DARE TO LOVE ME

CHAPTER 2

(Zachary's POV)

I just arrived here in mansion. I decided to take a week off, but dinala ko pa rin ang trabaho ko dito sa bahay.

As soon I entered, people greeted me. Well, they haven’t seen me for how many months already. Minsan lang kasi ako umuwi kapag may occasion lang.

“Si mom and dad?” tanong ko sa isang empleyado.

“Nasa farm po si sir, si ma’am po nasa beach galing po siyang airport, sinundo po yung mga bisita niya po.”

“ok, thank you.” Palabas na ako to see mom kasi mas malapit ang beach kesa sa farm, so I will look for mom just to say hi and head upstairs para makapagpahinga nako.

I spotted mom with a woman in the seaside. I slowly walk towards at them.

“Mom?”

“Hey, son! You came!!” as expected, she is so happy and delighted to see me.

“Of course, you make me look a bad son as you keep complaining for not coming home.” I look at a woman beside her. Wait... she looks familiar.

“Di ka naman mabiro. Oh, by the way… this is Hera, your ninang Amanda’s daughter. Hera, this is my son, Zachary.”

Hera. I’ve never heard that name before but her face… looks very familiar to me. As if, we’ve met in the past.

“Nice to meet you, Hera.” I extended my hand for a handshake.

“Well.. yeah… m-my pleasure.” She reaches my hand. She doesn’t look comfortable.

“Have we met before?” I’m really bothered. I want to know if we are familiar to each other.

“Ha?... ahm.. n-no, yeah no. It’s.. yeah, it’s my f-first time?...hmm.. to see you, I g-guess.” Okay. Now I’m really bothered. She’s lying.

“Oh, okay..” Well, that doesn’t matter, maybe we just encountered in the street or somewhere else. Yeah, let’s keep it that way. “By the way mom, I will head inside, I’m quite tired and I need a rest.”

“Oh, ok.. we will call you for dinner, son.” I kiss mom’s head and smile to Hera as I need to leave.

“See you later, Hera.” She forces a smile at tumango. She’s kinda weird.

I walk away from them and headed upstairs. As soon, I entered my room, I open my laptop and continue my work. Yeah, dinala ko ang trabaho sa bahay. I have no choice, as the deadline of the project is approaching.

But I can’t concentrate. I keep thinking about Hera. I do really have a feeling that we’ve met before. If she’s just a random passerby then I wouldn’t be familiar of her. But I have this feeling that we had a connection in the past.

Sumasakit lalo ang ulo ko. I look in my watch for the time as I need to sleep just an hour. But I glance at the bracelet in my wrist next to my watch. It’s a red string bracelet.

My eyes widened as I froze for a minute.

Wait…

She’s the Paris girl!!

I knew it!!!

Wait…

THE PARIS GIRL..IS HERA?!

IT’S HERA??!!!

F*CK!

(Hera's POV)

LUPA LAMUNIN MO NA TALAGA AKO!!!

“Oh, by the way… this is Hera, your ninang Amanda’s daughter. Hera, this is my son, Zachary.” Zach, ang hot ng name nya. Wait! Wag ngayon landi kong utak!

“Nice to meet you, Hera.” he extended his hand for a handshake. And I saw the bracelet that I lost in a hotel when I was in Paris. Pero teka lang, hindi ba niya ako namumukhaan?

“Well.. yeah… m-my pleasure.” I reaches my hand towards him. Kinakabahan ako, sana hindi nya ako maalala. It’s a relief if sana hindi nya maalala ang kababalaghang nangyari sa Paris.

“Have we met before?” s**t!

“Ha?... ahm.. n-no, yeah no. It’s.. yeah, it’s my f-first time?...hmm.. to see you, I g-guess.” Hala sige, mag deny denayan tayo Hera.

“Oh, okay..” sana na convinced ko sya. “By the way mom, I will head inside, I’m quite tired and I need a rest.”oh, thank god! Hindi ako makatingin ng deretso sa kanya eh.

“Oh, ok.. we will call you for dinner, son.” he kiss his mom’s head and smile at me.

“See you later, Hera.” I forced myself to smile at tumango sa kanya.

As he was gone. Inakbayan ako ni tita. “Handsome di ba?” napalingon ako kay tita.

“Ah hehe.. opo, mana po sa lahi nyo, hehe.” Kung alam mo lang po tita pero dapat hindi mo malaman baka mas magiging excited ka pa.

“So, na love at first sight ka.” May bahid panunukso ni tita sa akin, ang lawak ng ngiti e.

“Po?.. ahmm..” as I shake my head for saying no. Love at first sight? Well.. siguro ..noon, but actually he is my first.

“Ok lang yan. You can be honest.” Grabe talaga maka ngiti tita. Lumapit pa sya sa akin para bumulong. “I will help you, hehe.”

Ngumiti na lang ako, para mas gumanda ang mood niya.

[Inside the Mansion]

We’re preparing for dinner now at lutang pa rin ako. Nahihiya talaga akong harapin siya kasi nga… ano.. basta uy!

“Hera, can you call Zach upstairs? It’s time for a dinner, darling.” Utos ni tita.

“Po?” Ako talaga ang napag utusan.

“Just head in the second floor, turn right, then the second door is his room.” Why naman ako pa tita.

“Ahhh.. ok po.” No choice.

Nanginginig yung legs ko besh. Nakakailang ito. Binagalan ko yung lakad ko, para maka pagprepare ako sa magiging approach ko sa kanya.

Wait! he doesn’t remember me. So, why to worry? Di ba? As if maalala niya yung kababalaghang nangyari last year eh ang tagal-tagal na nun.

Okay! Tumataas na ang confidence ko girl.

I reached his room. I’m about to knock when the door opened.

I frozed.

Yeah, our eyes meet.

As I keep staring at his eyes, the memories that I have forgotten slowly coming back. WAIT! NO.. DON’T COMEBACK MEMORY!

Binaba ko ang aking kamay at umiwas ako sa titig nya..

“It’s dinner time, sabi ni tita tawagin daw kita.” And I run downstairs. Hindi ko na hinintay ang sasabihin niya. Ang lagkit kasi ng titig eh. Kinakabahan ako. Makakakain ba ako nito ng maayos nito? Wahhhh!!!!

Pagbaba ko, I see tito, Zach’s dad.

“Hi, tito.” And I embrace him.

“Oh, ito ba ang anak ni Luis at Amanda. Kay gandang dilag, manang mana sa ina.” He patted my head.

“Where’s your dad?”

“He’s in Spain for a business meeting."

“Hey, dad.” ‘It’s him, hindi ako tumingin sa kanya at dumeretso na sa table para tulungan sina mom sa pagpeprepare.

We gather at the table to have dinner. Tita’s birthday is tomorrow, so we will help her to prepare for tomorrows celebration.

Tahimik lang po ako sa tabi-tabi habang kumakain. Kaharap ko pa naman si Zach, gaganahan ka bang kakain? Well kung gwapo, yes… pero may past kasi ei… it’s a little bit uncomfortable, hindi nga lang little bit eh.

“Zach, please pass this to Hera.” Napalingon ako.

“Y-yeah..” Zach grab the plate and pass it to me. As I hold the plate, but I touched his hand. Hindi ko napigilang mapatingin sa kanya at ganoon din siya.

I stare at his mesmerizing eyes, the reason why I gave in to him way back in Paris... Naalala ko na naman, umiwas ako and grab the plate from him.

Ayoko talaga syang titigan dahil nakaka laglag panty yung titig nya at lumalanding yung titig ko sa labi nya… wait! Ba’t napunta sa labi? Naaakit ka Hera?

Well … I look again at him then... at his lips. I can really say that he is the best way back in Pari-- Stop it Hera!

Maybe, I'll just enjoy the food, favorite ko pa naman ito, shrimp and crab!

Oh right! I need a dip.. where is it? I was about to grab the sauce when he grab it too at the same time. We touch each others pinky finger.

I look at him.

He did the same..

Ba't ba ang gwapo nya. Siya naman ngayon ang umiwas.

He cleared his throat. "Ladies first." And offer the sauce without looking at me.

"Thank you." I grab the bowl. Why do I have this feeling na he remember me.

After our dinner, Tita help us upstairs to prepare our bedroom. Actually, iba kami ng room ni mom, so, nagmukmuk ako sa kwarto.

OK.

Past na yun. It should not bring up kasi past na yun. Di ba? Di ba? E convince niyo ako, parang awa niyo na.

Hays, to be honest, I'm really afraid to admit that he is the man who took my virginity. My first kiss and my first s*x was with him in Paris as a strangers. Hays! Ba’t ba kasi sya pa ang anak ni Tita!

AYOKO NA SA EARTH!