Kabanata 2
1224 Words
Rafael
"Welcome to your cabin, Sir. Enjoy sailing with Atlantis."
I smirked at the room boy after taking off my aviator. "Oh, I will totally enjoy sailing with Atlantis."
I licked my lips while remembering all the smexy girls I saw earlier while we're boarding the cruise ship. I'd definitely have a lot of fun in this month-long cruise.
Dumukot ako ng pera sa bulsa at ibinigay sa kanya. His lips formed a wide grin after seeing the large tip I gave. Tinapik ko naman sa balikat pagkatapos bago ko isinara ang pinto ng cabin.
I looked around after putting down my hand carry. "My, my, Mikhael." I scoffed. "You just missed the best f***s of your life in this gorgeous room."
I smirked, did some stretch with my toned arms, and then walked towards the other door leading to my personal balcony. Binuksan ko ang pinto at tuluyang lumabas para pagmasdan ang malawak na karagatan.
The salty air caressed my nostrils while the fabric of my cream summer polo danced with the wind. Mataas na ang araw pero hindi gaanong masakit sa balat ang tama ng sikat. I even looked up to see the clouds, only to be interrupted when I heard a familiar voice coming from the room next to mine.
"Yes, Adie. I'm fine."
She laughed a bit while closing the balcony's door. Hindi kaagad ako napansin dahil abala sa kausap sa cellphone. Napatitig naman ako sa matamis niyang ngiti, sandaling nakalimutang iritable nga pala ako sa presensya niya.
Caya laughed softly. "Adie, you're my stylist not my Dad, alright? Don't worry--" Her eyes widened a bit while her cheeks turned red. "Tumigil ka nga! I'm here to relax not to sleep with strangers!"
Napabaling siya sa akin. Halatang nagulat pa nang magtama ang tingin naming dalawa. Para naman akong biglang natauhan. Right. I'm irritated with her. I should keep a straight face even when . . .
Man, look at those lips? It looks tender and sweet I could already picture it out smiling for me, or sucking my di--what the f**k, Rafael?!
Napahugot ako ng hininga na akala mo ay ang tagal kong nasa ilalim ng tubig. Tangina, epekto ba 'to ng pagsakay ng barko? Bigla-bigla na lang na para kang nalulunod?
I looked away before I even have more nasty thoughts. Bakit naman kasi hanggang dito makikita ko pa 'to? Is she following me or something? Have I f****d any of her girl friends in showbiz? Did they tell her I'm good?
Putanginang isip naman talaga, oo. Ngayon lang yata ako nagkaganito. Hindi ba pwedeng coincidence lang? Kaso grabeng coincidence naman nito?
Natigilan ako. Is she spying on me? Hindi ba siya kumbinsidong dapat ay nakalaya ako?
My fists clenched with what I concluded. Posible nga. Well, not my problem anymore, kaso dumagdag lang iyon sa inis ko at dahilan para hindi naising magtagpo pang lalo ang mga landas namin.
Humugot ako ng hininga't malamig siyang tinitigan pagkatapos maputol ng tawag nila ng kausap. "Miss, baka pwedeng lumipat ka na lang ng cabin? Wala ka namang mapapala sa'kin."
Her trimmed eyebrows nearly met. "Excuse me?" She scoffed as if I offended her. "Did you think I chose this room just because it's next to yours?"
Tumaas ang isang kilay ko. "Ayaw ko sanang isipin 'yon kaso nakakapagtaka lang na mula hotel hangang dito, magtatagpo pa rin ang landas natin." I moistened my lower lip. "If you think you can squeeze any information from me just so you can send me back to jail, pasensya na. My cousin had already done that."
Inis siyang natawa. Her siren eyes even squinted as if I really hit the wrong nerve. "Kaklaruhin ko lang ho, Atty. Avila. I didn't come here for you. I just wanna relax just like you, pero hindi po ikaw ang pakay ko rito."
"Then why are we staying in rooms next to each other, hmm? Why, of all the hotels in Singapore, why did we bump into each other in Marina Bay? Grabeng coincidence naman yata." I asked before resting my forearms on the small railing separating our balconies. "Mind cracking the mystery about that?"
I saw how her hand gripped onto her mobile phone tightly. Baka kung malambot na bagay lang iyon ay nayupi na sa tindi ng pagkakakuyom ng mga kamao niya.
She inhaled a sharp breath while keeping her sharp gaze at me. "I don't know, Atty. Avila. Mind telling me why? Baka . . . gusto mo akong gantihan dahil nakulong ka pati ang girlfriend mo tapos ang confession ko ang sinisisi mo?"
Well, f**k I did not see that rebuttal coming.
I ran my fingers onto my already disheveled hair as I think. Nope. I didn't study law just to lose in this argument with an actress. Nope, nope, nope.
I clicked my tongue and faked a smirk. "I don't hold grudges. I was a lawyer, too. If I take things personally, I would've punched too many faces inside the court room already."
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Hindi ka pala nagtatanim ng sama ng loob, eh bakit mo ako sinusungitan?"
Tangina, another point for her. Damn it, Rafael! Think! hindi puro kahalayan ang iniimbak sa utak!
My fingers tapped on the railing. "Well, I just don't like to be around you. Mahirap na. Baka mamaya may mag-isip pang magkakampi naman talaga tayo noon at palabas lang ang pagkakakulong ko para mapabagsak ang medical group nina Jaysel. Ako na naman ang mababalikan, nananahimik na ko."
She rolled her eyes. "But that's not an excuse to be rude to me. Hindi naman kita sinusungitan kahit masama kang tao, eh."
I blinked my eyes and scoffed in disbelief. "Ako? Masama akong tao?" Napahugot ako ng matalim na hininga. "Just because I did bad things doesn't mean I'm already a bad person."
"Then stop acting like one. Hindi ka pala masamang tao tapos ang sama ng ugaling pinapakita mo sa'kin," sagot niya bago ako inirapan at tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng silid niya.
Mangani-ngani kong mahampas ng palad ang railing. I can't believe I just lost in an argument with her!
Naihilamos ko ang mga palad ko sa mukha saka muling bumuntonghininga ng marahas. I faced the ocean again, trying to calm myself but Caya went out again while keeping her frowning face.
"Oo nga pala, Atty. Avila, just in case hindi ka aware, Si Captain Guevarra mismo ang nag-assign ng cabin na para sa akin. This is the best room for me since it's near the elevator. Ikaw? Did the captain choose your room personally or you just booked your ticket?" she asked.
My jaw clenched. Nang hindi ako nakakibo ay umismid siya.
"That's what I thought." She tucked her hair behind her ear for a moment before she faked a smile to tease me. "Ikaw na lang pala ang lumipat. Ikaw naman mismo nag-book niyang room mo. Itong akin, pinili mismo ng kapitan so kung may dapat pagbintangang sumusunod sa ating dalawa, ikaw iyon. Have a nice day, Atty. Good luck on finding a new room."
Kumuyom nang tuluyan ang mga kamao ko nang pumasok siya ulit sa kanyang cabin saka pagalit na isinara ang puting kurtina. Damn her rebuttals! Liit-liit ang galing makipag-argumento!
I sighed and shook my head. "Good luck sa mapapangasawa mo, Caya. Good luck sa mapapangasawa mo . . ."
- Writer
