"Sir, makikidaan po ako. Lilinisin ko lang po kwarto ni Ma'am." Sambit ni Manang Belinda sa akin.
Hawak sa isang kamay ang walis tambo at stick na may mga balahibo ng ibon? Are those really feathers?
Umalis ako sa pagkakasandal sa daanan ng pinto. Pinadaan siya papasok at bumalik ulit sa pagkakasandal sa pintuan.
She started sweeping the floor and wiping the top of the table near the bed.
"Is she here?" I asked in a low tone.
She stop what she's doing and looked at me with confusion on her face.
"Ahh... Sir?" Litong tanong niya.
I crossed my arms.
"Daugther of Lauretta. Is she here?" I asked.
"Ahh!" She exclaimed voiceless.
"Wala po. Naisip ko lang po linisin ang kwarto niya. Bilin po kasi ni Madame Lauretta lagi ko raw pong linisin ang kwartong ito dahil baka umuwi daw po ang anak niya ng biglaan."
I nod at her. Shutting our co
Artia's POV Mas lalong nagsalubong ang kilay niya. "Left side of your bed." Masungit niyang sabi. "Just push the wall. You'll find the door." Ako naman ang napakunot ang noo. "Huh? Wala akong nakitang door handle. Wala akong nakitang pinto." "The doors are painted same color of the wall." Hindi ko parin siya magets. I mean I get him but I still don't have the idea where is the bathroom is. Paano ko hahanapin ang pinto? "Just push the wall beside your bed. You'll either find the walk in closet or the bathroom." Hindi ako umimik. Sinusubukan iregister sa utak ang sinasabi niya. "Your room is designed like mine." Sambit niya pa. Humakbang siya pakanan. Tapos ay may tinuro sa loob ng kwarto. Titingin na sana ako pero biglang may tumawag sa pangalan ko. "ARTIA?!" shouted Ma. Kaagad kong nakilala ang boses niya. Napatuwid ako
Third P POV "Mauna na po kayo sa baba. May kailangan lang akong kunin sa kwarto ko." Sambit ni Kingsley kay Lauretta. Hindi siya kaagad nakasagot dahil sakop ng isip niya ang anak niya. Lutang itong tumango at hinayaaan ng iwan siya ng binata. Nagpatuliy siya sa paglakad papunta sa pababa. Habang pababa sa hagdan ay napailing siya. Mali yata ang desisyon ko na payagan sulang magtabi ang kwarto. Naisip ko ng ganito ang magiging problema ko kay Artia. Mahilig siyang magsuot ng mga sexy'ng damit at madalas magpakuta ng katawan. Wala itong takot at hiya na ipakita ang hubad na katawan. Baka kung anong maisip ng dalawa. Hindi pa magkapatid ang turingan nila at parehong may isip na. Baka kung anong mangyari kapag hindi kami nakabantay sa kanila. Sa nalang ay hindi matukso ang kanilang damdamin. Malalim ang iniisip ni Lauretta hanggang sa makarating siya sa hapag kainan. Natigil lang ang pag-iisip nang kausapin
Artia's POVKailangan kong magtiis. Kahit pa hindi ko gusto ang mga nakikita ko dapat ay manatili ako dito ng sa gano'n ay maisagawa ko ang mga plano ko.You gotta have patience if you want something in return, if you want success.Imbis na sayangin ang oras kakamukmok ay naisipan kong ayusin nalang ang mga gamit ko. Hindi ko na muna nilagay sa walk in closet ang mga dala kong damit na ito dahil hindi naman karamihan. Sandali lang akong natapos sa pag-aayos.Naramdaman ko ulit ang pagsakit ng ulo ko."I don't have medicine in here." I whispered to my self.Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakasalampak sa sahig at lumabas sa kwarto. Sumulyap ako sandali sa pintuan ng kwarto ni Kingsley. Nasa loob kaya siya? Or baka nasa baba pa. O baka naman umalis? Ang aga aga naligo atsaka may katawagan kanina baka may lakad?Hawak ang sentido ay naglakad ako pababa. Magtatanong ako ng gamot sa sakit ng ulo. May hangover pa ako? Ba
Third P POV "Manang? Nakita niyo po ba si Artia?" Tanong ng binata sa matanda. Hinahanap niya ang dalaga, handa ng kausapin ito. "Masakit ang ulo niya. Baka natutulog sa kwarto." Anang matanda. Kumurap ng ilang beses si Kingsley. Amg masakit ang ulo niya? Tanong nito sa isipan. Nakita niya kaninang may inabot si Manang Belinda kay Artia, ngunit ang akala niya ay tubig lang iyon. Nabanggit pa ng matanda na binigyan niya ng gamot kanina para sa sakit ng ulo ang dalaga dahil sa hangover nito. Isiniksik niya ang kamay sa bulsa. Buti nalang hindi niya ito kinausap kanina. Napansin niya kasi na may iba sa itsura ng dalaga. May kakaiba sa mga mata nito nang titigan niya ng matagal at malapitan. Para bang pagod ang mga mata niya at...ipinilig niya ang ulo. Maybe that's one of her tricks to get the attention of her boys. Parang humihingi ng atensyon ang mga mata. Parang malungkot. Pero b
Artia's POV Nakasunod lang ako sa likod niya. Bahagya pang sumakit ang tiyan ko dahil sa pagtakbo. Baka magka-ulcer pa ako nito dahil sa ginawa. Tumigil siya sa harapan ng malaking itim na pinto. Pumunta na ako dito. Dinala na ako nina mama noon. Ano nga kasi ang nasa loob? Anong room nga uli ito? Pagbalik ko ng tingin sa kanya ay nakaharap na pala siya sa akin at nasa akin na ang tingin. I smiled cutely. Inisnaban niya lang ako at binuksan na ang pinto. Pumasok siya sa loob, bigla nalang siyang nawala sa paningin ko. Bago pa magsarado ang pinto ay itinulak ko iyon at pumasok sa rin sa loob. Nagdalawang isip ako sa ginawa. Ang dilim sa loob! Tanging pulang ilaw na nagmumula sa maliit na lamp gilid ng pintuan ang nagpapailaw sa kinatatayuan ko. "Kingsley?" Kinakabahan kong tawag. Hindi ko siya makita. Madilim talaga dito sa loob. May naririnig akong mga yapak. Hindi k
Third P POV "Artia! Hindi ka na nahiya sa tito mo! Akala ko ba kaya mong gampanan ang posisyon na iyon?! Bakit pumalpak ka?" Umalingawngaw sa buong sala ang malakas na boses ni Lauretta. Sinisigawan ang anak. Mahigpit na nakasarado ang kamao ni Artia. Tinatanggap ang mga sinasabi ng ina. She didn't expect she'd be this angry. Inasahan niya na magagalit ito pero hindi ganitong sobrang galit. She's been shouting at her for am hour. From the office and now here. In the house of Conrad. "I didn't know this would happen." She lied. This is part of her plan. Hindi naman talaga siya pumalpak dahil successfull ang plano niya. Pumayag siya sa posisyon at trabahong binigay sa kanya ni Conrad. She became business analyst in their company in an instant. She took part in one of their new project. Sa totoo lang ay aprobado niya takaga ang proyektong pinresent sa kanya. She knows her instinct and knowledge as a business woman th
Third P POV "To join your celebration." Walang emosyon sabi ni Kingsley. Pwersahan niyang inalis ang kamay ni Artia na nakahawak sa kanya, na para bang nandidiri doon. "What celebration are you talking about?" Dahil sa kalasingan ay hindi gumagana ang bagsik ng kutob ni Artia. Hindi niya mahinuha na ang tinutukot ni Kingsley ay ang scheme na ginawa nito, ang sadyang pagwala sa isang milyon. "You're going to deny it, and then say sorry after?" He asked darkly, his drowsy are now sharp as knife. "Teka, hindi ako makasunod sa sinasabi mo." Litong sambit parin ni Artia at bahagya pang gumewang nang subukan ulit hawakan ang binata. Gusto niyang hawakan dahil ramdam niya ang hilo at naiisip na baka umalis ito kahit hindi pa sila tapos mag-usap. "I know what you've done, Artia. The supplier who took the 1 million pesos, is your f*cking ally. That was your plan, huh?! This is why you wanted t
Third P POV "You'll stay here for good. You rest for a month. I already talked with your secretary and to our managers. Sila na muna ang bahala sa mga trabaho mo. I will also visit the company everyweek. They'll keep me updated, you don't have to worry about our businesses. For a while, you rest." Sandaling hindi nagritiro sa isip ni Artia ang sinabi ng ina. Nalilito ito sa sinabi niya. "Po? Bakit po? Anong pahinga, Ma?" Tanong niya. Bumigat ang paghinga at nakakunot ang noo. "Nag-usap kami ng tito mo, and we came up with a decision that you should rest from your work, kahit saglit lang. Baka pumalpak ka dahil sa sobrang dami ng trabaho na hinahawakan mo kaya naaapektuhan na ang pamamalakad mo sa iyong trabaho." Umiling ng mabilis ang dalaga. "No, Ma. Hindi naman po sa gano'n. Hindi naman po ako nahihirapan at nabibigatan sa trabaho. Its just that, I... I failed to do a background check with that, with that supplier! Ka
-----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