Huminga ako ng malalim. Ang suplado, hindi ko yata siya madadaan sa mga bola at damoves ko.
"Okay. Tutal alam mo naman na iba ang pakay ko sayo. Let's get straight to it then." Seryoso sabi ko at inayos ang tayo.
Gusto niya talagang mag-usap kami ng ganito? Hindi kaya ako mangawit dahil nakatayo lang kami? Pero baka hindi naman magtatagal ang usapan dahil ngayon palang kitang-kita kona na nangangati na siyang umalis sa harapan ko. Ang sungit magsalita.
"I noticed you didn't talk earlier on our lunch." I started. Wala parin siyang imik. Pinagkrus ko ang mga braso ko.
"Ayaw mo din bang matuloy ang kasal?" Daretsong tanong ko.
One of his eyebrow moved, pero kaunting galaw lang iyon at hindi mo naman mahahalata kung hindi nakafocus ang mga mata mo sa kanya. Napansin ko dahil tit
Two days had passed. Hindi ko pa ulit nakakausap si Mama. And I busied myself with work. Habang nagtatrabaho ay iniisip ko din kung anong magandang gawin sa sitwasyon ko.Ako lang ang may ayaw sa kasal. Ma wants to be married with Conrad, and its clear Conrad wants to marry my mother and Kingsley, he f*cking agree to our parents marriage.Wala akong kakampi. I am the only daugther, I don't have siblings. Obviously wala akong mahihingan ng tulong kung kapatid ang pinaguusapan. Then Dad, Dad's dead, malabo naman na makumbinsi ko siyang multuhin si Mama para hindi na magpakasal.I badly want to talk to him, I want to see him again and I know what I want is a miracle. Malabong mangyari ang gusto ko. Malabong bumalik si Dad.Hindi ko din naman mahihingan ng tulong ang lolo't lola ko. They're abroad, at nakakahiya naman kung hihingan ko sila ng tulong saka baka makasama pa iyon kay Mama
Kingsley POV "I was told not to speak nonsense. Wala naman po kasi akong maikekwento." She flashed her annoying smirk at me again. She haven't move on from what I said that night, huh? Flashback Third Person POV "Men! Nakita ko kanina si Artia sa kabilang restaurant! Tangina ang ganda talaga! At ang sexy men!" Napalingon si Kingsley sa nagsasalita. He is one of his friends na madalas ay katambayan dito sa bar na ito. He watched them talked about Artia. Uminom siya ng beer na hawak niya at itinuon nalang ang tingin sa may dance floor.
Nauna akong umalis sa hapagkainan dahil gusto kong maglakad-lakad sa bahay na ito. Ilang minuto palang ang nakaklipas ay naramdaman kong may nakasunod sa akin. Alam ko kaagad na si Kingsley iyon, amoy ko hanggang dito ang pabango niya. At sa mga huling sinabi ko kanina ay hinuha ko susunod talaga siya sakin.Napuntahan ko na noon ang pool area kaya napagdesisyonan kong pumanik sa taas. Nagpaalam naman ako kina Mama na mag-iikot ako.Mabagal akong naglalakad papanik sa hagdan. Napasinghap ako saglit dahil sa mangha sa nakikita ko. I'm starting to like this house, ang ganda.Like on the first floor mataas din ceiling dito and there are chandeliers! Una kong tinignan ay ang sa left side, I saw something moving and a different color of light flashing. I stared at it for seconds and confirmed the things moving were curtains. Naglakad ako palapit doon.Naexcite ako lalo nang makitang may glass wall nanaman. May this is like whats i
"No one will get hurt. Basta takutin niyo lang. At huwag kayong sasabit sa plano."Ibinaba ko kaagad ang telepono dahil bahagyang nanginginig ang kamay ko dahil sa kaba. Damn! Mas mabuti yatang nandoon ako at nakamasid sa gagawin nila kaysa ganitong hindi ko alam kung ano na ang nangyayari. Pero baka may makakita sa akin at malaman na pakana ko iyon kaya siguro mabuti nga na dito nalang ako sa condo ko maghintay.Maghihintay nalang ako ng balita.Pero hindi talaga ako mapakali."Shit!" Inis kong sigaw nang wala ng tumutulong wine mula sa bote kahit anong taktak ang gawin ko.Ngayon pa ako naubusan ng wine! Kung kailan kailangan ko ng pampakalma!I went to my wine cellar to check if I still have stock of that same wine. Nainis ako lalo nang makitang wala ng kagaya noon. And I only have 3 bottles of wine left.I can't drink those three. Mula pa sa Dad ko iyon and those costs hundreds of th
"Anong nangyari? Bakit hindi niyo kaagad sinagot ang tawag ko?" Pagalit kong tanong kay Carlos, isa sa mga tauhan ko.[Pasensiya na Ma'am. Nasa operasyon pa po kami noong tumatawag kayo kaya hindi namin masagot.] Sagot niya.Huminga ako ng malalim at kinalma ang sarili. It's near 11 pm, nandito na ako sa condo ko."Kamusta?" Ngayoy kalmado kong tanong.[Okay na po Ma'am.]Napairap ako."Ikwento mo kung anong nangyari." Nakasimangot kong tanong. Ang tipid naman nitong sumagot. Hindi ko alam kung anong ibig sabihin niya sa "okay na po".[Tama po ang lokasyon na panggagalingan ni Mr. Conrad. Hinintay po namin siyang lumabas sa building at sinundan. Nakorner po namin siya at dinala sa baba ng tulay. Tinutukan po namin siya ng baril sa ulo at sinabi ang pinapasabi niyo.]"Tell me what you said." Baka pala nabanggit nila ang pangalan ko sa
Alasais palang ng umaga ay nakabihis na ako. Hindi sa maaga akong nagising, hindi ako halos nakatulog. Iniisip ko kung ano ba ang nangyari. Sabi nina Carlos at Joel ay successfull naman ang operasyong ginawa nila. Sabi nila ay natakot ang dalawa at nangako na iuurong na ang kasal nila ni Mama. But why the hell are they going to fetch me and visit a church together? Hindi ba dapat hiwalay na sila ni Mama at dapat wala na kaming koneksyon sa dalawa dahil hiwalay na nga sila. And this is just so sudden and unusual. Mama never invited me to visit a church together, she never asked me to attend a mass with her. Its not that hindi kami nagsisimba, pero ito talaga ang unang beses na inimbita niya akong magsimba at kasama pa talaga ang mag-ama. Sabi niya sa text niya ay alas-syete mag-uumpisa ang misa at alas-sais trenta nila ako dadaanan sa condo building ko. Hinihintay ko nalang ang tawag niya at baba na. I wore a black off shoul
Alasais palang ng umaga ay nakabihis na ako. Hindi sa maaga akong nagising, hindi ako halos nakatulog. Iniisip ko kung ano ba ang nangyari. Sabi nina Carlos at Joel ay successfull naman ang operasyong ginawa nila. Sabi nila ay natakot ang dalawa at nangako na iuurong na ang kasal nila ni Mama. But why the hell are they going to fetch me and visit a church together? Hindi ba dapat hiwalay na sila ni Mama at dapat wala na kaming koneksyon sa dalawa dahil hiwalay na nga sila. And this is just so sudden and unusual. Mama never invited me to visit a church together, she never asked me to attend a mass with her. Its not that hindi kami nagsisimba, pero ito talaga ang unang beses na inimbita niya akong magsimba at kasama pa talaga ang mag-ama. Sabi niya sa text niya ay alas-syete mag-uumpisa ang misa at alas-sais trenta nila ako dadaanan sa condo building ko. Hinihintay ko nalang ang tawag niya at baba na. I wore a black off shoul
"Don't mind what I mentioned earlier." Sambit ni mama sa gitna ng pananahimik ko. "Po?" Lito kong tanong. Tinignan ko siya at parang kinakabahan na hindi mapakali. "Sinabi ko kanina na nakipagbarilan sila, well, uhm, hindi naman talaga sla ang nakipagbarilan. There were just uhm, gunfiring na naencounter nila." Nauutal at tarantang sabi niya. I frowned, wondering why she's acting like this. "Ah... okay po." Alanganin kong sagot. Hindi ko naman iniisip iyon at wala na akong binanggit ulit tungkol doon dahil mula kanina ay hindi na ako nagsalita, takot na may masabing iba. Kaya ganito nalang ang taka ko nang biglang buksan nanaman ni Mama ang topic na 'yon. Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas ay nasa simbahan na kami. Sabay kaming bumaba sa van ni mama sunod si Conrad. Umikot ako sa sasakyan at nilapitan si mama. Tinignan ko kung marami na bang tao ang nagsisimba at baka wala na kaming maupu
-----fast forward----- ***Artia's POV*** "How about you two? Hindi niyo pa ba naiisipang magpakasal? You're on your right age naman. Maaari na kayong magpakasal." "Honestly, I've thought about that. Matagal na kayong magkasintahan, alam kong mauuwi kayong dalawa sa kasalan. Why don't you start planning about it?" Keep remembering it Artia. Keep thinking about it. About their conversation earlier on your dinner. Hindi kapa ba natatauhan? Even your mother and his father are pushing the two to get married. Hindi pa ba sampal sa iyo iyon? You should stop now, before you drown yourself you might not be able to save yourself. Nalulunod kana sa sarili mong patibong. Your great f*cking plan won't work. Ang tagal tagal na pero wala pang improvement ang plan mo. Ang sarili molang ang sinasaktan mo at isinusugal dito. Don't you think its time to back out? Now is the time to change your mind. Wake up, Artia! None of your plan will
Artia's POV Kinabahan ako, akala ko may nagwawala na. Akala ko sinadya ni KIngsley na basagin ang mga bote dahil sa ginagawa namin ni Iulian. But why would he do that? Mukhang wala naman silang pake kahit pa magsex kami dito ni Iulian. Sila nga naghahalikan din kanina. The wine from the broken bottle is spilled on the floor and flow down to the water pool. Some broken glasses fell down in the pool also. What happened became clear to me when I saw a cat near the bottles. Mukhang tumalon ito at iyon ang mga natamaan. Kingsley doesn't own a cat. Kanino kaya ang orange na pusang ito at bakit nandito? THe cat looked like the famous cat in the movie. I forgot the cats name. Mahihirapan akong alalahanin iyon lalo na't lasing. My eyes glance at the two. Courtney slightly in panic moving away from the pool. And then Kingsley, eyes blanked looking at us. When our eyes met he immediately looked away, turned around and left the pool too. I blinked
***Artia's POV*** I couldn't fall asleep why I decided to take a bath. After taking a bath I just wore a thin silk of dress and sat on the floor facing the mirror and resting my back against the table placed in the middle of my walk in closet. I stared at my own reflection in the mirror. From my face, to my body and back to my face. My lips trembled, and my eyes started to sting. I have the face. I have the body. But I have no one. Unlike Courtney, she have friends, she have Iulian and Kingsley beside her for years. She have Kingsley who's loving her. I bit my lips hoping I could stop it from trembling. Now I know the answer to my questions earlier. The kiss I shared with Iulian felt empty. I've kissed many guys, and the truth, it all felt empty. Ako lang itong naglalagay ng meaning at emosyon doon. Sa paraang iyon, nababawasan ang kalungkutang nararamdaman ko. Something really changed, because now I know and have realized that all those
***Artia's POV***Our lips touched and dance together. Just like the music being played, it was slow at first but then coped up with a steady pace. His lips are tender and warm just like Kingsley's lips but it didn't made the butterflies in my stomach fly. I was the one who cut the kiss.I stared at his lips, didn't want to stare at his eyes so he wouldn't see I was distracted while we are kissing. I'm confuse. Why do I feel like something is missing? Why didn't it felt good? Its not because he's not a good kisser, but I didn't enjoyed like how I enjoyed the kisses of Kingsley.Isinantabi ko muna ang mga katanungan na iyon. I should say something. Iulian might get offended with my reaction."Walang magagalit?" I tried to joke. I felt relieved when he chuckled."Sayo? Walang magagalit?" tanong niya pabalik may ngisi sa labi. Umiling ako at itinago ang pasimpling paglunok ng laway.I hope meron. Sana may magalit at sana ay si Kingsley iy
***THIRD P POV***"I feel better with you, next to me."It's strange, how he can remember the words she said. Kingsley looked away and turned his attention to his girlfriend. He didn't want to start a conversation with Artia now that Courtney, Iulian and their other friends are next to them.He just had an argument with his girlfriend, he doesn't want her to have another reason to argue with. Courtney might get jealous. Artia didn't talkedtoo since she really doesn't have anything to say. She stretch a small smile to Courtney, she smiled back but she know she's not really okay that she's here.She chitchat with Iulian and sometimes with the other guys whose name she can't remember. Well, she's not really interested, her mind is clouded with the couple next to her and the trauma Rom left to her.She's thirsty but she don't have the spirit to drink the glasses of alcohol served in front of her. She didn't voice it out. At kahit pa gustuhin man
Kingsleys POV"Bukod sa gusto kitang kasama, wala na akong ibang kaibigan.""Look out for, Artia.""I lost everyone. My Dad's dead. I have no more friends."I closed my eyes tightly hoping I get to focus and stop remembering her voices and those words she said and what her mother said to me too. It keeps visting my mind. I can't stop thinking about it.[Why do you have to take her with you?] I looked out of the window for a second. I can feel her staring at me, listening to my conversation with Courtney on the phone."We already talked about this." No matter how much I lower my voice she can still hear me. I glance at her and her face says it. She's asking if we are arguing.[Yes, we talked about it but I want us to talk about it again. I thought it will just be for a while. Don't tell me she'll come with us sa lahat ng lakad natin.]"Mamaya natin ito pag-usapan."[Fine! Let's just meet there. Hin
Artia's POV "What?" He asked stern now back to being suplado. It was only for a short moment but it was gold for me. Him laughing together with me. Staring at my eyes not to others. Finally he laughed with me. I can't hide the smile formed in my lips. I shook my head and looked away, not wanting him to see that I was too happy just seeing him laughing with me. My heart still feels like its floating in the air above the clouds. Butterflies inside my stomach flying around. Giving the feeling that I haven't felt for years now. "Nothing." I answered. He noticed I was staring at him for a long time why he asked me what. I admit I stared at him so intently. It was too obvious. I should've been careful so he wouldn't get back to being stern so quickly. "I feel sorry to Iulian. I didn't know it tasted so salty. Ang dami niyang kinain," mahinang sambit ko habang nilalaro gamit ang kutsara ang sinangag na niluto ko. Buti nalang pala at hindi si Kingsl
Artia's POV "I just want to say sorry too, about what I said yesterday. No woman wants to be disrespected and molested. Sorry." Parang naisama ko sa paglunok ko ang dila ko dahil hindi ako nakapagsalita. Parang lalabas na din yata sa d****b ko ang puso ko sa lakas ng tibok nito. Dang! What is wrong with me? Bakit ganito makapagreact ang puso ko sa ginawa niya? When I recovered I smiled sweetly at him and said, "Babe, its okay." I bit my lips after talking. Dang! Baka magalit ulit sa akin dahil sa pagtawag ko sa kaniya ng babe. Hindi ko naman sinasadya! It just slip out of my tongue. "You're forgiven." I said my voice automatically turned husky. Our eyes wandered at each other for a while before he looked away and walked. Akala ko ay aalis na siya pero napangiti ulit nang makita siyang sumandal sa may bar counter. I giggled and open the fridge to look at the sandwhich he made for me. Ngiting-ngiti ako habang tinitignan iyon at
Artia's POV "You two already kissed." Mula kanina ay hindi na ako tinantanan ng batang ito. She keeps on asking the same question over and over again everytime she sees me-- no she's following me. "Why are you so eager to know if we did kissed or not?" Gaya ngayon, sinusundan niya ako kahit saan ako magpunta. Kanina ay may kinausap kami ni Kingsley why we left her for a while. Pagkatapos doon ay naghiwalay kami ni Kingsley. I don't know where he went to and if he talked to someone but now I can see him and I'm walking towards his direction. "I heard the other girl is Kuya Kingsleys girlfriend. So if you two already kissed, maybe you seduced him to kiss you. Or you stole a kiss from him since you like him." Tumigil ako sa paglalakad at binalingan ang batang nakasunod sa likod ko. "I like him?" I asked. Parang sure na sure sa sinasabi niya. "Yeah. I can see it in the way you look at him