Pleasure in Retaliation

CHAPTER II

“WHAT the hell, Lynn?! What did you do to my uniform?!”

I was surprised and I actually felt a wee bit of joy when I heard my father’s voice, out from nowhere. 

I tried to search it, reach to it with my senses, and when I felt that my dad was right behind me, I turned to him with a smile—only to be met by a flying hand landing agonizingly hard on my cheek, the impact almost made my head do a 180.

My smile slowly died, and the tears started to form at the side of my eyes. But all I did was cup my burning cheek with a trembling hand and meet the harsh expression of my father. 

Yet when I turned to the person in front of me—it was my mother whom I saw, her expression clearly showing how fuming mad she was, her nostrils flaring that I could almost see the gas go in and out of it, while holding a crumpled paper on her hand.

“You are such a disappointment, Lynn! Look at these awful grades! These grades aren’t worthy to pay attention to!” 

I tried to open my mouth, but no sound has left from them, and all I could do was follow her actions—as my mom threw the paper at some place, and point an angry finger at my face. “Why did we even have to pay for your schooling if you are going to be this dumb?!”

I could only take a step back from my mother as her words pierce my gut, the pain was almost unbearable that I forced my eyes shut to stop the tears from falling.

It was only a few moments that passed when I heard a giggle from somewhere. The urge to know what was going on was greater than the fear of what I might see, and it was the reason why I pried my eyes open.

But the moment that I recognized the two people in front of me, my sister and a man whose face I cannot see who are having s*x inside a familiar room, the pain almost doubled that it wringed my neck—eradicating my capacity to breath.

“No…”

I felt my mouth move and tried to shout, but there was no sound coming out of it. 

I tried to shout once more, but the hard hand of pain, anguish, and grief strangling my neck did not let me do it. 

All I could do was reach out to someone, someone who could possibly hear, as I mouth the two-lettered words again and again.

“No...”

“NO!”

“Ma’am Lynn! Ma’am Lynn, please wake up!”

I sprang right up from the bed so quick that it hurt my back muscles, as I grasp for so much air, holding onto the thin blanket for dear life.

I could feel someone’s hand gently rubbing on my back and the constant motion of it has helped in calming me down. 

It was at the point that I was starting to feel at ease when I realized that it was the maid—whose name is Celia—who helped me bring back to my senses.

When Celia has noticed that I have gone calmer, she quickly turned to the bedside table, poured water on a clean glass, and handed it to me.

“C-Celia, I’m s-sorry that I w-woke you up again,” I voiced out as I cupped the glass with my trembling hands, then I tipped the rim of the glass to my mouth and drank its contents generously.

“It’s okay, Ma’am Lynn. I was just about to go to sleep anyway.” She shook her head as she took a seat at the bed and took the glass from my hand after I emptied out its contents. 

“Did you have the same nightmare again?” Her voice was soft and full of worry.

In an instant, all the emotions that I felt from the nightmare that I had bombarded my mind, causing my head to ache so bad. 

But I had to endure it as I nod my head at Celia—who does not have an idea regarding the things that I’ve been having nightmares about, but could clearly notice that my sleep would always be disturbed by the identical bothering thoughts.

“I-I’m okay,” I said. Celia did not seem to be convinced by my answer, but she accepted it anyway. She then stood from being seated at the side of the bed and gave me a warm smile.

“Here, Ma’am Lynn, let me help you lie back to the bed again.” Celia told me as she put the glass back to the bedside table before placing her palm gently on my back to help me lie back down to the soft mattress.

“T-thank you, Celia,” I said in a low tone and she smiled at me as an answer.

“Señorito Adrian will be arriving tomorrow, and he informed me to wake you up early. Tomorrow will be a week since you woke up. I’m sure Señorito will be happy to know that you have never been better since,” she uttered as she fixed the blanket draped on my body up to my arms. 

When she was finished, Celia straightened her back and extended her hand to turn the lamp on the bedside table to a faint glow.

“H-has it really been a week already, Celia?” I asked my roommate as she occupied the small bed next at the other side of the room.

The memories of last week’s conversation with that Señorito Adrian has flashed in front of my eyes. 

I remembered him giving me a week to recover from what happened to me a month ago, and I remember him saying that after this week, I need to decide whether I would stay or go back to Cagayan de Oro…

…where I would face the people, who are the constant individuals that inhabit my nightmares.

When I did not hear any response from Celia, I could only assume that she has fallen fast asleep. I heaved a sigh and held the blanket close to my body—thinking about the possible events that could happen tomorrow, and the decision that I would have to make after.

“ARE you sure that this is an appropriate dress to wear today, Celia?”

I asked Celia as I stare at my reflection from a full body mirror. I run an awkward hand through the smooth fabric of the white off shoulder summer dress with blue leaves almost occupying the dress as its motif, its hem ending two inches above my knees, and feel a slight discomfort and confusion as to why Celia pushed me in wearing such a pretty clothing.

“Why, yes, Ma’am Lynn! I knew that this dress would fit you so well.” Celia exclaimed while she buries herself in twisting and curling my hair. “It’s only appropriate to wear a dress like this, Ma’am Lynn. You have not left this room for a week. Thus, we need to showcase that beauty of yours once in a while.”

I felt my cheeks go warm at Celia’s statement, and I could not do anything but to just agree with what she said. Since the day that I woke up from a month-long sleep, I did not feel the urge to take a step outside this bedroom. 

The embarrassment and fear of crossing paths with many people, if ever I twist the knob open and break myself free from the constraints of this four-walled room, were the things that stopped me from doing so.

But now it would be a different case, for the Señorito of the house has requested that I would join him for the first meal of the day. And given the circumstance that I practically owed my life to him, I could not muster up the courage to say no.

“There, Ma’am Lynn. Your hair is all done.”

I came back to my senses and found my reflection on the mirror once more. I looked at the lady standing timidly—with her hair cascading down to her shoulder adorned with subtle waves, and her face trying to hide the slight fear on what is about to happen, and thought about the things that led me to this kind of situation.

“T-Thank you, Celia. You did my hair beautifully,” I spoke softly, turning to the maid who has made my stay in this room bearable, as I felt my cheeks go warm again.

Celia might have noticed the blush on my cheeks when she let out a soft giggle. “You’re welcome, Ma’am Lynn. It is my genuine pleasure to serve you,” she said as she took my left hand and squeezed it gently. 

She stared at my face so long that it almost made me feel uncomfortable even if we’re both women. “I knew I was right about not putting makeup on you, Ma’am Lynn. You’re naturally beautiful.”

“Please don’t say that, Celia,” I said to her as I felt my heart beat doubled because of anxiety. “You’re making me more nervous.” I heard Celia let out a laugh as she let go of my hand and helped me in tying the straps of the sandals on my ankles.

“I wouldn’t know how our Señorito would react, but I know that he’ll be captivated by your sight, Ma’am Lynn. I’m sure of it,” she spoke with utter confidence and even slipped a wink when she stood back again. Celia gave me a small smile before she motioned for the door.

Feeling more anxious because of what Celia have said, I silently prayed to God that whatever happens when step outside this room, I hope that I will not make any mistake.

I took in a large amount of air before I started to walk towards the door. My trembling hand was about to reach the doorknob when I heard a knock coming from the other side of the door. 

I turned to Celia and asked her with my eyes if she has an idea who the person on the other side might be, but she just shrugged her shoulders and said nothing.

Turning back to the door, I stare at it in confusion for a few seconds before I decided to twist the doorknob. When I pulled the doorknob to see the person who knocked, I was taken aback when my eyes were met by a man standing with his tall frame, with a hand on his pocket and the other was fisted on the air, which I assumed that he was about to knock again. 

And when I looked up to see his face, I almost called for Celia to help me contain my gasp.

His deep blue eyes lingered at my face for a few moments, before it travelled down excruciatingly slow to the dress that I was wearing. 

I then noticed that his eyes seemed to be bluer than before, but I did not say anything and only settled in following every action he makes.

He lowered his fist onto his mouth and stifled a quick cough before his blue eyes went back up to meet mine.

“Good morning, Miss Lynn. I can see that you are done preparing for the first meal,” he said in a throaty voice, and slowly extended a hand to the space between our bodies. 

“Would you mind if I accompany you to the banquet?”