"What happened?" tanong niya.
Hinahaplos niya pa rin ang pisngi ko. I found myself basking in the warmth of his undivided attention, relishing every moment he chose to focus solely on me.
"Wala," I lied. "May naalala lang ako. Maliligo na ako."
"Sige..." Tumayo siya kaya ganun din ang ginawa ko. "Hihintayin na lang kita dito."
Tumango ako. Kumuha lang ako ng damit at tuwalya bago pumasok sa banyo. Inaalis ko sa isip ko ang sinabi ng nanay ko. She's sticking to her usual script—treating me like I'm as valuable as a piece of gum stuck to a shoe.
Pagkatapos kong maligo, sa banyo na ako nagbihis. I wore a brown ribknit crop top and denim shorts. I remembered I was wearing the same outfit when I hatched my brilliant plan to seduce Blaze.
Tinutuyo ko ang buhok ko gamit ang tuwalya nung lumabas ako sa banyo. I looked at Blaze who is sitting on the edge of my bed.
He also turned to me then glanced away after. Napatingin ako sa sarili ko. Maayos naman ang pagkakasuot ko ah.
"Papatuyuin ko muna buhok ko," sabi ko sa kanya. Lumapit ako sa vanity at kinuha ang hair dryer. I looked at his reflection in the mirror. Nililingon niya ako pero umiiwas din pagkatapos. What is he up to? Should I tease him? "Tulungan mo nga ako."
"Ha?" lingon niya.
"Help me with my hair. Super haba na ng buhok ko. Mahirap."
Nagkamot siya ng batok bago tumayo. "Sige na nga."
Napangiti naman ako. Umupo ako sa vanity chair at isinaksak ang hair dryer. Binigay ko rin ito sa kanya nang makalapit siya.
He started to blow dry. Sobrang seryoso niya pa.
"Bakit ayaw mo 'kong tingnan?" I questioned.
He looked at me. "Bakit?" He pressed his lips in a thin line, almost biting it. "You just... uh... look pretty, I guess."
"You guess?"
He turned away again.
"Ah... siguro may iniisip kang malaswa, 'no?"
He didn't answer but I see his cheeks blush. Napaka-manyak talaga, oo.
The moment he was done, he bolted away from me like I was a hot potato. Talk about allergic reactions! Well, he's definitely one of the good boys, fleeing from trouble like it's his full-time job.
"Kain muna tayo," I smiled.
"Sige."
Sabay kaming bumaba. Sana naman wala na si Hadley Mild.
When we entered the kitchen, she was nowhere to be found in the breakfast nook. Maybe she took off already. There was food prepared there too, just waiting to be devoured.
"Ah, hija," tawag ni Manang sa akin. "Naghanda na kami para makakain na kayo dalawa."
"Salamat po," tango ko.
"Naku! Walang anuman! Kumain na kayo!"
Nilingon ko si Blaze. "Upo ka na."
Tumango lang siya at umupo sa isang upuan na andun. Ako naman umupo sa bench.
Iminuwestra ko ang pagkain. "Kain ka na."
We both started to eat. Kinuwento niya rin sa akin na sinabi ng mga kaibigan kong sa park daw kami magkikita.
"Ihahatid na lang kita dun," sabi niya. "Dun din punta ko."
"May ka-date ka no?"
"Kung papayag ka, oo."
BINABASA MO ANG
TAMED #1: The Good Boy
RomanceHolly is the girl who was always caught in trouble. She hated the good people, specifically the one person who bumped her to second place in the Science Quiz Bee. When her parents sent her to another school, she meets him again, the good boy, Blaze...
