# Series 2: Dare to Tame the Beast (R18)

CHAPTER 5

SHE’S wearing her sunglasses while laying on the lounge of a private beach resort where Ulysses brought her. She’s sleeping because her kidnapper wasn’t here. Pasimpleng sinulyapan niya si Ulysses na kasalukuyang nasa isang beach bar at may kausap na babaeng nakasuot ng asul na two-piece bikini. Ang sabi kasi nito sa kanya kung hindi siya magpapalit into swimsuit ay hindi ito lalapit sa kanya. Ayaw nitong mapagkamalang tatay niya, what’s wrong with her outfit? She’s wearing a decent rash guard and a pair of white shorts. Mas daring na nga iyon keysa sa mga suot ng ibang babae sa beach.

“Bahala siya.” Bulong niya. Magkasama ‘kuno’ sila doon dahil nabili siya nito which was wrong. Naalala pa niya ang huling usapan nila bago sila lumipad sa resort.

“You don’t have to spend that much Ulysses, you are crazy.” Hindi magkamayaw ang puso niya habang nakasunod sa binata pagkatapos ng bidding niya.

“Don’t worry it’s not much.” Tila wala lang dito ang halagang iyon. Oo nga at galing siya sa isang may kayang pamilya pero tinuruan siya ng kanyang mga magulang na hindi umasa at masilaw sa pera. May kinikita siya at may kalakihan iyon dahil hindi naman ganoon kasafe ang kanyang trabaho pero ang mag-aksaya ng milyones kahit sabihin na charity iyon ay hindi pa rin makatarungan.

“Anong--.”

“You bought yourself.” Kumunot ang noo niya sa sinabi nito.

“What do you mean?”

“The red card.” Naalala niya ang red card na ibinigay niya dito noong minsan ay na-encounter niya ito sa mga misyon niya at nakalimutan niyang kunin iyon.

“Akin na iyon.”

“Ibabalik ko iyon seven days after.”

“Anong seven days after? I bought myself I should be free.”

Nagkibit-balikat lamang ito. “If that’s what you want.” Kung hindi lang siguro niya kilala si Ulysses malamang ay iisipin niyang naiinis ito sa kanya. “Bumalik ka na sa loob baka hinahanap ka na ng mga magulang mo.”

“At saan ka pupunta?”

“Uuwi na ako.” Naglakad ito palayo sa kanya. “Inaantok na ako I need to sleep babe.” Palagi naman itong tulog kaya anong bago? Napabuntong-hininga nalang siya habang tinatanaw itong naglalakad palayo sa kanya.

“Pwede kang matulog sa isa sa mga suite dito kung inaantok ka.” Bumaling ito sa kanya, may kakaibang ekspresyon ang mukha nito.

“Is that an invite for -.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s an invite for you to have a decent sleep.” Tiningnan niya ito. “You look tired.”

“I am handsome.” Linapitan niya ito at hinawakan sa braso.

“I know.” Hindi naman iyon pwedeng ikwestyon dahil iyon ang totoo. “Pero hindi mo ako maloloko. Kung anuman iyang ginagawa mo ay pwedeng magpahinga ka muna ng maayos? Baka isang araw ay bumagsak ka nalang bigla.”

“I am handsome and healthy.” Insist pa nito.

“And tired, come on have a little sleep.” at nang balingan niya ang mukha nito ay nakakunot lang ang noo nitong nakatitig sa kanya pero may kakaibang tingin ang mga mata nito at hindi iyon nakaligtas sa pobreng puso niya. Ipinilig niya ang kanyang ulo upang kahit papaano ay mawala ang kakaibang nararamdaman niya para dito.

At ang akala niya ay hindi na ito gagalaw ay nagulat siya sa sunod nitong ginawa. He engulfed her with his big warm arms and hugged her tight. She tried to struggle for she doesn’t want to feel anything for him.

“If you want me to rest, bring me to somewhere.” He whispered.

“Where do you want to go?” kailangan pa ba niyang bigyan ng babala ang kanyang puso? There’s no need for that she’s already damn in love with this man.

“I want to see the blue sea, I want to feel the sand under my toes.” Parang batang request nito, and the way he said it, it’s bothering her heart can no longer contain and hide her real feelings for him. “I want to see the beach.”

“Beach it is.” Sagot na lamang niya dahil tunay ngang kapag tinamaan ang tao ng pag-ibig kahit na anong gawin mong iwas, kahit anong gawin mong tago, kahit anong gawin mong deny. ANg katotohanan ay mahal mo siya at wala ka nang magagawa kundi ang harapin ang katotohanan.

Malakas siyang napabuntong-hininga. Sana pala ay hindi siya nagpadala sa bugso ng kanyang damdamin at sumama dito. She’s really dumb. Ayan tuloy, naiinis lang siya.

Marahas niyang isinuot muli ang kanyang sunglasses at tumagilid ng higa. Kapag umalis siya ay baka iba ang isipin nito. Ulysses is too smart for her and as much as possible ay ayaw niyang malaman nito ang tunay na nararamdaman niya. Kinapa niya ang librong kanina pa niya pilit na binabasa pero hanggang sa pagkukunwaring nagbabasa lang siya at nag-sca-scan kunwari ng mga pages dahil sa katunayan ay wala siyang naiintindihan.

Dahan-dahan niyang ipinikit ang mga mata hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang kinain ng antok. Mukhang hindi lang si Ulysses ang kailangan ng pahinga, kailangan din ng katawan niya.

--

“Mukhang walang kasama pare.” Medyo naalimpungatan siya ng may marinig na ingay sa kanyang paligid. “Let’s wake her up.”

“Baka may boyfriend iyan dude.”

“Kung may boyfriend iyan hinding-hindi iyan iiwan diyan.” Her brows were twitching and her forehead was knotted. One of the things she hated the most is when someone woke her up in the middle of a very good sleep.

“I think she’s awake.” She slowly opened her eyes and found two men watching her like a live specimen under the microscope.

“Hi, Miss.”

Pupungas-pungas siya ng upo at napakurap, hindi niya maibuka ng maayos ang kanyang mga mata at sumasakit rin ang ulo niya at nag-iinit din ang kanyang mga mata.

“Shit.” May narinig siyang nagmura sa kung saan at pakiramdam niya ay siya ang sinabihan ng murang iyon kaya dahan-dahan na tumulo ang luha sa kanyang mga mata papunta sa kanyang pisngi. “Leave her alone.”

“Sabi ko sa iyo may kasama iyan, halika na mukhang kakain na ng tao.” Mas lalong lumakas ang paghikbi niya habang hawak niya ang kanyang ulo. Narinig niya ang papalayong yabag ng dalawang gumising sa kanya pero hindi naman niya mapigil ang kanyang mga luha.

“Sahara.” Umiyak lang siya ng marinig ang boses na iyon. “Hey,” nababaliw na yata siya dahil iyak lang siya ng iyak. “Sinaktan ka ba nila?”

“Th-they woke me up.” Aniyang panay punas ng luha sa kanyang mga mata. “I’m sleepy.” Parang batang ani niya. “I want to sleep.” Itinakip niya ang kanyang mga palad sa kanyang mukha dahil ayaw tumigil ang pag-iyak niya kahit anong punas ang kanyang gawin.

“Here, here.” She heard the guy with so familiar voice chuckling and felt a warm arm hugging her entire body. “Hush babe.” At hinalikan ang kanyang noo. “Stop crying.” Parang lumulutang ang pakiramdam niya habang nasa bisig ng yumayakap sa kanya. “Gusto mo ng cookies?”

Sunod-sunod siyang tumango. “Let’s go, I am going to feed you some cookies.”

“Okay.” Ano bang meron sa cookies at nagawa nitong patigiln siya sa pag-iyak?

At natagpuan niya ang sariling ngumangatngat ng cookies habang kunot noong nakatingin kay Ulysses. Hindi niya maalala kung paano silang nakabalik sa suite nila, basta ang naaalala lang niya ay nakaupo na siya sa ibabaw ng kama at kaharap si Ulysses na sinusubuan siya ng cookies.

“Mukhang gising ka na.”

“Anong nangyari?” takang-tanong niya. Tinitigan lang siya nito at napapailing. “What?” INis na tanong niya sa ginawi nito.

“How can I enjoy you?”

“What?” binuka niya ang bibig ng subuan siya nito ng cookies.

“Your period.”

“Ano?” malakas siyang napasinghap ng marealized ang sinabi nito. Kapag malapit na siyang datnan ng kanyang monthly period ay nagiging emotional na siya at nagke-crave ng matatamis. “Paano-.” Itinigil niya ang pagtatanong. Nagtanong pa siya samantalang alam naman niya na hindi ito bobo. “Oh.” Iniwas niya ang mga mata mula dito at hinila ang kumot upang matulog muli. “Hindi mo naman ako kailangang samahan dito twenty-four hours Ulysses. Enjoy your vacation and you can date any woman you like or have fun with them. Dito lang ako at matutulog kaya huwag mo akong disturbuhin dahil masakit ang ulo ko.” at itinakip niya ang kumot sa buong katawan niya.

Akala niya ay aalis na ito pero nagulat na lang siya ng humiga ito sa kanyang tabi at yumakap sa kanya kahit na nakatalukbong siya ng kumot.

“Hindi lang sa iyo ang kamang ito babe, huwag kang selfish gusto ko ring matulog.” Kinagat niya ang pag-ibabang labi niya upang pigilan ang sariling hindi mapangiti ng malapad.

---

“IS SHE THE GIRL?” tukso ni Yvette sa kanya nang magkita sila sa beach resort kung saan niya dinala si Sahara. She is his reward after all. “Isn’t she a little bit different?” tudyo nito sa kanya. “And why are you here?”

“I told her to change her swimwear into two piece or else I won’t sit beside her.” Nagkibit-balikat siya. That woman frustrates the hell out if him. Lahat ng gusto niyang gawin nito ay hindi nito ginagawa, palagi itong may panlabang salita sa kanya,

“And did she change?” natatawang tanong nito.

He huffed. “She wouldn’t be lying there if she’d listen to me alone. She’d prefer her books than be with me.”

Muli itong tumawa. “Kaya pala nagsusulk ka dito ng mag-isa.”

He just sneered at his sister. “I can get anyone I like.”

“But not that one.” Turo nito sa babaeng kasama niya na ngayon ay nakatulog na habang nagbabasa ng libro nito. “And by the way, he’s planning something.”

Napatingin siya kay Yvette, kilala niya ang tinutukoy nitong ‘He’. “What is he planning now?”

“Sa Inagauration party ni Governor Santos, a numbered child will put drugs on the drinks.”

“What kind of drug will that be?”

“A type C kind of hallucination drugs. Every one will think they are enjoying the party but the truth is they are momentarily asleep and will steal information from anyone high profile.”

Wala itong nakuhang reaksyon mula sa kanya kaya nagpatuloy ito sa pagsasalita. “And he is planning to kill one of his archenemies too and he found a very nice and clean way to do it.” Tumingin ito kay Sahara. “He is going to overdose ‘him’ with a type A poison.”

His brows twitched upon hearing Yvette’s words. “Type A.” he made a tsked sound. “He’s really heartless, huh.”

“Isn’t he? Kaya nga niya tayo hinubog na maging tulad niya.” Yvette tapped his shoulders. “Enjoy yourself Ulysses and when you are done enjoying, return her to her rightful owners. You know what I mean right? Hindi ka niya matatanggap kapag nalaman niya-.”

“Alam niya.”

“What?” gulat na tanong nito. “Paano niyang nalaman? Alam mo bang-.”

“Nasa delikado ang buhay niya?” he changed his position still watching his woman. “Alam niya.”

“You can’t love her.”

“I know, don’t worry about that. She knew our relationship.”

“Return her to her rightful owners Ulysses. She’s different from our kind, she doesn’t belong to our world.”

“I know what I am doing.” He gritted his teeth. “You didn’t have to tell me what to do.” Nagsimula na siyang maglakad palayo dito.

“She’s not yours to begin with Ulysses. Stop using her as your plaything.”

He stopped walking but didn’t turn his head. “We might be sharing the same last name and belong to the same world but it doesn’t give you the rights to mind my own business. She is mine.”

“For how long?”

He heard the last question but didn’t bother answering it. How long? It will always depend on him, he calls the shots.

--

INIS na tiningnan niya ang pagkain na nasa mesa, he took the liberty to order her food unfortunately dahil dumating ang buwanang dalaw niya gaya ng inaasahan nito kaya hindi niya feel ang anumang pagkain na nasa harap niya. She likes sweets a week before her menstruation starts but when it comes to the actual horrible day she loses her appetite and become so grumpy.

“You don’t like it?” takang tanong nito. “These are your favorites.”

She didn’t say a word, mabilis siyang mainis kapag ganitong mga panahon kaya mas mabuting hindi nalang niya ito pansinin. Lalo pa at naiinis siya dahil nakakapagswimming ito katulad kanina at nakikipaglandian sa ibang mga babae. Naiinis siya, naaasar siya at mainit ang ulo niya. Upang hindi nito mapansin ang pag-iiba ng kanyang mood pinilit niyang kainin ang pagkain na nasa harap niya kahit labag sa loob niya.

“May pupuntahan ako after brunch.” He told her at tango lang ang sagot niya pero may bahagi ng puso niya ang biglang nangulila sa presensya nito at hindi pa nga ito nakakaalis. She just sighed a little, she wanted him to stay, kahit na hindi sila mag-usap, basta nakikita lang niya ito sa malayo pero alam din niyang hindi niya hawak ang buhay nito.

Kaninang umaga nauna siyang nagising keysa dito at natagpuan niya ang sariling nakatitig dito ng hindi niya alam kung ilang Segundo, minuto, at oras. And at the same moment she wished that moment would never cease. She wanted her every morning to be the same, she just realized how lucky she was to have him for a while.

For a while.

Panandalian lamang. She doesn’t not own him and when he’s tired of her he’ll jump into the next girl and to the next and the next and so on.

“Are you okay being alone?” tanong nito sa kanya ng makabalik sila sa suite nila and she just nodded as an answer. “Pwede kang mamasyal sa resort kung gusto mo.”

Ipinagpatuloy lang niya ang pagbabasa ng libro kahit na wala na siyang maintindihan sa kanyang binabasa hanggang sa tuluyan na itong makaalis at makalabas ng suite. At nang wala na ito ay mabilis niyang ibinato sa ibabaw ng kama ang libro at nayayamot na tumayo. She can’t stay inside the room and wait for him to come back, so she decided to packed some of her things.

She found herself walking around the resort as he said and found herself a perfect place for her to be alone. It’s the very corner of the resort where a big old Narra tree resides for she doesn’t know for how long and a big rock beside it. Hindi rin iyon medyo naabot ng sikat ng araw kaya pwedeng-pwede siyang magtago doon- mali—mamahinga pala.

“Pahiram lang ng sandali.” Ani niya sa malaking bato sa matandang narra. Agad na nanuot sa kanya ang malamig na simoy ng hangin kaya bigla siyang nakadama ng antok. Nilatag niya ang scarf na dala niya sa ibabaw ng damuhan na hindi abot ng buhangin dahil nasa pangpang iyon at nahiga.

“Sahara! Sahara!” she stretched her arms when she heard someone calling her. “Where the hell are you?” and when she opened her eyes, she saw her man meters from her. Nakatayo ito sa gitna ng buhanginan habang nakapameywang at nakatingin sa may dagat. Malapit ng bumaba ang araw at nag-iiba na rin ang kulay ng langit, the sun rays changed the color of her surroundings and it seems like Ulysses glows in the middle of the sand.

Pupungas-pungas na umayos siya ng upo at saka hinintay na mapansin siya nito pero mukhang hindi yata ito lilingon sa kanya kaya nagpasya siyang titigan lang muna niya ito sa malayo. Habang natutulog siya ay napanaginipan niya ito. It was a very beautiful dream.

In her dreams, she was sleeping for years and he was there kissing her until she wakes up. Parang sa fairy tale lang, she’s Aurora and he’s her prince. But reality doesn’t have that kind of tale and Ulysses will never be a prince, he wasn’t suited and crafted to be one. And when she’s deliberating whether calling him or just watch him for a far he suddenly turned his head and his eyes found her.

His worried look slowly turned to relief and then anger. He angrily marched towards her.

“What the hell are you doing here Sahara? You’ve been gone for I don’t know how many hours, you didn’t even leave a note or a message. I’ve been looking for you.”

“You are worried Ulysses.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” galit pa rin ito pero hindi niya ramdam ang intensidad ng galit nito, mas tamang sabihin na nag-aalala ito sa kanya. At masaya siyang malaman na kahit na hindi nito sabihin ay nag-aalala ito sa kanya. “Your parents know we are together and if something bad happened to you they’re going to blam-.”

“You can always escape from their wrath if you wanted to.” Napahikab siya.

“Bumalik na tayo sa suite.” Utos nito sa kanya at naunang naglakad palayo sa kanya pero hindi siya kumilos at wala siyang balak sundan ito. “Ano ba?”

“I want to see the sunset babe.” She smiles at him. “I want to see it, can you do me a small favor? Can you watch it with me?” at mukhang wala na itong nagawa kundi ang gawin ang gusto niya dahil bumalik ito sa kinaroroonan niya at sumampa sa kinauupuan niya.

“You frustrate the hell out of me.” Wala na ang galit sa boses nito, kalmado na ito.

“No, I didn’t. I made you worry.” Inihilig niya ang ulo sa braso nito. “Sorry, I thought you won’t mind. How’s your day?” she changed the topic.

“Alam mo na siguro ang sagot sa sarili mong tanong.” Natawa siya sa sinabi nito at natahimik silang dalawa habang nakatitig sa papalubog na araw.

“Isn’t this nice?”

“Hmn?”

“The moment, I never thought I’ll experience it with you.”

“You are one lucky woman then.”

She again laughed. “Of course, I am one lucky woman. A Ulysses Andres took an interest on me, he spends his time with me, and worried about me. I ain’t so lucky?” maswerte siya, alam niyang hindi lahat ng babae sa mundo ang nakakaranas na ganito. At masaya siya na naranasan niyang makasama ang taong mahal niya. “I had a dream, it was like a fairy tale.”

“I’m sure it won’t be Cinderella.”

“Of course it’s not, In my dream I was worst than her. Cinderella experienced so much from her step-family before she left her shoe and married a prince. In my dream, I was sleeping beauty. Natulog lang ako at naghihintay ng prinsipeng humalik sa akin para magising ako.”

“The great sleeping beauty, so did you find a prince? Did you wake up from your slumber?”

“No, I didn’t find a prince.” she answered. “I woke up from my slumber and found out a beast kissed me, he wasn’t a prince, babe. He’s a beast. “

“What happened to the beast? Did you tame him?”

Umiling siya at alam niyang ramdam nito ang pag-iling niya. “I tried to beat the beast, but my body was too weak to do it so the beast killed me instead.” And she felt his body stiffening. “I asked him to kill me.”

“Would it be better if you dreamed yourself as Belle and changed the beast into a prince?”

Inalis niya ang ulo sa bisig nito. “That would be too common, even in my dreams I refused to have a common fairy tale love story.”

“That wasn’t even a love story, your dream was a nightmare.”

“Why? Because of its sad ending?” he didn’t say anything. “Sa tingin ko kasi hindi iyon masamang panaginip.”

“What’s happy with a tragic ending?”

“It’s not really the ending that matters Ulysses, it’s how the story runs. And in my dream, I am quite happy, I was saved by my beast and I saved him in return. He might be a beast but he loves me and tried his best to save me.”

“He killed you.”

“I asked him. I love him too much I need to end my life in order to end his curse and for him to be happy. Hindi ko man natalo ang beast pero nagawa ko ang isang bagay na hindi kayang gawin ng iba para sa kanya.”

“And that is?”

She looks at him in the eyes and even if they aren’t talking about her feelings directly to him. She wanted to relay the content of her heart. “I loved him with all my heart despite of knowing that he’s a beast I can never beat.”