The Legacy (COMPLETED)

XLIV. Past

"Love, huh?" he said.

Wala akong masabi. My mouth opened to say something but nothing came out. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nasa harap ko na siya ngayon. How ironic. Earlier I was running away from him and now, he's sitting across the table with me.

It's been a long time since I last saw him. He still looks the same but him wearing a suit hits different. Nandun pa rin yung magaganda niyang mga mata, matangos na ilong at mapupulang labi. Those lips.

I mentally slapped myself. Get it together Via!

What's with the bitterness of his voice? Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, nagseselos ba siya? Well, if he is then he doesn't have the right to do so. I left because he cheated first.

Teka. Cheated? Bopols! Simula't sapol hindi naging kami. I was just so naive to fall for him. I should've stopped myself from falling for him, 'e hindi pa nga kami nagkaroon ng label.

"What is it to you?" tanong ko.

Tama, Via. Dapat maging matigas ka. Don't fall for him. But then again, I know that I'm fooling myself. Talking with him in front of me puts my knees in jellies. Mabuti nalang talaga nakaupo ako. If not then I would've collapse on the floor.

"For months I've been looking for you. And now that I found you, a man possessively wraps his hands around you."

I can't believe he's been looking for me. Ilang buwan din akong nawala. Pero hindi dapat ako maniwala. Remember why you left. Not just because your parents wants to, but because you saw him kissing a girl.

I almost wanted to laugh at his last sentence. Possessively wrapping his hands around me? Psh. Kenjie? He just don't want me to escape. I am his captive, unfortunately.

"Are you jealous?" tanong ko. I leaned forward as I put my elbows on top of the table, resting my chin on my clasped fingers. "Don't tell me you are."

Umigting yung panga niya saka pumikit ng mariin. He opened his eyes full of irritation.

"What do you think?" tanong niya pabalik. My smile faded when I saw sadness on his eyes. "You think I'd act this way if I'm okay with him being around you?"

Why is he acting this way? Bakit pinapakita niya sa akin na he cares for me? That he somehow had that feeling towards me? Isn't he happy already? Hindi ba't may nobya na siya? I overheard about him playing with me and I'n not planning on making that happen again.

"Noah, stop it!" I snapped.

He was confused for a second. He probably didn't thought that I would shout at him. Who would dare? Ang pinakatakutan sa school ay sinisigawan ko na. Never in my life I'd thought that I would shout at him.

"Via..."

"Weren't you already taken? Diba pinaglalaruan mo lang ako?"

Naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng aking mga mata. The pain, it's coming back. Everything that I felt before is slowly coming back. I thought I had moved on. It looks like I was only fooling myself.

"What do you mean?" naguguluhan niyang tanong.

"I heard everything. Kaibigan mo lang naman ako. Hindi ba?"

My nails dig deeper in my palms. Ayokong magalit. Ayokong mag eskandalo pero putcha hindi ko mapigilan yung galit ko!

Kunot-noo niyang inalala yung lahat. Hindi niya kasi alam na nandun ako kasi hindi pinaalam. Realization then hits him as he looked back at me.

"You mean?"

"Oo. I was there when you kissed the girl. The day when I was going to bid goodbye. Naalala mo na?"

Nakita ko kung paano siya natulala. He covered his mouth with his hand at napayuko. Nagulat nalang ako nang bigla siyang tumawa ng mahina.

"What's funny?" naguguluhan kong tanong.

Nababaliw na ba siya? May nakakatawa ba sa pangyayari ngayon?

"Nothing. It's just," hindi niya tinapos yung sasabihin niya kasi agad siyang tumayo. Kinuha niya yung kamay ko and forcefully dragged me up. "Come with me."

"Teka! Saan mo ako dadalhin?"

"Basta," he said. Bigla niyang inilapit yung mukha niya sa mukha ko. I stopped breathing. He then smirked. "Come with me, baby "

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ire-react. Nagpatianod nalang ako sa hila niya, hindi alam kung saan niya ako dadalhin. Out of nowhere, napatingin ako sa kamay kong hawak-hawak niya. It didn't changed. I can still feel butterflies in my tummy.

Dinala niya ako sa tapat ng isang fountain. Namangha nalang ako sa mga ilaw. Yung nararamdaman kong inis ay biglang naglaho.

"Woah."

"I brought you here because the moment I saw this place, it reminded me of you," he said.

I smirked.

"A fountain reminded you of me?" turo ko sa sarili.

Tumango siya saka lumapit sa akin.

"Beautiful," sabi niya.

My face softened. Sobrang bilis ng puso ko. Sobrang lakas ng pagtambol nito. I thought I was angry at him but why am I feeling this way? Bakit ang rupok ko?

Lumapit pa siya sa akin saka niya hinawakan yung mukha ko. Tiningnan niya ako sa mata, sa ilong, sa labi. He bit his lower lip that made me swallow.

"I missed you," he whispered. "I fvcking missed you."

It's like the words I've been longing to hear. His voice was deep and soothing. His eyes were looking at me lovingly and his hand was warm against my skin. It feels so good. It feels like home.

"Noah..."

"It was torture without you. My life was miserable without you," dagdag niya.

"But Noah, the girl--" he hushed me.

I was beyond happy and in all but I am anxious about the girl. The one he kissed. Who was she?

"Shh. Jessel was my fianceé," sabi niya.

Nanlaki yung mga mata ko saka siya tinulak papalayo sa akin pero hindi ko nagawa. Mas lalo pa niyang inilapit yung katawan niya sa akin. His hands were at my back, pressing my body to his.

"What the fvck are you doing?!" sigaw ko.

He hushed me by inching our gap and kissed me. Nanlaki yung mga mata ko habang nakadampi yung mga labi namin sa isa't isa. Nagpumigilas ako pero sadyang malakas siya.

I can get myself out from his grasp but why do I feel like I'm holding myself? Do I like being kissed by him?

Yes! I do love it! I missed his lips and kissing them again now is beyond compare. Mahal ko pa rin ba siya? Hindi yun malabo. Hinding-hindi.

I gave in. I let him kiss me and kissed him back. I know it's wrong— knowing he's getting married and all— but at this moment, it just feels so right.

Our lips parted as we discovery each other's mouth. Savoring the kiss was something I never did. Agad kaming kumalas nang maubusan na kami ng hangin. I rest my forehead to his as we catch our breath.

"She's my fianceé, but I'm willing to runaway for you," he said, panting.

"You're getting married at 18?" I asked. "You're still young."

"Jessel is delusional. Magpapakamatay siya kapag hindi ko siya pinakasalan. Her parents and my dad were good friends. Kaya agad pumayag si Daddy."

So this engagement party is for them? Kenjie is here so what was Noah's connection with the Ahedres? Is it about Stein mafia?

"I love you," he whispered.

Agad akong tumingala sa kanya. He said it. He said that he loves me. Is this for real?

"Noah, I-"

"Love, you're breaking my heart."

Agad akong kumalas sa hawak ni Noah at hinarap ang kararating lang.

"Kenjie..."