Fierce

Chapter 6

Trapped

I laid my hands under the spout of the faucet and it automatically released the water as it censored my hands. I was about to wash my face when I realized that I didn't bring my handkerchief with me. In the end, I just sighed and looked at myself in front of the mirror.

"Relax, Blair..." I whispered to myself. "You're a strong and independent woman. You just need to get through this dinner, then you're done."

Ilang beses ko pang kinumbinsi ang sarili ko na huwag magselos kay Gael dahil sa atensyong ibinibigay sa kanya ni daddy bago ko napagdesisyunang lumabas na ng bathroom.

"Why do girls take so much time in the bathroom?"

My heart skipped a beat when I saw Gael right in front of me, crossing his arms while leaning on the wall in front of the women's bathroom. But then, I quickly composed myself and smirked.

"Why don't you try being a girl to know why?"

I was about to leave him when he suddenly grabbed my arm and stopped me from walking away. Agad akong napalingon pabalik sa kanya.

He raised a brow and a playful smile lingered on his lips. "You don't know me, huh?"

"I didn't lie." Marahas kong binawi ang braso sa kanya. "That's the truth. Hindi naman talaga kita kilala dati. Kailan lang naman kita nakilala? If you weren't Darlene's boyfriend—Oops! I mean, ex-boyfriend."

His jaw clenched, but he just continued smiling like he was having fun with our conversation. It didn’t seem like he was affected nor offended with me.

"Yes, you’re right, I'm her ex-boyfriend," he casually said and took a step forward which made me step back. "But I think I’m going to have a new girlfriend soon with the name Blair Alcoberes.”

My jaw dropped as my eyes widened. "Excuse me?!”

"Your father likes me, Blair," he said which made my temper rise quickly. "And I can see that my mom likes you, too."

"So what if my dad likes you? Kapag gusto ka ba ng daddy ko ay magugustuhan na rin kita?" pabalang kong tanong sa kanya. "Is that how your knowledge conclude things?"

"No, Blair. I'm just stating possibilities," he explained. "There are some arrangements that are not impossible in our world, especially arrangements between you and me."

"There aren't any arrangements between you and me that's going to happen, so just f**k off with your crazy imaginations." I gritted my teeth, pissed off with what he was saying. “If I were you, I’d just focus on moving on from your recent break up and stop f*****g up with other people.”

"Watch how my imagination turns into reality, Blair,” he said and didn’t care with the way I tried to push his buttons. “Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes at him again before I started marching off, going back to the private dining room.

Once I was back, the table was already filled with all the dishes we ordered.

"You're back," ani daddy nang pumasok ako. "Where's Gael? Hindi mo ba siya nakasalubong?"

"Hindi po," simpleng sagot ko saka umupo na lamang sa tabi ni mommy.

Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay nakabalik na rin si Gael na siyang hinihintay ng lahat. Masyadong pa-importante. Muli tuloy akong napairap.

"I'm sorry kung natagalan po ako," nahihiya niyang paghingi ng paumanhin sa amin.

"That's okay, Gael," nakangiting sabi ni daddy sa kanya.

Clenching my fist, I swallowed the anger before I spouted flames. If I was the one late for dinner, he’d probably scold me. He wouldn’t be that lenient.

"Blair, you like shrimp right?" malambing na tanong sa akin ni mommy sa gitna ng aking nararamdamang inis para kay daddy.

It was a good thing that I could still feel my mother's love. I was touched because she could still remember that I like to eat shrimps.

"Yes, ‘mmy," nakangiti kong sagot.

"There are two dishes with shrimps I ordered,” she told me. “Get as many as you want."

I did what she said. Madami akong kinuhang hipon at kaunti lamang ang kanin para hindi ako mabilis mabusog. I enjoyed eating shrimp the whole dinner and I didn't even bother to get myself involved with their conversation. I had a world of my own with my food.

"Your daughter's a hearty eater, Jay. Nakakatuwa naman siya," Gael's mom commented and I swiftly moved my eyes to her.

Daddy shrugged his shoulders with a smile. "Well, she loves shrimps that's why..."

"Natutuwa nga ako dahil malakas siyang kumain," biglang sabi ni mommy. "Hindi ko alam kung nakakakain ba siya nang maayos dahil lagi nga kaming nasa ibang bansa. But seeing her eat this way, I can’t help but feel assured.”

"Oh! Since Gael's her schoolmate, I'll ask my son to eat lunch with her," Mrs. Ondevilla suggested excitedly. “Para na rin maging panatag kayong dalawa.”

Muli akong napatingin kay Gael. He was looking at me like he wanted to tell me that his intuition was already starting.

"Okay lang po ako. I don't need someone to eat lunch with me," mabilis kong pag-aapila. "Besides, I have Ida with me. We're eating fine. Madalas rin po kaming nasa buffets. There's no need to worry, mom."

I turned to my mother and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I think that's a good idea, Mercy!" biglang sabi ni daddy na hindi pinansin ang pagtanggi ko. "I would like my daughter to have a guy friend, too. At least, mapapanatag ang loob kong may nagpo-protekta sa kanya habang wala kami rito para bantayan siya."

"Hindi na po kailangan, daddy," muli kong pag-apila. "And besides, I have a guy friend po."

"I didn't know you have one.” Gael chose the wrong time to butt in. “I haven’t seen you around with a guy.”

Why is he even contradicting everything I say? He should be thankful because I was doing something for our own benefit. However, it seemed like he was having fun while our parents were trying to bring us closer together.

"It's because we're not close." I smiled at him while reasoning out. "How would you know, right?"

He shot up an eyebrow. "Is that an indirect statement that you want us to get closer?"

Kamuntikan ko nang mabuga ang aking iniinom nang dahil sa kanyang sinabi. Nagtawanan naman ang aming mga magulang.

"No,” I firmly said. “Nagsasabi lang ako nang totoo na kaya hindi mo kilala kung sino ang guy friend ko ay dahil hindi naman tayo close. You're so full of yourself."

I was trying my best to filter my words and thank God because I succeeded somehow. If our parents weren’t with us, I would have fired with different curses.

"Okay, then, name your guy friend,” he challenged me as he leaned forward.

"Si I—"

I stopped myself when I realized I couldn't say that Isaiah's the guy friend I was talking about. Kahit na magkapatid sila ni Ida at madali lang lusutan iyon, ayaw ko pa ring ipahamak si Isaiah sa kahit anong paraan.

"Ivan!" I continued as I named one of my classmates.

I had heard Ivan's name called by my professor many times. Mandalas siyang magrecite sa klase namin sa Literature kaya lagi kong nadidinig ang kanyang pangalan.

His forehead creased. "Ivan?"

"I didn't know you had a guy friend in your school, Blair," gulat ding sabi ni mommy. "Is that guy friend courting you?" she straightly asked.

Mabilis naman akong umiling. "No, mom! He's just a friend. He's my classmate in Literature."

"Oh, I thought someone was courting you..." Tumango-tango siya. "As far as I know, you only have one guy friend and that's Ida's brother, right?"

Great! Mom revealed it for me!

I sighed and nodded. "Yes."

"Oh! Ida's brother is the vocalist and guitarist of a successful band here in the Philippines.” Mommy became excited while talking about Isaiah. "Isaiah Mallari. What's the name of their band, Blair?"

"Uhm… New Classic,” I hesitantly answered. “They play really good music.”

"Yes, they're good. I've heard some of their songs before. Ang alam ko nga'y self-composed pa ni Isaiah ang iba sa mga kanta nila. What a talented kid. Bata pa lang ay successful na," pagpuri ni mommy kay Isaiah.

Even if my mom doesn't always keep in touch with me. She's always trying her best to get to know my friends.

I couldn't help but smile hearing my mom talking highly about Isaiah. Hearing her say those words about him made me prouder of him.

"I remembered!" Mom exclaimed. "May ginawa silang kanta noon ni Isaiah na napunta sa album ng banda, right, Blair?"

"Uhm, hindi naman po talaga ako nakatulong doon. I just wrote one line," I shyly admitted and smiled.

It was actually a song from their third mini album. I asked Isaiah not to put my name on the copyright because I didn’t want to be linked to them. Hindi rin naman ganoon kalakihan ang naiambag ko sa kanta na ‘yon.

Habang iniisip ang kantang ‘yon ay napatingin ako kay Gael. He suddenly looked all serious. His intense gaze on me made me frown.

"Is your daughter good at singing, too?" biglang tanong ng mommy ni Gael na mayroong hilaw na ngiti. Parang hindi siya kumportable sa kung ano mang dahilan.

"Blair can sing,” Daddy answered the question for her.

"Gael can play guitar and piano but I never heard him sing," Gael's mom said.

"Maybe in our next dinner, they can jam together," biglang suhestiyon ni daddy.

Mabilis akong napasimangot nang madinig ‘yon. Bumalik na naman ang topic sa aming dalawa ni Gael. Nakita kong muling sumilay rin ang ngisi sa kanyang mga labi.

"Gael can play the piano or guitar while Blair will sing,” pagpapatuloy ni daddy na mukhang tuwang-tuwa sa ideya.

"I think we need to practice then, Tito." Gael slightly chuckled while I continued to frown with the idea.

"Well, you're always welcome in our house,” my father gave him the permission right away. “Just give Blair a heads up about it. You two can practice in our house. I won't mind."

Iritado kong tinusok ang hipon sa aking plato nang dahil sa iritasyon. Naisip kong ibalik na lang ang atensyon sa pagkain kaysa makinig sa kanila.

The dinner ended with our parents talking about the two of us. Paminsan-minsan ay sumasali pa si mommy. Gael was just enjoying their chat and he was even laughing while I dug in my food to shake the little chitchats away.

"Maybe next time we can have dinner again,” my father expressed his thoughts once we were out of the lobby. “Our family... Just like this one.”

"Whenever you and your wife's back in the country,” Mrs. Ondevilla assured him. “Lagi naman kaming available ni Gael."

They bid their farewell to each other. Gael looked at me, planning to walk closer in order to talk to me but I turned around and went inside our car without saying a word. Natagalan pa sa paalaman sina mommy at daddy bago sila pumasok sa aming sasakyan.

The start of the trip was filled with my parents praising the Ondevilla family, especially Gael and his abilities, when daddy decided to open the topic that I didn't want to talk about.

"I think you and Gael can be a great couple, Blair,” daddy spoke his mind without thinking twice.

"Gael and I have different principles, dad,” I told him and shut the idea out right away. “We won’t click.”

"Come on, Blair! The chemistry between you and Gael while you two were having a conversation earlier, there's no doubt that you two will click." Daddy pushed the idea even more. "And besides, the opposite attracts, right?"

"Hon, don't pressure Blair into getting a serious relationship with Gae,” pagsuway ni mommy kay daddy.

"I'm not, Helena," my father defended himself. "I'm just saying what's on my mind. I don't mind if my daughter's going to be an Ondevilla in the future. They're a great family."

Hindi na sumagot si mommy. Maybe she was thinking that daddy was actually telling the truth. There was no doubt that Ondevillas was a great family but I just really didn't like Gael.

"Is it wrong to think that my daughter deserves a great man like Gael?” My father couldn’t really let it go that I just sighed helplessly in the back seat.

Gael's right... We're going to be trapped. I need to make this stop before this arrangement escalates.