Dancing with Fire

CHAPTER 27 - Missing

CHAPTER 27

"Where have you been?" Tanong ni Trenton pagkabukas niya ng pinto para kay Sandra.

Nagulat naman ang dalaga pagkakita niya sa sumalubong na binata. "Hi Trent, you're early." And by his tradition, greeted her with a kiss on the forehead. "Kanina ka pa?"

"Early eh mag-eeleven o'clock na."

"Alas-dose na kasi ang pinakamaaga mong uwi at alas-nwebe naman ang pinakalate mong pasok sa umaga." Pangangatwiran naman niya.

"The scheduled opening will be in the next two months at kailangan naming habulin iyon." Referring to the hotel that the firm has been working on for a few months now.

"I know." She replied nonchalantly. Namimiss na niya ang kulitan nilang dalawa at ang katopakan nito kapag binibiro siya nito. Ngayong busy si Trenton sa kanyang trabaho at halos hindi niya na ito regular na nakikita o nakakausap ng matagal.

Miss na kita Trent.

Tsk. Clingy.

"Ano?"

"Ha?"

"Sabi ko, kumain ka na ba? Bumili ako ng para sayo." Sabay turo sa nakabalot na pagkain sa mesa. "Nauna na akong kumain kasi gutom na ako."

"Oo tapos na akong kumain." Trying to sound casual as possible.

Nakuha naman ng suot ni Sandra ang atensyon nito. "Kanino ba yang suot mong t-shirt?" Pansin niya.

Nawala sa isip ni Sandra ang kanyang suot-suot na t-shirt and was caught off guard. "Ah, ito?" Pinching her shirt lightly, "It's from... Wesley. Nasabuyan kasi ng soy sauce yung damit ko kanina kaya pinahiram niya muna ako ng t-shirt."

Wesley na naman.

"Your get up looks like you just got home from a honeymoon." He joked, fixing the dinner on the table. "And it's certainly not with him."

"Sira." And nervously ran her fingers through her still-wet hair. She shrugged off the idea of lying again and thought of shifting to another topic. "How's work?"

"Great." He enthusiastically replied. "A new client came in from London. Nakakabigla nga cause he was planning to construct a villa here. He heard the firm from a friend who used to be our client, saw our designs and was fascinated. He'll be the one coming here in L.A. next week to meet the team."

"Talaga?" And hugged him from the back, overwhelmed with gladness, "Bilib na talaga ako sayo Trent. I never doubted your capabilities, just envied." She said coyly.

Another months of absence coming right up.

"Bakit ka naman maiinggit eh, magaling ka rin naman."

"Yeah, right." Giving a contrived smirk.

Inakbayan naman siya ni Trenton . "You're doing that self-pity again." But before he could plant a kiss on her temple, he stopped short when he noticed something on Sandra's face.

"What's that red tint on your cheek?" Running his thumb pad gently on her cheek.

"Huh?" At agad niyang naalala ang dugo ni Adam na tumilapon sa mukha at kagamitan niya.

Hell.

She held the sling of her bag tight where she kept her bloody clothes and smiled at him. "Ah, maybe it's the paint that we used for decorating the stage kanina."

"Program?"

"Nagpatulong kasi yung dramatics club na tapusin yung gagamitin nilang backdrop for their mini-play."

"You should join the club." He said, fixing the food on the table.

"Loko-loko. Ano naman ang kaalam-alam ko sa pagdadrama."

"Magaling ka namang magkunwari diba?" He commented with conviction.

Well... Shit. He knew I was lying.

"For almost three years, hindi pa rin alam ng mga kaibigan mo kung sino ka talaga. Well that's beyond expectation." Sabay lagay ng mga natirang pagkain sa fridge.

Jesus. Akala ko...

"I'll think it over."

Ang galing ko na ngang mag-formulate ng mga kasinungalingan eh. Maybe I should really join the club.

"May gagawin ka ba ngayong gabi?" Trenton asked midway upstairs.

"Wala naman... Bakit?"

"Doon ka muna sa kwarto ko matulog, I need company to keep me awake."

"Ayan, gagawin mo na naman akong clown." Sandra half-smiled.

"I missed you Sweep." Trenton sincerely replied, his eyes intently looking at her.

The way he said it made her heart skipped a beat. It's a different version of what she always see and hear from the man who's been with her for almost three years.

I missed you too.

(Author's note: sorry for not being too intricate with this chapter, I was in a hurry last night finishing this cause of my sudden errands and busy schoolwork.)