with his silly little games, she will. Then she scans him again. His features maybe more manly but his attitude is still cheap and crazy.

Lumabas na sa loob ng counter si Venus at akmang lalabas na silang dalawa ni Mathis sa Flower Shop nang may batang babaeng pumasok sa loob. Nakangiti ito at bahagyang magulo ang buhok subalit maganda at mukhang anghel pa din sa kabila ng pawisan nitong katawan.

"Where have you been?" Venus asked the little girl. Bahagyang lumuhod siya para maging pantay ang tangkad nila sa bata at marahang pinunasan ang pawis nito gamit ang handkerchief niya na nasa bulsa ng kanyang denim jeans.

The little girl offers a smile. "Naglaro lang kami ng kaibigan ko. I'm sorry mommy..."

"Di ba sabi ko sayo ay magpaalam ka sakin?" She asked while wiping off her sweat away. Kahit pawisan ay mabango pa din ang bata at bahagyang inaamoy niya ang kili-kili nito.

"Stop that mommy!" The little girl giggles as her mother is sniffing her under arms. "It tickles..."

Venus laughs and then she stood up. She also grabs the sling bag in the counter. "There! Huwag kang malikot." She put some powder at the little girl's back.

"Can I play again, mommy?" She pleased Venus with some puppy eyes.

She sighed in defeat. Hindi naman talaga siya mananalo sa anak niyang ubod ng kulit. "Okay, sino ba ang kasama mo?"

"Yung mga kaibigan ko po." She pouted her lips in an innocent way and then she looks at Venus again. "Don't worry mom dahil kasama ko naman po si Daddy."

Bahagyang natigilan naman si Venus at saglit na napatingin kay Mathis na kanina pa nakatayo sa gilid niya na nakatingin lang sa kanilang mag-ina.

"Okay." Then she kisses the top of her head. "Huwag kang maging pasaway sa daddy mo ha?"

The little girl nodded and then she ran away from the Flower shop while waving her hand. "I will mom!"

Napagbugtong hininga naman si Venus nang makaalis na ang kanyang anak at napatingin ulit sa lalaking kasama niya kanina pa. "Shall we?"

Mathis just nodded and then he opens the door of the Flower Shop for her. Kapwa nilang nilisan ang tindahan at pumasok sa Café na nasa tapat lang.