Love & Lies (Rogue Heart Series II) Tagalog

Chapter 3.2

Chapter 3.2

   White sand beach and fantastic scenery - these are picturesque view that Clarissa is enjoying right now. The island is also a home to a wide rainforest and a small hill on the west coast. The scent of nature unpolluted air refreshes her. 

   She is at the moment of watching the sunset by the bay and it's pretty magnificent. The thought of her watching this serene beauty with the man who she loves feels so romantic. How she wished it was her and Andrew who ended up then maybe they are watching the sunset together and will probably enjoy this vacation.

"Mukhang malalim ang iniisip mo?" boses ni Bernard ang narinig niya.

"Maganda ba 'tong isla na ito?" muling tanong niya. 

Naghalukipkip si Clarissa at hinarap ang binata "Oo, maganda. Pero biglang na-spoil eh, because you came over."mataray na lintanya niya.

Napatawa si Bernard sa mga tinuran ni Clarissa. Tila ay mahihirapan nga siyang mapa-amo ang dalaga.

"Masyado ka naman hot, I mean yeah you are but you are also hot-headed" pabirong turan naman ni Bernard.

Totoong nagtitimpi na lamang ito sa lalaki. She had her guards off because she was sent here with only half of her will, yet this man is talking so casual to her, like there is no gap or awkwarness between them. 

"For your information, Mr. Valderama, I'm only here for work. So if you think you can talk to me casually like that, think twice. I do not entertain casual talks with someone who I just work for business." she said with punctuation. She now is in a not so good mood. 

Bernard wore that clueless expression as he showed a sly grin. Clarissa must have hated him so much, no - she may actually despise his ever existence. 

"Teka lang ha, Ok naman na tayo, diba?  What's with the treatment?" habol na patanong ni Bernard. Aalis na sana itong si Clarissa nang muli niyang lingunin ang lalaki.

"I don't go easy with the idea of my dad. So stop assuming that we will end the way it is planned. I dont care if you tell him this, but mark my word. You will never be my fiance, and you will never ever replace Andrew on my heart." and she walked away.

Tulala na lamang si Bernard sa mga narinig niya. He felt a deep sadness that's engulfing her and he is becoming even curious to know more about her. 

"Andrew, who are you to cause so much pain to her" said Bernard to himself. He sat along the beach line and took his phone on. He wants to know who's this man and what happened to him and Clarissa. He felt that there was an unfinished business going on that he must find out. 

He usually don't care of other people's issue in life, but this is different. This may actually be his key to Clarissa. And therefore he must find out. 

"Hello, Mr. Santos? I need your help to investigate about Clarissa Corteza's past life and a man named Andrew. Send me the results once available." and he dropped the call. 

He viewed the sunset and it was set already when Yael called his attention. 

"Let's drink. I have ordered a local liqour here sa isla." Yael invited him. It was a cold breeze and a call for something to keep them warm excites him. 

"Sure pare. Lambanog ba yan?" he asked. Matagal na din ang panahong hindi niya natikman ang alak na iyon. 

"Even great. It's apple lambanog on the rocks, bro!" Yael confirmed. 

They both walked into the lodge where they stay. 

The lodge is made of semi concrete and wood materials. The island is rich with wood products as there's a wide rainforest where they sourced the materials. True to say, this island almost had everything, that is why it is a perfect spot to build their future hotel. 

NAKATULALA sa harapan ng salamin si Clarissa habang pinagmamasdan ang sarili. Was her being not so nice behavior is too much? She is a natural though, but sometimes she feel anxious that he might have been hurt. Nakokonsensya sya, but this all what she wants anyway. Make him despise her. In return, there is no reason for them to become arranged couples. 

Napa-igtad siya nung pumasok si Zea sa kanilang kwarto. They shared room because these were the only air-conditioned room. The two boys also shared room. 

"Oh, hindi ka pa ba maghihilamos or maliligo?" Zea asked her. She is drying off her hair with a hair blower. 

"Zea, do you think masyado na akong nagiging masama sa mata ng mga kasama natin. I mean, was I really that hot headed and a meanie?" she curiously asked her bestfriend. 

Hinarap ni Zea ang kaibigan.  "Alam mo Clang, ako man din ay naiinis na sayo. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit ganyan kainit ang ulo mo ngayon." sabi nito habang naglalagay ng kanyang night face cream. 

"Hindi naman brusko ang ugali ni Bernard, tulad ng paano mo sya ikinwento noon, actually mabait naman siya ee." 

Sa isip niya, may katotohanan din naman ang sinasabi ni Zea. So far, hindi pa naman ito nagpakita ng masama sa kanila. Ngunit sa kabilang banda, ayaw naman nitong basta na lamang maging mabait sa lalaki. She is still Clarissa and her resolve is too much to conquer. 

"Alam mo, Clang. Try mo lang maging nice man lang sa kanya, kasi feeling ko siya na ang lalaking magpapakalimot sayo kay Andrew" Zea justified. That Zea really knows how to explain things about love, like she knew and had experience one before. Hindi na siya magtataka kung bakit best seller novel writer iyong kaibigan niya. She is knowledgeable enough to let her understand the point of view of other people. 

"Parang malabo pang mangyari yun, Zea. Alam mo naman kung gaano ko kamahal si Andrew." pagtatangol ni Clarissa. He has been her knight in shinning armor and the one who popped her precious cherry. Kay Andrew niya ipinagkatiwala ang kanyang p********e, pero iniwan siya nito ng walang kahit anumang rason. 

"Then maybe, you are really not meant for each other. Baka may mas itinadhana sa'yo si lord na mas hihigit kay Andrew." sagot ni Zea. 

Lumapit itong kaibigan niya sa kanya at hinawakan nito ang mga palad ni Clarissa. 

"Clang, alam ko deep inside you, you're still bleeding. Masakit, oo - pero isn't really the time to move on? Tatlong taon nang walang paramdam sa'yo si Andew, and I'm sure, kinalimutan ka na niya."at hinaplos nito ang kanyang buhok. 

"Put an end to your misery, Clang. In the end, ikaw lang ang masasaktan at yang si Andrew masaya na yan kung ano man ang ginagawa niya. Stop hurting yourself na." at niyakap niya ang kaibigan. Kahit kailan, si Zea lang naman ang kinakausap niya kapag may problema siya sa pag ibig. 

She cried. Tears run down her cheeks and fell on her bestfriend's clothing. She was hit hard when Andrew left her. She build her own wall and made it almost indestructible so nobody can hurt her again. But now, she's alone in the wall she build, with no one to be with her. She closed her doors and locked herself inside her own misery. The agony she feel is so painful and she kept it all inside. 

She thought of what Zea told her. 

"Let go of Andrew. You are only hurting yourself" her mind talks. 

Nais na niyang mag move on at kalimutan si Andrew. 

ALAS dose na ng madaling araw ay hindi pa rin makatulog si Clarissa. Hanggang ngayon ay iniisip pa din niya ang mga binaggit ni Zea. Naghahalong emosyon ang gumugulo sa isipan niya ngayon. 

"Magpahangin nga muna ako" utal niya sa sarili. Baka sa hangin ay madala nito ang anumang iniisip niya nang siya ay makatulog na. 

Lumabas muna siya ng kwarto niya at naglakad palabas ng pasilyo. Dinig niya ang tunog ng dagat, at ito ay nagbibigay sa kanya ng pampa luwag ng damdamin. 

Mga ilang dipa pa ay nakarinig siya ng ungol. Tunog ng tao na tila ay nahihirapan. She walked straight to the end of the hallway and found a suprise. 

Bernard was crawling helpless on the floor while his friend Yael already slept on the chair nearby. 

Lasing na lasing ito at tila ay nakarami ng ininom. Hindi na nagdalawang isip pa si Clarissa na tulungan ang binata. She walked where he is now. The aroma of liqour exits his body and it is engulfing her senses. Napaka lakas ng alak na ininom nila at ito ay lumalabas na sa kanilang hininga. 

"Mag iinuman pero hindi naman kayang dalhin!" bulong niya sa sarili. How can she bring them when his weight is only half of her?

Kinalabit niya ang binata mula sa pagkakatulog nito. "Hey, Mr. Valderama, wake up! Bumangon ka riyan!" she ordered him. Tila hindi siya nito narinig. Muli niya itong tinawag, ngunit sa pagkakatong ito, tila nagising siya.

"Aina? Ikaw ba yan? Aina, bumalik ka na ba para sa akin?" medyo may baluktot nitong salita.

Next thing she heard is he was crying. He is crying like a baby. The mighty and proud bachelor is crying. 

"Aina, please, huwag mo akong iwan. Tayo na lang dalawa, please." and with all his might left, he hugged her.

Nabigla si Clarissa sa nasaksihan at sa pagyakap nito sa kanya. Nais nitong kumawala sa bisig ng binata, ngunit masyado ng mahigpit ang pagkakayakap nito sa kanya. Patuloy pa rin ito sa pag iyak - nakikiusap sa isang babae na hindi siya iwanan.

Nakaramdam ng awa si Clarissa kay Bernard. The pain in between his sobs are meaningful. Clarissa thought that untoward happening must've hit the man as well. She can also relate to him. 

"Kahit na ang isang tulad niya ay may kinikimkim din pala" sabi niya sa sarili.

Maya maya pa ay dumating na rin si Zea. Nakatulog na si Bernard sa may paanan ni Clarissa kaya hindi na rin niya magawa pang tumayo.

"Zea, I need you to call for help. Intoxicated sila and we can't bring them sa kwarto nila ng tayo lang dalawa" utos ni Clarissa.

Madali lang ay dumating ang isang katiwala ng lodge. Tinulungan ni Clarissa na maihatid ang dalawa sa kanilang mga kwarto.

Matapos nun ay nagpahanda na siya ng palanggana na may maligamgam ng tubig at bimpo. Si Zea ang umasikaso kay Yael.

Nakahiga na itong si Bernard sa kanyang kama. Unang pinunasan ni Clarissa ang mukha ng binata. Matiman niya itong pinagmasdan. Bakas pa din sa kanyang mukha ang luha nito.

While she wipe his face, she can't help but notice the prominent features of his handsomeness. It is as if she is looking at a Brazillian model. There were sparks in her chest that feels exploding.

Mabilis niyang tinigilan ang ginagawa sa binata. She doesn't want the sensation she feels. Para itong kakaibang lason na bumibihag ng isipan niya. She had to veer away from it or else she will be consumed by this poison.

"Why am I feeling this? This can't be real! Wake up, Clarissa!" she spoke to herself.

That charisma of him is eating her ego. And she stowed away and be reluctant.

Matapos na mga ilang minuto ay dumating na ang lalaking katiwala. Inutusan na lamang niya ito na ipagpatuloy ang paglilinis at papapalit ng kanilang kasuotan. Hindi na niya nais pang manatili dahil hindi niya nais na maramdaman ulit yun. She may be reluctant, but she can't admit the fact that it felt good. She wants to deny it, yet it was captivating.

She went back to her room, thirsty. She reached for a glass of water to drink up and ease the tension she feels. Iniwan na lamang niya si Zea, na ngayon ay nagbabantay sa baba.

Itutulog na lamang niya ito. Sigurado siyang wala na itong nararamdaman niya bukas. She has to stay firm that this trip is only for business. Nothing personal. She had her words, and she meant to keep them. She can't lose the battle she created by herself.

*to be continued.