Chapter 7

"Right! Send me the details please, Thanks!" agad kong ibinaba ang phone ko at pabalang 'yong binato sa kama. I frustratedly brush my hair as I sit on my bed. 

I am so fucked up. Can someone tell me why I should stay here? If it wasn't really for my sister, I'll never stay here with that devil.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras akong nakakulong sa kwarto bago ko maisipang bumaba nang makaramdam ng gutom. 

Naabutan ko si Hage na may kausap sa phone niya, napadako ang paningin nito sakin habang busy pa rin sa pakikipagusap kaya inismiran ko lang ito at nagderederetso na sa kusina niya. I search for something to cook, not minding his presence. 

Nakasunod na pala ito sa akin at kasalukuyan siyang nakasandal sa padir malapit sa pintuan. Nang makaluto ako ay agad ko 'yong hinayin at nagsimulang kumain nang maupo siya sa harapan ko at pinagmasdan ako. 

"What the hell are you staring at Frost?"

"You really had change a lot," Bahagya kong nabitawan ang kutsara ko at napaangat ng tingin sa kaniya. The side of his lips rose up. Hindi ko naalis ang tingin sa kaniya at napatitig na lang ng kunin niya ang hotdog na kinagatan ko na mula sa plato ko at deredertsong kumagat doon saka tumayo na. 

May lips formed 'o' as I watch him walk out of the kitchen. Damn annoying. Nailing na lang ako at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain bago hinugasan ang pinagkainan ko at bumalik sa kwarto para magtooth brush. Mabuti na lang at 'di na muling nagtagpo ang landas namin ng mga oras na 'yon. 

I chose to stay inside my room doing my homework when I heard a sound of engine outside the house. Curiosity filled my mind as I rose up from my chair and went through the glass window. Hinawi ko ng bahagya ang kurtina at halos mapapikit pa ako sa biglaang pagtama ng sinag ng araw sa mukha ko. As my eyes adjusted in light I could now see the same girl I saw with hage at the restaurant. Bumaba ito sa kotse at mabilis na lumapit kay Hage at niyakap ito saka humalik sa labi. I felt my blood boil because of what I've witness, not minding the reason why I felt such a reaction like that. My hand clawed on the curtain, my breathing becomes rough as I close the curtain harshly that it almost ripped. 

Fucking Frost! How could you!?

Nagngitngit ang mga ngipin ko nang makabalik sa pagkakaupo, I saw my reflection at the mirror on my side and I could see the rage in my intense red eyes. 

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako ng marinig ang lagitik ng lapis na hawak ko tanda ng pagkaputol nito dahil sa higpit ng pagkakapit ko. Ibinagsak ko iyon sa study table at malakas na hinampas ang surface bago tumayo. I even walked back and forth as I frustratedly comb my hair by my fingers. This is bullshit! Hindi ko dapat maramdaman ito. No, Shen he hurt you once and he will do it all over again. This is his fucking plan! He blackmailed me in order for him to execute his fucking plan. 

He really planned to use the bond against me. I am now his mate again and that was the most fucking bullshit I could ever think about.

Hindi ako mapakali sa isiping may ibang babae siyang kasama sa bahay na ito ngayon bukod sa 'kin. Hindi ako magawang patahimikin ng isip ko, hindi ko na mabalik ang attention sa ginagawa ko kaya naman mabilis kong kinuha ang phone ko at tiim bagang na lumabas ng kwarto. 

"Ughm..." Agad akong napahinto sa pagbaba ng makarinig ng ungol. Shit, naramdaman ko ang panginginig ng kamay ko ng magkaroon ng hinala. I followed the voice and I was stiffened when I realize that it comes from the guest room.

A pang of pain crept on me, as I could feel my chest aches. Bigla itong sumikip na halos kapusin na ako sa paghinga. I tried so hard to breath, I struggle to gasp for air as I clawed my hand on my chest. 

Unti-unti akong naglakad papalapit sa nakaawang na pinto ng kwarto, the sound becomes louder. Nang tuluyan ko nang narating iyon ay bahagya akong sumilip and I was taken aback to see them on the bed with hage abover her. They were kissing hungrily as her hand clawed on Hage's shirt while he was busy kissing her neck. 

I felt possessiveness and jealousy. I want to pull him away from her. I want to hurt them so bad, but I was the one who's suffering now. Bumigat ang dibdib ko maging ang paghinga habang mas lalong sumisikip ang dibdib ko that I could barely breath. I can't watch them anymore, maisip ko pa lang ang kahihinantnan ng halikan nila ay di ko na makaya. 

He's mine! Damn it! Ano mang gawin ko 'yon ang paulit-ulit na pumapasok sa isip ko. Akin siya, akin lang siya, ako ang mate niya, ako lang dapat. Hindi ko matatanggao na may iba. 

But I was taken aback by the thought that I am just his unwanted mate and that will never change. 

Mabilis akong bumaba at lumabas ng bahay ni Hage. Unbothered by how I looks like. 

Siguro ay okay naman na ang suot ko, wala akong pakialam kung tanging shorts at gray sleeveless top lang ang suot ko saka tsinelas. Mahigpit ang kapit sa phone ko ng pumara ako ng taxi at derederetaong sumakay doon.

I don't have any destination in mind. I don't have friends, I have a sister but she doesn't know me. She doesn't know about me.

"Ma'am sa'n po kayo?" 

"Cooper's café" simpleng sagot ko sa kaniya at sumilip sa labas ng bintana. Kahit anong gawin ko ay paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang imahe ng nakita ko kanina. I wonder how many women does he bedded when he's away from me. 

Napahawak ako sa singsing na hanggang ngayo'y suot-suot ko pa. Our wedding ring, hindi ko alam kung napawalang bisa ang kasal namin. It was a vampire thing, that I don't know if it was possible to be voided without my approval. Pagkababa ko sa harap ng café ay naagaw ko agad ang attention ng ibang customers na naroroon ang iba ay napaawang pa habang nakatitig sa akin. May nakasalubong akong muntikan pang mabungo sa glass door ng café na hindi ko naman nagawang pansinin. 

"Oh shit she's hot dude!"

"Go get her number!"

"But she looks like she's snob."

Nailing ako sa isip ko ng marinig iyon mula sa table na nadaanan ko. They look younger than me. Maybe around 19? I don't know, hindi naman ako naaattract sa mas bata sa akin although they have the face that would make girls wet. Fuckers.

Dumeretso ako sa counter para magorder ng iced coffee at isang sandwich saka pinili ang two seater table sa gilid ng glass wall. 

I need to cool down a bit that's why I went here. Coffee is my placatory. Mukhang 'di maipagkakailang kapatid ko nga si Reign dahil pareho kami ng hilig. 

In the middst of enjoying my coffee someone appears in front of me with his book and laptop.

"Hey didn't expect you here. And you look hot."

"I didn't know, that you know how to compliment a lady Professor Laquesta." I said as I sip on my iced coffee. 

He chuckles as he bit on his sandwich. 

"Well, now you know. So what is a beautiful hot lady doing here?" 

"May batas bang nagsasabing bawal ako rito?"

"No but, it's kinda unusual? You seems the kind of girl who stays inside her room during weekends."

"It's my way of refreshment. Too many homeworks." Pagpaparinig ko na kinailing niya. Of course! Isa sa ginagawa ko ay subject niya. 

"Wanna hang out with me this night Mcdemort?" 

"Where?"

"Escapade." Oh yeah Escapade bar, near Hage's village. Not bad, makakauwi ako ng mag-isa ng 'di kinakailangang magmaneho o bumyahe. 

"Sure, I wanna get wasted again." I can't deny that inside of 3 years I've been an alcoholic. Pakiramdam ko kasi gumagaan ang loob ko sa tuwing umiinom. Pwera sa coffee, ay isa rin ang alak sa nakakapagpakalma sa kalooban ko. Like somehow I can forget the problem, kahit na pagising ko ay bumabalik sa akin lahat. 

Matapos ng encounter namin sa café ay hindi na niya ako nilubayan, he's always there wherever I go. Sa mall, sa stores, sa houseware plaza. Sa pagbili ko ng pamalit. 

"Aren't you going to go home and just meet me later?" 'di nakatiis na tanong ko. He smiled as he rub the back of his head.

"I wanna be with you, honestly." I rolled my eyes on him as a defeat. 

"Tara sa condo ko," nanlaki ang mata ko sa paraan ng pagaya niya na kinagulat din niya.

"Ah- I mean I just want to return your favor. I'll cook you lunch." 

"Ah, ok." payag ko agad. Okay na rin 'yon, adventure. 

Tulad nang napagusapan ay dinala niya ako sa condo niya at ipinagluto ng tanghalian. 

"Ilang taon ka na?"

"I'm 24." 

"Wow, that young and you're a professor now?" 

"Yeah, that's my talent." Mayabang na sabi nito kaya nabato ko siya ng kinakain kong fries. I can't see him as my prof, I don't know but I just can't. Kapag kasama ko siya hindi siya mukhang professor. Mukha siyang fuckboy. 

"Ilang babae na ang naikama mo?" Wala sa sariling tanong ko, huli na para ma realize ko ang bagay na naitanong ko sa kaniya. Awkwardness filled the kitchen. Shit! Bakit ba kasi lumilipad ang isip ko? Naalala ko kasi si Hage kaya natanong ko iyon.

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Depende, sa 'yo. I just asked you. Though it's fine if you don't want to an-"

"Isa," Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kaniya ngunit umiwas siya.

"My ex," I bit my lower lip. I shouldn't have brought that thing. Maybe I hit the sensitive part. His lovelife. 

"Sorry, it's just that..." I almost confess about my ex-husband, but I stop. Hindi niya na kailangan pang malaman. 

"It's fine, I know your kind. You don't trust people easily." bahagya akong ngumiti at hinintay siyang ilapag ang niluto niya sa harapan ko. Handa na sana akong kumain ng bigla akong mapatigil sa mga salitang sunod niyang binitiwan.

"I won't do anything without your permission Shenlo."