DANCING WITH THE VILLAIN

XVII | If I Would Die

Adriene Constance

Sinclaire Grande

Kumuha siya ng isang baso at inilagay iyon sa mesa. Now there are two glasses and a bottle of whiskey on the table. Rhysand was looking at the stage na nasa gilid nila and he was smoking while doing so. Habang tinitingnan niya ang lalaki ay alam niyang may malalim na iniisip ito.

And perhaps it was because she was slightly drunk that she braced her arms on the table and leaned forward. Then she asked, "What did you find about me?"

Rhysand gave her a sideward glance bago nito ibinuga ang usok. He then pressed his cigarette on the ashtray at saka humarap sa kanya. He leaned back in his seat.

"What do you think?" saad nito sa kanya.

She plastered a smile. "That I am an ordinary girl from Springvale who came here to look for a job."

"You were a*****e cashier," saad nito sa kanya. He was still leaning back on his seat while his hand is on the ashtray. "Why did you leave it?"

Adriene poured herself a glass at saka niya ito nilagok. Tumingin siya sa lalaki. "You never have problems with money," she said.

Rhysand let out a scoff and crossed his arms. "Kung alam mo lang."

"Well, you certainly have problems with money but mine is different. My family is poor, Mr. Marfori. Kailangan kong magtrabaho to make ends meet. And my grandma is sick. He's sicker now and my salary as a*****e cashier won't be enough." Tumingin siya sa lalaki. "That's why I left Springvale. I needed a new job."

Hindi na nagsalita pa si Rhysand at kinuha nalang ang bote at saka nilagyan ang baso nito. And she knew he believed her. Perhaps the Crown had hid the information that her father worked for the Crown before. Naginhawaan naman diya dahil doon.

Silence covered the whole room and the only sound they could hear was the sound of the bottle and the glasses as they took turns in pouring themselves a drink.

"Do you smoke?" tanong ng lalaki sa kanya.

She shook her head at napataas naman ang kilay ng lalaki. Nagulat nalang siya nang bigyan siya nang ibigay ng lalaki ang ginamit nitong sigarilyo.

"Try it," he said. She blinked at him and then he looked at the cigarette he was holding. Napalunok siya ng laway nang kunin niya iyon sa kamay ng lalaki.

She looked at him and he nodded his head as if urging her to continue. And she did. She took the cigarette to her mouth and smoked. The moment it hit her throat, agad naman siyang napaubo. The smell of the cigarette lingered in her nose and smoke came out of her nose.

Agad niyang ibinigay kay Rhysand ang sigarilyo and he took it while laughing.

"That's awful," she said habang patuloy pa rin sa pag-ubo.

But Rhysand just shrugged. "Helps me calm down," he said before he blew another cloud of smoke.

Another silence and then he said, "You sang tonight."

Doon niya naalalang hindi alam ni Rhysand na ang pagkanta ang trabahong inapplyan niya. So she nodded and said, "I did."

"I never saw them that behaved before."

Tumaas naman ang kilay niya. True the Skull members were a mess but the moment she started singing, they all sat down and listened. Sometimes they sang along with her even though they don't know some of the words.

"I see that's what makes them stay put," he said and let out a light chuckle.

Napangiti naman siya sa sinabi ng lalaki. The way he said it sounded like he really cared for his members. But then she couldn't be too sure. Not yet. Dahil kalaban ang Skulls at siya ang naatasang patumbahin ang mga ito.

She couldn't be too trusting and just focus on her mission. But what she saw earlier nang papaalis na siya ay bagay na hindi niya matiis. Perhaps she was attracted to broken things. And the way Rhysand looked earlier makes her draw to him.

Kaya naman napagdesisyunan niyang sa gabing iyon, she will do something for the first and last time.

Tumayo siya sa kanyang upuab dahilan para mapatingin sa kanya si Rhysand. Binigyan niya ito ng tipid na ngiti bago siya nagpunta sa entablado. The light was dark but the dimmer lights was enough for her to be seen and to see who's watching.

Rhysand looked like he already knows what is going to happen because she saw him lean back on his seat and puffed a smoke, watching her.

"I'm going to sing you a song, Mr. Marfori," saad niya.

Kitang kita niya ang bahagyang pagtaas ng kilay bito bago sinabing, "Go ahead."

"Happy or sad one?" She smiled.

"Sad one," he answered.

"This will break your heart," she said but she saw him shrugged and took a sip from his glass.

"Already broken," he said.

Napatingin naman siya sa lalaki. Hearing it from him was something she was not expecting ngunit ngumiti lang siya sa lalaki bago siya tumikhim.

If I would die

And the world goes on

Move with it

Let the wind carry you home

Where you once saw me

Smiling without restraint

She breathed and looked at Rhysand who was looking intently at her.

If I would die

Let the rain pour

Let the rainbow mourn

Let the sun hide in the vast sky

If I would die

Dance in the night

Watch the stars shine and pour their light 

To the way where you must go and at the

end, you'll see I will not be there for you

And she saw how he tilted his head as he listened intently. She could see how his throat bobbed and she'd like to think it was because he was stopping his tears. 

And when the sun fades on the horizon

And the nights turn dark

Remember how we used to wish upon the stars

Remember how we used to dance under the moonlight 

Remember how we whispered our vows 

And the deafening silence dominated with our beating hearts

For in the dark and lonely road you must go

And in the end, you'll see I will not be there for you.

She let out a shuddering breath as she finished the song. At nang tingnan niya ang lalaki ay nakatingin lang din ito sa kanya. Nang makababa siya sa stage ay naglakad siya papalapit sa mesa habang nakatingin pa rin sa lalaki. Rhysand looked at her over the rim of his glass as he took another sip on the whiskey.

"Why did you choose sad?" saad niya habang nakatayo ilang metro mula kay Rhysand. 

Inilagay ni Rhysand and kanyang baso sa mesa before he said, "Because I am sad." 

"Shouldn't you have chosen the happy one instead?" 

Rhysand chuckled.  "It's not as if it would make me happy," saad ng lalaki bago ito naglagay ng alak sa baso. Akmang iinumin na ito ng lalaki nang mahawakan niya ang kamay nito. She looked at him and Rhysand looked at her as if not quite believing that she was stopping him from drinking.

"What are you doing?" tanong nito sa kanya.

Bigla naman siyang natauhan sa kanyang ginawa and she instantly removed her hands. Hindi niya maiwasang murahin ang sarili niya. But for some reason, she acted on it. Seeing the sadness in his  eyes somewhat reminded her of the sadness in her mother's eyes. Something she couldn't bear to watch. Kaya naman kinuha niya ang baso sa kamay nito at siya ang uminon ng laman niyon. 

Her throat burned the moment she let the alcohol in. Ngunit bigla naman siyang nakaramdam ng hilo kaya naman agad siyang napahawak sa mesa. She helped herself sit on the chair in front of Rhysand na nagtatakang nakatingin sa kanya. 

"I hated those eyes," she said. It was something she would never say under normal circumstances ngunit hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili niya. She wanted to say it. Dahil nakikita niya iyon sa kanyang ina and she never had the chance to tell her mother about it. Because she knew sadness is something to be felt. Hindi niya naman mapipilit ang kanyang ina na imaging masaya.

She was expecting Rhysand Marfori to be getting a gun and pointing it at her ngunit nang tingnan niya ang lalaki ay nakatingin lang ito sa kanya. His eyes looked curious. And maybe it was the alcohol that made her too brazen to say her next words. 

"The first time, you were angry. I saw it. I flinched. Pero nang makita kita ulit the anger was gone. And there was just...sadness. I hated that." 

"You can't really--"

"You reminded me of my mother, Mr. Marfori," she said. Napataas naman ang kilat ni Rhysand ngunit hindi na ito nagsalita. 

"Alam kong malungkot siya. Simula nang mamatay ang ama ko, she was never the same. Alam kong nagpapakatatag lang siya para sa akin--para sa main. Dahil alam niyang malulungkot din kami. But the eyes don't lie, Mr. Marfori." 

Adriene leaned in to see him closer and it was the first mistake she made that night. Because the moment she was near enough, she saw how beautiful his eyes were.

"It's a shame," she said as she continued to stare. "A shame to fill those beautiful eyes with sadness." 

She saw how Rhysand flinched and fluttered but then it was gone as soon as it came. Hindi riun siya sigurado kung nakita ba talaga niya iyon o namamalimakta lang siya dahil sa kalasingan. But at that time, she didn't care. She wanted to say the things she never got the chance to say to her mother. 

Adriene poured another glass. 

"I don't think you should--" 

Hindi niya pinakinggan si Rhysand at agad inubos ang laman ng baso. The world spun and when she looked at Rhysand, he was saying something ngunit hindi niya iyon marinig. She tried reading his lips ngunit hindi niya pa rin maintindihan. And the next thing she saw was pure darkness. 

* * *

Rhysand Marfori

The moment the woman left the restaurant he felt like an asshole for asking. Alam na niya kung saan galing ang babae. He had conducted an investigation about her and all of what she said was true. He just wanted to make sure and now he felt like an asshole because of it.

He just heaved a deep sigh before fiahed his phone and called Marcus. Nang makarating sila sa Sinclaire after their meeting with Alexander Corocan, hindi na niya nakita ang kanyang kapatid.

With the conditions laid by Alexander, they don't have much of a choice but to choose the lesser evil: the one that won't involve her sister. Agad siyang tumayo at lumabas ng restaurant. Tinawagan niya ang kapatid ngunit hindi pa rij ito sumasagot. Kaninang umaga pa ito hindi sumsagot sa mga tawag niya. Napabuntong-hininga siya at nagsindi ng sigarilyo.

Napaisip siya sa nangyari kanina. A marriage with the Corocans. Iyon lang ang tanging paraan para makuha ang loob mg mga Corocans. And considering what had happened between them, marrying one of the Corocans could be considered an easy way. Ngunit alam niyang alam ni Alexander and tungkol kay Marcus kaya naman hindi rin iyon isang madaling solusyon.

Napamura siya nang mahina. He dialed Marcus' number and it took four rings bago ito sinagot ng kapatid.

"Marcus—" Bigla naman siyang napatigil ng marinig ang nasa kabilang linya. It was noisy and based from the noise he could hear from the other line,  may ideya na siya kung nasaan si Marcus.

"Brother!" Marcus greeted. Sumisigaw ang lalaki dahil sa ingay.

"Marcus, where the hell are you—"

"Could you call another time? Nasa club ako—oh s**t. I'll call you later, Rhys." At agad pinatay ng kapatid ang tawag.

Mahina nalang siyang napamura. He knew Marcus isn't alright. And after what happened, he would be more surprised if he isn't. Marrying one of the Corocans was easy enough but it wouldn't be too easy for Marcus. Alam niyang alam ni Alexander Corocan ang tungkol kay Marcus kaya naman ito anf napili ng lalaki na ipakasal sa kapatid nito. And with the feud that happened between them, Alexander is no doubt not giving them an easy way in. And besides, alam ni Rhysand na plano ni Alexander na sumanib sa kanila. Only a fool would side with Gulliver Woods. 

The only thing left for them to do is to do the marriage ceremony and the Marforis and Corocans would become one. Gulliver Woods would hesitate to come to them at iyon ang plano niyang mangyari. If it means getting Rory safe, he will do anything. 

He spent several hours in the restaurant, reading the report sent to him about their new employee Adriene Constance. Doo niya napag-alaman na totoo ang sinasabi ng babae sa kanya. He sighed as he went to his car and decided to go the Sinclaire Grande. Ngunit nang makarating siya sa Grande ay agad niyang narinig ang boses ng babaeng kumakanta. And he instantly knew whose voice it belonged to.  

He decided to stay inside the car and used the comfort of the smoke to warm his body against the cold weather. As he closed his eyes, he could hear the enchanting voice of Adriene. Kaya naman napagdesisyunan niyang manitili muna sa kanyang sasakyan habang nakikinig. Nang matapos ang kanta ay saka niya idinilat ang kanyang mga mata. And it was then that he noticed some men in front of the Grande. They were holdiing weapons and he sighed before he closed his eyes again. 

Alam naman niyang nasa loob si Sid and that he can handle it. So he stayed inside his car. And the moment he heard a gunshot and the door bursting open, he already knew the conclusion of hte fight. Hula niya'y naglakas-loob lang ang mga iyon na sumulong dahil wala siya roon. Rhysand groaned before he went out of his car. Agad namang natigilan ang mga lalaking galing sa Grande kanina nang makita siya. One was holding a wounded man. It must  have been the one Sid shot. 

Itinapon niya ang kanyang sigarilyo at tinapakan bago siya naglakad papalapit sa mga lalaki. The men were quick to draw their guns and point it at him but he just passed by them and stood in front of the man who was wounded. Nakita naman niya itong napaatras nang makalapit na siya nang husto. And judging from the way they look at him, alam niyang nakilala siya ng mga ito. 

He played his tongue inside his mouth before he said, "Get well soon. And I don't want to see your faces ever again. Baka hindi lang iyan ang aabutin ninyo." And he walked past them. 

Nang makapasok siya sa loob ay parang walang nangyari kanina. Everyone went silent when he went in and he found Adriene's eyes on him. Agad siyang naglakad papunta sa kung nasaan si Sid. 

"One of Wood's men came here," Sid said before he gave him a drink. 

"Hindi na sila babalik," he said before he drank the contents of his glass. Saka naman napatingin si Sid sa kanya. 

"You met them outside?" tanong ng kapatid and he just nodded before he jerked his head towards the stage where Adriene was singing one song requested by the audience. 

"She looks flustered," saad niya habang nakatingin sa babae. 

Narinig naman niyang tumawa ang kapatid bago ito tumingin sa entablado. "She's a bit drunk. Kinakabahan kasi ssiya kanina. I gave her something to calm her nerves."  

Napatingin siya sa kanyang kapatid and he saw the way Sid looks at the woman. He managed a scoff as he poured himself a drink. 

"Interesting," he said but Adriene's enchanting voice dominated the whole Grande that Sid didn't even hear what he said. 

* * *