Love Me Again, My Alpha

CHAPTER 18

Saffron

Hmm.

Nagpalinga-linga si Cullen paglabas niya ng gate sa kindergarten na pinapasukan ng mga anak ni Sage. He's wearing some loose jeans over a shirt na kung saan ay bahagyang nakasuksuk ang laylayan ng harapan ng shirt sa ibabaw ng butones ng jeans. And to kill the looks, he paired it with killer sneakers. I don't see any brands of his clothes but he brought them well. A simple yet sophisticated look. A very rare gem.

I wonder how pregnancy clothes look at him.

Napatawa ako sa naisip. In order to have him, I have to slain the enemy first.

Nasa harapan nya lang ang aking sasakyan ngunit hindi niya ako ako makita sa loob since heavy tinted ang bintana nito.

His long hair was tied into a messy bun. May mangilan-ngilang hibla ng buhok ang hindi nakawala sa pagkakatali niya ng buhok that gives more vibes of cuteness on his face. He's lips, na hindi nakaligtas sa aking paningin ang ilang beses niyang binabasa ng laway which made his lips more redder.

Sage is stupid nang pinakawalan niya ito. Doesn't she know what a rare gem is?

Binaba ko ang salamin sa driver seat.

"Hey beautiful, hope in," nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya na ikinagulat niya ngunit ngumiti rin pagkatapos.

Umikot siya sa passenger seat na kung saan ay bukas na. I wanted to open the door for him pero nag-aalala akong may makakita sa akin at mailagay sa news ang balita. At siyempre pa, baka majarating pa kay Sage ito.

I'm planning on talking to her. Gusto kong magpaalam sa kanya to court Cullen since wala na sila but the look she gave me on that day, she clearly sent me a message that Cullen is hers.

"I know a good restaurant around here. Huwag na tayong lalayo," sabi ko sa kanya ng maisara niya ang pintuan.

Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"Well, lead the way," nakangiting sagot niya.

When Cullen smile, nawawala ang kanyang singkit na mga mata which is kinda adorable. Parang ang sarap halikan ang mga mata niya.

I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced that Sage easily let this omega go. Or maybe there's something more considering she's engaged and yet she still wanted the man by herself.

"Welcome," nakangiting bati sa amin ng waiters na naghihintay sa b****a ng pintuan.

This restaurant knew me well so I decided to close this just for this day. Hindi kasi ordinaryong kainan ito. This place serves those people with power and wealth.

"This way please," sabi pa nito sa amin at sinamahan kami sa room na uukopahan namin.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Cullen ng makit lahat ang mga desserts to main course na naroon.

"Seriously? Sa atin ito?" nanlalaking mga matang tanong niya.

Ngumiti ako at saka napakamot ng ulo.

"Well uhm, I don't know what kind of food you eat so

I uhh had to order everything since limited lang ang oras mo," sagot ko.

"Aw," nakangiting sabi niya. "These are expensive kasi french ang mga pangalan nila. Nakikita ko lang ito sa mga magazines. But," aniya. "Thank you. I think I can eat it," aniya pa.

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

"Why? Don't you like it?" kinabahang tanong ko. "Is it not to your liking?"

"No! I like it and I wanna taste it all but I'm just a simple guy who's happy with simple food. Kahit bagoong lang ay okay na sa akin," aniya pa.

"Ohhhh," sabi ko sa kanya. "Then try to eat these. I'm sure magugustuhan mo rin ang mga ito," sabi ko.

"Oh yeah. I intend to taste them."

"Good," nakangiting sabi ko sa kanya.

Habang kumakain kami, Cullen tells more about him.

"I was adopted," sabi niya sa akin. "My older brother used to teach me that I'm not his real brother when I was a kid. Which is hindi na ako nagtaka. Both of my adopted parents are betas at ako lang ang omega at recessive pa. So lumaki ako sa hirap. Sanay ako sa buhay mahirap," aniya pa habang nagkakamay ni hindi ito nahihiya and one thing I like about him.

"So uhm that's why you broke up with Sage?" tanong ko sa kanya pagkatapos nitong kumain at binanatan ang dessert na kinuha ko para sa kanya.

"The truth is," aniya bago tumingin sa akin. "I let go even if I don't want to," sagot niya sa akin. "At least it's the memories I still remember," aniya pa.

"Huh?" tanong ko. Naguguluhan ako sa sinabi niya.

Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"Well, I had an accident. When I woke up, some of my memories were lost. I mean hindi ko na maalala. Then I had the memory that I left Sage. Ako ang bumitaw. That's it," natatawa niyang sabi.

"And you remember why you chose to leave her?"

"Oh that? It's because her dad threatened me that he'll do something about my family and insulted me," hilaw siyang tumawa. "I'm just a recessive omega at higit sa lahat, mahirap kami. Syempre kahit ayaw ko, wala akong magagawa. So uhm if you know what I mean," sagot niya.

Nakita kong tumatawa siya but in his eyes, nakikita ko roon ang kalungkutan. He probably loved Sage, until now.

"You still love her, don't you?"

"I'd be lying if I tell you I don't," sagot niya. "But I'm moving on. Engaged na siya," sagot niya sa akin. " I really want to get out of her house kaya lang ay malaki ang utang ko sa kanya. I badly needed a job para mabayaran ko na siya but in my case as an recessive, walang tatanggap sa akin," sabi niya.

Naaawa ako kay Cullen.

"Like I said, haven't I told you that I brought good news about the design you gave me? It's about a job," sabi ko.

"Was it rejected?" nag-aalalang tanong niya.

"That good? No! In fact, my friend wants to meet you now but she couldn't at this moment," sabi ko sa kanua habang gumagawa ng plano. "I brought the papers. If you want to read it first, you can bring these to your home and call me if you finally decide to sign it," sabi ko pa bago ibinigay sa kanya ang isang brown envelope.

Ngumiti siya sa akin.

"Thank you," aniya pa flashing his smile at me.

For a bit, my heart skipped again like the first time I saw him.

"No worries. Anything for you," sagot ko sabay kindat sa kanya.

"So how old are you?"

"Twenty-six."

"Single? Engaged? Or?"

"Single," sagot ko sa kanya amused.

He said he's moving on. Maybe. Just maybe…

"Really?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. "Hindi ba uso rito ang arranged marriage?"

"That's old style. My family's not like that," sagot ko sa kanya. "I can marry whoever I love," dagdag ko pa.

"You're lucky and friendly too for someone like me," sabi niya.

"I can be friends with whoever I want," sagot ko sa kanya. "And also your special that's why," dagdag ko pa. "Anyway, how old are you?"

"Twenty one," sagot niya.

"You're too young. How old are you when you and Sage met?" tanong ko sa kanya.

I didn't expect him to be that young.

"Well, I met her when I was seven and she was twelve," sagot niya bago tinikman ang isang violet na dessert na inihanda ko sa kanya.

"Woah. You're too young back then," surprised kong sabi.

Ibig sabihin ay minarkahan na siya ni Sage noon pa man.

"Ang hindi ko lang talaga maintindihan ay sa lahat ng omega, bakit ako pa? Hindi naman ako dominant," aniya.

"Hmm," sabi ko sa kanya at saka inilapit ang aking mukha sa kanyang mukha. "From my point of view, you're beautiful in your own way. You have something that dominants don't have," sagot ko sa kanya.

Nakita kong nag-blush ito.

"Oh," aniya. "Thanks for the lies," natatawa niyang sagot.

Hindi rin kami nagtagal. Hinatid ko siya sa school with food para kay Eon. Sinabi niya na napamahal na siya sa bata since he was like him when he was young. So I told the chef to cook something that a kid would love too.

"Thank you," sabi niya sa akin.

"Cullen, nakakarami ka na. I said it's welcome. We're friends, aren't we?"

Tumango siya sa akin.

"Still, thank you for the time and the food, Saff," aniya pa noong makababa na siya at dumukwang sa bintana kung saan ako naroon.

Napatingin ako sa kanyang mga labi. I really wanted to kiss him. Gusto kong maramdaman kung gaano ito kalambot.

"So I expect another meet up?" tanong ko na lang to distract myself by pulling him on me and kissing him right here.

"Sure! But I have to ask Sage for a day-off," sagot niya bago umayos na ng tayo.

"That's a promise huh?"

"Yes," sagot niyang nakangiti.

Bumalik ako sa restaurant at kinausap si Maki, ang may-ari noon. She's an Elite like me, half-white and black. She is my best friend. We're like two beans in one pod.

"So he's the one you like, huh?" she said, chuckling. "He's a rare indeed," aniya pa.

"I told you haven't I?" tanong ko bago umupo sa harapan niya.

"Yup. That explains why Sage still has him."

"A rare gem is hard to find. I have to meticulously think of every step and plan I need to do before I have that gem. Alam mo naman ang ugali ni Sage. She keeps hers all to herself," sagot ko sa kanya.

"You have to slain the enemy first," aniya baho nagsalin ng tea. "But the question is, how will you do that?"

"Idadaan sa magandang usapan. Cullen is with her because of his debt. She paid it all. So I'll try to pay her the same amount she paid. Or if gusto niyang tubuan. It's fine. As long as she set Cullen free," sagot ko sa kanya.

"Mukhang tamado ka talaga sa omega na iyon huh," natatawa niyang sabi. "For all I know, you screwed a lot of dominants omega before. Why are you aiming this one? Anong meron?" tanong pa niya.

"That was before. Who knows? Maybe I want to settle down too like you," ani ko.

"With a recessive?"

"Yes."

She chuckled.

"Really you are something Saff. Who could have thought that someone who's not interested in anyone finally found something interesting."

Ngumiti ako sa kanya.