Between Hate and Love

Chapter 23

Khal was driving, while all Sarah did was talk and talk and talk. Parang hindi siya napapagod. Kanina sumasagot si Khal sa kanya, but after a few minutes ay puro na lang siya tango.

I was just quiet at the backseat. I didn’t expect for Sarah to come, kaya naman sobra rin ang inis ko. I wish Sarah was nicer and she would stop on purposefully pissing me. Mukha naman siya’ng may itinatagong bait, but then she was just a spoiled one from her dad since she was his unica hija.

I took out my earphones and pretended that I wasn’t listening to the conversation. Pumikit pa ako para lamang hindi mairita.

So, for the whole drive, my eyes were shut but my mind was screaming and I was not comfortable. Sumilip lang ako sa bintana nang maramdaman ko na dire-diretso na ang biyahe namin, and from Khal’s phone displaying the google map, we’re already at Pangasinan.

Finally, Sarah was asleep and there were no words coming out from her mouth anymore. I took out the ipad and started arranging Khal’s schedule, answering some e-mails while I asked him about it.

I noticed how Khal looked so tired, so I suggested that I’d drive so he could get some rest. The four hours drive was taking longer than I expected since we had to come back for Sarah, and we met several traffics along the way. I was not so surprised when he shook his head.

Less than an hour later, we finally reached an arch that told us we’re already in La Union.

I couldn’t help looking around and just be amused of the greens. Nagpaalam ako kay Khal na bubuksan ko ‘yung bintana. Tumango siya.

Without a doubt, I opened the car’s window at my side and just felt the cold breeze. It’s already twelve in the afternoon but the sun was hiding behind the clouds and the wind was cold. The air feels so good on my skin.

Khal did the same thing and opened the car window on his side. He put his elbows on it to support his head as he drove in one hand. And damn, he looked so hot as the air tousled his hair.

Just a few minutes later on and we reached the hotel where we would stay. It was a grandeur 4 star hotel right at San Juan, La Union. It was pretty amazing. They had a garden, a pool, and of course, it was just in front of the beach.

Khal parked his car and help immediately came to us. There were two guys that helped us bring our luggages and brought us to our room. So, then I found out that Khal already did an advanced reservation. I wondered why he made me come with him, when Sarah was with him as well.

“We can settle for now, Sir. By dinner, we’ll meet Mr. and Mrs. Asuncion,” paalala ko kay Khal.

Khal nodded.

Nang makalagpas kami sa front desk, one woman called Khal. “Excuse me, Mr. Ejercito,” bati nito sa kanya. She was smiling from ear to ear, and there was a hint of shyness in her eyes. “Sir, you only reserved for two room and two people, but I noticed you’re three, Sir,” she confirmed.

Khal walked towards her. “Ah yes, I was about to ask for an additional room once I settled. Do you have an additional room?” he asked.

The woman with a name, Lovely, that was written on her nameplate, shook her head. “I’m sorry, Sir, but we are fully booked.”

The information reached Sarah’s ears. She was taking pictures and minding the view earlier while commenting about the place, then she walked towards Khal and held his arms. “It’s alright, Khal. We can share the room and your assistant can have the other room, right?” she suggested.

I immediately shook my head.

No way!

“I can look for another hotels, Sir,” suhestiyon ko naman. “You can have the rooms here then I’ll make sure to find another hotel, or an inn, just near here.”

Now, Khal shook his head. “No. I told you to stick with me all the time, didn’t I?”

Those words secretly made me smile. I bit my lower lip and nodded. “Yes, Sir…”

I saw Sarah rolled her eyes, but I didn’t care.

Then another idea came into her head. “Fine, I’ll stay with your assistant so we’re all gonna be here.”

Sarah emphasized the words ‘your assistant’ so I would probably not forget my position in Khal’s life right now.

Khal looked at me,” Is that fine for you?”

And damn. He really was a bit… just a bit… nicer today.

I nodded so we could finally rest.

We all quietly entered the elevator. I guess we were all just tired and hungry, especially Khal.

Khal’s room was just in front of ours. “Let’s just meet at the cafeteria later,” habilin niya.

Sarah nodded and quickly kissed Khal’s cheek. Hindi manlang umiwas si Khal, he just went into his room and so I did the same thing.

The room was actually spacious. It had a queen size bed and I was certain na kasya kami roon ni Sarah. There was also a flatscreen television right in front of the bed, a bedside table, and a huge bathroom where there was a bathtub!

What more breathtaking was the balcony where we could see the beach and overlook at the pool below.

“Start unpacking my stuff and keep them in place, okay? Remember where you put them, because once I need it, you should give it to me,” Sarah instructed me.

I looked at all of her stuff and shook my head. Hindi naman niya ako assistant, but she was acting like she was my boss.

“Come on!” she clapped, asking me to move my ass.

I sighed deeply and did what she asked me, at the same time, inayos ko na rin ‘yung mga gamit ko. There were cabinets where we could put our stuff. There was even a vanity mirror with loads of drawers under it so we could put more stuff there.

Nagugutom na ako, pero ang daming sinasabi ni Sarah. Marami siyang pinapaligpit at nang matapos na kami, ang dami pa rin niyang reklamo.

I laid down on the bed, trying not to listen to her. But she screamed once she saw me lying on the bed, hugging a pillow.

“What the hell?! You’re supposed to lay down on the couch, I don’t want anyone else on my bed! No, of course! Not unless you’re Khal!”

Okay, it was getting a little too far. She screamed at me like she was paying for everything that I was eating and that she already bought every ounce of my being.

Without a word, I left the room and went to the cafeteria.

I was so pissed.

Saktong paglabas ko sa pinto ay bumungad sa akin si Khal. And I couldn’t help rolling my eyes.

“Maghahanap na lang ako ng malapit na inn or hotel, or kahit room lang nearby, Sir,” pagpapaalam ko. Wala pa’ng isang araw, pero hindi ko na kayang tiisin ang ugali ni Sarah.