Serenity In The Wild

Chapter 6

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mata. Anong join him in his breakfast? Ano akala niya sa'kin, uto-uto? Trick lang 'yan, e. Kung ayaw maniwala 'di 'wag, pakialam ko, right? Inirapan ko siya at marahan akong nagbuntong-hininga, stressful siya kausap.

"I actually don't care if you will believe me or not, Edcharl. Bahala ka nga."

"Wow, that's surprising," banat niya at ngumuso. "Dati 'di ka ganiyan, gusto mo palaging napapatunayan ang claim mo."

"It's because I've changed. People do and everything does."

"Really? So you've really moved on."

I smirked when his face turned grim, what does he expect? It's been years and our past is now a blurry object to me. Why is he bringing it up, anyway?

"Of course, our relationship back then was shallow and it revolved only with fun and physical attachments."

"Really?"

His low voice hinted annoyance, his face darkened more and his eyes sharpened. I gave him my sweetest smile to annoy him more. Baka siya ang hindi pa naka-move on? Baka siya talaga ang may nararamdaman pa sa'kin? Hmm, interesting.

Napangisi ako at may naisip na idea, hindi pa ako nakakaganti sa panluluko niya sa'kin noon. Maybe I can take my revenge now, right? Perhaps this is an opportunity for me to get back on him, in of course, a fun way. Since I'm having a boring vacation, maybe I can play with him in a while?

Napailing ako sa naisip, nakaramdam ako ng tuwa sa sariling idea. And it's actually exciting, I also have to know if he hasn't moved on yet. Let's shake him, then.

"Yes, Edcharl."

"Fine, I won't force you. I actually have to go since I have a class."

"Maganda 'yan, sir," I teased.

He scoffed and pocketed his hands.

"But we'll talk again later, Leigh. We have to talk, to clarify some things."

"About what? I don't remember having an unfinished business with you, Edcharl Saldivar."

Umirap siya, ngayon siya naman ang panay irap at naasar. Talagang natutuwa na ako sa village na 'to.

"Our closure, Leigh. That isn't necessary but we should have one. To completely seal the past."

"Oh, I like that, sir. Sige, I'll prepare later then," tuwang-tuwa ko kunwareng sabi.

Kahit peke ang excitement sa boses ko, lalo siyang napairap at bumusangot. Suplada akong nagtaas kilay at pinanuod siyang umalis.

"Stop calling me sir, only my students are allowed to call me that."

"How about your colleagues? Your students' parents? The villagers?"

"Pwede, except sa'yo. You sounds like a tart and your grin matches it, well, you're an international highest paid model after all."

"Excuse me!?"

Hindi ko yata gusto ang sinabi niya? And what does he meant by that? Na I'm an international and highest paid model after all? Sinasabi ba niyang malalandi kami!? Oh my gosh, Edcharl. Hindi na talaga nabago 'yang mapanlait niyang ugali.

Sinundan ko siya sa gate at sa inis ko hinila ko ang buhok niya. Napahinto siya at agad akong binalingan. He groaned when I gripped on his hair tighter.

"Ouch, what are you doing?" His voice thundered.

Pero mas lalo ko lang siyang sinabunutan, sa haba ng mga kuko ko abot pa pati scalp niya.

"How dare you call me a tart!"

"What do you want? A w***e, then?"

"You're the w***e, you dirty womanizer bastard!"

Nagusot ko na ang buhok niya, basa pa nga kaya madulas. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at tinulak ako papasok sa gate. Nang makapasok kami saka niya rin hinila ang buhok ko, napatili ako sa sakit. Walanghiya talaga 'to, pumapatol sa babae! I hit his chest but he caught my wrist and gripped it.

"Ouch, f**k you, sir!"

He chuckled humorless and arched his brows. Lalo niyang hinila ang buhok, e sa masaba kaya tuwang-tuwa siya. Nagngitngit ako sa galit at lalong diniinan ang pagsabunot sa kaniya. Nga lang ay mas malakas siya sa'kin, nagawa niyang tanggalin ang kamay ko sa buhok niya. Ngumisi siya nang mahuli ako pero halatang naiirita siya dahil namumula siya.

"You're so childish, Reign Leigh," he said and his serious voice echoed, he glared at me. "Why do you like pulling other people's hair? Until now, you're still fond of pulling my hair. Is that an invitation for a steamy s*x?"

"What!? What are you saying?" Bulalas ko.

Sinubukan kong bawiin ang kamay pero lalong humigpit ang hawak niya, napaigik ako. Tumalim ang mga mata niya sa'kin at napaatras ako ng humakbang siya. My heart raced when the glint of anger and resentment glowed in his piercing eyes.

"I only allow that in bed. Sabunutan mo ako kapag nasa kama kita at kapag hindi mag-ingat ka, malaki pa naman atraso mo sa'kin. Baka hindi ako makapagpigil."

"Anong gagawin mo? Bitawan mo nga ako—"

"Pasok sa bahay," maawtoridad niyang utos.

Nanlamig ako at hindi ako nakapagsalita agad, nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa kaniya. Wala akong mabakas na emosyon sa mukha niya. How dare him.

"A-Ano? Ano'ng gagawin mo sa'kin? Teka, this is harassment! Guro ka pa naman, kapag ni-report kita tiyak sibak ka sa trabaho!"

"Pasok na, kingina."

"Don't curse at me you bastard—hey!"

Napatili ako nang isampay niya ako sa balikat niya, imbis pumasok sa bahay ko ay lumabas kami. Pinagmumura at pinaghahampas ko siya sa likuran pero para siyang batong hindi nakakaramdam.

"Edcharl Elvis Saldivar! Put me down!"

"Darn, shut the f**k up."

"You're harassing me! You're k********g me, too! Bakit mo 'ko dadalhin sa bahay mo?"

Nakapasok na lang kami sa bakuran niya wala pa rin siyang imik, baliktad lahat ng nakikita ko at hindi na ako makahinga. Naiipit ang tiyan ko. Napapikit ako at natahimik ng ilang sandali dahil papasok na kami sa bahay. Agad niya akong binaba sa malapad niyang sofa at hindi pa siya nakakahinga ng isang salita nang tumayo ako at hinampas siya.

I hit his hard chest and he didn't even flinch, he just stared at me as I chased my breath, due to frustration and annoyance. I hit him again twice and blew a loud breathe.

"Masaya ka na? Akala ko ba 'di mo ako pipilitin? Ano na?"

"Ininis mo 'ko, e. Ginulo mo pa ang buhok ko. Ang gulo-gulo mo, ang aga-aga puro problema dala mo," sabi niya at sumimangot.

"Kasalanan ko bang magulo ako? Edi sana hindi mo ako kinulit."

"Just calm the f**k down and follow me—"

"You called me a tart, how dare you."

"We're even, you called me a bastard," rason niya. "Sa kusina, at h'wag kang tatanga-tanga, baka may mabasag kang gamit ko. Sinasabi ko sa'yo, Reign Leigh, iba ako maningil."

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga nang agad siyang tumalikod, para akong lalagnatin sa kaniya, talagang nasasagad niya ang pasensiya ko. And what about him saying na iba siya maningil? f**k him, he's still annoying. Padabog akong sumunod sa kaniya sa kusina. Ano ulit sinabi ko kanina? I won't eat in his house, but hey, I'm already here naman.

His house looks dull and boring, the colours are combination of gray and black. Like what the f**k? Wala man lang design, is he that busy he can't decorate his own home? Mas marami pa yatang design sa bahay ko. Just that his things are pretty organized and the house is clean.

Naabutan ko siyang naghahain at may dalawang pinggan sa mesa, pareho lang ang layout ng bahay namin pero magkaiba ang mga gamit. Like the dining table, mamahalin at maarte ang sa'kin habang sa kaniya simpling round table lang at apat na upuan. Nakabukas ang bintana na kaharap ng mesa at kita pala ang kusina ko mula rito kung nakabukas lang ang mga bintana sa kusina ko.

"Have a sit, I only have twenty minutes."

Inirapan ko siya kahit 'di siya nakatingin, umupo ako sa harapan niya at pinagkrus ko ang binti. I watched him serve me like I'm his queen and he's my lowly servant. I chuckled at my own thought, this is actually fun. He's wearing a sky blue buttoned down polo, the veins in his lowerarms tightened as he moved. His hands are designed by big visible veins that showed how diligent he was. And his fingers are slim.

His hair was still disheveled, it actually made him looked finer and darkly handsome. His jaw got defined when he looked towards the other direction. I was enjoying the scenery when he caught me staring and his lips twitched. I rolled my eyes and looked at my plate.

"Let's eat, pili ka lang anong gusto mo."

"Ang dami naman nito, ganito ba palagi agahan mo?"

"Minsan, kapag maraming trabaho."

"So marami lang trabaho ngayon?" Tanong ko at kumuha ng bacon. "Then why bother me?"

"I told you, I heard your loud scream. Of course I'll help, alang naman 'di ka tulungan e parang may namatay kung makasigaw ka."

"Excuse me? That wasn't that loud."

"Fine, stop arguing. We're eating."

Pasalamat talaga siya kumakain na kami, umirap na lang ako at kumain. Ang dami niyang niluto, halos lahat may gulay pang sahog. Napataas kilay ako nang malasahan ang luto niya. Maya't-maya ang pagsandok niya ng kanin, halatang nagmamadali. Wala kaming imikan habang kumakain pero panay ang sulyap niya sa plato ko.

"Kumain ka pa, ang nipis-nipis ng katawan mo."

"I'm on a diet."

"Akala ko ba bakasyon mo? Bakit kailangan mong limitahan ang sarili mo sa pagkain?"

Seryuso niya akong tinignan pero umiling lang ako, he won't understand me.

"Just clean these so you could go, you have classes, right?"

Hindi siya sumagot at tinitigan lang ako, napakunot ako ng nuo at napilitang kumagat ulit sa sandwich.

"Ayan na, okay?"

"You can bring these in your house, para hindi ka na mag-order at magluto mamaya."

"No thank you, babayaran pa nga kita sa kinain ko ngayon. Like what you said earlier."

Napanguso siya sa sinabi ko at supladong tumayo para magligpit, uminom ako ng juice at nakangising pinanuod siya. Mabilis siya kumilos pero walang palpak. He moves with precision and neatness. I watched him wash the dishes in a quick manner. Talagang nagmamadali. Nang matapos siya saka rin ako tumayo, pinunasan niya ang kamay at nanalamin.

"Kahit 'di mo na ako bayaran, 'di ko kailangan ng bayad sa totoo lang," sabi niya nang palabas na kami.

"You know I pay, I don't like free things."

"Such words from someone who loves freedom so much."

"Of course, Edcharl. I want freedom from gratitude, so I'll pay you."

"Fine, later then. And we'll talk later, Leigh. Dito sa bahay ko ulit."

I grimaced.

"Why here? I have my house, at ikaw ang may kailangan sa'kin hindi ako."

Ngumuso siya at napabuntong-hininga ulit, binuksan niya ang gate saka lumapit sa kotse niya.

"Fine, in your house then."

"Cool."

Tumalikod ako at lumabas na, nakasunod naman siya agad. Mabagal ang takbo ng kotse niya nang dumaan siya sa gilid ko. Nagkatinginan kami at sininyasan niya akong huminto, kinunutan ko siya ng kilay. Bakit na naman?

"Please close my gate and lock it, here's the key. Thank you."

After he said that, he tossed me the keys. Mabilis kong sinalo dahil sa gulat ko, tapos ay nakangisi niyang pinaharurot ang sasakyan.

The bastard is shameless!