The Badass Girl And His Reckless Heart (Filipino)

Chapter 1

FRANKIE has been dancing from one partner to another for almost an hour now. She doesn't even take a break. It's as if she doesn't get tired. Iyon ang paraan niya ng paglimot sa sakit na nararamdaman ng puso niya. Ang magsayaw ng magsayaw ng magsayaw hanggang sa mapagod siya at wala ng maramdaman. Iyong tipong pag-uwi niya ng bahay ay bagsak na ang katawan niya sa pagod at wala nang lakas mag-isip pa ng kahit na ano lalo na ang tungkol sa nabigo niyang pag-ibig. 

She felt stupid loving someone who has been very honest to her from the very beginning to tell her that he can only offer her friendship and nothing more than that. She was eager, too willing to take a risk even if it’s just a tiny chance. She thought that if they spent time together as friends, Ezekiel would see that they were meant to be more than just that. 

Jeez! She should have thrown his friendship in his face when she had the chance. And now her heart is broken and her ego is bruised that makes her even more insane and mad. Ang lalo pang nagpapainis sa kanya ay kung bakit siya nagwalk-out kanina. That was such a stupid act of cowardly. And that wasn't her. Franchesca Melady Thomas would never walk out on anything. She faces everything that comes her way with head ups. Most especially she hated the fact that she showed weakness in front of Ezekiel and everyone else who might have seen the scene earlier. 

She shook her head to snap out of her thoughts. Kung akala ni Ezekiel ay magmumukmok siya sa isang tabi at iiyakan ito ng isang timbang luha, pwes nagkakamali ito. Actually she should celebrate, celebrate the fact that finally she has a reason to move on. Kaya lang naman siya kumapit ng ganun katagal dahil kahit tinapat siya ni Ezekiel na pagkakaibigan lang ang kaya nitong ibigay sa kanya, kumikilos naman ito at tinatrato siya ng kabaliktaran ng sinasabi nito at lalong wala rin itong ipinapakilala sa kanya na kasintahan sa nagdaang mga taon. Kaya naman umasa siya, umasa siya na may patutunguhan ang nararamdaman niya para rito.  

“You brittle ego cows can all rot in hell, I don’t give a s**t!” she exclaimed above the loud music and continued dancing with a new partner. Frankie turned and had to look up since the guy who was dancing with her now was tall and danced too close. She smiled because he was damn gorgeous. He looks worthy to flirt with tonight and is definitely good enough to feed her battered and bruised ego. Right, she is Franchesca Melady Thomas. She is beautiful, sexy and smart not to mention the only heiress of a business tycoon. She could easily get herself a guy with just a tip of her fingers if she wanted to. She reminded herself. 

She was dancing seductively with the gorgeous guy who introduced himself as Asher Ramirez when she felt a strange dart gaze towards her from one of the VIP tables about five meters away from her. 

“What the hell is his problem?” she murmured when she saw the mysterious good looking guy and the same guy who was  eying her earlier. Nakatali sa liko ang may kahabaan nitong buhok. Baga man at mabalbas ang mukha nito ay hindi naman iyon nakabawas sa kagwapuhan at gandang lalaki nito. Kung hindi siya nagkakamali, sa tingin niya ay matanda ang lalaki sa kanya ng apat hanggang anim na taon. Pamilyar sa kanya ang mukha nito pero hindi nya maalala kung sino ito. Medyo may ilang metro din kasi ang layo nito sa kanya. She tried to ignore him and continued dancing. Kung gaano kaharot ang tugtog ay ganun din ang ginagawang pagsasayaw ni Frankie na syempre ay sinasabayan din naman ng kasayaw niya na game na game din. 

Si Noah na nanonood ay gustong manuyo ang lalamunan. Against his will he could feel his manhood rising. Hell! His manhood was reacting. Of course he will--- His been celibate for more than a year now plus the fact that the b***h is alluring and dangerously attractive. He must not be his type but he is  just a man with normal needs just like all the other guys on the dance floor who have been watching her. And some women around are frowning. Some with envy in their eyes. The b***h looks like a Goddess. Her beauty stands out in the crowd. 

Goddammit! He could feel the ache of his groins. It was really not a good idea to catch up with Rob in this kind of place. This is not his cup of tea. He hates crowded places and very loud music. Most especially he felt dizzy from the different colors of disco lights. Napahugot siya ng malalim na buntong hininga sa reaksyon ng katawan niya para sa isang babae  na bagaman at hindi niya kilala ay ginigising naman ang iba't ibang klase ng emosyon niya lalo na ang natutulog na halimaw sa pantalon niya. 

Nang muling humarap si Frankie sa VIP area ay nagtama ang mga tingin nila ni Noah. Noah croaked an eyebrow at her as if the way she's dancing is some kind of unforgivable sin. 

Frankie screwed up her lips and gave him her tough girl look that meant to tell him, “Mind your own business, illiterate!” 

There was no verbal talk but their gaze to each other meant, as if there was a silent war declared between the two of them. 

Hindi man kilala ni Frankie ang binata may ideya na siya sa isip kung bakit ganoon ito makatingin sa kanya. Mukhang hindi nito nagugustuhan ang klase ng pagsasayaw na ginagawa niya. Ngunit wala siyang pakialam. Nasa tamang lugar siya at ang ginagawa niyang pagsasayaw. Isa itong discohan at hindi simbahan. Kung nalalaswaan man ang binata sa klase ng pagsasayaw niya ay problema na nito iyon. Mas lalo pa nga tuloy siyang ginanahan magsayaw na ngayon ay may kasama nang pang-iinis. She moved her body to the tune of the music in a very provocative manner. 

"Wow, Francheska, you really turn me on. You're a great dancer, honey,” pasigaw na sinabi ni Asher dahil sa lakas ng musika. Humihingal sa pinagsamang pagod at pagnanasa. 

"So you are," nakangiting sagot ng dalaga. Hindi maiwasang sulyapan si Noah habang nagsasayaw. 

Bagaman sinisikap ni Noah na balewalain ang dalaga ay hindi nito maiwasang pagpawisan. Lalo na at sa pagkakataong iyon ay tumitingin ang dalaga sa kanya habang nagsasayaw. Animo sumasayaw ito para sa kanya na mahahalata ang pang-iinis pa yata sa kanya. 

"b***h," bulong ni Noah, naniningkit ang mga mata sa inis. Inis sa sarili dahil sa dinami dami ng tao at babae sa dance floor ay kung bakit parang nakapako ang mga mata at attention niya sa iisang tao lang. Hindi lang din naman ito ang nag-iisang sumasayaw ng ganoon. Lalong marami rin naman ang mga babaeng magaganda sa paligid ngunit hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit parang may magnet ang mga mata niya sa parehong tao lang. 

“Hell. This is insane!” inis niyang bulong sa sarili. 

"Pretty, isn’t she?” said Rob, smiling. Sa totoo lang ay natutuwa siya sa nakikitang reaksyon ng nakatatandang kapatid. Mahigit isang taon na ring wala si Giselle ngunit mula ng araw na mawala ito ay hindi na nila nakitaan pang magkainteres si Noah sa kahit na sinong babae o subukan manlang na makipagdate. 

Noah smirked. He did not want to admit that Rob was right. The woman is pretty, actually more than just pretty. She looks gorgeous even from afar but he won’t admit it. “She looks okay, nothing special. Besides, she’s not my type.”

“Really? But you were staring at her the whole time, big bro,” Rob lips curved up in a teasing smile. “Kung hindi nga kita kilala ay baka isipin ko na nagseselos ka sa kasayaw niya at gusto mong pumalit sa posisyon nito.” 

“Stop the nonsense. Like what you just said, you know me--- You know that I will not be attracted to any wild, teased woman like her.”  

"How can you judge someone you don't even know personally? It's not the usual you, big bro. You never judge a book by it’s cover. Besides, I know Frankie  personally. She’s nice and one of the most real people I’ve met so far. She knows no pretension, what you see is what you get. And she’s just having fun. I don’t see any wrong with that." 

“Yah, right! And I don’t want to get what I’m seeing right now.” 

Rob chuckled. “Huwag magsasalita ng tapos, big bro. Hindi mo alam, baka ang sinasabi mong kahit kailan ay hindi mo magugustuhan ngayon ay siya pala ang babaeng mamahalin mo bukas,” he teased again.

“Malabong mangyari iyan. And you know what I mean---”  

Biglang sumeryoso naman si Rob. "When are you planning to move on, big bro. It's been more than a year since she was gone. Hanggang kailan mo paparusahan ang sarili mo sa isang bagay na wala ka namang kasalanan? Walang may gusto sa nangyari. Besides, if she only sees how you're living your life now, do you think she’ll like it? I don’t think she would want to see you punish yourself for her." 

Hindi sumagot si Noah. Kung alam lang nito kung gaano niya na gustong kalimutan ang madilim na pangyayaring iyon ng buhay niya ngunit paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa alaala niya. Alaala na nauuwi madalas sa isang bangungot. She was his life and losing her is like losing his reason to live. 

“I’m not here to talk about it,” turan ni Noah na halata ang pag-iwas. 

Rob sighed. “Fine. But what’s your plan now? You know the old man---once he decides on something, it’s final.” 

Dumilim ang mukha ni Noah at humigpit ang hawak niya sa baso ng alak nang maalala ang pinag-usapan nila ng ama at kung bakit siya napilitan na lumuwas ng siyudad. Na stroke ang ama nila at kasalukuyan na nagpapagaling kaya wala siyang pagpipilian kundi puntahan ito nang tawagan siya nito at sinabing gusto siyang makausap. 

“Let him dream on. I have no plan of giving in to his whims,” sagot ni Noah. 

“You know exactly that it’s not just out of whims. What our old man wants is for you to move forward and go on with your life. I know eight years you spent with her was a long time and a lot of dreams  and memories to say goodbye to but don’t you think it’s time to let go?” 

Noah paused, his hand wrapping on his empty glass. “Saying goodbye to her memories is the tough part and sometimes it still hurts like it was just yesterday,” he mumbled. 

Malungkot na nailing si Rob. “I understand. But don’t tell me you have a plan to spend the rest of your life moping? Life is too precious to waste, big bro.” 

Mapait na ngumiti si Noah. Kung ganun lang kadali ang lumimot katulad ng gustong mangyari ng kapatid at pamilya niya ay ginawa na niya. “Thanks for tonight. I’ve got to go. I have an early flight back to the farm tomorrow,“ paalam ni Noah na halata ang pag-iwas.  

“Oh come on, big bro. The night is still young. Besides, don’t you want to get laid before you go back to your cows and horses?” 

Sa sinabi ng nakababatang kapatid ay hindi sinasadyang muling napatingin si Noah sa direction ni Frankie. Tudo pa rin ito sa pag kembot at pagsabay sa maharot na musika na  animo ay walang kapaguran. Habang game na game naman na sinasabayan parin ito ng lalaking kasayaw nito mula pa kanina. Napailing is Noah. “No, thank you. I rather sleep,” wika nito at tumayo na at umalis matapos magpaalam sa nakababatang kapatid.  

Si Rob ay malungkot nalang na napailing. Kung sana ay may magagawa siya para matulungan itong gamutin ang sugat  ng isang masakit na kahapon ay gagawin niya. Ngunit ang sugat ng nakatatandang kapatid ay hindi kayang gamutin ng kahit anong gamot at ng kahit na sinong doktor. Panahon lang ang makakapagsabi kung kailan maghihilom ang sugat sa puso nito.