Petrichor's Haven

/27/ - Forgotten One

"Orville," hinihingal na tawag ni Gab sa mabilis na naglalakad na Briton. "Tumigil ka muna."

Gab's steps were going after the ballistic guy. Ginagawa niya ito dahil hindi niya nagustuhan kung paano sinagot ng lalaki si Miss Minerva kanina.

Hindi ba alam ng lalaking ito ang salitang respeto?

"Orville!"

Hindi pa rin nagpatinag si Orville sa mga pagtawag sa kanya ni Gab. He just continued walking towards the mansion, sporting his talent of cancelling people. He scrunched up his face as greed overtook him.

"Orville," muling tawag ni Gab. Mabilis niyang hinablot ang kaliwang braso ng lalaki nang maabutan niya ito dahilan upang matigil ito sa paglalakad. "Teka lang muna!"

"What?" Orville responded indifferently. His golden eyes were peering at Gab. Namumula ang kanyang mukha at hindi nakaayos ang kanyang buhok. However, beneath his pale expression was darkness—a pitch-black dimension he never liked going.

"Bakit mo ginawa 'yon?" marahas na tanong ni Gab. She had gathered enough strength to face the guy. "That was so rude!" she firmly added.

"And why do you care?" Orville's voice remained uninterested but deep inside, he was wanting to escape Gab's stout grip on his arm. Kaya lang, para siyang pinigilan ng mga mata ni Gab na makawala mula sa kapit nito.

"Kasi mali ang ginawa mo," Gab maintained. "Napaka-unprofessional."

"And who gave you the right to address me as such?"

One thing great about Orville is that he didn't reciprocate Gab's fury. Nanatili siya sa kanyang mapaklang pagmumukha. Unlike Benjie or Taji or Dave, who, when Gab encountered them, turned like hungry lions wanting to devour their preys.

"Ako!" Gab scornfully answered. "Bakit? Sa tingin mo ba, tama ang ginawa mo?" Nag-iisip ba talaga nang matino ang lalaking ito? Gab wondered silently in full aghast.

"Anong pakialam mo kung tama o hindi ang ginawa ko?" agad na tugon ng lalaki sabay kawala sa mahigpit na kapit ni Gab sa kanyang braso. Ginawa iyon ni Orvile hindi dahil sa galit but because of alienation. This impulsive confrontation was totally foreign to him.

"Kasi nagtatrabaho ako kay Miss Minerva," Gab defended. "At hindi tama ang ginawa mong pag-insulto sa kanya!"

"Did I?" Orvilled raised both his brows.

"Yes! 'Yang pag-walk out mo, that was an insult to your director!"

He snorted. "So you're lecturing me now? Bakit? Ano bang tingin mo sa sarili mo?"

"Tao po ako," Gab emphasized, bulged her eyes now. "'Yan ang tingin ko sa sarili ko. Tao rin si Miss Minerva. Tao rin si Sir Leo. Kaya wala kang karapatang umastang parang Diyos para insultuhin sila o kahit sinumang taong nagtatrabaho rito sa FBU studio."

Orville did not respond. He just threw another devil look. Interesting, he thought. He wanted to smile to entertain the thought that just crossed his mind pero pilit niyang nilabanan iyon. Kailangan niyang manatili sa negatibo niyang disposisyon. Kailangang maniwala si Gab na totoong galit siya.

But really, the reason why he walked out from the rehearsal was because he didn't want to give up his lines. However, the story changed when Gab ran after him. He was never expecting that to happen.

Ibang klase 'tong babaeng ito, he silently murmured.

"Ibibigay mo lang naman ang ilang lines mo kay Renz," muling pakli ni Gab. "Big deal ba talaga 'yon sa 'yo?"

"Yes!" mabilis na tugon ng lalaki. Humalukipkip siya habang unti-unting binabaon ang mga titig sa buong pagkatao ng babaeng kausap. "Big deal 'yon para sa akin. Kaya huwag mo akong i-judge agad kasi wala ka rin namang karapatang makialam sa kahit anumang bagay na ipinaglalaban ko."