I was stunned for a moment. Tumigil ako sa pag-iiyak at tinignan— with a confused look on my face— si Kaz ng diretso sa mata. "I'm sorry, what?"
Umayos siya ng tayo at lumingon pa ng bahagya sakanyang likuran bago niya binalik ang buong atensyon saakin. "Hindi mo kailangan umuwi. Umalis na lang tayong dalawa"
I cross my arms. Couldn't believe him. "At saan mo naman ako dadalhin?"
He shrugs lazily. "Anywhere. Your call"
"I don't like your answer so it's a no"
I thought he's going to persuade me some more but he bows down like a prince to mock me and turns around, ready to walk away when I pull him back. Chewing on my lips because I am clearly swallowing down my pride for him.
"Fine fine. Ikaw na panalo." Inis na sabi ko sakanya. Tinignan tignan ko muna ang paligid bago ako nagpatuloy. "Can we... uh..." I trailed off.
He patiently waits for me to speak. Saakin lamang ang buong atensyon.
"Gusto—" I heave a sigh, "Gusto kong uminom"
His answer is a grin. "Just the two of us or do you want me to bring you to a bar?"
Ano ba ang usapan ha? Tinginan ko siya ng masama. "You said it'll be only—" I cut myself short. "You won't do anything to me naman diba?"
Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay na para bang hindi niya inaakala na tatanungin ko ang tinanong ko sakanya. "Are you serious?"
"I think you're a good guy sometimes, Kaz but there are days that you're just so... nakakairita"
"Nakakairita" He followed the way I talked kaya sinapak ko siya sa braso. He didn't even budge. He gestures me to follow him. "Since you offended me, hindi mo ako masosolo ngayon"
Napaawang ang aking bibig sa sinabi niya. "You're so kapal! As if I wanted to be alone with you naman 'no"
Hindi na siya nagsalita kaya hindi na 'rin ako nagsalita. Kaz lead the walk and he made sure that my mom wouldn't spot us leaving together. May dinaanan siyang daan na kakaunti lamang ang tao na naroon. Nagulat pa ako. He knows the hotel more than I do! To think na hotel ito ng mga magulang ko!
Humalukipkip na lamang ako habang sinusundan siya.
May dinaanan nanaman itong shortcut at bwala! Nasa harapan na kami ng elevator ngayon.
When the doors to the elevator opened, Kaz, acting like a gentleman all of sudden, sidestepped to indicate that I should enter first. Inirapan ko siya at pumasok saloob.
May maliit na ngisi ito sa pagmumukha ng sumunod ito saloob. He pressed the button for parking and the elevator went down, tahimik lamang kaming dalawa.
Kinakabahan ako sa gagawin ko. I never disobeyed mom but here I am, disobeying her for the first time because a beautiful man ask me to. Not that I did this because of him, I made a choice.
Nahimasmasan tuloy ako wala sa oras. I look at my nails, thinking deeply.
My mom wouldn't find us out.
Kailangan ko lang naman sabihan si manong Alexander. I just need to tell him na kapag nagtanong sakanya si mommy, he just need to tell her he already brought me home. That's it! Ganon lang ka-easy.
The elevator made its halt and I didn't bother looking at Kaz when I walked out of the elevator while calling manong Alexander on my phone. It only rung twice bago niya ito sagutin.
[Hello? Ma'am? Hi po, pakuha napo kayo? Kakabilin lang 'din ng nanay niyo—]
I didn't let him finish, I cut him off by laughing. Fake laugh. "Manong Alexander can you do me a favor? I'll pay you for it. I swear"
