So It's You (Filipino)

CHAPTER 6

I nearly toppled backward from the sudden collision with his strong, unyielding frame. But—no—oh yes... his arm wrapped swiftly around my waist, steadying me, keeping me from crashing onto the cold floor.

A sharp breath escaped me as his arm tightened around my waist, drawing me flush against him with a sudden, sure strength that made my knees go weak. His warmth enveloped me, steady and unmistakably masculine. Then his breath—cool and minty—ghosted over my skin, sending a shiver racing down my spine. Our faces were so close our noses were separated by mere inches, and the frantic thrum of my heartbeat roared in my ears, loud enough I was sure he could feel it.

Our eyes met and I could see the hatred traced in his eyes.

"Why are you always so clumsy?" he asked as he quickly released me.

I stepped back awkwardly.

"I'm sorry I was not looking--"

I couldn’t even finish my sentence — he was already past me, gone in a sudden blur of motion.

I remained exactly where he left me, stiff and unmoving, my feet glued to the floor as if the moment itself had swallowed me whole.

What's going on with me? I have never felt this way towards a man. I mean...why am I always running out of words to say? This is so damn awkward!

A sudden feeling of warm shot through my entire body. My cheeks were burning.

He's a total stranger, Fiona! You need to get out of here! My mind shouted at me.

I gently tapped my cheeks and closed my eyes. This isn't right!

Waking up from a hazy dream, my thoughts snapped into focus. I, now, walked back to the room.

=================

I woke up early to prepare myself from leaving. The maid who gave me the food last night told me that a boat will arrive at six.

"I don't want to see you tomorrow morning!"

I rolled my eyes as I remembered what that handsome devil had told me yesterday.

Don't worry I don't want to see you too anymore you arrogant jerk!

Thank God the weather is a bit okay now, though it's still a little bit cloudy.

I wore a tattered high-waisted jeans and crop top sando then top it off with a faded denim jacket.

"Paparating na ang bangkang de motor. Okay na ba mga gamit mo?"

"Oho. Nakahanda na ho lahat. Maraming salamat ho."

"Walang anuman. Siyanga pala di man lang ako nakapagpakilala sayo. Ako nga pala si Esther. Tawagin mo nalang akong Manang Esther."

I smiled brightly. "Opo Manang Esther."

She smiled back, sweetly.

"Tara na sa baba at medyo malapit na ang bangka na makadaong. Buti na lang at medyo bumuti na ang panahon."

She helped me carry my suitcase.

"Dito ka muna sa sala maghintay at babalik lang ako sa kusina sandali para matulungan ko si Lara na maghain ng almusal. Kailangan mong kumain bago ka umalis. Mahirap na bumyahe na walang laman ang tiyan."

"Sige ho."

I sank into a small single-seater couch and waited for the boat to arrive.

Sana tulog pa siya.

It was already 5:50 am when I heard some noises from the outside.

Curiosity tugged at me, so I slipped outside to see whether the boat Manang Esther mentioned had finally arrived.

But instead of a boat, a thunderous rhythm shook the ground.

A massive black stallion burst into view, galloping straight toward me, its mane whipping wildly in the wind.

My breath hitched—

and my jaw dropped—

because I knew exactly who was riding it.

"Why are you still here?" he asked coldly then jumped off the stallion and walked towards me.

My heart started pounding inside my ribcage by the sight. His handsome face is captivating, with well-defined features. Imagine strong, symmetrical bone structure, a confident jawline, and expressive eyes that tell a story. There's an element of charm and charisma radiating through his strong aura.

Realization hit me as soon as he stood in front of me.

I opened my mouth to say something, but it seemed like there's a lump in my throat.

Stop staring at his lips!

"I-I am waiting for the boat to arrive. Manang Esther told me it'll be here any moment," I stuttered.

Damn the stuttering! Get that tongue straight!

He let out a sharp hiss, his jaw tightening hard enough to show the strain in his cheekbones.

Why does my knees wobbling?!

My body relaxed as soon as he turned around and get back to his horse. I sighed silently in relief when he finally disappeared.

Standing there for a few more minutes, my gaze averted to the ocean. The sky shifting from deep indigo to soft pink, then to vibrant orange and gold as the sun emerges from the horizon. The sun's golden rays slowly illuminate the landscape, casting long shadows and making everything look serene and almost magical. The air feels fresh, filled with the promise of a new day.

My mood lightened up seeing the boat already approaching the shore. I excitedly go back inside the house to get my things. Manang Esther approached me.

"Mag-almusal ka na muna bago ka umalis," anito.

"Hindi na ho Manang Esther, salamat na lang ho. Baka lalo pang masira ang araw ng amo niyo kapag nakita niya pa ako sa kusina. Mahirap na," medyo natatawa kong saad.

"Oh, siya sige. Halika at ihatid na kita. May kukunin rin kasi ako sa bangka."

I smiled. "Sige po."

Nang makalapit sa bangka, isa-isang binaba ng isang matandang lalaki ang mga kahon mula sa bangka. Ito marahil ang nagmamaneho ng bangka. May kasama rin itong isang binatilyo na katulong nito sa pagbaba ng mga gamit mula sa bangka.

"Ano pong laman niyan?" I asked curiously.

"Ah eto? Mga groceries ito para sa bahay. Kahapon pa sana ito dapat ihatid kaso biglang sumama ang panahon," sagot ng matandang lalaki.

"Ganun ho ba?"

Tumango ang matandang lalaki bilang sagot at ngumiti.

"Kayo ho ba ang may-ari nitong bangka?"

"Naku, hindi. Ang totoo niyan, isa ito sa pagmamay-ari ni Señorito ang bangkang ito para sa paghahatid ng mga groceries o mga kung ano-anong kagamitan na kailangan sa bahay. Bihira lang ito magamit. Bale dalawa o tatlong beses sa isang buwan dumadaong ang bangkang ito rito," anito.

"Bangka lang ho ba ang pwedeng transportasyon rito?

"Hindi. Chopper ang gamit ni Señorito kapag pupunta siya ng siyudad o di kaya ay yate ang gamit niya. May ilan pa rin namang mga bangka ang pumupunta rito para magbenta ng isda," si Manang Esther na ang sumagot sa tanong ko.

"Ganoon po ba?"

"Oo."

"Dito ho talaga siya nakatira?" hindi ko na napigilang itanong. Hindi ko alam pero bigla na lamang akong na-curious tungkol sa amo nito.

"Hindi. Sa Maynila ang mansion at negosyo niya. Bahay-bakasyunan lamang ito. Minana niya pa ito sa yumao niyang Lola Esperanza. Mayroong kompanya ang pamilya niya sa Maynila na kung saan siya na ang namamahala."

"Kompanya?"

"Oo, kilala ang pamilya nila pagdating sa negosyo. Napakaraming negosyo ang pagmamay-ari ni Señorito lalong lalo na sa kamaynilaan."

"Ano pong apelyido niya baka kilal-"

"Why don't you just leave?"

Pareho kaming nagulat ni Manang Esther sa kung sino mang nagsalita mula sa aming likuran. Kahit ang matandang lalaki ay hindi rin napansin ang pagsulpot ng gwapong lalaking ito, dahil sa sobrang abala sa paghahakot ng mga kahon.

"Señorito kayo po pala," ani Manang Esther na tila kinakabahan ayon sa ekspresyon ng mukha nito.

"Pakidala na sa loob lahat ng mga yan Manang Esther. Pakitulungan na lang siya, Mang Isko," he ordered, his voice rang with authority and coldness. The chill in his voice settled between us, forming a distance that felt almost impossible to cross.

Isa-isang binuhat ni Mang Isko ang mga kahon papunta ng bahay. Mabuti na lamang at hindi kalayuan ang bahay mula sa pampang kaya hindi ito mahihirapan sa pagkalakad dala ang mga iyon. Tumulong na rin ang binatilyo sa pagbuhat at gayon rin si Manang Esther, ngunit pinili lamang nito ang magagaan.

Naiwan kaming dalawa ng masungit nitong amo na nakatayo pa rin sa kinaroroonan nito habang nakapamulsa.

"I'm sorry kung na-curious ako at naikwento sa akin ni Manang Esther ang tungkol sayo. It doesn't mean anything. I hope you don't mind," sabi ko habang pigil ko ang aking sarili na huwag kabahan na hindi ko alam kung para saan ang kaba na iyon.

He looked me directly in the eyes which made me swallow and gasped for air. My heart started beating so fast like it wanted to come out and swim into the ocean and leave me behind.

"I don't care what you heard about me. But I'm pretty sure you are no different from those gold diggers who wanted to gather information about how rich I am and then planned to flirt with me right after. What matters here is for you to leave my property and get out of my sight. I will not waste my time entertaining someone like you inside my property." A coldness laced his voice—quiet but piercing—that sent an involuntary shiver down my spine. Every word landed with sharp precision.

Heat rose up my face in irritation.

The nerve! What did he just say??!!

I chuckled sarcastically and put my hands on my waist. I tried to keep my composure and not let this arrogant man insult my femininity even more.

"You're so impossible! Gold digger, you say. How sure are you that I only wanted your money? And do you think I will sacrifice my reputation and dignity just to flirt with an arrogant and heartless human being like you?!"

He scoffed. "Heartless? Now, I regret letting you inside my house last night. I should have left you soaking wet outside my door."

"Letting me in last night doesn't give you the right to insult me or call me a gold digger! I don't want your money, Mr. Fiery Fury. Tell me—did you fall off your horse and hit your head?"

"You don't want my money? That's so hard to believe," he smirked and raised one eyebrow. "Playing innocent now, huh?"

Preventing my urge to scratch that smirk off of his handsome face, I pointed a finger at him.

"You! How dare you judge me like that so easily? You don't even know me! My name, where I live, my age, and everything! You just only know me from what happened to your car! The runaway girl who stood frozen in the middle of the road and waited for you to hit me with your stupid car. Just like that! Nothing else!"

He c****d his head, and his jaw tightened. "Are you done wasting my time?"

My jaw dropped.

"I don't have time to hear your dramas in life, running away from home, whatever it is. Or let me put it this way, since I'm not a heartless man and you want my money, let's discuss this in my bedroom, with you, not wearing anything."

That's it!

A hard slap landed on his left cheek with a sharp, resonant impact. "It's hard to imagine your mother raising a son who treats strangers with such disdain, unable to offer even a shred of kindness to a woman he doesn't know."

An intense surge of anger lashed out my heaving chest. A sudden rush of heat that made my heart raced uncontrollably and causes an internal explosion inside me.

The sting of his words burned—I couldn't believe anyone would have the nerve to call me a gold digger or mark me as a flirt. Never in my existence had I been labeled that way. I know who I am. I've never even had a boyfriend since high school! How dare he speak of me like that without knowing me?

At the moment. It seems like I'm not the only one in rage. His eyes darkened, as if a storm is brewing within them. In an instant, he grabbed my wrist and squeezed making me winced in pain.

"Don't wait for me to throw you in the middle of the ocean just to get rid of you," he said firmly, gritting his teeth. I could see in his fiery eyes how much hate he felt for me.

Well, the feeling is mutual!

I flinched at how tightly he gripped my wrist. "Let me go, you jerk! You're hurting me!"

But his grip tightened even more. And on the spur of the moment, I felt a warm liquid rushed down my cheeks.

"Get the hell out of here! Now!"

He growled, releasing my wrist. And then turned around and strode off.

I rubbed my aching wrist, the faint outline of his grip still marked on my skin. I wiped my tears away and let out a shaky, heavy breath.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto ay bumalik na si Mang Isko na mismong nagmamaneho ng bangka pati ang kasama nitong binatilyo. Agad kong inayos ang aking sarili bago pa ito makalapit sa akin. Bahagya akong ngumiti sa mga ito na tila walang nangyari.

Tinulungan nila akong makasakay at ilagay sa bangka ang maletang dala ko tsaka nito binuhay ang makina bago tuluyang nilisan ang isla. Ni hindi man lamang ako nakapagpaalam kay Manang Esther ng maayos.

Isang oras na nakalipas pero nasa dagat pa rin kami. Sadyang napakalayo ng isla na kinaroonan ko kanina papuntang kabihasnan.

"Manong, ilang oras pa po bago tayo makarating sa baybayin?" tanong ko.

"Dalawang oras pa Ma'am," sagot naman nito.

Bumagsak ang balikat ko sa narinig. Sinubukan kong umidlip kahit kaunting minuto ngunit di ko magawa dahil sa ingay ng makina ng bangka, pati na rin sa alon ng dagat.

"Pagpasensyahan niyo na Ma'am ang amo ko. Nagiging mainitin ang ulo niya mula nitong mga nakaraang araw," bigla ay sabi nito.

Kumunot ang aking noo. "Ho?"

Ngumiti ito ng mapait at tumingin sa kamay ko na noo'y nagsisimula nang ang parte kung saan hinawakan ako ng mahigpit ng lalaking iyon.

"Ako na ang humihingi ng tawad sa ginawa niya sayo kanina. Kahit pa hindi ko alam kung ano ang naging pag-uusap ninyong dalawa," anito.

Bumuga ako ng hangin at ngumiti rito. "Okay lang ho, Mang Isko. Mawawala rin ito. At ang importante sa akin ngayon ay makalayo na sa kanya. Hindi na ho ako babalik sa lugar na yun."

"Sinusiguro ko sa inyo na mabait na tao si Señorito. Marami na siyang natulungan na mahihirap dito sa lugar kaya't kilalang-kilala siya ng mga tao rito samin. Pero alam kong maling mali ang ginawa niya sayo kanina," anito na ang tinutukoy ay ang pasa ko sa kamay.

Bahagya akong ngumiti sa sinabi ng matanda. "Gaano niyo na siya kakilala Mang Isko?"

"Naku! Simula pa ng sanggol yan. Dati na akong naninilbihan sa pamilya nila pati ang asawa ko. Laking pasasalamat ko sa pamilya nila dahil pinag-aral nila ang panganay kong anak at ngayon nakapagtapos na sa kolehiyo, lubog na lubog kaming mag-asawa sa utang. Halos bantaan na buhay namin dahil sa utang. Mabuti na lamang at nakilala namin ang mga magulang ni Senyorito. Isa pa, binigyan kaagad ni Senyorito ng trabaho ang anak ko paka-graduate. Kahit minsan hindi nila kami siningil o sinumbatan. Hindi rin nila kami pinakitaan ng masamang ugali. Kaya nalulungkot ako sa ginawa ni Senyorito sa iyo. Siguro nabigla lamang siya at hindi sinasadya ang ginawa sa iyo."

I released a bitter sigh. I couldn't imagine he was capable of doing so.

Hindi na muli ako nagtanong pa tungkol sa buhay ng lalaki iyon. Wala ako sa lugar upang alamin pa ang ibang detalye ng buhay nito. Kung nakilala man nila ito bilang mabuting tao ay napakaswerte nila at malas ko naman.

Ngumisi ako ng mapait sa isiping iyon.

Sa ngayon, dapat kong pagtutuunan ng pansin ang paglisan sa lugar na ito upang hanapin si Aurora Perez na nag alaga sa akin noon na kilala pala sa pangalang Aring.

At dahil sobrang antok ang nararamdaman ko ngayon ay sinubukan kong umidlip kahit kaunting minuto lamang.

===========

I woke to the blast of wind and the sound of panicked voices echoing around me.

"Kunin mo ang lubid at itali mo ng mahigpit!" Mang Isko's voice thundered, sharp and commanding above the chaos.

Agad tumalima ang binata na katulong nito sa pagmamaniobra ng bangka.

Habang ako naman ay tarantang bumangon at iginala ang paningin sa paligid. Lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Malakas na ang alon at hangin. Mukhang inabutan kami ng masamang panahon.

Nakita ko si Mang Isko na pilit binubuhay ang makina hanggang sa napasigaw ako ng humampas sa amin ang sunud-sunod na malalaking alon.

"Kumapit lang kayo sa kawayan Ma'am!" sigaw muli nito.

Agad naman akong yumakap sa kawayang poste na nagsisilbing tungkod ng bubong ng bangka.

Napuno ng takot ang dibdib ko sa nangyayari. Na-trap kami sa gitna ng dagat at halos hindi ko na matanaw ang isla dahil sa lakas at kapal ng ulan. Lalo akong naalarma dahil hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin nabubuksan ni Mang Isko ang makina.

"Matagal pa ho ba yan?"

"Napasukan ng tubig ang makina dahil sa lakas ng alon. Mukhang hindi na ito mabubuhay."

"Kailangan na ho natin humingi ng tulong!" pasigaw kong saad dahil sa sobrang lakas ng ulan at hangin ay hindi kami gaanong magkarinigan.

"Parating na ho sila! Nakahingi na ako tulong kanina bago pa lumakas ang ulan. Sandali nalang at makakaalis na tayo rito. Kumapit lang ho kayo ng mahigpit para hindi kayo mahulog sa dagat."

Although I could swim, terror gripped me, and panic surged through my veins. The thought of drowning filled me with a deathly dread.

I closed my eyes tightly as I prayed for our safety. A few moments later, we heard a loud blaring sound of alarm from a distance.

"Ayan na sila. Makakaalis na tayo rito!"

Tanghali palang ang oras, ngunit madilim na ang paligid dahil sa makulimlim na langit at makapal na ulan.

My face beamed as I saw the emergency light of red from a large powerboat and two rescue jet skis approaching us.

I stepped a little to reach for much sturdy bamboo when suddenly, a strong wind hit our boat and shook us making me fall into the water. I struggled to make it to the surface to gasp for air, but I kept being pulled down by the huge waves.

"Help-!"

I was panicking as I was trying to grab onto the bamboo. I swam to reach the outrigger but unfortunately, I was hit by it, so hard on my forehead making me blenched in so much pain and be dragged down under the water.

Unti-unting lumalabo ang paningin ko at nauubos ang hininga ko. Pagod na rin ang mga paa ko sa paglangoy pataas sa ibabaw ng dagat.

Lord, please help me.