Trace of A Broken Lead

sixteen.flirt

N  A  T  A  S  H  A

.  .  .

A date. What the hell is he talking about? Hindi ko alam kung ang sandaling pamumula ko ang dahilan ng kalandian niya pero kung totoo nga, hindi pwedeng maapektuhan ako!

Alam kong malandi naman talaga siya at natural na 'yon sa mga lalaki, pakulo lang naman niya 'yon para pakiligin ako. So no, I should not flutter. I almost wonder if he always did this action to the other girls whoever he tried to seduce, but what the heck lang diba?

Inisip ko naman si Jane, hindi kaya ganito rin ang ginawa non sa kaniya kaya grabe ang dikit sa kaniya?

Inayos ko na ang sarili ko at iniwan siyang nakangisi dahil sa itsura ko. First time ko atang narinig sa kaniya 'yon, siguro pinagti-tripan niya lang ako.

Pero infairness, nakalimutan ko ng saglit ang nangyaring sunog dahil sa sinabi niyang 'yon. At kahit papaano ay natuwa rin naman ako dahil gagala kami bukas! Ibig sbihin lang non ay makakabili na ako ng gusto kong pagkain at maguuwi ng mga pagkaing gusto ko.

Pagkabalik ko ay nakita ko siya na tila may pinapanood sa laptop nito. Napakaseryoso niyang tumingin doon at nakita ko pa kung paano niya kagatin ang pangibabang labi nito. I rolled my eyes, another seductive manerism from him.

"He's alive. . .?" kunot noong tanong nito sa sarili niya.

"Alive? Who?" I asked and opened a pack of chips then sat in front of him.

He didn't answer so I tried to peeked on his laptop but before I could even looked at it he started typing and there was a series of letter and number that was projected on it.

"Mr. Walter saved someone."

Natahimik ako nang sabihin niya 'yon. Hindi ako makapaniwala, he saved a human? The guy who almost tortured me into death saved someone from it? It's so hard to believe. Okay, let's just say that Mr. Walter still hides something good in him but what if it's only an act? What if he did that because of something? Was it another mission and plan?

Epiales showed me on how he saw it. Yes, Mr. Walter really saved someone from falling. Naalala ko nga kanina na parang may isang bagay ang nahulog mula sa rooftop ng supermarket. He put a trampoline where the guy would fall and before his body fell on it, he blew a fire extinguisher on it. But what makes me stunned was the guy fell on the trampoline with no burnt flesh, no scratches, but only ashes. How the hell did that happen? How did he survive that burning fire?

I paused the video and look at the image, hindi ko masyadong makita 'yung lalaki.

On a few meter away, Henry silently watched how Mr. Walter worked. The way he looked at him was something that he was hiding few years ago, hatred. I wonder what is he thinking right now? Bigla na lang nagblack out 'yung screen at doon ko lang napansin na tapos na ang recording ng video footage. I was confused.

"Who the hell was that guy? Bakit siya ililigtas ni Mr. Walter?"

"I don't know." he said. May kung anong kakaiba sa pagiging seryoso nito at hindi ko maiwasang mapakunot dahil dito.

"I'm going to add that for my plans—"

"Not tomorrow," biglang sabi nito at ngumisi sa akin, he even raised his eyebrow at me.

"Since when did you became so flirty, huh?" gulat na tanong ko sa kaniya.

"The first time I touched you,"

"What the fvck," I reacted, shocked in his confession. The first time he touched me was when he was trying to push me away.

"Or maybe the first time I stripped in front of you," that was the day when he brings me in the cabin.

"Oh damn, just stop." I said while rolling my eyes, napahawak pa ako sa noo ko at nataranta ako nang maramdaman na mainit iyon. Agad akong tumalikod sa kaniya nang makumpirma ko na namumula ako.

Hindi ko naman napansin na agad nang nakatulog ang lalaki sa tabi ko kaya naiwan nanamang nakabukas ang laptop niya. Napatingin ulit ako kay Epiales at mukhang malalim na ang tulog nito kaya naman kinuha ko mula sa hita niya ang laptop at sinimulan ko na ang aking balak.

I typed a single letter and it reveals a series of letter and numbers. I really need to know who's the guy that Mr. Walter helped. It's also sounds suspicious because kuya Henry was standing near him.

"Not tomorrow because it was my plan today."

I was busy on researching when I suddenly heard Epiales gasp. At nang tumingin ako dito ay nakatitig siya sa kisame hanggang sa ilang segundo ang lumipas ay tumingin na din ito sa akin.

"Anong napanaginipan mo?" tanong ko pero katulad ng inaasahan, hindi niya sinabi sa akin.

But few minutes passed,

"Touch me," he suddenly said with those intense eyes looking at me.

"W-what?" I asked nervously. Anong hawakan?

"Touch me, Eve." he repeated and yawned again.

"A-ano bang pinagsasabi mo?" nauutal kong sabi. Pakiramdam ko ay uminit ang mga pisngi ko sa nangyayari. What the hell?

He chuckled that revealed his perfect teeth, "I said touch me so that I could stay awake. You can touch me anywhere you want. You could touch my d—"

Bago niya pa maituloy ang sasabihin niya ay hinagis ko na ang unan sa mukha nito. "Just sleep, pervert." I snorted.

He started to clean and arrange his things which is odd to me. Hindi siya kadalasang nagliligpit at hinahayaang nakalagay lang ang gamit niya sa kung saan, ako pa nga ang nagliligpit ng mga ito. Pero ngayon. . . bakit? Anong ganap?

Nakatingin lang ako sa ginagawa nito at hindi rin nagtagal ay lumapit nga ito sa akin habang nag-uunat. Mababagal pa rin ang pagpikit nito, at naluluha na rin ang mata niya sa kakahikab. His stretching makes a bopping noise, and I can say that it was satisfying to hear.

"Come on, just one touch." he said and leaned closer with his eyes closed. I really don't know why he needs to stay awake and fight this feeling. If I were him, I would sleep all day and not going to do things. Ganun na lang ba siya ka-busy? Pero para saan?

I frowned when he's still leaning on me, I was starting to get use to his flirty movements. I know that he's just this clingy because he live his life with his own and doesn't have any acomplice by his side. In some person like him, it was hard for them to get used to someone who are a stranger to them. But him, he treated me like. . . like he already trusted me. Somehow, it amazed me in this side of him.

After a few seconds of staring at him wether I'm going to touch him or not, I touched his cheeks. He suddenly opened his eyes and displayed his perfect smirk.

"Ang landi mo." I mouted, and he just laughed loudly. Napapikit ulit ako ng ilang beses sa tawa niya. That's a sincere one.

He grab a black bag and readied himself for some work.

"You're going?" tanong ko habang hawak pa rin ang laptop niya.

"It will be quick, don't worry."

"Why would I worry?"

"Kasi may pupuntahan pa tayo." sagot nito at kinindatan ako. My heart leaped for a second but my beating went normal after some encouraging thoughts to ignore this feelings.

"See you," ngiting sabi ko, hindi ko alam kung bakit napatigil nanaman siya at tumingin sa akin.

He nodded at me before leaving. Well, that's weird.

Parang kanina lang ang landi niya tapos biglang nagbago 'yung mood niya. Ang weird niya ngayon.

It's been four hours since he left. Naghintay nga ako katulad ng sinabi niya, nahihirapan akong malaman kung sino ng tinulungan ni Mr. Walter kaya tumigil muna ako.

Nang makarinig ako ng ingay sa labas ay agad akong tumakbo papunta sa direksyon ng tunog at nakita ko ang lalaking inaasahan ko na hawak ang motorsiklo. He's wincing.

I gasp when I noticed his back, it looks like someone splattered an acid from his back. It so hard to look at.

"What happened to you? Who did this?"

"My target,"

Kahit na may sunog sa likod niya ay nakaya naman nitong makapunta sa kwarto niya at umupo sa kama ng mag-isa. I immediately go to the truck where I'd last seen the medicine kit. 

Before I left him, I'd seen him taking off his shirt with a grunt. I grab the medicine kit the moment I saw it and then went back.

Nakita ako nito at hindi ko alam kung bakit ngumisi ito. Ano nanamang iniisip ng taong 'to? Lumapit na lang ako sa likod nito at tinignan ang sunog sa likod niya. 4 splatters of burnt, not so wide but not so small. But it was half of fist, I have a small knowledge about this kind of burnt and I think it was 2nd degree burnt.

Hinugasan ko muna ito gamit ang tubig, wala akong narinig na ingay sa kaniya pero kita ko kung paano matense ang katawan nito sa sakit. Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay maglagay ako ng sheet pad for burnts na nakita ko rin sa medicine kit. Atsaka ko ito ibinalot sa gauze dressing.

"No thanks there? Have we?"

"You thank." lame joke.

Finally, I looked at him who are now combing his hair upwards. I stared at him for a few seconds and I know that he's a little bit distracted by it.

"I'm fine, I could walk." he assured me, "We could still go out."

"What the hell did you do?" I asked patiently.

"Approaching a woman."

"Your target?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"Alin don?" tanong ko pa,

"Tinitignan mo ba ang gamit ko?"

"Anong pangalan?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Anong pangalan?" I repeated.

Saglit siyang tumigil at tumitig lang sa akin. Nagdadalawang isip kung sasagutin niya ba o hindi.

"You better answer me,"

"It's not my sister."

"Anong pangalan?" ulit ko.

Hinila nito ang palapulsuhan ko at inilapit sa kaniya pero hindi ako nagpatinag at nakatingin lang sa kaniya.

"If you're just feeding your curiosity, just stop. I won't ever tell you." sabi nito ng seryoso.

"Okay," I said, dismissively, breaking my stare at him.

"Okay?" He asked in obvious tone.

Hindi ako sumagot at iniwan siya sa kwarto niya.

I really don't know why I need to asked for the woman's name. It's not as if I'm jealous. I just want to know how does he deal with his female target.

I'm in his list, that will never leave my mind.

And what if he's using that date card just to lure me in his trap? I don't have any idea on how will he going to kill me but I will not fall for his trap. Imposible namang maging malandi lang siya sa akin bigla ng walang dahilan.

But it seems like he's not going to tell me his reason. He already have Jane. Kahit na hindi niya sabihin, halata namang may gusto sa kaniya si Jane. Ilang beses ko na rin silang nakikita na magkasama, idagdag pa ang kaalamang nagtatrabaho sila pareho. Somehow, I thought that she's his girlfriend.

Pinag-isipan ko na ito ng apat na oras. Kahit na ilang beses niya na akong niligtas, alam kong may gusto siyang makuha sa akin. He's a man afterall, ofcourse, he'll think like one.

I need to be cautious around him.

"Hey," napalingon ako at nakita kong nakasunod pala siya sa akin. He doesn't wear anything on his top, and only the gauze is covering his abdomen and his chest.

"Do you need something?" I smiled. One thing that I learned from Mr. Walter is to always smile whatever the situation is.

"Her name is Scarlet Loren." he said while looking at my eyes. "She not dead yet, she's one hundred kilometer away from here, one and a half hour if you'll use the motor in high speed."

"Are you forcing yourself to tell me?" I stepped forward, meeting his gaze intently.

"You seems like begging for answers." he shrug, but not that emphasized.

I nodded and took another step, our feet has only a few inches between.

"Well, I was begging for an answer on how will you going to kill me." it's not a question, it was more like a demand. I stand straight, pero kahit na anong gawin ko ay mas matangkad pa siya sa akin.

Saglit na kumunot ang noo niya sa akin, bago unti-unting naiintindihan ang iniisip ko. His expression is rigid.

"If you're just flirting with me and will kill me when I already fall, then I'll let you. Just let me finish what I need to do." madiing sabi ko sa kaniya. His aura became dark and I suddenly want to flinch but I call my little courage in me and face him with stern eyes.

"The thing that will kill you, you won't see it coming. It will be the best death that I could ever give, Natasha."

I forget how to breathe when he leaned closer until I could already feel his breathe beside my ear. "It's my love."