His Broken Gem

HBG 8

Stella's POV

I've been avoiding my mom's calls for the past few days. I just focused my attention on work and myself. It's Saturday night and mom keeps on nagging me about the dinner. It's not like I have a choice though, so I decided to go to my unit because I forgot to bring my dress last time.

I believe that we agreed on letting him sleep for a night. 3 days have passed and he's still here?! What the hell?

"Akala ko ba 1 night lang? What the hell are you still doing in here?" I complain when I saw him here.

"Medyo nahihirapan akong maghanap ng murang boarding house," he explained as he packed some food, I think that's for her sister.

"Boarding house? That's not a good environment for your sister, you know. There's a lot of germs, bacteria, and pollution floating in the air. Can't you just buy a decent apartment?" I suggested.

No wonder they kept on admitting Shy at the hospital, sa lugar pa lang na tinitirhan niya, unhygienic na. Hindi ba siya nadala sa nangyayari sa kapatid niya?

He stop what he is doing, look at me and gave me a sarcastic smile. It looks like an annoying smirk though.

"Pasensya na at hindi kami mayaman ah, 'yan lang afford namin," he rasped at me, using a sarcastic girly voice. "Saka puwede ba? Nag-usap na kami ng may-ari nito at siya na mismo ang nag-offer," he added.

I scoffed at his statement, "You mean Mika?" I retorted. He just nodded his head and turned his attention back to what he is doing.

I turned my back at him, took my phone, and calls Mika. She really have to explain herself right now.

She picked up at 4 rings.

"Hello—" I didn't give her a chance to talk and started to question her.

"Can you explain to me why he's still here where in fact we just agreed on one night?" I ask as I cross my left arm on my chest. This is what I get for being considerate.

"Stella—" I cutter her off again as I continued to rant.

"You didn't even inform me, Mika! You're testing my limit!" I snarled.

He's just behind me but I care less about his presence.

"Stella, relax. Ano kasi eh..."

"What?" I hissed, getting impatient and more annoyed as she was cutting her words.

"Naawa ako kasi wala pa rin siyang mahanap na titirhan, I'm also helping him to look for one last time kasi nagwo-work siya—" I sigh as I heard the reasons, it's not valid! They can't just decide on doing some things without asking me! They would get in trouble for breaking an agreement.

"That's not my problem anymore! I want him out of my unit, NOW!" I ended the call and face him. He was already looking at me, but I can't distinguish his reaction.

"And you! Packed your things and leave," wika ko saka naglakad patungo sa room ko. Before I can even enter my room, I turn to look at him "And also, I'm ending the deal, just to inform you," I fumed at him at entered the room. I can feel that he follows me me inside the room kaya naman pinandilatan ko siya ng mata.

He sighs, "Listen, huminahon ka muna at pag-usapan natin 'to. I can't just end the deal since you've already paid for Shy's hospital bills and medicine. Masyadong malaki 'yon at hindi ko 'yon mababayaran agad-agad. Idagdag mo pa ang penalty for breaching the contract," he stated.

"I don't care about the money, It's all yours now. Just leave and I'll take care of everything," I said as I turned my back and started to walk away. I stop on my track when he grabs my arm making me face him. I slap his hand away and glare at him.

"I'm not a charity chase, Ms. Salvador at ayaw kong magkaroon ng utang na loob kahit kanino, lalo na sa'yo," he stated.

I rolls my eyes upsidedown, man and their ego.

"I told you, I don't care! Leave 'cause I don't want to see you anymore, at isa pa, you're not qualified to become my boyfriend," I said in a matter-of-fact voice.

He flinched and became silent. He was just looking at my eyes as if he can read what's on my head right now.

"Judge my performance after this."

I yelped as he grab my wrist and pulled me towards his body. He snakes his hand around my waist while his other hands angled my face. Oh no, don't tell me...

He...

Kiss me! On the lips!

I was unable to move due to shock, trying to comprehend what just happened. I felt his lips move against mine, I instantly close my eyes. I should be stopping him! But why am I doing nothing to stop him, instead I'm...responding to his kisses. I respond! I heard some noise pero tila nabingi ako dahil sa halikan nain.

"Good grace, Stella!" Someone shrieked.

I came back to my senses and push Sebastian away from me. We were breathless as the kiss was cut.

Pero nakatuon ang pansin ko sa taong nasa pinto. What is she doing here?

"Mom?" I asked, confused until I saw Mika behind her. I mentally curse as I know the reason why she's here.

"What is the meaning of this, Stella? You're ignoring my calls and text for days para malaman na you decided to live here, kung hindi ko pa napilit si Mika ay wala ka talagang balak sabihin sa akin 'to," she ranted.

I squirm on my place as I realized that we were at my room and she just caught us kissing. I tried to play it cool but my face shows the opposite. It feels hot.

I suddenly felt an arm in my waist as Sebastian grabs me beside him. I look up to him, sending glares to questioned his action.

"Good evening, Mrs. Salvador," he greeted, as my eyes widened in surprise. What the hell is he planning to do?

"Stella? Can you explain this?" Mom demanded, her eyes not leaving Sebastian. Agad akong napaharap sa gawi ni mommy while secretly trying to remove his hands.

"Explain what?" I asked innocently.

"Who are you?" She was still looking at Sebastian as she asked those questions.

"He's just no—" I cutted off as Sebastian answered.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Mrs. Salvador. I'm Sebastian Alistair Cortejo, Stella's boyfriend," he answered as he bowed his head a little. My eyes went wide in his statement. I told him our deal is now void, why is he saying this?

I heard Mika screaming beside mom so I give him a dagger look to stop her. Nag-peace sign naman siya and zip her mouth.

"Boyfriend?" She arched her eyebrow as she look at me, waiting for an answer.

"I can explain, Mom," I told her as I tried to get away from his touch.

"You should, you'll be explaining a lot of things. The Gonzales is already waiting for tonight's dinner and I don't want to waste anytime," she demanded bago niya binalingan ng pansin si Sebastian. "I'm Catherine Salvador, Stella's mom."

She offered her hand na siya namang tinanggap ni Sebastian na parang nakikipag-business deal lang.

"I'm sorry for not introducing myself before. Stella wants a private relationship, so I just followed her decisions to lessen her worries," he expertly explained as if he knew something about me. He looks at me and smiles sweetly. Ugh, I want to roll my eyes on him, but I stop myself.

"Is that so? So you're already living together?" she inquires as she gives me a side glance.

"No."

"Yes "

Agad kong nilingon si Sebastian at pinanglakihan ng mata. He ignores me though.

"Stella? So he must frequently spend a night here? Basing on his clothes. You can't just have a man and just let them sleep and go, Stella," she lectured. "Alam mo rin ba ito Mika?" She turned her attention to Mika who was smiling from ear to ear.

"No, she doesn't," I answered for her. I don't want to bring her with my problem if ever we will get caught.

"Kaya pala you always disagree when I'm setting you up with someone, you should had told me," mom commented as she probably remembered the times where she was introducing some men. "We'll anyways, I still have to go somewhere, I guest we can meet some other time to talk about this, right Stella?" she added.

I mentally rolled my eyes, "Yeah, just text me the date."

"I need to go. I need to inform the Gonzales that the dinner will be cancelled." After bidding our goodbyes, mom left to go somewhere.

I sigh as the door closes, naiwan na lang kaming tatlo rito. I immediately slap his hands away from me and I give him glare as I remembered what he just did a while ago.

"What the hell were you thinking?" I swore at him.

"Ginagawa ko ang trabaho ko," he said cooly, shrugging his shoulder.

"And that's?"

"Being your boyfriend," he said, giving me a sly smile.

"We didn't agreed to that, I already ended—" He cutted me off by putting his hands on my lips.

"We have an agreement, we already signed a contract. You're my employer and I'm your employee, whether you like it or not," he stated.

I was dumbfounded and unable to move. I can't just process everything. He walked passed by me and took the containers containing foods inside. I look at Mika who is now smiling from ear to ear as she look at me and Sebastian.

"What!?" inis na tanong ko rito. As if I forgot that she told mom about my place.

"Lipstick mo..." she trailed off as she was trying to stop her gigles. "May smudge ka rito." She tried to finished her sentence as she pointed the edge of her lips. I furrowed my eyebrows trying to understand what she said.

Ano bang pinagsasabi nito? What's with my lipstick?

"Ikaw rin Seb, my lipstick ka sa labi," she added as she pointed out Sebastian lips.

Thinking about how she called him in his pet name, they must be close now. It makes me annoyed thinking how can they do this to me. Parang last week lang, I felt guilty about what I said. But now, I regretted feeling guilty.

When I realized what Mika was saying, I automatically cover my lips to wipe the stain. Mika burst out into laughter.

"Oh my gosh, magkasabay pa kayong napahawak sa labi niyo ah. Ano 'yan? Match made in heaven?" she teased. I turned around to look at him and saw him holding his lips. When he saw me looking at him, he immediately wipe the lip stain and rolled his eyes on me. I scoffed at his action.

"Match made in hell, puwede pa," he whispered before walking towards the door. I scoffed as I look at him exit the unit.

"Did you see that?! That attitude of him!" I exclaimed as the shut close.

"Hm," she hummed as she walk inside further more, walking towards me.

"I can't stand working with him," I blurted as I took a seat at the sofa. Mika took a seat beside me.

"The more you hate, the more you love daw sabi nila. Baka mamaya niyan magka-developan kayo ah," she mocked.

I look at her with digust, "What are you? Grade schooler?"

"Malay mo, walang masama kung maniniwala ako no..." she pouted. I watch her closed her eyes as she intertwined her finger together. "Lord sana po ibigay niyo kay Stella Jones Salvador ang taong magbabago ng buhay niya. Amen."

I smak her arms and shake my head as I look away, I'm not looking for one though. I've already experience enough pain and I don't want to risk my safe place for a complicated relationship.

"You don't deserve to be happy."

I know.