TAINTED HEARTS (ENGLISH)

TAINTED HEARTS 10

Chapter 10

“I’ll pick you up at your house.”

Our class with him had ended earlier. He waited for me in the parking lot to take me home. Our group is leaving tomorrow, so he planned to fetch me tomorrow.

“Whatever,” I answered sleepily.

I fell asleep in the car. He only woke me up when we arrived home. I was so sleepy I didn’t even manage to clean myself up. I just took off my uniform. I was only in my panties when I dropped myself on the bed.

“Xena! Wake up! You have a visitor! He said you two are leaving!”

I groaned. I heard a series of knocks. I never lock my door, but Mama never opens it unless I’m the one who does. The noise disappeared. I forced myself up and opened it. My eyes were still heavy with sleep when it wasn’t Mama I found, but a man’s face.

“What time is it?” My voice was hoarse from just waking up. “You’re too early, aren’t you?”

Sir Lennox checked his watch.

“You still have two hours to prepare. I’ll wait in the living room.” He grinned at me. “Maybe you’d like to get dressed first?”

I followed his gaze. My sleepiness vanished when I realized my chest wasn’t covered. I slammed the door shut hard. Laughter echoed outside.

“I was so tired yesterday I didn’t change! I don’t usually sleep like this!”

“No one’s asking. But I don’t mind seeing you every day wearing nothing.”

“Go downstairs! I’ll just take a bath!”

He laughed again before leaving the door. I was burning with embarrassment as I headed downstairs. Sir Lennox was in the living room, sitting on the single sofa directly across the staircase where I descended.

“Where’s Mama?” I asked just to ease the awkwardness from what he had seen earlier.

“In the backyard?”

I continued brushing my wet hair as I walked to the backyard. They were indeed there, watching Mama and Along do the laundry.

“Mama, I’ll wash the rest when I get back so you don’t get too tired.”

I took the thick bed cover from her when she tried to lift it. It was heavy and she would strain herself carrying it.

“Leave that. I’ll wash it because it’s heavy.”

“I’m better now, Xena! I can handle that!”

“Mister is waiting for you!” Along cut in.

I looked at the backyard door and saw that he had followed me. Sir Lennox stood with his hands in his pockets, watching me stop Mama from doing the laundry.

“Go on, Xena! You two are going somewhere, aren't you? You've kept him waiting for so long, so go!”

I shook my head and instead approached my younger siblings. Mena was playing with dolls so I went to Rico.

“Do you want anything when Ate comes home?” I asked sweetly.

Mena shouted ice cream and cake. Rico only shook his head and hugged me. I still hadn’t gotten him operated on because it required a lot of money. He was fine with his medication for now, but the last doctor I spoke to said Rico needed surgery so he wouldn’t keep suffering heart attacks. Success wasn’t guaranteed. There was also the possibility he might need a transplant.

“Take care, Ate! You’ll be back early?”

I laughed and hugged him tightly. I asked Along to get Rico's medicine. I watched him drink it before I left.

Sir Lennox was quiet while driving. He didn’t speak even when we met up with Millie and left together for our destination.

They rode in another vehicle. The bags were in the back seat. It was just me and Sir Lennox in his car, and still, he didn’t say a word, so the silence between us was thick.

“Sir—”

“Just call me Lennox. Call me Lennox, Xena.”

He glanced at me and gave a small smile. I nodded and smiled too.

“Lennox…” I uttered, practicing his name on my tongue.

I looked at him, about to ask something. But I froze when my eyes fell on his lips. He was smiling, biting his lower lip.

“Hm? Why are you smiling?” I asked in confusion.

“I love hearing my name on your lips without ‘sir,’” he said.

I pressed my lips together and didn’t continue what I was about to ask. He kept smiling every time our eyes met. This time, I was the one who stayed silent.

We stopped at a roadside eatery. It was a small eatery but clean. We were far from the city now, and from here you could see clusters of green trees and the vast blue sky.

“What do you wanna eat?”

I was startled when his warm breath hit my neck. I rubbed it as goosebumps rose.

“They are eating. Let’s eat too.”

One of his palms rested on my waist as I turned. He blocked me from the others’ view, so I peeked past him just to see. They were all busy getting their food. His body was broader compared to my small frame, so even if they looked our way, they wouldn’t see his hand on my waist.

“Come on,” he invited.

I glanced again at the beautiful scenery behind me. When I looked back at him, his eyes were fixed on me. I blushed and bit my lower lip like I always did. He smirked and touched my lips, freeing them from my bite.

“Don’t bite your lips here if you don’t want them to see me kissing you.”

I pouted and turned redder. I nodded and walked ahead of him. He followed. Millie caught my gaze as we sat together.

“Are you hot? You’re so red, huh?”

I looked at her and pouted, making her laugh. From the first day she saw us, I think she had already sensed something. I didn’t know if she was my friend since we only got together during outings like this or when discussing group matters, but I felt comfortable with her. Maybe because even though she was rich, she wasn’t pretentious, so she wasn’t intimidating to talk to.

After eating, we continued traveling. We were on the road for six hours, and the Igorot village was our first stop. The car couldn’t reach the actual site. We stopped at the foot of the mountain. From there, we had to hike. Every hour, we’d stop to rest, even just for five minutes.

“Xena! Catch!”

Millie tossed me a bottled water. I laughed when I almost missed catching it. After drinking, I leaned against a large tree. I closed my eyes and felt the breeze.

I smiled whenever I heard birdsong blending with the rustling of leaves. When I opened my eyes, I saw many beautiful things. But when I closed them in a place like this, I realized the true value of trees and animals.

I could imagine them laughing and playing like humans, just in their own languages. They were all living beings. They deserved to be cared for just like how we care for the people we love.

I opened my eyes when I felt someone watching. Lennox was leaning against another tree in front of me. His hands were in his pockets, and his eyes were serious.

“Is everyone alright?” one of the guides asked.

“We’re fine! Let’s continue!” answered the person beside me.

I blinked and stood up properly when I heard our companions. Rest time was over, and we resumed our hike. Millie kept taking pictures of the group. Lennox and I fell behind, but I stayed ahead of him. I think he deliberately stayed behind me to support me on the steeper, more dangerous climbs. Whether he held my waist or my hand, he never gave it any malice.

I smiled when I saw the rows of people waiting for us. They were wearing their cultural clothes. Some of the people who had waited for us at the bottom carried our food and supplies.

We gave them food and donated two solar lamp posts. Those would provide light inside their homes. The children could even play outside at night. They were all overjoyed as the men worked together to set them up. It wouldn’t be finished today, but we had spoken earlier with some local volunteers who would stay behind to help with the installation. Even if we left, we had nothing to worry about.

The money for the food and supplies we brought came from the donations we had collected. Some came from our allowances. I had saved the allowance Mr. Andromeda sent me and also gave a little from my own pocket.

It was getting dark when they stopped to continue tomorrow. We would be spending the night here, just as we did in the other places we had visited before. It was too risky to go down in the dark, so we’d wait until daylight to leave.

They celebrated when night came and even performed a dance offering. Maybe this was how they spent their evenings because it looked like fire was their light outside.

“Xena! Come!”

I shook my head and laughed when Millie called me to join the dancers. She was wearing a floral necklace, and her partner’s hat was placed on her head.

“Come!”

“No way! I’m fine here!” I refused.

She didn’t give up and pulled me up. I refused at first but eventually had no choice. I was quickly surrounded by the dancers. They put a necklace on me. It was white, matching the white off-shoulder dress I wore. I laughed.

“You’re so pretty! You look like their goddess!”

“Stop it!” I hit Millie.

I laughed so much when they included me in their dance around the fire. Our group and some volunteers sat around, clapping. Some were laughing. Only one was staring at me seriously—Lennox. It was as if he was lost in thought while his eyes stayed on me.