CHAPTER 12 - EARN
1446 Words
OLIVIA PIPER ROBLES
His hand slapped the table. Tumalon ang mga plato at ang plastik na baso ay natumba. Pagkatapos ay kumuyom siya at mariing pinagdikit ang labi.
“Hindi mo kailangang sayangin ang pagkain kung ayaw mo.”
He leaned over the floor and picked up the chicken nuggets. Nilagay niya iyon sa plato niya at nagpatuloy muli sa pagkain. Lumunok ako. Did I go overboard?
But this is his fault! Bakit ako nakokonsensya?
“Gusto ko nang bumalik sa siyudad, Ryker.”
“You can’t,” matipid na saad nito habang ngumunguya.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Say that again.”
“You heard me.”
“Bakit hindi? Sagutin mo ako.”
Nagbuga siya ng hininga at tumingin sa akin. “We need your skill to build a new system— an impenetrable system.”
“You want me to create that for your organization?”
“No,” Sumandal siya sa upuan. “We will create that and you have to hack it.”
“What do I get in return? Hindi ako nangangailangan ng pera. Madami ako niyon.”
“Name your price.”
I placed my palm on the table and leaned over to face him. I smiled. “I want to take your place in the mafia.”
“No.”
My eyes narrowed. “You said, name my price. That’s my price.”
“Hindi ko nakuha ang posisyon na ito just because I threatened someone, Olivia. I trained so hard and proved myself worthy.”
“Then, I want to take Vulture’s place.”
He leaned over the table. Now, his face is just an inch away. His aura becomes more intimidating.
“Why are you so desperate? Olivia, are you trying to intimidate me because you know that you won’t survive the training? And you’re using this chance to take someone’s place.”
Mariin kong pinagdikit ang mga labi.
Umangat ang isang sulok ng kanyang labi. “I’m not wrong, am I?”
“I can survive anything. Tell me where to start.”
“If your task is a success, I’ll tell you where to start. But to give you an idea, you’ll start being in the lowest rank.”
“L-lowest rank?!”
“Scared? Then, run away with your tail stuck between your thighs.”
My eyes narrowed. “I’m not scared of anything or anyone.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Umupo ako sa upuan na nasa harapan niya at umabot ng isang nugget mula sa kanyang plato. His smile widened and pushed the plate closer to me.
"Ikukuha kita ng kanin,” saad niya bago tumayo at pumunta sa kitchen counter.
Ilang sandali lang ay nasa harapan ko na siya at nilalagyan ng kanin ang plato ko. Dahil wala na akong lakas ay ginamit ko na ang utensils niya.
Mataas ang pride ko pero gutom na ako.
“I need to contact my parents and tell them that I will be gone for a long time.”
Bumalik siya sa kanyang pwesto. “We took care of that.”
Napahinto ako at tumingin sa kanyan. “You took care of what?”
“We told them that you’re vacationing overseas.”
“At naniwala sila roon?”
“Kung nanonood ka ng balita, malalaman mo na walang naghahanap sa iyo.”
“Speaking of that. Get a notepad.”
“Bakit?”
“I want some changes in this place.”
He raised a brow. “Such as?”
“Una, I hate that TV. I want something big, flat, and with Netflix. Second, I want a new set of modern clothes. Hindi ‘yong parang pinaglumaan ng mga sinaunang tao.”
“But you look good in those trousers.”
“I look good in anything,” malamig kong saad at nagpatuloy. “Third, I’ll give you prescribed meds that I need and if I’m going to stay here for too long, then I need some pads. Fourth, I’ll give you a list of groceries and I want you to buy it.”
“Para saan ang mga gamot?”
“Anti-anxiety drugs, sleeping pills, and birth control.”
“Granted. Any other demands?”
Marahan kong binitawan ang utensils. “Yeah.”
“That is?”
“You.”
Marahan siyang tumayo at naglakad paikot sa mesa. Pumuwesto siya sa aking likuran at inilapat ang mga palad sa magkabilang gilid ko. Hindi ako kumilos at hindi ko rin ito nilingon.
I felt his hot breath on the sensitive part of my ears.
“You’ve got to earn it, sweetheart.”
Lumayo siya at narinig ko ang papalayo niyang mga yapak. Mas lalong tumaas ang inis ko sa kanya. Pero ang mas hindi ko matanggap ay ang kahihiyan na nangyari sa akin kanina— ang ginawang pamamahiya sa akin ng lalaki na iyon. Pumasok na ako sa aking silid at nagbihis.
Humiga ako sa kama at tumulala sa puting kisame. Unti-unti ay hinila ako ng antok at pumikit ang mga mata. Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal ang naging tulog ko ngunit naalimpungatan ako dahil sa tunog ng ulan. Dumilat ako at tumingin sa orasan.
2:00am.
Malakas ang ulan at matalim ang kidlat. Bumangon ako at nagsimulang manginig ang aking katawan nang marinig ang malakas na kulog. Mabilis akong tumayo at lumabas ng silid upang puntahan si Ryker.
Kinatok ko ang kanyang pinto. Bumilis ang pintig ng aking puso nang marinig na naman ang malakas na kulog.
I banged his door once again. “Ryker, buksan mo ang pinto!”
“Go to bed, Olivia.”
Naninindig ang aking balahibo ng isa na namang malakas na kulog. Para akong nabibingi at nanghihina. Napaluhod ako sa harap ng pinto ni Ryker at nilagay ang mga palad sa aking tenga.
“Papa, where are you going?”
“Alvario, let’s go! Baka maabutan pa nila tayo.”
“Olivia, tell them that Mama and Papa aren't home, okay?”
“Sino po?”
“Let them in and then escape from the kitchen. Naiintindihan mo ba ako?”
“Wh-why?”
“Naiintindihan mo ba ako?”
“Y-yes, papa.”
I walked to the entrance door and opened it for our visitors. They were my father’s corrupt business partners.
Bumabalik sa aking alaala ang lahat. Rainy nights, four men, and the things I did to protect my family— I was twelve.
“They’re going to hurt me,” I whispered, “they hurt me. I need to hurt them too. I was protecting myself.”
Bumilis ang aking paghinga. “It’s all in the past, Olivia. You don’t have to be scared. They are all gone. You don’t hurt people anymore.”
Tears flooded my eyes. “I don’t want this. I don’t want to hear their voices. I don’t want to see their faces anymore. They’re no longer here. Wala na sila.”
I felt warm arms encircling my body. He pulled me closer to him. He carried me inside his room and kicked the door to close it. Napayakap ako sa kanya when I heard the rumble. Hindi rin soundproofed ang silid niya.
Nagtataka man kung bakit ang tagal niya na karga ako ngunit unting-unti naglaho ang ingay. Dumilat ako at nalaman na nasa loob kami ng bathroom. He dropped the comforter inside the clean bathtub.
“Bakit sa bathroom?”
“Ito lang ang nag-iisang lugar sa bahay na hindi masyadong maririnig ang kulog.”
Umupo siya sa loob ng tub at ibinaba ako sa kanyang kandungan. Umayos ako upang kumportable na makahiga sa kanyang ibabaw. Hindi ganoon kahaba ang tub kaya nakaupo siya at nakalapat ang pisngi ko sa kanyang balikat. Naramdaman ko na nilaro niya ang daliri sa aking kamay.
“You act tough pero kulog lang pala ang magpapaiyak sa iyo.”
“Hindi ako umiyak.”
“Bad childhood?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” bulong ko.
He chuckled. “Trust me, I do.”
“I hate you. ”
“I never said I like you.”
Lumayo ako ng kaunti at hinarap ito. My hands are on his shoulders, and my chest is touching his. I sighed and turned my back on him. Sumandal ako sa kanya at pinakiramdaman ang init nito. Naging kumportable ako sa mga bisig nito. I curled and my body slid downward.
I rest my head on his thighs. Nakaramdam ako ng antok at pinikit ang mga mata.
Huminga ako ng malalim. “You’re dangerous, but… warm.”
“You’re a brat and mean to everyone.”
A gentle smile curved on my lips. “Yes, I am the… villain of everyone’s… story.”
- Writer
