Her Mischievous Smile [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

IVAN'S POV

Magmo-move on na ako.

Hindi na ako marupok.

Ilang beses sa isang araw ko na iyong sinasabi sa sarili ko pero hindi naman matuloy-tuloy. And I think I'm putting Tres responsible for that.

Sinabi ko na kasing tatapusin ko na ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya pagkatapos ng naganap ng gabing iyon pero wala! Wala namang nangyari. Mas dumalas lang namang laman ng isip ko si Tres.

Plus the fact that she would often smile at me, spend time with me, and that she even asks me out for lunch or dinner.

Awkward kung awkward. At confusing kung confusing. Ang alam ko ay ayaw sa akin ni Tres—na ayaw sa akin ng tatay niya, pero eto kami ngayon. Sabay-sabay na naghahapunan sa isang mamahaling restaurant.

"Ivan, don't the dishes satisfy your taste?" tanong ni Mr. Davies na nagpabalik sa akin sa kasalukuyan.

Napailing naman ako saka ngumiti. "No, Sir. They're exquisite. Thank you for the meal."

Tumango naman ito saka nagpatuloy sa pagkain. Akmang kakain na rin ako nang may maramdaman akong nakatitig sa akin. I roamed my eyes all over the restaurant until it landed on a couple of dudes with their phones out as if they were taking photos of us.

I was about to inform Mr. Davies and ask him if that was okay but my eyes landed on Tres and I saw her shake her head.

"Don't be bothered by them. That's normal. You have to endure that until the movie goes out to the cinemas," she told me in a low voice.

Napatango na lang ako saka yumuko at kumain na. Tahimik lang naman kami buong dinner. And when we were done, Mr. Davies told me to assist Tres, and bring her to her place safely. Wala naman na akong nagawa kaya sumunod na lang ako.

I was driving my car and both of us were silent. I was in deep thoughts and maybe so was she. Pero hindi ko maisip kung bakit panay ang pagyaya sa akin ni Tres. Pwedeng dahil sa movie lang pero para kasing may iba pang dahilan, at 'yun ang hindi mawala sa isip ko.

Hanggang sa hindi ko na mapigilan ang sarili kong magtanong. "Tres?"

Medyo matagal bago siya umimik. "Hmm?"

Huminga naman ako nang malalim bago nagpatuloy. "Uhm... B-Bakit pala napapadalas ang pagyayaya mo sa akin sa labas? I mean don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want it but... it makes me somehow confused." I glanced at her for a second and saw her serious face staring at the road ahead.

"Dad... wanted us to get the media's and people's attention. Honestly, he wants us to date in front of the cameras for his upcoming movie."

Pakiramdam ko naman ay napatigil ang paghinga ko. H-He wants us to d-date?

Hindi pa rin ako nakaka-recover nang muling magsalita si Tres. "Let's be professional, Myers. All we have to do is act as if we're dating. That's all."

Napahigpit naman ang kapit ko sa manibela. I already agreed with her father's deal. All I had to do was to be an actor in his film. Walang pinag-usapang ganito.

"Myers—"

"Ayoko."

I saw her look at me through my peripheral vision. "What do you mean ayaw mo?"

Mas humigpit pa ang hawak ko sa manibela saka umigting ang panga ko. "Ayoko, Tres. Ayokong gawin 'yun—"

"Myers, be professional—"

Hininto ko ang kotse sa gilid ng kalsada. "No, Tres. How can I professionally act as if I was dating you without considering my feelings?" Nanlilisik ang mga matang tiningnan ko siya. "Palibhasa kasi eh kaya mong magkunwaring mahal mo 'ko kaya okay lang sayo yung ideyang 'yan. Pwes sa akin, hindi." I felt my face softened as I stare at her emotionless face, slowly losing my strength and anger. "I-I don't want to fake what's already real, Tres."

Napayuko naman ako sa kahihiyan. Hindi ko inaasahang gagawin ko 'yun. I just bursted in front of her. Such a stupid move, Ivan.

Muli kong binuhay ang kotse saka hindi nakatingin sa kanyang nagsalita. "Forget what I said—"

"Then be real," she cut me off with those words, stunning me once again. "Let's date for real."

My breathing hitched before I slowly turned my head in her direction. "W-What?"

Wala pa ring emosyon ang mukha niya kaya akala ko ay mali lang ang narinig ko't gawa-gawa lang ng imahinasyon ko pero inulit niya 'yun habang diretso at seryosong nakatingin sa akin. "Let's date for real, Myers."

Ilang beses akong napakurap. "P-Pinagt-tripan mo ba ako?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Don't... you want to date me?" medyo nag-aalangan niya atang tanong.

It took me a couple of minutes before I finally got myself back. I looked away and faced the road ahead. "Y-You hate me, Tres... maybe as much as you hurt me. Kaya hindi ako naniniwalang gusto mo 'kong i-date nang seryoso—"

I was surprised when I felt a hand pull me through my nape and a pair of lips crashed on mine. Dilat na dilat ang mga mata ko kaya nakita ko ang mukha ni Tres sa harap ko.

She was closing her eyes as she kissed me. She even bit my lower lip, making me slightly open my mouth and feeling her tongue snaking inside.

Lumalim ang paghahalikan namin kaya napapikit na lang din ako saka hinawakan ang baba niya para alalayan ang mukha niya.

Halos maubusan na kami ng hininga kaya kinailangan na naming bumitaw at pakawalan ang labi ng isa't isa. I looked deep into her eyes as I softly whisper her name. "Tres..."

Seryoso rin naman siyang nakatingin sa akin, at hindi pa rin inilalayo ang mukha niya. "I seriously want to date you, Ivan. No acting, no faking, and not because my dad told me so. You told me you didn't cheat on me—that you could never cheat on me. So I... I want to try again."

"But you still caused me pain, Tres," I whispered over her lips while my thumb caressed her lower lip.

"Then let me treat it, Ivan. I-I want to be with you again." She seemed so sincere that I couldn't help but be persuaded.

Bakit nga ba pagdating sa babaeng ito eh rumurupok ako?

To be honest, naguguluhan ako sa nangyayari. Parang ambilis. Na parang ang gulo. But... am I willing to take that risk again? Can I put my trust in her again? Would she really be real this time?

Ang daming tanong na pumapasok sa isip ko. Na baka may ibang plano si Tres. O na baka plano ito ng tatay niya. O baka pinagt-tripan niya lang ako. O ewan na, basta! Iisa lang ang sagot ang pakiramdam ko ay kanina pa isinisigaw ng puso ko. "Okay, let's date for real."