Heart 3: Swollen Heart

CHAPTER 33

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PREIOUS PZRAE’S POV

Seeing the trees we are passing by and noticing how rough the road was becoming, I looked at Keiroh who was still driving with his ear-to-ear smile. He seems so occupied of what would he see few minutes from now.

I opened my phone. There is no freaking signal! How can I browse on twitter?!

It was kind of dark and it’s getting creepier as we plunged in the jungle deeper. Was it a jungle? I think so.

I partially opened the window and the fresh air of night slapped my face. The air here smelled different from the Manila’s polluted one. This place looks so unharmed and unmoved by the civilization which mostly destroys the nature.

“Dito ka lumaki?” I asked out of the blue.

I mean, how did he managed here? Sobrang dalang ng nadadaanan naming bahay and the only source of light are the lampposts. There are even a thin smoulder dancing around the atmosphere and I could hear the things on the backseat grumbling. The chick seems tired, though. Oh, poor creature.

“Oo.” He licked his lips. “Ito ang nakasaksi ng paghihirap namin.” He slowed the car down  then stepped the brake pedal. Keiroh parked the car beside the dark, creepy road, under a streetlight.

I suspected he just need something to do, but when he took his seatbelt off and rested his head to the backrest and heaved a deep breath, I went confused.

“Bakit ka tumigil?” I interrogated. “Are we here?” I roamed my eyes outside the window then I saw a little hut na medyo naka-slant na.

Inside the nipa hut was a little source of dancing light—fire, I guess?

“Hindi ko alam kung paano sasabihin sa kanila, Pzrae...” he muttered, getting my attention back.

“That was your house?” My forehead wrinkled.

“Ang alam nila sa company lang ako nagtatrabaho.” He didn’t answered me and just looked up at the car’s aircon, eyeing it intently. “Paano ko sasabihin?” He sighed, not looking at me.

“What’s the matter of working as my butler?” I asked. “That’s not a crime! After all, you have more salary than working in a company, doesn’t you?”

“Paano ko sasabihing may amo akong dalaga?” he said, still eyeing the aircon, his hands rested on the chair.

“That’s easy, I can introduce myse—”

“Paano ko sasabihing nahuhulog na ako sa ‘yo, Pzrae?” He averted his eyes from the aircon and looked at me with his shining eyes.

A lump formed inside my throat, trailing my words off to create a respond. I felt my blood rushed up to my face as my heart hammered my chest hysterically.

Dang it!

Why is he so... unpredictable?! Bakit bigla-bigla naman? Puwede namang magsabi bago bumanat, e! Nakapag-prepare sana ako! Para akong bigla-biglang binuhusan ng isang timbang malamig na tubig, e!

He tsked. “Tara na nga.”

Tumagal pa ng halos dalawang minuto akong tulala sa loob ng sasakyan bago ko napagtantong kinakatok na niya ang bintana ko.

“Hoy, tara na!”

“Oo na, ito na,” I answered as I took the seat belt off.

Bakit ba parang wala lang sa kaniya mga banat niya? Kung umasta siya parang hindi siya aware na bumabanat siya!