The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 3 =

The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 3 =

THREE WEEKS AGO

I SHOULD BE SCARED DOWN TO MY BONES BEING LEFT ALONE WITH A GUY—BUT COME ON, BAKA NGA SIYA PA ANG TAKOT NA MAIWAN SA'KIN.

"It should be over any second now," sabi ko sa kaniya at pagkasabi ko no'n lalo lamang huminga ang langit at bumuhos pa lalo ang ulan. "Do you think it'll flood?"

"I hope not," he says. He is just patiently waiting for the rain to stop.

"Do you have your phone with you?"

"I don't have bars."

Napatango-tango ako at tumayo. Hinanap ko kung nasaan ang nakita kong mga lampara at ang ilang box ng posporo kanina. I light it up and stay inside. Ang lamig na kasi at umaanggi ang ulan.

Mabilis namang sumunod sa'kin si Baz at medyo sinara ang pintuan.

"You okay?" tanong niya habang may hinahatak sa isang sulok.

"I'm just a little tired but I'm fine. I feel bad for getting stuck here while everybody's probably working hard."

"I think they also stopped working. They're probably just waiting for us to come back to the pavilion so we could leave. It's almost six in the evening. You're supposed to be on the road back now."

He steps closer to me and hands me a blanket. Hindi ko manlang alam na mayroon pala kaming mga biniling kumot. Medyo manipis lamang ito pero sapat para lumaban sa lamig.

"Aren't you cold?"

"I am," he answers and folds upon himself in front of me.

"Don't tell me you're going to freeze to death there while I watch with a blanket wrapped around me."

He smiles at me. "That's the right thing to do."

"No, it's not."

"Just stay there." He leans against a pile of boxes and I'm left to play with my fingers.

I should do something. Why on earth would I let him stay there when I can keep him warm? First move is a first move, anyway. Hindi naman ako kikibuin niyan ni Baz. He sees me as a girl. I have to show him I'd really get him no matter what it takes.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo para hindi niya ko marinig at hindi siya makatakbo. I sit beside him and throw the blanket to the both of us. "Gwen," he starts.

"Shut up. Let's just pretend this doesn't happen, alright?"

Hindi na siya sumagot. Then I notice that the blanket is too short for the two of us. Hmph, yaan mo na nga. May human heater naman ako sa tabi ko. Hahahaha!! I grin and tuck myself on his shoulder. My, he smells good. I am so tempted to put my nose on his neck.

Hmm, ang manyak mo na naman, bulong ng utak ko.

Shut up ka na lang din, balik ko dito.

He lifts his head and says, "You're still cold."

I immediately smile at him. "I'm fine."

I don't remember what he does. He is so swift and quick to move me a few seconds later I find myself caged in his arms and legs—the blanket over us both. I try to look at him but my head hits his chest. His legs sandwiched mine for a second. "Shh," he says.

His warm breath tickles my nape. I grin because it feels good.

"You're so f*****g hot."

I clamp my mouth with my palm. Did he hear? But he doesn't react. So maybe he doesn't, right? I take a cautious glance over my shoulder and see that he has his head down. I don't know if he's sleeping but I lean back his chest again. I can feel his muscles and I can't stop myself from wondering just how hard his stomach is.

"Hey, you awake?" tanong ni Baz at hinawakan ang braso.

I don't notice how much time passed and I am almost sleeping in the little cozy Baz-nook that I have.

"Yeah," I say. Hindi pa ko tapos sumandal sa matipunong katawan na ito. I press harder against him. Halos na sa'kin na nga lang ang kumot.

"It's way past seven. The rain subsided. We should head back."

I groan in response. Pero naaawa na din naman ako sa mga kasama ko. Alam kong hindi naman kami iiwanan pero gusto na rin nilang umuwi. Tumayo na ko at nag-inat. Baz does the same and I suddenly get all too shy because he does it perfectly. Is there even such a thing as perfect stretching?

"Bring the blanket," he reminds me.

We walk slowly together under the drizzle of the rain. Baz is holding the blanket above our heads and I'm using his phone's flashlight to light our way. Yes naman, ang bubong at ilaw ng tahanan.

Wait, ano daw?

May "bubong ba ng tahanan" na term?

Anyway...

"Here," Baz wraps a towel around my shoulders the moment he receives one. He touches my hair and pulls another one from an unknown hand. He puts it above my head. "You alright?"

I'm fine. I just can't take my eyes off him, that's what. I smile at him. "I'm okay."

Worry leaves his eyes and he his shoulders drop.

"It's just water."

Then a smile appears on his beautiful features. "Okay."

"Basil! We are leaving!" sigaw ng Tía niya habang pinapayungan ito ng kanilang driver. "Go get yourself a towel, will you?"

"I'm coming," sagot niya dito. Humarap naman siya sa'kin, his eyes full of life and holding a promise as he says with a nod of his head, "I'll see you around."

"You betcha."

And sure as hell he'll see me again.

I will make sure of that.

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Habang nasa bus pauwi, katabi ko si Via. She is talking aimlessly while I stare out the window. Syempre, na-hot seat na ko ni Via kanina. Ano daw bang ginawa namin? Well, actually ang tanong niya "Naka-home run ba?" kaya naman nabatukan ko siya nang wala sa oras.

Kinilig ba ko? Parang hindi naman. But I do like his smile. His hair. His body. His eyes. His status. I like almost everything I know about him.

I sigh. I really need to see him again.

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