False God Series: Hunter Arcello (No. 2) COMPLETE

Chapter Two

HINDI ko tinanggalan ng mga titig ko si Hunter. Yeah, I just heard Clark's dad calling him Hunter so I assume it's his name unless his job is a goddamn hunter. In any case, he's not. I already made my own research about him. He's a goddamn businessman. He's rich as hell. He's a CEO of an aviation company. He's named one of the richest billionaires in Asia last year. He earns 50 billion DOLLARS a year. Imagine being called "richest" and "billionaire". That's double positive for me. Tsk. Di man lang sinabi ni Torre na may relative si Clark na kasing yaman ni Hunter.

The more I look at him, the handsome he looks. He's sexy in his own way. I love how he walks too. It's like he's always in a runway. His posture defines confidence. And his voice... Oh, don' start. He owns the sexies voice I have ever heard. Who needs those muscles kung lahat naman ng tungkol sa kanya higit pa sa ka-sexyhan ng pinagsamang abs ng mga kalalakihang nakilala ko. He's older than me too which made him more hot. And he's a divorcee. Is he a good lover? Is he good in bed? Oh, I wonder. I've never felt this excited for a long time. He's something new to my eyes. Something I know is worth exploring. It's official, he's my new religion. I'm on my knees for him.

"Hey." Bati ko kay Hunter at umupo sa tabi niya.

He looked at me. "Hey." Bati niya pabalik.

Umusog ako palapit sa kanya saka hinarap siya. Bakas ang pagkalito sa mukha niya. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "I told you, I'm divorced."

"But you don't have a girlfriend?" Tanong ko ulit. "I know men love playing with words. When I ask them if they have a wife, they say no. Pero nakakalimutan nilang sabihin na may girlfriend pala sila. I've met a couple men like that. Their girlfriends almost killed me."

He chuckled. "I don't have a girlfriend."

I smiled. "Fiance?"

"I don't have a woman in my life." Seryoso niyang wika habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko.

Mas lalo akong dumikit sa kanya. "Are you looking for one?"

Iniwas niya ang tingin sa akin. Hindi siya sumagot. Kumunot ang noo ko. Why is he suddenly silent? Mahirap ba yung tinanong ko? All he has to do is answer yes or no. Is he not looking for a new lover? Don't tell me di pa rin siya nakaka-move on sa last wife niya? Nah. No way. I already made my own research about him earlier and I read they divorced like 5 years ago. Pero walang sinabi doon kung may naging girlfriend siya after nun. Maybe he did and he still can't move on from that girlfriend. But I doubt it. I don't think that's the case. So I wonder what's the problem?

"So... You're not looking for one?" Tanong ko matapos ang ilang segundong katahimikan.

He shrugged. "I'm fine alone. I already married twice. It's a pain in the a*s processing the divorce and all that. Magastos pa. I'm already 42. Wala akong time sa mga ganyang bagay. I'm a very busy person. Kung di dahil kay Clark, malamang ay di pa ako nakapagpahinga ngayong araw sa schedules ko." Natatawa niyang wika.

"Are you kidding me?" Seryoso kong sambit. "You're ONLY 42. Sayang ang lahat ng pinaghirapan mo kung di mo lang din naman gagamitin lahat ng yun para sumaya. Saka malay mo, nakilala mo na pala yung babaeng makakasama mo habang buhay. Yung di ka hihiwalayan kahit ano pang mangyari." My sister used that line when she met her boyfriend. Maybe it will work for me too.

Umiling siya. "Hindi mo naiintindihan."

Tinukod ko ang chin ko sa balikat niya. Napakurap siya nang marealize kung gaano kalapit ang mukha namin. I don't even care if anyone sees us. I'll flirt with him openly. I don't care.

"Then make me understand."

Iniwas niya na naman ang tingin sa akin. "It's personal."

"Right... We're still getting to know each other." Sambit ko. "Why don't you ask me questions then? I'll answer it. Kahit anong tanong pa yan."

Huminga siyang malalim. "What do you want me to ask?"

I groaned. "Come on! Alam kong may curious kang malaman tungkol sa akin."

Hindi siya nagsalita saglit. Tila nag-iisip pa siya bago siya ulit bumaling sa akin. "How old are you?"

Mahina akong natawa. Wha a weak question but okey. "I'm 31." I answered.

He looked at me surprise. "You don't look 31. You got to be lying."

I rolled my eyes. "Lagi naming naririnig yan ng kapatid ko. I know. We look younger than our age. It's called skin care. What's your next question?"

Nag-isip siya ulit. Is he not curious about anything about me? Everytime I tell someone to ask me questions they always fire their curiosity right at me. Is he not interested with me at all? How bizarre. Mas lalo ko lang siyang nagugustuhan. I love that challenge.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Aniyang tila napipilitan lang na itanong iyun.

"No. But I'm looking for one."

Tumangu-tango siya. "How many boyfriends did you have?"

I shrugged. "I'm not counting."

He looked at me amuse. Mukhang interesado na siya ngayon. "Give me an estimate, at least."

Sinubukan kong bilangin sila sa isip ko. I never really cared about the men I dated. For me, it's like a competition against my sister. I know she never saw it like that pero dati pa lang ay insecure na ako sa kanya. Men always find her more attractive dahil mas pormado ang katawan niya kesa sa akin. When she started dating random men, I did it too. I always made sure I dated more than her. I just wanted to feel better. A lot of men love her. Like, they actually fell for her. It was never a game for them. But for the men I dated, I was just their toy. Sometimes, they use me as my sister's replacement. Hindi halata pero mababa ang self-esteem ko. I always feel so little.

"50?" I finally answered.

He looked at me funnily. "You're playing me, aren't you? 50? Ilang beses ka bang nagpapalit ng lalaki sa isang taon?" Biro niyang tanong.

"They never last a month. Some don't even last a week." Seryoso kong sagot.

Umiling-iling siya. "You're a player." He stated.

Sumandal ako sa sofa na kinauupuan. "But I'm planning to settle down. Nakakainggit na rin kasing makita ang mga kaibigan kong isa-isa ng nagpapakasal. Now, I'm hunting for a good man."

"I bet you tell all of them that." Mahina niyang wika.

Maayos akong umupo saka ngumuso. "Bakit ko naman gagawin yun? Sila ang unang lumalapit sa akin. Di ko na kailangang magsinungaling para makuha sila. I'm being serious, okey? I really want to settle down para na rin tumigil na ang kapatid ko kakalecture sa akin. I'd rather want my husband to lecture me... So we could make love after." Wika ko habang nakatitig sa mga mata niya.

Sumeryoso ang mukha niya. Hayst. Panay ang iwas niya ng tingin sa akin. Nahihiya ba siya o may tinatago? I'm really f*****g curious right now! Ano ba ang tinatakbo ng isip niya?

"Lana!"

Napatingin ako sa harapan namin nang may tumawag sa akin. It's Tiffany. Bakas ang curiousity at pagdududa sa mukha nito habang nakatingin sa aming dalawa. Alam ko kung anong iniisip niya. Whatever.

"It's your turn, girl. Ano bang ginagawa mo rito?" Aniya.

"Nothing. Just striking a conversation." Sagot ko saka tumayo na.

Humarap ako kay Hunter na nakaupo pa rin. Naglakad ako papunta sa harap niya. Ramdaan ko ang pagdaan ng mga mata niya sa katawan ko bago siya tumingala para tumingin sa mukha ko. I felt electricity all over me and he hasn't even touch me yet. I'm only wearing a skirt. Sinadya kong di ayusin yun para may makita siya.

"I have to go upstairs now. Are you coming?"

Umiling siya. "I'll stay here for awhile."

I put one of my fingers playfully on the tip of his nose and I traced it towards his lips. Pansin ko ang paglunok niya. "I hope we could talk again later." I said very seductively.

Hindi siya sumagot. Kumindat ako sa kanya bago ako tumalikod at naglakad papunta kay Tiffany. Narinig ko ang mahina niyang pagsinghap. Napangisi ako.

"WHAT was that all about? That was Clark's uncle, Lana." Di makapaniwalang wika ni Tiffany.

I raised my eyebrow. "So?"

Umiling-iling siya. "May mga taong di mo dapat sinasali sa mga laro mo."

"I'm not playing." I said casually.

"He's older."

"Who cares? He's only 42."

"Patay ka sa kapatid mo pag narinig niya kung sino ang bago mong nilalandi."

"Don't tell her then." I said sarcastically. "Isa pa, mukhang di naman siya intersado sa akin so forget it."

Tinitigan niya ako na para bang pinag-aaralan niya ang mukha ko. I looked at her innocently. This is why I don't tell my friends right away kung sino ang mga dine-date ko dahil panay ang pangaral nila sa akin. Ano bang pakialam nila? Buhay ko toh. Saka alam ko kung anong tama at mali. I never gave any of them my most precious posession. Hindi ako ganun kabobo. Like what I said, they're my trophy. It's not the other way around.

Pagdating namin sa taas, agad kaming pumasok kung saan ang iba naming kaibigan. Mukhang ako na lang ang hinihintay nila para masukatan.

"Where the hell did you go? You didn't eat all the food in the kitchen, did you?" Nanliliit ang matang wika ni Rina.

I rolled my eyes. "I just went outside para magpahangin." Pagsisinungaling ko. "Anyway, let's get this over with."

Nagtungo na ako sa harap nung babaeng kukuha ng sukat ko. I heard she's a famous designer. Clark is so extra. Mukhang uhaw na uhaw na ma-impress si Torre. Mukhang malaki ang gagastusin nila sa kasal nila. Malamang tuwang tuwa naman itong si Torre. Before she got pregnant, she's really materialistic like me. She loves grand things. Nasanay kasi siya na binibigay ng daddy niya lahat ng gusto niya dahil siya lang ang iisang anak. They didn't have a communication for years after her parents broke up. So when they got reconnected, tito showered her everything.

"Right... Hindi pa nasusukatan si Uncle. I'll just call him." Ani Clark saka lumabas.

Does he actually call him Uncle? They look like they're the same age though. Mukha lang silang magkapatid. Tsk.

Sinimulan na akong sukatan nung designer. Sinunod ko kung anong pinapagawa niya sa akin. Torre didn't show us the designs she picked yet so we're really curious. Sabi niya, malalaman din namin pag tapos na dahil kailangan namin yun sukatin before the wedding para makita kung may kailangan bang baguhin or something like that. Torre and her husband are both so extra.

Habang sinusukatan, napatingin ako sa may pinto nang makitang pumasok muli si Clark doon kasama si Hunter. Napansin kong tumingin siya sa akin. Agad akong ngumiti. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin at umupo sa gilid kasama sina Torre.

"I'm sorry for taking too much of your time. I'm sure you're busy." Rinig kong nahihiyang wika ni Torre kay Hunter.

He smiled. "It's fine. I love taking a break too."

"I'm sure he's having a blast. There's plently of pretty women around the house. Tell us, may natitipuhan ka ba?" Pabirong tanong ni Clark dito.

Siniko siya ni Torre. "You can tell me. Ipapakilala kita sa kanila."

He laughed. Pansin kong tumingin siya sa akin bago bumaling ulit sa kanila. "Nah. You know I don't have time for women."

Clark groaned. "You're boring." Ani Clark. "It's been 6 years since you broke up with your wife. You should have some fun. Try something new. Maybe it will work this time." Makahulugang wika ni Clark.

Pinanliitan niya ito ng tingin. "Shut up. Someone might hear you."

Pansin kong tumingin si Clark sa akin. "Two of them are still single, right? Ipakilala mo naman siya sa kanila." Aniya kay Torre.

Torre laughed. "I don't mind. Hunter's a good man. He'd be a perfect match to my friend." Anah namang si Torre saka tumingin sa akin. "How about Lana? She's kinda childish but she's sweet. She's the far opposite of your ex-wives. You're always serious. Maybe if you're paired together, you'll finally learn how to lighten up a bit, have fun, you know?"

Tumango si Clark. "She hates me. I'm pretty sure she'd like a man like you. It will take a long time of convincing though. I heard she has never taken any of her relationships seriously."

Talagang nag-uusap sila na parang di namin sila naririnig noh? Tss. Saka, they don't need to convince me. Pag nilagawan ako ni Hunter, Oo agad ang sagot ko. Kahit sabay na kaming ikasal nina Torre.

Tumingin si Hunter sa akin. Nag-abot ang mga mata namin. Pansin ko kung gaano kaseryoso ang mukha niya. Is he scared? Na-trauma na ba siya sa past relationships niya? He only married two times though. I mean, two is a lot but he's young. Ano bang kinatatakot niya? He's getting something from it too. Isa pa, I'll make sure I'm worth his time.

Yes, my dear picachu. I choose you. I'll give you my precious posession. In exchange, Let me fight your battle beside you. Let's have fun together.