RBS 3: Suffered Love (FREE TO READ)

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 9

MASAMA ang loob ko ng makita ang nakasimangot na mukha ni Nicholas. I’m fuming mad, even my hands are trembling so hard. He was pouting his lips real hard while trying to reach my hand.

"Sweetheart, come on! Don’t torture me this way.” Malambing niyang saad sa akin habang walang humpay ko siyang pinapatay sa titig ko.

Akmang lalapit siya sa akin kaya marahas akong tumayo at umalis ako sa kama. Padabog akong umupo sa malaking couch namin sa kwarto at kumuha ng magazine para malibang kahit kunti.

“Don’t you dare to come near me, you damn cheater bastard!” Madiin kong sabi sa kanya habang masama pa rin ang titig ko sa kanya.

I’m mad. Sumasakit ang puso ko habang sinasabi iyon sa kanya. Kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi ko. “What are you talking about?” Seryoso niyang tanong sa akin.

I stopped reading when I heard his low rough and serious voice, gone the playful Nicholas now. A tear escape through my eyes.

“Y--you just had a date with that model, Meranna..” I cried after saying that.

Nalarma siya kaagad ng makita akong umiiyak. He immediately go through towards me. He pulled me up gently and hugged me afterwards.

"Who reported you that?” Mahinahon niyang saad habang hinahawakan ako.

He kissed my cheeks and gently massaged my back while hugging me comfortably.

“Hush, sweetheart. I don’t wanna see you crying. Please..” He consoled me.

Umiling ako sa kanya at hinayaang tumulo ang luha ko. I’m so frustrated. Kahit yakap niya ako ay hindi ko parin matigil ang selos ko. It’s like an acid penetrating the patience I have for myself.

“It’s not what you think it is, sweetheart. We just had a meeting earlier and I’m not alone, I have the board members there with me. My secretary can prove that. I’m not even interested in her, I’m even looking at your picture on my phone while we have that meeting.”Gusto ko mang kiligin sa sinabi niya pero ayaw kong bumigay pa.

My instincts are telling me that he’s telling the truth but I’m still mad.I sighed heavily.

“Let’s just sleep.” Tanging nasabi ko sa kanya.

Tumitig siya sa akin at parang tinitimbang ang reaksiyon ko. He muttered some curses but as much as I wanted to stop him but I’m not in the right mood. His veined arm makes it way to my waist gently when I was about to walk out from his embrace.

“Please, Eli..”Tumitig ako sa kawalan.

“Goodnight, Nicholas.” I said while I’m trying to get out from his grip.

Umiling siya. He hugged me tight from my back. He then put his face on the side of my neck and kissed my shoulder blade.

I stiffened.

“I’m not going to let you go now until you have that kind of thinking about me, Elizabeth. I love you with all my heart. The last thing I want is to end up losing you. Please…I love you, my Elizabeth. Don’t ever think about that to me anymore. It pained me so much while hearing that cheating word from you. I can’t even live without you, how the f**k can you say it to me?”

Nahihirapan niyang saad sa akin. Mabilis ko siyang hinarap. My poor, Nicholas.

“Just stop the cursing already. Kanina pa nagpapanting ang tenga ko diyan.” Saad ko sa kanya.

He smirked.“It’s the only way to make you talk to me.”I pinched his nose. He laughed at that.He planted a soft kiss on my lips. He sighed after.“I’m going really crazy when you are acting like that..” Mababang saad niya sa akin.

Kanina pa ako gising at walang ibang ginawa kundi ang tumitig sa kawalan. Another dream with him again. Sometimes, I really don’t remember my dreams. But why did every time I dreamed about him, I always do?

My dreams are getting weirder and weirder every day. I just had a dream with Nicholas and it was so devastating. Bakit siya ang parating laman ng panaginip ko? I even felt that it was so real and I don’t think it is just some silly dreams. It is been three days since my last dream about him and it came out a bit overrated. This one was not and I really felt it was so real. Should I ask him again? Or not? It will be a crazy move if I ask him.

No, Elizabeth!

Masiyadong malakas ang hampas ng hangin sa labas. Naririnig ko na rin ang ilang patak ng ulan na kakasimula pa lamang. It was already past midnight and I really wanted to sleep again. Nababagot akong napabalikwas ng bangon. I’m not really comfortable sleeping when I heard the raging droplets of the rain. Pumikit ako ng mariin ng magsimula ng dumadagundong ang langit at ilang sandali pa ay may kidlat na akong nababanaag. Hindi ata ako papatulugin ng panahon ngayon. I wish Nanay Ending was here.

May bagyo ba? The weather was fine earlier. I wanted to scream but I wanted to refrain my voice too. Nasa kabilang kwarto lang si Nicholas at ayaw kong bulabugin ang tulog niya. Ilang ulit akong nanginginig na napaigtad ng malakas na namang dumadalugdog.

Please...

I have low tolerance when it comes to thunder.

“Ayyy!” Hindi ko mapigilang sigaw ng makarinig ulit ng ingay.

Pilit kong kinakagat ang labi ko para hindi makalikha ng ingay pero impit pa din akong napapasigaw. I frustratedly cover my ears with my pillow. Another lightning strike and I immediately lose all the patience that I’m holding. Tumayo ako ng mabilis habang balot pa rin ako ng comforter. I want to focus in calming myself but I just failed.

I almost faint when a loud knock echoed across my room. Masiyado na ba akong matatakutin o masiyado lang ba akong nerbiyosa?

“Elizabeth! Are you there?!” Sigaw ni Nicholas mula sa labas. His voice was filled with worries and anger. The intensity of his calling makes me more tremble in fear.

Kagat ang ibabang labi ay sinagot ko siya. “Y-yes! Bakit?” I stuttered.

Pissed off, Elizabeth!

It is just a thunder! Why am I afraid of thunder?!

“Open the door.” He ordered firmly.

Nagtataka akong lumapit sa pintuan at dahan dahan iyong binuksan. I steady my posture so that he won’t notice my trembling nerves. Mabilis ko ring inalis sa katawan ko ang comforter at inalis rin ang maaring pangamba at takot na makikita niya sa mukha ko.

His forehead was knotted darkly when I finally opened the door. His eyes were blazing with both fire and anger. Nagising ko ba siya sa munting pagsigaw ko kanina? But I’m sure that the partition of my room adjacent to him was not that thin. Napalakas ko ba?

“Are you alright?” Nakapameywang niyang tanong sa akin habang ang isang kamay ay minamasahe ang ilong niya. Namumula ang mata niya at umiigting ang pangang nakatitig sa akin. In the past few weeks that I’ve known him, I seldom saw him smile. Kung minsan ay pilit pa. Palagi siyang seryoso at nakahalukipkip lang.

“Bakit gising ka pa, Nicholas?” I asked him without minding his question. I wanted to avoid it because I might explode because of embarrassment. “Nagising ba kita? P-pasensiya ka na..”

He stared at me. He looks upset for something, though I wasn’t sure why. It could have been work. I saw him earlier, he was so busy. Nakaharap sa laptop niya habang seryosong nakatuon doon, probably making some design and plans. Despite of being that so busy, he still manage to supervise the renovation of the mansion. He was also busy answering some phone calls and I’m worried that I’ve disturbed his long sleep because of that.

“I’m asking if you’re okay, Eli. You haven’t answered that question yet. The weather was not nice tonight and I’ve thought you might need a company.” Seryosong saad niya sa akin.

Oh! Kahit ang boses niya ay parang malamig na yelo na mas lalong nagpapanginig sa akin. I’m still holding on so tight at my night dress when a loud thunder roared again. Napaigtad ako ng malakas at napapikit ng mariin. I opened my eyed immediately when I realized something. Huli ko na ding napagtanto na nandito pa pala siya sa harapan ko.

He sighed harsly. “You don’t look fine to me, you’re afraid of thunder.” He hold my hand.

“Damn! You are even trembling.” He muttered dangerously. “Ang lamig pa ng kamay mo.” Hinaplos niya ito pagkatapos. I hitched my breath when I felt his warm hands.

As much as I wanted to take back my hand, but I need his soothing touch.

“I-m okay. Sanay na ako kapag ganito ang panahon, itutulog ko lang ito. Pwede ka nang bumalik sa kwarto mo.” Nakangiti kong saad sa kanya.

He protruded his lips like he didn’t believe me. “I’ll accompany you here for the meantime until the thunder subsided. Pumasok na tayo.” Pilit niyang saad sa akin. His harsh and disarming sentence makes me stood shocked at my place.

Natataranta akong umiling. “N—no. I’m really fine, Nicholas. Masiyado na kitang naabala ngayon. I can assure you that I can sleep just fine in here.”

“I’m worried, Elizabeth. I can’t sleep properly if you’re this too hardheaded to argue with me. Babantayan lang kita hanggang sa makatulog ka.” He sighed again. “Trust me, I won’t do you any harm.”

I hitched my breath. I’m shaken a bit at his brutal statement. He looks so calm while I’m now trembling to find another better argument for him. He was so persistent and I don’t know how to say no to him. It is so hard to resist him when he is like this. Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang pabayaan siya at pinapasok sa kwarto ko.

I’m lying when I’ll say I’m not afraid. I’m afraid, both to the thunder and him. It’s not that I don’t trust him. I do, and that’s what I’m afraid of. I’m lying… if I say that I’m not attracted to him because I do. Ang hindi normal na pagtibok ng puso ko para sa kanya kapag malapit siya ay isa sa mga hudyat at senyalis na baka gusto ko siya o natatakot lang ba ko sa kanya. But if I’m afraid, why do I anticipate his hugs and kisses? Maybe that is why I kissed him in the kitchen that night. His gestures and everything were so familiar to me and that’s make me….more drown to him. Para siyang balon na habang lumalalim ay lalo akong nahuhulog. I wanted more of him..not sensually but literally.

I’m curious..

“Seriously, you don’t really have to do this.” Saad ko pa rin sakaling makalusot.

He tilted his head. “I’m serious when I said that, Eli. Hindi kita iiwan dito kahit anong sabihin mo. I don’t want anything bad happened to you.”

Trying so hard to take my patience intact, I still manage to answer him.

“It’s just a thunder.”

“Thunder or not, I’ll stay. Now, go to bed before I’ll be the one who will deposit you in there.” He lazily then sat on my room’s couch while still staring at me..intently.

I looked at him with disbelief. I wanted to find my anger pero hindi ko mahigalap iyon. I’m even a bit surprised when I didn’t notice the thunder anymore. His presence is dominating it now.

Really, Nicholas?

“Paano ka diyan?” Tanong ko ng makita siyang nahihirapang i-adjust ang sarili niya doon.

Malaki ang couch pero kong ikukumpara sa laki at tindig niya ay walang pamana iyon. He put his elbow at the backrest.

“I can manage…I’ve done this many times before.” Saad niya sa akin.

He smirked like he remembered something funny.

“Sleep now, Eli.” Agad niyang baling sa akin.

Kahit malakas pa rin ang t***k ng puso ko ay napilit ko pa rin ang sarili ko na pumikit at matulog. His presence is both alarming and soothing for my system. Hindi ko nga namalayan na nakatulog na pala ako. Last thing I remembered, there is something that just touched my lips and forehead. A warm touch..

I heard some whispers but I’m too sleepy and lost to wake up.

“Goodnight, my Elizabeth.” Someone whispered but I’m really too tired to open my eyes. I’m sure I’m just hallucinating or dreaming again.