Perfect Dancer

Chapter five

DAMON

I DREW IN A deep breath as I continued to stare at the laptop screen where I could see the woman named Atarah whom I met in a very unexpected way. She indeed looks exactly like Merideth, from her face, body, and even their complexion is the same. Siguro kung hindi nakita ng dalawang mata ko ang mga huling sandali ni Merideth ay iisipin kong iisa lang sila, na baka may amnesia siya o nagpapanggap lang.

But no, she’s not my fiancé, she is someone else, and she’s far from Merideth. But I’m still skeptical. A twin perhaps?

“Who are you Atarah Montecalvo?” I murmured to myself.

I flinched when I hear a knock on my office door and I knew it was Jacob, my male assistant who is as handsome as me, of course. Mabilis kong isinara ang aking laptop at umupo nang tuwid saka tumingin sa orasan na nakapatong sa aking lamesa. It’s almost lunch and maybe that’s the reason why Jacob suddenly came into my office.

“Come in,” I told him and cleared my throat.

“Hello, Sir Damon,” agad na bati nito at lumapit sa akin. “May meeting ka mamayang one pm,—“

“Cancel it,” mabilis kong sagot at tumayo saka namulsa. “Cancel all my appointment today, Jacob—“

“Pero, Sir Damon. Si Mister Yu ang ka-meeting mo—“

“Just re-schedule our meeting, Jacob. May importante akong kailangang gawin ngayon,” saad ko at lumabas ng aking opisina.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim at nakapamulsang naglakad palapit sa opisina na pinapalinis ko kay Atarah. I don’t even know why I made her clean it, or maybe I just want her to be there because she reminds of my Merideth. I took another inhalation and went inside only to find her dancing in a very sensual way. I clenched my jaw as I felt how my muscles tensed and my crotch area suddenly made a f*****g tent. Pinilig ko na lamang nang bahagya ang ulo ko at tumikhim.

“Miss Montecalvo,” agaw ko sa kaniyang atensyon.

“Ay pekpek!” gulat niyang sabi at nanlalaki ang mata na lumingon sa akin. “S-Sir?”

“What are you doing?” I asked her raising my brow.

“S-Sumasayaw?”

“Why? Binabayaran ba kita para sumayaw?” I asked again, but this time with my clenched jaw.

“Pasensya na po—“

“I don’t need your apologies, I want you to do your job perfectly—“

“Wala pong perfect sa mundo—“

“There is, Miss Montecalvo,” putol ko sa sinasabi niya at humakbang palapit hanggang sa halos isang pulgada na lamang ang layo namin sa isa’t isa. I can’t stop myself from inhaling her scent, it was a mixture of sweet strawberry and the smell of her natural sweat.

“Ano ‘yon, Sir Damon? Ano yung perpekto, sige nga—“

“My life, Miss Montecalvo. Don’t you see it?”

I find it impossible to look away from her now that I've said those things. She seems to be disagreeing with what I just stated to her based on the way she looks at me. Dahan-dahan naman na kumunot ang noo ko nang unti-unting kumurba ang kaniyang labi na nauwi sa isang ngiti.

“Sa bagay, may point po kayo. Sino ba naman kasi ang hindi iisiping perpekto ang buhay kung nag-uumapaw sa banko ang pera. ‘Di ba?” aniya at bahagyang lumayo saka dinampot ang kaniyang gamit pang-linis. “Lunch time na po. Kakain muna ako.”

Matapos niya sabihin iyon ay akmang lalagpasan niya ako nang mabilis kong hawakan ang braso niya para pigilin. I don’t know why the hell I’m doing this but I feel like I need to. I took a deep breath and pull her closer to me again. I swallowed hard as I stared at her parted lips and they look f*****g inviting. Marahas akong nagbuga ng hangin at nag-iwas ng tingin dahil baka hindi ko na naman mapigilan ang sarili ko.

“T-Teka, anong problema, Sir?” nauutal niyang tanong.

As I stared at her face again where confusion and fear started to appear, my hold loosen. I gritted my teeth and let her go, and I took a few steps backward.

“Who are you? Where are you from? Who are your parents? Do you have a sister—“

Hindi ko natuloy ang sinasabi ko nang bigla na lang may kung anong tumunog na sumingit sa pagtatanong ko. Kumunot ang noo ko at bumbaba ang tingin ko sa kaniyang bandang tiyan at sa kaniyang mukha muli na ngayon ay nakangiwi na.

“What was that—“ I stopped talking when I realized that it was her stomach that makes the unpleasant sound. “Fix yourself, we’re eating outside.”

“Fix? Sira ba ako—“ natigilan siya nang lingunin ko siya at titigan nang matalim. “Okay, Boss!”

“I’ll wait for you outside.”

As I went out of the room, my lips curve. Mabilis kong pinilig ang ulo ko para alisin ang ngiti na hindi ko alam kung san man nanggaling. Hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang magtaka dahil sa pagkakapareho ng physical appearance nila. But, other than that, they are a totally different person. Merideth was a kind, modest, and sweet person. She always had a warm smile on her lips, which she gave to anybody. Merideth was flawless, smart, and a really elegant lady. Atarah, however, is her exact opposite. She is a woman who can offer her body to anyone, she is a chaotic person and she is foolish. She is full of flaws.

Napatingin ako sa pinto ng bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa niyon si Atarah Montecalvo. I don’t even know why I’m inviting her for a lunch.

“What do you want to eat?” I asked her.

“Ikaw,” inosente niyang sagot.

Kumunot naman ang noo ko at napalunok ng laway dahil hindi ko inaasahan ang sagot niya. I didn’t know that she is so f*****g vulgar—

“Ikaw ang bahala,” aniya at nilagpasan ako.

I froze and blink my eyes a few times. “Yeah, right.”

Damn.

I CLOSED MY EYES, CLENCHED MY JAW, and then I tiredly moved my gaze to Atarah, who was munching her food like a pig, she so damn loud. We ate in a steak house and she already ate almost ten plates, she even asked for unlimited rice that isn’t even on the menu. Now our table looks like ten people already ate here. Huminga ako nang malalim at dahan-dahan na nilapag ang mga kubyertos at huminto sa pagkain. Napansin naman niya iyon kaya huminto rin siya at binaling ang tingin sa akin.

“Eat slowly,” saad ko.

She answered me but I barely understand her because of the food inside her mouth that makes her cheeks puffy. I took a deep sigh and looked at her sharply with my brows up. Mukhang nakuha naman niya iyon dahil nilunok niya muna ang kaniyang nginunguya at ngumiti.

“Salamat sa libreng pakain, Sir. Lahat ba ng bagong empleyado may ganito?”

“No. You’re the only one.” Tinitigan ko ang mga plato niyang walang laman at bumalik sa kaniyang mukha. “Are you done?”

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya at uminom ng tubig saka sunod-sunod na tumango. Napabuntong-hininga naman ako at tumawag ng waiter na agad namang lumapit. After tapping my card on the small payment terminal, I stood up and walked out. Nakasunod lang sa akin si Atarah papunta sa parking area na may toothpick pa sa bibig. Nang marating namin ang kotse ay huminto ako at humarap sa kaniya.

“Who are your parents?” I suddenly asked. What if she is Merideth’s long-lost twin? But Merideth doesn’t have siblings. Damn!

Kumunot ang noo niya at dinura ang toothpick. “P-Patay na po ang mga magulang ko—“

“Do you have a sister? Perhaps a twin?”

Tumango siya na pakurap-kurap marahil ay dahil sa pagtataka. “May nakakabatang kapatid ako pero kambal? Imposible.”

Lumalim ang kunot ng noo ko at humakbang palapit sa kaniya saka huminto sa kaniyang harapan. Hindi ko mapigilan ang igala ang aking tingin sa kabuuan ng kaniyang mukha kasabay nito ang mga magagandang alaala ng babaeng minahal ko at hanggang ngayon kahit tatlong taon na ang lumipas na namatay siya ay mahal ko pa rin.

Atarah’s face reminds me of her, her eyes, nose, lips, everything. Damn, I miss her so much that if God asked me to surrender everything I have to make Merideth came back to me, I will gladly will. But it is beyond possible.

“Okay ka lang ba, Sir Damon?” tanong niya na bakas sa mukha ang pagtataka.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko dahil bigla ko na lang siyang kinabig at niyakap nang mahigpit, sobrang higpit na para bang doon nakasalalay ang buhay ko. I buried my face on her neck, inhaling her natural sweet scent, gritting my teeth so f*****g hard as if it will make me feel okay. My chest tightened when realization finally sink in.

She is not my Merideth, and she will never be.