DAUNTLESS SERIES: II (BAD AND MESSY)

Chapter Three

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"Hi, Zafiyah."

She wanted to groan in dismay when she saw Nikkos in front of her. Again.

She faked a smile. "Hi, Sir. One Americano, to go, right?"

He gave her his charming smile. "You already memorize my order."

She wanted to roll her eyes. Paanong hindi niya masasaulo 'yon, eh, ilang weekends na itong nagpupunta ro'n. And he always went there past midnight. Hindi pa ba ito pagod sa buong araw na pagtatrabaho? Bakit gising pa ito ng ganoong oras? Ang rinig niya ay ito na ang humahawak sa mga negosyo ng mga ito.

And when she said businesses, it means he was handling a great deal of businesses. They owned half of the province. Sangkaterba ang negosyo ng mga ito. Malls, hospitals, schools, hotels, constructions, condominiums, townhouses, resorts. Pati nga yata sementeryo, pagmamay ari ng mga ito.

Ano bang may'ron at napapadalas ang pagpunta nito sa coffee shop nila at sa ganoong oras pa? Ilang weekends na itong naroon, pupunta ng past midnight para lang umorder ng isang cup ng Americano. Seriously, she knew that they served a good coffee but it wasn't the best of the best. There were lots of high-end coffee shops out there and for sure the Aboitiz family had their own espresso at home and had the finest and most expensive coffee beans in the world pero talagang sadyang dumadayo pa ang binata sa coffee shop nila. Really, she didn't get it.

Matapos niyang mai-served ang order nito ay nilingon niya si Rain, na parang tanga sa isang tabi. She worked in the coffee shop every weekend from five pm to one am. Si Rain ang pumapalit sakaniya. Halos lumuwa na ang mga mata nito sa kakatitig kay Nikkos na para bang noon lang nito nakita ang binata. My gash, ilang weekends na rin naman nitong naaabutan do'n ang binata so why the reaction? Hindi pa rin sanay? Fine, she understood that his looks were really out of this world. He wasn't just a normal person. You couldn't just call him handsome because that word was too weak to describe how good-looking he was.

He was like a god. He was only wearing casual blue jeans, a white shirt, and white rubber shoes but he was one of those rare men that exude sexuality, intentionally or not, and send women into overdrive. Trim build, not overly muscular with a fair of strong power and exceeding amount of confidence.

Pero ibahin ni'yo si Zafiyah. The first time she met Nikkos in person, she would admit that he was so devastatingly gorgeous but that was it.

She was seventeen, but overly mature. She wasn't boy crazy and would never say, "Oh. My. God. He is sooo hot" and fawn all over the guy. She was fairly aloof about these things and would be more likely to say something sardonic like, "Do you expect me to swoon because you smiled at me?" and roll her eyes. Yep. That's her. Sa dami ba naman kasi ng iniintindi niya sa mundong ito, wala na siyang panahon para hangaan ang ibang tao kahit pa sabihin na ang ibang taong 'yon ay tulad ni Nikkos.

"Out ka na, 'di ba?"

Tinanguan lang niya ang binata. Nilapitan niya si Rain at pasimpleng kinurot ang baywang nito. Napaigtad ito at wala pa rin sa huwisyo na napatingin sakaniya. Muli, peke siyang ngumiti. "Baka gusto mo na 'kong palitan? You know, one am na kasi. Out ko na siguro. Hmmn?"

"Ay, sorry, sorry, Zafi." Kumilos na ito at lumapit na sa counter. "Hi, Sir, may order ka pa po?"

Rinig ni Zafiyah ang hinhin sa boses ng kasama habang papalalabas siya ng counter. She rolled her eyes heavenward. Bakit may mga taong lantaran magpakita ng kilig at paghanga sa iba? Hindi ba puwedeng i-appreciate ang ganda o kaguwapuhang taglay ng hinahangaan in a silent way? Bakit kaylangan pagmukhaing tanga ang sarili? Tapos in the end hindi naman mapapansin ang mga ito. Nagsayang na ng oras, pinahiya pa ang sarili. Napailing na lang siya.