C9 Kabanata 8

Kabanata 8

As I watched him enter the driver's seat, the first thing that I noticed was the hurricane forming in his aura and the boundless darkness that's lurking on his pair of jet-black eyes. Malakas niyang isinara ang pinto sa gilid niya dahilan para mapaigtad ako.

"Ano bang problema mo? Bakit basta-basta mo na lang ako dinala dito sa sasakyan mo?!" angil ko sa kanya.

Hind niya ako pinansin. Sa halip ay itinuko niya ang siko niya sa gilid ng bintana, inihilig ang ulo sa headrest bago minasahe ang sentido. He looks pissed and problematic. The muscles on his jaw are twitching while lips set into a grim line.

Pumikit siya, bumuntong hininga bago nagmulat ulit. He suddenly bore his stern eyes into me, making me gulp with the intensity I'm witnessing from there.

Bumaba ang mga mata niya sa suot ko. Nakaramdam ako ng pagkailang sa klase ng titig niya. Maging ako tuloy ay napatingin na rin sa mga hita ko. The hem of my dress was now reaching my upper thighs. Pilit ko itong ibinaba at alanganing nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya.

I found him staring at my legs. Wala akong makita na kahit anong paghanga roon. Para ngang naiinis pa siya sa itsura ko.

Masiyado ba akong masagwa tingnan?

"What the fuck are you wearing, Francheska?" he asked all of a sudden.

My lips seperated at his nonsense question. "A... dress?"

His eyes narrowed. "Don't go smart on me, woman."

"Totoo naman, ah! Ano ba ang itatawag mo sa ganito kung hindi dress lang naman tala-"

"That's not the dress I was expecting you to wear!" his thunderous voice echoed all over the car that made me jolt in obvious shock.

My brows formed in a confused line. "Anong hindi ito ang inaasahan mong isuot ko? What are you expecting me to wear then? A turtle neck and and a jogger pants?"

The veins in his neck looks so strained as he glared at me. If those eyes were poisonous, I might be already dead right now.

Hindi ko na talaga siya makuha pang maintindihan. Ano ba ang problema niya sa damit kong ito? Doesn't he still find me appealing? I already came out of my comfort zone! I don't wear clothes like this but the thought that I might change the way he sees me as a girl made me do it!

"Ano bang sinasabi mo, Daniel? Ano bang dapat ko isuot? You're really acting strange when it comes to me, alam mo ba 'yon? Kung ayaw mo nitong suot ko, edi sana ikaw ang nag-provide para-"

"I fucking did! I was the one who bought the dress you're supposed to be wearing! At sigurado akong hindi iyan 'yon!" gigil na sigaw niya bago itinuon ang matalim na mga mata sa harapan.

Natigilan ako, namilog ang mga mata at umawang ang labi. "A-Ano? Anong ikaw ang... bumili? That's impossible! School ang nag-provide ng damit at sapatos ko-"

"I provided them the things you needed, Cheska. I asked them not to tell you about it for some reason."

I suddeny felt as if my lungs were slowly filling with water, as if there was just less space in them for the air.

Siya ang nagbigay? Hindi. Imposible iyon. Hindi puwedeng sa kanya nanggaling ang damit at sapatos na iyon. Why would he do that? Why would he waste his money for me? Para ano?Ako pa na kinaiinisan niya?

"B-Bakit?" Was all I can say.

Bumalik sa ala-ala ko ang itsura ng damit na sinira ng aso ko. Mahaba, may manggas at hindi damit pang rampa. Kung siya ang bumili no'n, ibig sabihin ay sinadya niyang maging ganoon ang istilo para magmukha akong kahiya-hiya sa event. He knew that is wasn't the kind of dress a muse should wear in an event like that. Masiyadong pormal at hindi makakatawag ng pansin.

So basically, he really wanted to embarrass me!

"Nag aksaya ka pa ng pera para lang ipahiya ako at maging katawa-tawa sa harap ng ibang tao?"

Salubong ang kilay niya nang lumingon siya sa akin. "What?"

"Siguro, dahil hindi ka nagtagumpay na paatrasin ako sa pagiging muse ng team mo, sa ganitong paraan mo na lang ako ipapahiya! Seriously, Daniel? Nag-effort ka pa talaga para lang ipahiya ako? Dahil lang ayaw mo sa akin?"

Those facts from me got his fully attention. Umayos siya ng pagkakaupo at hinarap ako. His face looks a bit calm now but behind that calmness was the raging fire flaring up in his eyes.

"Why don't you ask yourself, Cheska? Do you think I'd exert all these efforts just to embarrass you? Don't you think it's only a waste of time on my part?" he asked.

"Precisely my point! Bakit ka nagsasayang ng oras para lang ipahiya ako! Dahil lang ayaw mo sa akin!"

His lips twitched mockingly. Itinagilid niya ang ulo niya at marahang pinasadahan ng dila ang ibabang parte ng kanyang labi.

"Why do keep on saying that I hate you, hmm? Anong pruweba ang mayroon ka para masabing ayaw ko sa'yo?"

Hindi agad ako nakasagot sa paraang ng pagbibitaw niya ng mga salitang iyon. His tone was too gentle and deep. Para bang ingat na ingat siya sa pakikipagusap sa akin. He's talking to me like I am sort of a fragile person.

"Everybody says that you're a smart woman. Then why can't you read between the lines? Why can't you see the reason why I am doing all these crazy stuffs without you knowing?" he poured those questions on me while staring deeply into my eyes. There is a sudden tightness in my throat. My lungs feel as elastic as old underpants, just sagging instead of contracting for the next breath. "Why do you keep on saying that I hate you when it's really the other way around?"

Blood left my face when those words escaped his lips. Kumurap-kurap ako.

"A-Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

He bit his bottom lip, lowered his head and released a soft sigh. Nang mag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin ay nakita ko ang pamumungay nito na mas lalong nagpanginig sa kaloob-looban ko.

"I really did want you to back out from being our muse not because you don't look appealing to me, Cheska. Not gonna happen. Gusto kong umatras ka dahil ayokong makita kang naglalakad sa gitna ng maraming tao suot ang maiksing damit. But you're too stubborn. You wanted to prove me that I was wrong for embarrassing you when I really did it on purpose. Sa kabila ng pagpapahiya at pagpigil ko sa'yo, tumuloy ka pa rin..." he chuckled humorlessly. "But I couldn't stop. I really don't want you to walk in the middle of that crowd with nothing but a tiny dress. Naiisip ko pa lang, naiinis na ako. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, puwede naman siguro rumampa, basta maayos ang damit. I asked my brother's girlfriend to buy a dress for you that isn't revealing. Damn, I even checked it if it's already fine and won't show any private part of your body. Ibinigay ko iyon kay Coach at sinabing huwag ipapaalam na sa akin nanggaling. Knowing thay you'd walk in that crowd wearing a formal dress helps me to calm down," he sighed. "But this happened..."

"T-Teka lang! Hindi ko maintindihan! Puwede bang linawin mo lahat ng sinasabi mo? Nalalabuan ako sa'yo, Daniel!"

He chuckled. Isinandal niya ang ulo sa sandalan habang nakatitig sa akin.

"Nalalabuan ka... o, hindi ka lang makapaniwala? Alin sa dalawa, Cheska?"

Tumuwid ako ng pagkakaupo at bahagya rin humarap sa gawi niya. His eyes moved down my body, particular on my chest. Bagamat may jacket na nakapatong sa mga balikat ko ay hindi pa rin no'n nagawang takpan ang dibdib at tiyan ko. Bumalik ang dilim sa mga mata niya bago ipinako ang paningin sa aking mukha.

"You're still not answering my question earlier, Cheska. Why are you wearing that kind of dress? Where is the one I bought for you?" he asked darkly.

I sighed. "My dog ruined it last night. I was running out of time so..."

"You're very much aware of how revealing your dress is, Cheska. Alam kong hindi ganiyan ang istilo mo kaya bakit isinuot mo pa rin? I striked you as a woman who is simple but elegant," he exhaled heavily. "Damn it. You just made all the men drool over you."

Umikot ang mga mata ko. "Exaggerated ka! Kung hindi naman dahil sa'yo ay hindi ako papayag maging muse ng team mo! I was hurt by your words-"

"Which made me regret even more. Kung hindi kita inasar noon, hindi mo maiisipan tanggapin ang alok nila. Ang sabi ni Bryle ay hindi ka raw pumayag nung una kang tanungin ni Coach tungkol doon. You only agreed after I expressed my false opinion about you..." he explained, the sincerity was dripping from his husky voice. "I'm sorry, Cheska."

Nagiwas ako ng tingin, pinilit pagmukhaing mataray ang ekpresyon mukha. "Nangyari at tapos na, Daniel. Your apology will be useless."

"I know. Let me make it up to you."

Tumingin ako sa labas ng bintana kung saan tanaw ko ang pila-pilang sasakyan. May ilang tao rin ang nasa labas. May naglalakad, naguusap at naninigarilyo. Everyone seems to have a normal day aside from me. Umaga pa lang ay parang ang dami ng nangyari.

There are too much revelations happening right now. Sinadya akong ipahiya ni Daniel nung hapon na iyon sa harap ng mga kaibigan namin hindi dahil sa wala akong dating para sa kanya. Ininsulto niya ako dahil... ayaw niya akong maglakad sa harap ng maraming tao suot ang maiksing damit. He doesn't want me to catch everyone's attention. He provided the things I needed for this event to make sure that I'd be wearing decent clothes but still failed because of my dog. At ngayon ay narito ako sa loob ng sasakyan niya matapos niya ako hilahin mula roon sa court. He's fumming mad awhile ago because of my dress. Because I exposed too much of my skin.

Read between the lines... he wants me to do it. Pero baka kahit anong basa ang gawin ko, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan kung bakit kailangan niya gawin ang mga bagay na ginawa niya. Wala akong ibang maisip kung hindi ang kaalamang ayaw niya sa akin dahil wala akong dating... na mukha namang hindi totoo. Sabi niya.

"What are you thinking?"

His question snapped me out of thoughts. Nilingon ko siya at kalmado siyang nakatitig sa akin.

"Iyong mga sinabi mo kanina... ano ba talaga ang ibig sabihin no'n?" buong tapang na tanong ko.

Matunog siyang ngumisi. "My baby still don't get it, do you?"

My eyes broadened as heat filled my cheeks down my nape. I can feel the butterflies flying aggressively in my stomach. Sa simple at puno ng kalokohan na pagtawag na iyon, para na akong sinisilaban dito sa mismong kinauupuan ko.

"S-Shut up! I'm not your b-baby!"

God, Cheska! Why the hell are you stuttering?! Pinapakita mo lang sa kanya na may epekto sa'yo ang tawag niyang iyon!

Lumawak ang ngisi sa labi niya. Bago pa man siya makapagsalita ulit ay narinig ko ang tunog mula sa cellphone. I'm sure it wasn't mine because I don't have my personal things with me. Leaning the side of his body against the backrest, he slightly pulled his jersey up and took his phone that's placed inside the garter of his shorts. Nagbawi ako ng tingin dahil bahagya kong nasulyapan ang maputing tiyan niya.

Bumuntong hininga ako. May abs.

"Yes?" Daniel greeted after a couple of seconds. "I'll be there."

Pilit ko pa rin pinapakalma ang puso ko dahil kanina ko pa nararamdaman ang pagwawala nito. Eversince he dragged me out of the court and made me enter his car, my heart has already forgotten how to beat properly. Masiyadong nagwawala.

"I need to go back inside, Cheska."

Gulat akong napatingin kay Daniel nang sabihin niya iyon.

"Teka, bakit ikaw lang? Sasama ako!"

Umiling siya. "You'll stay here. Hindi ka na babalik roon."

My brows formed in a confused line. "What? Hindi puwede! Hahanapin ako nila coach at hindi pa tapos-"

"Ako na ang bahala. Hindi na rin ako sasali sa game. They can do it without me. Magpapaalam lang ako at kukunin ko na rin ang gamit mo. Just tell me where it is." he said it so easy like ditching the game is nothing for him.

"Hindi, Daniel. Babalik tayo sa loob-"

"No. You're not going back there with that dress. You already showed your presence there, ayos na 'yon. Where is your things?"

Inis kong kinamot ang pisngi ko at sinamaan siya ng tingin. "Kapag nagalit sa akin ang school sasabihin ko na kasalanan mo!"

He sneered. "Don't worry, Ches. I got your back."

"Tss! Na kay Amanda ang gamit ko. Pero hindi mo naman na kailangan iwan 'yung game niyo. Magpapalit na lang ako ng damit-"

"Tigas ng ulo..." pagputol niya sa sasabihin ko na ikinasimangot ko. "You'll change your clothes as soon as I get back then I'll drive you home. End of conversation."

Hindi niya na ako hinayaang sumagot pa dahil binuksan niya na ang pinto sa tabi niya at ibinaba ang mga paa sa simento. But just before he totally went out of it, he looked back at me and eyed me with so much intentness.

"If you're still clueless about this whole thing, then I'll make it clear to you. Listen carefully because I'll only say this once..." he said seriously, making the air stop from entering my chest. "I like you, Francheska," he breathed. "And even that word won't give justice on how I feel towards you."