Strange Bedfellow

SB Chapter 17: Wherein *

RARE'S POV

My brows crossed, lahat ng dugo ko kumulo bigla. Alam kong mukha siyang anghel sa suit niya pero dang napakademonyo parin niya para sakin.

Virgo Chess Ramirez!

Is he the owner of this hotel? My radar is too weak, I should've known na andito siya.

I didn't waste time, tumayo na ako para bumalik sa suite ko, pero what I did made it worsen. Pagkatayo ko, narinig ko siyang tumigil sa pagsasalita kaya napatingin ako sakaniya. Our eyes met, both intense glare. He doesn't seem shock, so it means he doesn't seem to care. I let out a curse. Then continue to walk out, I heard him talking again, in a very nice and fair tone.

I tsked. Fuck you!

As soon na nakapasok ako, tinadtad ko na ng text si Key. I called him twice pero di ko siya ma reached. Until 8pm came, I heard the knob turned kaya nagmadali akong lumapit dun.

And to my surprise, Key brought with a him a bruise in his face.

"Oh my gosh. Who did that to you?" I asked, still shocked.

"I-I'm sorry."

Yun lang sabi niya tapos niyakap niya ako. Mahigpit. Sobrang higpit. I asked him again what's wrong but he didn't replied. I hugged him back and said, "Let's go home."

Seconds later, I felt him nod. "Our home."

***

The travel way back home was short. I just let Key sleep on the train, habang ako binabantayan siya. This s the first time I saw him being like this. And as always, di ko mabasa kung anong iniisip niya.

Neither of us talked about what happened.

When we got home, hinilom ko yung pasa niya. He didn't even flinched, kahit sobrang lala na yung bruises niya. I want to ask him but my heart told me not to, not yet.

Hanggang sa hinawakan niya yung kamay ko, "Rare, I'm so sorry." Simula niya. I remain strong, my jaw tightened upon his sudden apology.

"What... what is wrong? Why are you asking sorry? And that bruise? Huh? Nag hintay ako sayo for hours and you came late. Your phone is fucking off, I can't contact you! Where have you been Key?! I... I thought iniwan mo na ako, I thought you're going to leave  and never come back." I confessed. Di ko na napigilan. Kahit sabihin ko pang mukhang di ko siya inaalala kaninang wala siya, deep inside me, a lot of what ifs trespassed and it hurts me.

"I cannot tell you yet." Sabi niya lang. He can't look straight into my eyes.

A splash of anger got me, I stand in a way na paniguradong titignan niya ako, and he did. "What else is there you cannot tell?" Our gaze glued and I continued, "Habambuhay naba tayong ganito Key? There's a lot of things you cannot tell me, and that leaves you're still a stranger from me. Ano ba kasing problema?" Di ko na napigilan, umiiyak na ako, he stood quickly to hold me, "Uuwi ka nang may pasa sa mukha mo, satingin mo ba di ako nag-aalala?"

He remained silent.

And a question suddenly hit me, "Why did you brought me to that hotel?" I asked firmly. Napakagat labi siya. "You know what, I'm really not used na hindi ka nagsasalita. What's up? You have all the chance in the world to talk and tell me things."

Biglang hinawakan niya yung mukha ko, and I melt. Natunaw ako bigla, he has this effect on me na kahit anong nangyayari, mahaplos niya lang ako, parang tumitigil na yung mundo ko. Hinawakan ko din yung kamay niya.

And after what happened, we smiled. We smiled at each other. It's a sad smile that says 'I know everything will be alright'.

"So much pain happened. Ayoko munang madagdagan pa." He said softly as he wiped my tears away.

Madagdagan pa? So it means, meron pa? My heart throbbed triple fast. In my head, maraming pumapasok na kung anu-anong, but my heart, my heart tells me na it's okay. Somehow, it made me think, whatever that problem is...

I'm ready for it.

I'm ready to face it. Sa pagkaka alam ko sa sarili ko, I am strong. Mejo lumiko nga lang nung dahil sinaktan ako ni Virgo before. But the thing is, it made me stronger. Kaya whatever that problem is going to happen, I will face it, solve it.

As long as it is with Key.

"I love you."

Napatigil ako at napatingin kay Key. "A-ano?"

He smiled. That Key smile. His hand transferred to my nape, and in a sudden move, he pulled to kiss me. Just a short kiss, "I said I love you."

Still astonished, but it made me ease at the same time. "What made you think to feel that?"

He chuckled a bit. "I don't know. It just happened."

Di ako nakontento. "I don't believe you."

"Well, I guess, real ones happen when you don't know how it happened. Like love, you know it's real when you can't find an explanation how it happened. What I feel for you is real... Rare, I love you."

I close my eyes as I cherished it, this is real.

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:)

Strange Bedfellow

(c) LadyPALE