Isla De Fuego Series 3: Attention (EROTIC-ROMANCE)

Chapter Five: Envious?

Chapter Five: Envious?

IT'S supposed to be Liana's day-off.

But she requested to work that day because of one reason: she needed the money.

Kung hindi libre ang lunch ng mga staff sa Island Restaurant ay baka namatay na si Liana sa gutom.

She tries so hard to save money. Mahirap sa una, lalo na't nanggaling si Liana sa isang marangyang buhay. Pero sa loob ng dalawang taon na pagtatrabaho ay nakasanayan niya na ring magtipid. Malaking tulong rin ang mga pag-e-ekstra niya sa paglilinis ng HQ at sa overtime.

Maraming kustomer dahil tanghalian. Good thing that she came from a family of geniuses. Liana could use it in her job quite well. Hindi na niya kailangang isulat ang mga order sa isang papel. She has this amazing memory that she thought was normal for others.

At nagpapasalamat rin siya sa kanyang memorya dahil nagawa niyang depensahan ang sarili mula kay Marco.

She gritted her teeth when Marco's face flashed in her memory.

"Liana! May mga spanish sardines doon sa east side. Ikaw na lang mag-asikaso." John tapped her shoulder. "Natatakot ako sa kanila, eh."

"Sa west side ako, John. Nagsasalita naman ata ng ingles 'yang mga 'yan, hindi ba?"

"Ililibre na lang kita ng caramel milkshake mamaya, okay?"

She immediately went to the east side and took care of the foreigners. Mahina ang kanyang tuhod sa caramel milkshake na specialty ng Island Restaurant. Isa iyong sa mga gusto niyang bribe mula kay John dahil alam nitong favorite niya ang caramel milkshake.

Hours went by in a blur. Nagliligpit na sila at naglilinis sa resto. Liana's eyes searched the room looking for someone—

"Wala si Sir Nick. Sinundo ng nanay niya. Pumunta atang big city." John interrupted her with her search.

"Alam mo, pakialamero ka rin kung minsan."

"At chismoso din ako, Elle."

Her eyes widened as her body froze.

"Sorry, narinig ko ang lahat no'ng nagsigawan kayo ni Sir."

Her head slowly faced John which is by her side holding a mop. He just smiled. "Hindi ko sasabihin sa iba."

Tila sinasakal siya sa mga nalaman. Can't she be anymore goddamned careless? Of course! The office is not soundproofed. Anyone could've heard her and Nick arguing the other day.

"Ikaw lang ba ang may alam?"

John nodded. "Pasalamat ka at nasa kitchen ang lahat at nagchi-chismisan. Ako lang ang naiwan sa labas para makinig ng usapan niyo. Natakot kasi ako na baka sisantehin ka ni Sir. Susuportahan sana kita." John dropped the mop and enacted his thoughts with hand gestures. "Magre-resign po ako kung papaalisin niyo si Liana!"

Liana appreciated John's effort on attempting to stand by her. It's just that it also caused for her identity to be exposed to not one, but two!

Inakbayan siya ni John. "Kapag nawala ka rito, sino na ang kakausap sa mga kustomer na foreigner? Ayaw ko no'n."

She rolled her eyes. Kalalakeng tao pero takot makipag-usap sa mga foreigner.

"Pero alam mo ba?" He added. "Naaalala ko sa'yo si ate."

"Kasi mas matanda ako sa'yo ng ilang taon?"

"Kasi lagi kang takot." He faced her. "Para bang may pinoprotektahan kang mahal sa buhay."

Her jaw clenched.

"Naging katulong si ate sa UAE para makapag-aral ang mga kapatid kong maliliit, kahit na graduate naman siya ng kolehiyo dito sa pilipinas. Biruin mo 'yon? Nag-aral siya sa kolehiyo para lang maging katulong." A sarcastic laugh escaped his mouth. "Kasi mas malaki pa ang sahod ng katulong sa ibang bansa kesa sa professional dito sa pinas."

Liana felt like her heart is being stabbed by something sharp and it almost made her body weak. John's story hit closer to home.

"Poprotektahan niyo ang mga mahal niyo sa buhay, kahit na naghihirap kayo."

Liana didn't reply. She remained tight-lipped, afraid that she might speak of her life story to John.

"Sana huwag niyong kimkimin ang responsibilidad. Humingi rin kayo ng tulong kung hindi niyo na kaya." John chuckled in a sad tone. "Kasi may mga taong handa rin kayong tulungan."

She nodded. John looked at her. "Kapag may kailangan ka, tawagan mo lang ako. Okay?"

Liana hugged him. Oh, god. She missed Andre. John reminded her of Andre— her younger brother.

"Liana, hindi ako pumapatol sa mga nakakatanda—"

Liana bursted in laughter. "Hindi kita niyayakap kasi may gusto ako sa'yo. Tanga neto." And then, she tightened her embrace. "Nami-miss ko lang ang kapatid ko."

John patted her back. "Ang bango mo kaya okay lang na yumakap ka sa'kin."

Liana giggled once again. Oh, how she misses to hug Andre.

"Sir, ano po nangyari?"

Liana immediately pulled herself away from John and threw a glance at the entrance. Laking gulat nila nang makita ang naiinis na anyo ni Nick na para bang nakikipagkarera papunta sa opisina. Nick slammed the office door shut and all of the staff flinched.

"Naku! Mukhang pinilit na naman ng nanay niya makipag-blind date."

Liana's brows clashed. "Ano?"

"Lagi kasi 'yang pinipilit na magpakasal na." John pointed at the office with his lips. "Ayaw ni sir Nick na gumastos ng pera sa mga dates."

"Talaga?" She felt relieved. Hindi niya alam kung bakit.

Tumango si John. "Mahigpit humawak ng pera si sir Nick. Sigurista. Gusto niyang worth-it ang pagkakagastusan ng pera."

Siniko ni Liana si John. "Magaling ka rin naman palang mag-english, ah?"

"Huwag mo ngang ibahin ang kwento! Alam ko namang crush mo si Sir."

Liana grinned, her retainers flashed at him. "Obvious ba?"

"Araw-araw ka kayang nagbibigay ng love letter. Ang lakas nga ng amatz mo."

They both laughed.

.

.

NICK is pissed by the fact that his mom forced him to go to Manila and have a blind date.

The woman he met is a well-known model. A popular one to boot. Hindi na maalala ni Nick ang pangalan ng babae. He probably saw her on TV before. He doesn't care, anyways.

It's not that he's against dating. He just hated being lied to. His mom told him that she wanted to see him in the big city. Of course, as a loving son to his mom, he obliged.

And now, he's pissed.

Nadagdagan pa iyon nang makitang yakap-yakap ni Liana si John.

Why the hell are they flirting in his restaurant? While at work?

And here, he thought of Liana as a professional— the sort that doesn't mix her personal life and work.

Wait, is that really why he's pissed? Or maybe because John got to experience embracing Liana's curves.

Nick could clearly remember it. Her boobs are pressed against John's stomach. Her arms squeezing him in her embrace.

He shook his head. Why the hell he cares?

Was it because he's envious?

He shook his head again and slammed his back on his recliner's backrest.

Nababaliw na ata siya.