C6 6

(Amara)

She is looking at Iris but she can’t seem to forget what Brad just did to her in his car. He kissed her till her lips felt numb. Literal na minanyak siya nito. He even attempted to touch her breasts but she proteste at mabuti naman pinakawalan siya nito. Hindi din niya makalimutan ang sinabi nito.

"Sweet...you are so fucking sweet babe. Hindi na ako makapaghintay kapag nasolo na ulit kita. Don't ever forget that you are mine now. And whatever you do inside that restaurant...I will be watching. One wrong move from that asshole, I will slash his throat! "

“Uy Amara! Okay ka lang? Sabi mo in five minutes andito ka na pero bakit ang tagal mo! Napano ka ba? May problema?”dinig niyang tanong nito.

Napakurap siya.

"Sorry. Tumawag kasi si daddy so I had to pull over. ." sabi niya bago siya umupo.

She made sure na nakatalikod siya kay Brad. She doesn't want to have indigestion kung kakain siya na nakikita ito. Pero ang malaking katanungan is, can she eat knowing that he is in the same room with her and is watching her every move? Daig pa niya ang may bodyguard.

“Kanina pa kayo?” tanong niya.

" Halos kakadating lang din namin." Sagot ni Iris.

"Mara!" a delighted male voice called her na nagpaangat ng mukha niya to where it came from.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya when she saw Ron coming towards her. Before she could stop him, he leaned forward to kiss her and then a fist landed on his cheek which sent him almost flying to the other end of the room.

Malakas na mura ni Brad ang narinig niya bago siya napatayo. Para itong kidlat sa bilis when he went to where Ron is to punch him again.

"No!!" she screamed habang awang naman ang bibig ni Iris na nakatingin lang sa nangyayari.

"You! Fucking! Asshole!!" galit na mura ni Brad as he smacks Ron repeatedly.

Nakasandal ang huli sa dingding ng restaurant while Brad is grabbing the front part of his shirt as he hits him repeatedly. Some male staff came and are now witnessing what's happening but no one dared to come near the two men . Her instant boyfriend's rage is sky high at sa laki ng katawan at tangkad nito, walang maglalakas loob ba awatin ito. Nagtutulakan pa ang mga waiter kung sino ang aawat.

"Do something!!" Takot na sabi ni Iris ng wala man lang ni isa ang nag-attempt to stop Brad.

Hindi nila makita si Ron dahil natatakpan ito ng badass bf niya. Both men are very tall but Brad is hunkier. Nang maisip na mabubugbog sarado si Ron, naglakas loob na siyang lumapit.

"Babe stop!" sigaw niya bago siya yumakap sa likod nito with her eyes closed.

Tumigil naman ito sa pagsuntok when her arms wrapped around him.

"Don't you fucking come near her again if you still want to live!" dinig niyang galit na galit ns sabi nito kay Ron bago nito sinipa ang huli ng malakas.

The other man let out a moan of pain.

"Stop babe! " awat niya as her arms around him tightened. She can feel the tension in his muscles.

He removed her arms around his body. Isinubsob niya ang mukha sa dibdib nito when he turned around to hug her. She can feel his chest going up and down from anger. She is so small and fragile against him. He is all muscles and very tall. The top of her head only reaches his chin.

"Let's get out of here!" he said through clenched teeth bago siya nito hinila with him.

"I'm sorry! I'll explain later! I'll call you! " She was able to tell Iris bago siya hinila ni Brad away from the place.

Nakaawang pa din ang bibig nito habang sinusundan sila ng tingin. Nagpasalamat siya na mabilis na tinulungan ng mga waiter si Ron. Hindi na niya tinignan kanina kung ano ang hitsura nito when Brad finally released him.

Halos matapilok na siya sa bilis at laki ng hakbang nito as he drags her by her left hand.

"S-Saan t-tayo pupunta?" she asked na may nginig sa boses.

Malapit na sila sa parking at parang ayaw na niyang isipin kung ano ang gagawin nito sa kanya. He is still fuming.

She saw with her two eyes na wala talaga itong kinatatakutan nd he is true to his words. Mas matindi ang takot niya ngayon dito. This Brad Tanner Lopez is a true blue lunatic badass and apparently , in his book, nobya siya nito.She almost sobbed in relief when she saw one of their cars coming towards them.

***

She pretends to be listening to her yaya as she talks in the vehicle because her mind is elsewhere. She is now having second thoughts na magsumbong sa daddy niya or kahit kanino about what really happened. Hindi maalis sa isip niya ang ibinulong ni Brad bago bumaba ang yaya Amy niya sa kotse kanina to come to her.

"I know what you are thinking babe. Think twice. I told you that no one can stop me not even your father. Ayaw mo namang may mangyari sa kanya hindi ba? Your father is almost 60 years old and I am not. And

you don't have to tell them yet na tayo na if you are not ready. They will eventually know anyway..." he said in a confident voice before he let go of her hand and readied a smile on his lips.

“Naku fan na fan ako dati ng daddy nun! Ang guwapo at macho kaya ni Brandon Lopez lalo nung kabataan nun! Bad boy ng UFC pero sobrang nakakakilig! Pero nagulat ako baby girl! Mas malaki pa ang katawan pala ni Brad! At ang guwapo-gwapo din ha? At mukha namang mabait kahit tadtad ng tattoo ang katawan! Dinaig pa ang ama sa mga tatoo! Mabuti na lang andun siya kaya napagtanggol ka niya sa kuya ni Iris! Akala ko pa naman mabait yun! Manyak din pala! HMP" inis na sabi ni yaya Amy.

Nakagat niya ang ibabang labi. Ang sabi kasi ni Brad nakita nito na binabastos siya ni Ron kaya nito sinuntok. Gusto pa sanang sumugod ng yaya niya para awayin si Ron pero sabi ni Brad okay na daw. Naiganti na siya nito. Sinabi nito na pamangkin nito ang isa sa student nila sa school kaya kilala siya.Nang banggitin nito ang buong pangalan, tuwang-tuwa ang yaya niya nang malaman na anak ito ni Brandon Lopez. Ibang klase talaga ang badass na instant bf niya. Hindi lang magaling manakot. Magaling ding magpaikot using his charms. Bilib na bilib na agad ang yaya niya dito.

"Y-Yaya..huwag mo na lang sasabihin kay daddy ha? Ayaw ko nang mag-alala at magalit siya." mahinang pakiusap niya.

Nakahinga siya ng maluwag nang tumango ito bago naglitanya ulit. Hinayaan na lang niya. Isinandal niya ang ulo sa upuan and closed her eyes. Like her mom, she has migraine. Inaatake na yata siya. A lot of things happened today.She can hear her phone ringing pero hindi niya pinansin.

"Baby girl! Ang cellphone mo!" sabi ng yaya niya.

"Hayaan mo na yaya. Baka si Iris. Mamaya na lang kami mag-uusap. Masakit angt ulo ko. " she said na nakapikit pa din.

She has a feeling na si Brad ang tumatawag. He got her number bago sila naghiwalay kanina. She didn't want to give it to him but by the way he looked at her, napilitan na siyang ibigay. Pero wala siyang balak sagutin ang mga tawag nito. Ngayon na makakauwi na siya, she will try to avoid him. Hindi man siya magsusumbong sa daddy niya, she will do her best para iwasan ito.

Wala pa ang mommy at daddy niya paguwi nila.May dinaluhang party ang mga ito. She took a pain killer for her migraine. Ni hindi na nga siya nakakain ng dinner dahil sa sakit ng ulo. Pero bago siya nahiga, she texted Iris first. Sabi na lang niya na huwag nang sabihin sa magulang niya ang nangyari. She promised that she will tell her everything when she is able. Nag-apologize ulit siya dito. Hindi na niya inexpect na magrereply ito so she turned off her phone. Ilang beses na kasing tumatawag si Brad. Wala siyang planong kausapin ito. She is home and she is safe. Gusto na niyang manahimik. Dahil sa trauma at ininom na pain killer, agad siyang nakatulog matapos ma-text ang kaibigan.

Next morning…

She opened her eyes when she heard someone knocking. Still a little groggy from sleep, she opened her door.Nakakunot ang noo ng daddy niya ng buksan niya ang pintuan. Her mother is next to him.

"Are you okay? Hindi ka papasok?" Nick asked bago ito halikan ng anak sa pisngi.

Amara walked again to her bed after kissing him while shaking her head from left to right.

"Are you sick anak?" asked her mom.

Kasunod nito ang isa sa kasambahay na may dalang pagkain. Ipinalagay ng ina ang tray sa lamesa .

She uttered a quiet no to answer her mother. She laid on her bed again and covered her body with the comforter.Umupo sa gilid ng kama ang daddy niya.

"Did something happen?" worried na tanong nito. Dinama pa nito ang noo niya.

"Nothing happened dad. I just want to go back to sleep." antok na sabi niya.

"Sige anak. Magpahinga ka na lang. I will call Iris. Sasabihin ko na hindi ka papasok." dinig niyang sabi ng ina.

She just moaned as a yes. Antok na antok pa din siya. She knows epekto pa din ito ng ininom niyang gamot kagabi.

Nag-inat siya bago nagbukas ng mata . She saw the time. It’s past 1 PM. Ang haba pala ng tulog niya. She feels refreshed. Pinindot niya ang intercom near her bed. She is hungry. Magpapahanda siya ng tanghalian. Pagkaligo bababa na lang siya. Ayaw muna niyang mag-isip ng kung ano-ano.

***

She shrieked in surprise when she got out of the bathroom.

Brad is leaning on the wall near her bed as he looks at her with eyes like slits. Hubad baro ito. He is only in his jeans.

" You are not taking my calls babe..so here I am...." he said.

His words are like icicles.

"Oh God..." naanas niya.

Hindi niya alam kung paano nakapasok ito sa kwarto niya. She is helpless. No one will hear her even if she screams her lungs out. Her walls are soundproof.

He flexed his neck muscles before speaking again.

"Don’t be surprised seeing me here babe. I told you I can do anything or have you forgotten that? May duda ka pa din bas a kung ano ang kaya kong gawin?" he asked with a sneering smile na para bang nabasa ang nasa isip niya.

He straightened to walk towards her na titig na titig pa din sa kanya.

Kahit takot na takot, she turned and ran back to the bathroom . Sa nanginginig na kamay, pinihit niya ang lock pero napahiyaw at napaatras siya nang malakas na itinulak ni Brad ang pintuan.