The pain he now know (TPHNK Book 2)

#15

Chapter 15

Kage's POV

I glared as i look at her looking all enjoyed and busy feasting her eyes on the servers. I clenched my teeth trying to contain myself from transferring on her side.

Tavis, emric, chase and riggs, lahat sila ay lumipat na sa tabi ng mga girlfriend nila. And i truly understand why. And i hate the thought that I can't be by her side right now, to tilt her head and make her shift her full attention on me, instead on those flirtatious scumbags.

My anger is what's stopping me to come to her. But instead of trying to calm me and pour a bucket of ice on it, she decided to add more flame, mas dinadagdagan niya pa ang galit na nararamdaman ko para sa kaniya. And I'm starting to think na sinasadya niya iyon.

Is this her ways on trying to seek full attention from me? If yes, she isn't funny at all. What she's doing is making me hate her more.

Naalala ko naman ang nangyari kanina. When i saw her with her f*****g friend on the elevator. Most of the group didn't see it, but i did.

After that day, when i took her on my cabin, when she got drunk, That morning, she said that she's sharing a room with that boy best friend of hers, I didn't want to admit it at first but i knew that i was bothered, it kept me awake that night, thinking kung ano ang ginagawa nila o ano ang maari nilang gawin sa iisang kwarto.

So when emric's bride announced that she will have another batch of bachelorette party, but this time, all the boys can come, it somewhat made me thrilled. Mababantayan ko siya.

Kaya nang nasa lobby na kami, nung sila na lang ng lalaki niya ang hinihintay, doon na naman ako unti-unting nagalit. She knew since then that i'm short-tempered, so why did she made us wait? She keeps on making me wait. I hate waiting. Especially for her.

I almost wanted to get her myself and pull her outside their damn room. I was having malicious thoughts which cannot be prevented, i mean, what do you expect with the thought of your woman alone inside a hotel room with a f*****g guy? Kahit igiit niya pang magkaibigan lang sila.

So when the elevator finally opened revealing them, instead of a sigh, mas lalo lang akong nagalit, mas lalo lang uminit ang dugo ko lalo na't nakita ko ang posisyon nila. That f*****g asshole was behind zephyrine! And she was holding her from behind, if my vision wasn't fooling me, i caught his hand trying to fix her bra from behind! I immediately saw red. I wanted to cut the man's fingers! Don't they have any shame to spare? Sa loob ng elevator pa talaga?!!

I tried to calm myself as they walk towards us na tila walang nangyari, na tila wala akong nakita, she even smiled. So when f*****g jay, tavis' friend teased f*****g van for sharing a room with her, naalala ko din ang narinig ko galing sa kaniya nung nasa souvenir shop kami, she is also currently living in the guy's condo. And that's when i lost it. I walked away and just waited for them outside.

But i think all of them are quite enjoyed teasing us three, or talagang wala nang space sa sasakyan, so i decided to just let her ride with me on my car. I also wanted to talk to her, about her living with the guy under the same roof. Kung kami noon ay normal lang na tumira sa iisang bubong dahil magkasintahan naman kami, this time, with that guy, i think it's not okay, if they truly don't have a boyfriend and girlfriend relationship on which she is trying to claim, then she has to prove it.

Kung kaya't nung pinagdesisyunan niyang isama pa ang lalaki niya sa sasakyan, nagalit na naman ako, that's why i did what i did. I asked her to put on some seatbelts, and I'm damn thankful that the guy didn't bother to wear his', it wasn't my fault that he possessed both dumb and careless characteristic, he made himself hurt, and the cute vixen got angry, she yelled at me for trying to hurt her friend.

At kung sa tingin ko ay wala na akong mas igagalit pa ngayong araw, i thought wrong, as i looked at her ogling and almost drooling at the shirtless guys in this bar, i had this urge to shut the whole resto bar down, or at least donate a truck full of damn shirts for this stick-bodied dickheads to f*****g wear.

Natigilan ako sa iniisip nang biglang may lumapit na mga babae sa aming table. I didn't know how they got here. Maybe they were also customers. But i know, based on their faces, i know kung anong sadya nila, i can tell by their flirtatious looks.

"Anong kailangan niyo mga magagandang binibini?" Tanong ni jay na may nakakalokong ngiti.

The four girls looked at each other for some moment then giggled.

"Dadaan lang sana kami pero nakita namin kayo. We were amazed on how you guys have large amount of friends."

"True. I haven't seen a group full of pretty faces" dagdag pa nung isa.

"Aww! How flattering" napabaling ako kay zephyrine nang bigla itong magsalita. She has this flattered look on her face, pero agad din naman itong nagbago dahil tumaas ang kilay nito at tsaka humalukipkip. "Let's cut to the chase. What do you want?" Suplada niyang tanong.

Sinaway naman kaagad nito nung van na nasa tabi nito.

"Well...wait!" Tumingin yung isa sa akin. "I think i know you from somewhere." Siniko nito ang katabi niya.

"Oo nga! Are you some famous celebrity? Or a model perhaps? Because I think i saw you from a billboard or something"

I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. Especially when i heard some of my friends chuckle beside me.

"I'm—"

"Oh s**t! You're kaden!" She exclaimed wide eyed.

"Who?" Kunot noo ng kabigan niya.

"Kaden gage! Arguelles?"

The other girl's eyes widen like my surname rang a bell.

"Y-you're kaden? The famous kaden Argulles?"

"It's him!"

"That's why he looked familiar" they then chuckled, still amazed.

Yumuko naman ako. Their stares are embarrassing, especially when I'm with my friends who are just looking at me grinning.

"I'm stacy."

"I'm gwen"

At nag-unahan na silang apat sa pag-abot ng mga kamay nila.

"Do you mind if we sit here?"

"I'm sorry girls. The table is full" Ani ng fiance ni emric.

"I'm afraid cali is right. Marami pa namang vacant tables doon. sorry" dagdag pa ng pinsan ni zephyrine.

"Oh!" The four girls looked disappointed.

"It's okay. You girls can just ask for a chair then sit here" turo ko sa malaking space sa tabi ko. Nasa kabilang dulo din kasi ako nakaupo.

Their faces lit up.

"Okay! Thank you!" Tatalikod na sana sila para kumuha ng upuan nang...

"If you girls are trying to make a move on him, mind you that he has a girlfriend" biglang sabi na naman ni zephyrine kaya napatingin na naman ulit kami sa kaniya.

"What?"

"He does. Ask him" she took a sip from her wine.

Bumaling ang mga babae sa akin.

"Do you?..have a girlfriend i mean."

"I don't" i stated without breaking my gaze on the naughty vixen. Nakita ko kung paano tumalim ang tingin niya.

"You do kage."

"Since when?" I asked back.

"Wala naman pala e" the girls giggled.

"He just doesn't want to admit it, but he does" ani niya ulit.

Why does she keeps pushing that i have a girlfriend? What is her problem? Is she angry that at least once, my attention wasn't on her?

"Where..then? Kung mayroon nga, nasaan? Bakit ikaw ang nagsasabi niya—"

"You're looking at her. The one and only"

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Her? My girlfriend? She seems calm now after her statement. She relaxed and leaned on the chair like her statement didn't just shock me.

"Since when?" The words just got out of my mouth.

"What?" Her grin faded.

"You're not my girl. At least Not anymore. So brag your dream to someone else."

Zephyrine's POV

Napapahiyang binaba ko ang tingin lalo na't nakita ko ang tingin ng mga kaibigan namin sa akin. Pagkatapos niya akong pahiyain ay hindi ko na alam ang sasabihin ko, ang gagawin ko.

I felt van's hand poking my hand. Trying to catch my attention in a non-verbal way. Kahit sa kaniya ay nahihiya din ako, kaya hindi ko siya magawang balingan.

The whole table is silent now. Which adds to my wishes to just be eaten by the ground.

"Wag mo na siyang pansinin. Masisira lang ang gabi mo" I heard van whispered.

Kumuyom ang kamao ko. I wanted to let my anger out. Anger for the jerk na hindi man lang nagdalawang isip na pahiyain ako sa harap pa mismo ng mga kaibigan namin.

"I uhm...I'm just gonna go grab a drink" i whispered back at walang salita na tumayo.

"Sandali zeph! Wala pang laman ang tiyan mo" pigil niya pero hindi na ako lumingon at nagpatuloy lang na tumungo sa bar area.

Walang masyadong tao na nakaupo doon sa counter. Umupo ako sa high chair doon at minuwestra ang waiter at sinabi ang aking order. It didn't took a while for him to serve it to me.

Inisang lagok ko lang 'yong laman ng shot glass. Ngumiwi ako nang maramdaman ang init na hatid nito sa aking lalamunan at ang kaunting hapdi sa aking tiyan. Tama si van, sana pala ay kumain muna ako ng kaunti bago uminom dito.

But what can i do? Alangan naman na babalik pa ako doon? That's why I'm drinking right now, so that i could have the confidence to face all of them after the shame brought by my reckless claim.

Ngayon ko lang napagtanto. Galit pa din pala si kage sa akin, kaya dapat sana ay nag-iingat ako sa mga sinasabi ko.

After a few batch of shots, hindi ko na nabilang, nagsimula na namang uminit ang buong katawan ko. I also felt a slight dizziness.

I felt someone moving the chair next to mine backward, i thought it was either van or kage, kaya nilingon ko, but it was someone I don't know, it was a guy, and he was looking at me.

Binalik ko na lang ang tingin sa harapan. But to my surprise, he spoke. At dahil alam ko namang kami lang dalawa dito sa bar section, alam kong ako ang kinakausap niya.

"Hi"

"Yes?" I said snappily.

"What does a pretty lady like you drinking here all alone?"

I rolled my eyes on his choice of words. This man's tryna flirt.

"Huh? Mag-isa ba ako?" Kunwaring lingon-lingon ko. "Ano ka ba! Hindi ako mag-isa. Actually ano..kasama ko si junjun"

I know I'm getting tipsy, dahil kung hindi pa ay hindi ko sasabihin iyon. Napatawa ako sa aking isipan. This man i think was buying it dahil luminga-linga din sa na parang hinahanap ang sinasabi kong junjun.

"What a funny name. Is he your boyfriend?"

"No! He's just my friend. Eto siya" turo ko sa tabi. "Junjun"

He looked at me weirdly nang itinuro ko ang gilid na wala namang tao. I laughed uncontrollably. So did he.

"Okayyy?" He chuckled. "So junjun? I think he's thirsty. Should i buy him a drink?"

"Nahh! He's good" i grinned.

"Then how about you? Can i buy you a drink?"

I scoffed. How smooth.

"Nah! I rather have the money"

Tumawa ako ulit nang tumingin siya sa palad kong nakalahad na ngayon sa harapan niya.

"Just kidding"

"Wow. You're one hell of a woman, aren't you?"

"Yeah, but some woman can't be appreciated by their efforts." Tumaas ang gilid ng labi ko at uminom ulit.

"That's deep. Wanna talk about it?"

"I'm not the kind to talk about my problems to a stranger" i looked at him, and he was handsome. But not quite as kage. Kung titingnan, parang may kahawig siya. Hindi ko lang mapangalanan.

"I'm sorry. I can't tell you my name"

"It's okay. Wala naman akong balak alamin."

He chuckled at what i said.

"Have you ever been in love?" I asked after minutes of silence.

"What?" He seemed taken aback.

"Na inlove ka na ba?"

"Bakit mo naman natanong?"

"Sagutin mo na lang."

He looked at the front for a couple of seconds then sighed.

"Of course. Good old days" a hint of smile came across his lips. There was also a hint of sadness and regrets.

"What happened?"

"I chose to love silently."

"Then?"

"Then s**t happened"

Kumunot ang noo ko. Bakit hindi niya na lang sabihin? Para kaming naglalaro ng fill in the blanks dito. But it's okay. I rather not bother, maybe he rather not tell, dahil malamang stranger din ako sa paningin niya.

"Inom na lang tayo" iling niya tsaka uminom lang din.

Tinitigan ko siya at parang may kung ano akong nararamdaman malungkot na aura mula sa kaniya.

"I have a friend who's single. I mean my cousin's friend." Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko iyon sinabi. "She has the same sadness in her eyes, like yours, baka gusto mong ireto kita"

He looked at me amazed. Then after, he chuckled and shook his head.

"No thank you, I'm loyal with my girl"

eh? Hindi pala niya ako nilalandi?

"But..pero—s**t happened diba?" Natatawa na lang din ako sa mga sinasabi ko.

"Yeah. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up on her." Tumayo na siya at nag-iwan ng pera. "I gotta go. Thanks for the short talks, I haven't done that for quite a while." He smiled then hastily left.

Nawi-weirdohan ko siyang sinundan ng tingin. Napailing ako. I mentally note to myself, na hindi pala lahat na naga-approach sa akin ay lalandiin ako.

Ilang segundo pa lang ng pag-alis niya ay may biglang humila sa aking sa pulsuhan. Nagulat ako doon kaya hindi ko agad nabawi ang kamay ko. Napatayo ako sa ginawa niyang paghila.

"T-teka lang!" Sinubukan kong bawiin ang kamay ko pero malakas siya.

"Come with me" kage's eyes were like daggers.

"Saan? T-teka! Babayaran ko muna ang mga inino—"

"I think the guy already paid for yours" tumingin siya sa counter na kung saan ay may ilang libo doon.

"I didn't know he paid for mine too—" hindi ko na natuloy dahil hinila niya na ako. Lumiko kami hanggang sa makarating kami sa medyo madilim na parte ng resto bar.

"Who was that? Another one of your boys? Did you succeed to seduce one tonight?" He spat harshly.

"I—no! I don't know. Hindi ko siya kilala"

"You don't know? So why are you talking to him, huh?"

"He approached me first. And he was just being nice. Wala kaming ginawang masama."

"Talaga lang huh?"

"We just talked." I stated.

"You're talking with a Goddamn stranger zephryine! Paano kung may gawin na namang masama sayo! Hindi ka pa ba nadadala last time?! Muntikan ka ng madala ng putanginang lalaki sa bar!" Pasigaw niya.

"And now you're concerned? Anong nangyari? Nasaan na ang mga babae mo? Bakit ako naman ang kinakausap mo ngayon?"

"They left"

"Exactly. That explains it. Bakit mo ako kinakausap? Why do you keep approaching me everytime na pagkatapos mo akong pagsalitaan ng masama...pahiyain?"

Hindi siya nakapagsalita. Tinitigan niya lang ako. His eyes spoke for himself, it's saying he's sorry. But i want words.

"Why do you keep making me feel like s**t? Is that what you're good at? 'Yon ba ang isa sa mga katangian mong hindi mo pinapakita sa akin noon?"

"What do you want me to say then? What do you want me to do?" He was a bit calm now.

"Bakit? Gagawin mo ba? Diba nga hindi ka na sunod-sunuran sa'kin? Yun ang sabi mo diba?"

"Just say it. Tell me" he said looking away.

"Forget it"

Umiling ako. I just realized, it's unfair for him to apologize to me knowing na mas higit pa ang ginawa kong p*******t sa kaniya. It's just unfair to make him feel sorry for just a simple humiliation. A runaway bride, after all, is something worse for a supposed groom to handle.

Nilapit ko ang aking kamay sa kaniyang mukha. Slowly, i managed to land my palm on his cheek. The bottom of my lip slightly shivered as i realized na hinahayaan niya lang ako. Hindi niya iyon inaalis o ano. He let me be. He let our skin touch.

I looked at him fully in the eyes. Trying to see further. Testing if he would look away, and for the first time, he didn't. Dumako ang tingin ko sa kaniyang labi. I bit my lip as i slowly leaned further. At ilang pulgada na lang ay tumigil ako, i wanted to see kung iiwas ba siya. And i smiled when he didn't.

Ilalapit ko na sana ang mga labi namin nang siya na mismo ang gumawa. Napasinghap ako sa labi niya ng isandal niya ako sa pader ng madilim na parte ng bar na ito. He kissed me deeply as he held me tightly by the waist. Tutugon na sana ako nang nilayo niya na ang mga labi niya.

"Cunning. But still slow." He planted another kiss on my lips. Pero madali lang iyon.

"What was that?" I breathed out. Still can't get over about the kiss that we just shared. Bahagyang nanlalaki ang mga mata ko.

"That means you're still mine." Napasinghap ako ulit, not because of his words, but because he just suddenly cupped my breast! "This too"

"Ooohhh!! K-kage" I moaned uncontrollably when he suddenly massaged it. Napakapit ako sa kamay niyang iyon.

"Tell that to your guy friend"

I tried reaching for him. Sinubukan ko ulit ilapit ang aming mga labi pero nilayo niya iyon. Bahagyang kumirot ang dibdib ko.

"I'm the only one who can kiss you. That is your punishment"

Sinubukan ko ulit siyang abutin pero hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang pulsuhan. Mukhang pinapanindigan niya nga ang sinabi niya.

"What the—for what!"

"For making my blood boil countless times this day you little vixen"