Serenity In The Wild

Chapter 4

"Edcharl," I whispered his name.

My heart raced in astonishment, I never expected I'll see him today, in this same route. Sino ba naman kasing mag-iisip na nandito siya? The worse thing is, he seems to be living in the same village. That would be my death, why of all people and of all places, here and him!? Is fate really playing a game with me? Why does it have to be Edcharl Elvis Saldivar, my frigging most hated ex-lover! Great!

Just like me, he raked my body a stare, eyes twitching and lips curving. Damn it. Sinasabi ko na nga bang pagkakamali ang manirahan dito. Sana hindi na ako nag-agree kay Jaden!

"Reign Leigh...you're back, huh? And, here? In the village?"

Napapikit ako nang naningkit ang mata niya, ngumisi siya at pinatagis ang panga. Halatang gusto niya agad akong asarin kahit kakikita lang namin ulit. Just like before, he has that heart fluttering killer smirk of his. Eyes still cautious and sharp and jaw more defined. He walked towards me with so much confidence, not even embarrass that he's soaking in his own sweat.

Ngumisi rin ako at tinago ang inis, bored na nga ako tapos makikita ko pa ang napakawalang hiya kong ex boyfriend.

"Yes, in the flesh, Edcharl. Shocked to the core? Hindi ka makapaniwala?" I asked, flipping my hair. "Well then, the impossible just happened."

Even I can't believe I found myself in this obscure and boring village. Our villa is much more entertaining, why did I even agree with Jaden's plan?

Nang makalapit ay lalong nadepina ang ngisi niyang nakakainis, inis na agad ako. Idagdag pang mas lalong nadepina ang pinagbago ng katawan niya. He grew fine, darn it! He's now more like a man, I mean, more mature and well-defined. I noticed so many things that changed in him. He stopped midway and shamelessly stared at me.

Ano, Edcharl? Hindi pa rin makapaniwala? Sa bagay, isang sikat na modelo ba naman makita mo sa personal at sa isang obscure na village tapos nagjo-jogging. Swerte niya. Pagkatapos akong pasadahan ng tingin, nagtaas lang siya ng kilay at ngumisi lalo. He then pursued his lips and averted his gaze.

"Ikaw nga, umuwi ka na pala at bakit ka nandito?"

Tanong niya, akala mo naman delubyo ang dala ko. Hindi pa rin talaga nagbabago ang ugali niya, arogante pa rin at akala mo may-ari ng village kung makatanong. Umirap ako sa ere at ngumisi rin, akala mo ha?

"Why would I tell you? You're not the owner, and even if you're the owner, I won't tell you." I mocked his smirk. "I chose to keep my reasons to myself, I don't think I'm willing to share it with some random guys."

"Random guys, huh?"

I immediately sensed danger in his voice.

"Don't worry, that's fine with me. This random guy you're talking with can do random things, too. Like, randomly exposing where a random model is at the moment."

I gasped at his malevolence. And he called me a random model? The nerve of this brute. Kahit kailan talaga hindi ko gusto ang pagiging palaban at arogante niya. Nagngitngit ako sa asar pero pinilit ko pa ring ngumisi. Hindi ako magpatatalo sa kaniya, kakasohan ko siya if ever. Nakakainis!

"You'll do that?"

But I know he won't budge, and if he's already like that then I have to sort to another tactic. Let's see if he's really changed or still that the same pathetic little boy.

Napataas siya ng kilay nang humakbang ako palapit, naamoy ko ang pamilyar niyang amoy. Ilang taon na ba ang lumipas at bakit parang pamilyar pa rin ang utak ko sa kaniya. Ngumisi siya at dinilaan ang labi saka tinignan ako, naaaliw. Tinagilid niya ang ulo at namewang habang nakatingin sa akin, pabalik-balik ang paningin niya sa mukha at dibdib ko. God knows how pissed I was, he's still a p*****t!

"Isusumbong mo ako?" Tanong ko sa mas malumanay na boses. "If you'll do that, you'll lose the chance to have fun with me. Hindi ako magtatagal sa bulok at boring na village na 'to, sayang naman ang pagkakataon na pwede tayong magkasama."

"Bulok at boring?" Aniya at hindi man lang pinansin ang ibang sinabi ko. "Matapobre ka pa rin? Hindi ka man lang nagkaroon ng character development sa nakalipas na mga taon?"

Ang kapal, ako pa talaga ang walang character development? Siya nga ang yabang-yabang. Ano na ba siya ngayon? Kung makaasta akala mo may maipagmamalaki na.

"Really? Ako pa ang walang character development? Fine, so you had that in you?" I scoffed.

"Kahit kunting improvement lang sana sa ugali, Leigh. Hindi nakakaganda pagiging mataray, ah."

"Hindi rin nakakapogi pagiging mayabang, Edcharl," inis kong sagot pero ngumisi lang siya.

Umirap ako at akmang lalayo nang mabilis niya akong hapitin sa baywang. Sa lakas niya ay napasubsob ako sa pawisan niyang dibdib. Isang manipis na sando lang ang suot niya kaya ramdam na ramdam ko ang lamig ng pawis niya. Agad ko siyang tinulak at napangiwi ako, pinakita ko talagang nandidiri ako sa kaniya.

"Eww! Don't touch me, you're soaking with your own sweat!"

"Ang arte mo pa rin talaga, Leigh."

"Because you're dirty, you smell bad, Edcharl!"

Naiinis akong umirap pero tumawa lang siya, ginulo niya ang basang buhok sa harapan ko mismo kaya kitang-kita ko ang pagdiin ng maskulo niya sa braso at balikat.

His white armpit was exposed, and his biceps looked solid, it shone against the sunlight. He's wearing a black shorts that revealed his hairy legs. I scanned him carefully to spot some imperfection but the brute has really improved. He doesn't look like someone years younger than me! How's that possible?

"Dirty? I was never dirty, Leigh," sagot niya at ngumisi ulit. "You know that, or have you forgotten already?"

"Why would I remember you?" Bwelta ko.

"Well then, let me remind you how I do it dirty."

He smirked and the glint of ruthlessness in his eyes sucked a breath in my lungs

"You know that the only dirty things I did were with you five years ago. You enjoyed it, too."

Damn it, I felt my cheeks warmed but my temples pulsated in anger. I never wanted to remember the things we did in the past. I'd forgotten them a long time ago, but hearing him now is like a refreshment. He's refreshing my past in my mind. How I hate him, until now. I can't believe I could hate him more.

"Well, that was immature. We're both young that time, Edcharl. It doesn't appeal me now, rather it disgust me."

His eyes squinted at me, I grimaced more to show that I'm really disgusted. Of course I'm good at it so he immediately believed what I showed him. His face darkened and his stares sharpened. I feel like I've won the lottery. Then it's time to go, I'll just go back inside my house, he's ruined my mood.

"Kaya h'wag mong ipagmalaki sa'kin, okay? Nakakadiri, naninindig ang balahibo ko kapag naaalala ko ang mga pinaggagawa natin noon. Alam mong hindi ako nagpipigil ng sasabihin, kaya totoo lahat ng sinasabi ko."

Lalong dumiin ang tingin niya sa'kin, hindi ko mapigilang ngumisi sa excitement at tuwang nararamdaman dahil wala siyang maisagot sa'kin. Kahit may kaunting kaba ako sa isasagot niya, alam kong hindi rin siya papatalo kaya para maiwasang marinig ang sasabihin ay aalis na lang ako! I'm not a coward, I just don't want to hear what he would say because for sure it could shake me.

"If only I could turn back the time, I would never do the things we did. It's disgusting. Why did I even let myself to be attached to a child back then?"

"A child?"

"You were a kid, an immature feeling gwapo and arrogant kid. I hate that I gave in to the entertainment you could give me that time. I was too wild and adventurous, na pinatulan ko ang isang bata. Laking pagsisisi ko."

Nakita ko ang pandidilim ng mukha niya at mariing umigting ang panga niya. Halatang naapektuhan ko siya dahil sa pagbilis ng paghinga niya. Lalong tumalim ang tingin niya sa'kin pero hindi nakapagsalita. Napalunok ako, masyado yatang pasmado dila ko.

"Mauuna na ako."

Agad akong tumalikod at halos takbuhin ko na makalayo lang agad sa kaniya. Sobrang bilis ng pintig ng puso ko at ramdam ko ang panlalamig ng kamay ko. Walanghiya, bakit ba nasa iisang village pa kami? Nakakainis! Sana pala ako na lang ang pumili sa titirhan ko at hindi si Jayden.

Pagkapasok sa bahay ay napasalampak ako sa sofa, humugot ako ng malalim na hininga at minasahe ang sentido. Siguro sa thread mill na lang ako tatakbo at magyo-yoga ulit mamaya. And I should watch tutorials on how to cook, or I'll burn my kitchen.

That's what I did the whole day, but I was too lazy to cook so in the end, I just ordered foods. It came around five, nag-face mask ako nang lumabas para tanggapin ang delivery. Hinihintay kong maibigay sa'kin lahat ng in-order nang may itim na sasakyang dahan-dahang pumara sa tapat.

Napatingin ako sa kapit-bahay ko, iyon yata ang may-ari. Bumukas ang pinto sa driver's seat at may lumabas na lalaki, naka-uniform ito ng pang-teacher.

Tall, lean, seems handsome and my neighbor. In a month, I never have a glimpse of my neighbor. Sobrang aga kasi nito umalis, ilang beses ko ng nakitang dumating 'to galing sa trabaho pero hindi ko nakikilala. Tinanggap ko ang ilang supot ng pagkain at binayaran ang rider, matapos ay umalis na 'to.

Tinignan ko muna ang laman ng supot at napatango nang makitang kompleto naman. Lutang kasi ako kanina, 'di ko na-check. Papasok na sana ako sa gate nang mahagip ng mata ko kung sino ang kapit-bahay ko. Para akong lalagnatin nang makilala ito, muntik na akong mapamura sa gulat.

Why of all people, why does it have to be Edcharl again? The idea na siya ang kapit-bahay ko never cross my mind. I thought we're just living in the same village, this is hilarious. Why do we have to be neighbors? I mean, real neighbors! Our houses are just separated by fences.

"Goodness, pinaparusahan yata ako?"

Imbis buksan ang gate ay nakangising naglakad palapit sa'kin si Edcharl. Pinagkrus ko ang mga braso at sinuri siyang mabuti. Black slacks, shiny shoes and a white long sleeve polo shirt. Looking hot thou.

"Food delivery? Nang isang araw may nakita rin akong nag-deliver dito, noong isang linggo rin."

Base in his tone, I know what he'll say next. I can still predict him, huh.

"Don't tell me you still don't know how to cook?" Tanong niya at ngumisi. "Reign Leigh, anim na taon na, hindi ka pa rin natututo? Ganiyan ka ba ka-busy?"

Napailing siya.

"Kung ganiyan ka dapat may kasama ka rito, 'pag ganito...you'll die in hunger."