Astonishing Us

XXIX

NAPADAING AKO ng makaramdam ng hilo ng bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga. Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang aking mga mata para matigilan ng mapansing nasa ibang lugar na ako. Nasa isang napakapamilyar na kwarto at hindi sa kwartong inuukupa ko sa Villa namin ni Jaime sa Barcelona.

Nakaramdam ako ng kakaibang panic ng makilala ng tuluyang ang kwartong kinagisingan ko.

Paanong nakarating ako dito? Paanong napunta ako dito sa condo ni Ridge? Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko at napasapo ako ng noo ng maramdaman ko ang pagpantig ng ulo ko sa kirot. Napahilot ako ng aking sintido. Ang naalala ko lang ay pagkatapos naming iwan si Ridge ay nakatulog ako sa byahe namin ni Jaime pabalik ng Villa dahil sa pagod ng aking mga mata sa pag-iyak.

I get up and leave the bed. My head is hurting even more to think of how I ended up here, but I couldn't think of anything else other than he forcefully get me from Jaime's care. I gritted my teeth as I stormed out of the room when I did not find my phone, even my laptop and my iPad that I left on my vanity table is nowhere to be found.

Natulos ako sa kinatatayuan ko ng makita si Ridge na nakaupo sa sofa, nakapagpalit na ito ng damit tanging pambahay nitong gray sweat pants at puting tshirt ang suot nito, may suot din s'yang salamin sa mga mata n'ya at nagkalat na iba't ibang papel sa center table, nakapatong ang ulo n'ya sa headrest ng sofa na kinauupuan n'ya habang nakaawang ang mga labi n'ya habang mahimbing na natutulog.

He is snoring silently; he was holding a paper and his hair is messy. He looks better than that morning I found him sitting on the doorstep of the villa, fighting the urge to sleep as he waited all night even there was a storm, he chose to wait for me to open the door again, outside. Nor that night he tried to begged for me to come back home he looked better than those times.

Yes, I know now that he really waited Jaime told me that while I was crying as he drove back to the villa, kahit pa naririnig ko sa boses n'yang ayaw n'yang malamang ko 'yon ay sinabi pa din n'ya sakin, and that is how I found out that he really did wait the whole night... But the thought of him just acting to fool me again, never left my mind. I doubted it for some moments but other than that, I never stopped believing to it.

He looks better than that day but the stress on his face did not change, he still looks worn out, and he looks bothered even on his sleeps.

I bite my bottom lip and tiptoed my way to the main door of our— his condo, I took a deep breath and carefully blows it out not to make any sound when I finally reached it. I hold the doorknob and spin it open when the door beeped and clicked, it's locked.

Napatalon ako ng bahagya sa kinatatayuan ko ng marinig ang pagkabasag ng kung ano sa 'king likuran, dahan-dahan ko iyong nilingon at nakita si Ridge na natatarantang tumayo sa sofa na kinatutulugan n'ya kanina para lapitan ako at baliwalain ang baso ng tubig na nabasag n'ya sa pagmamadali n'yang ginawa.

He gave me a smile as he took off his glasses, but that smile did not reach his eyes again instead his eyes are visibly showing me the real emotions he is feeling at the moment. Fear, panic, sadness, longing and love.

How? How could those fake emotions look so real?

Smiling lifelessly at me he took a step closer at me and reached for my hand but I slapped his hand away.

Pain crossed his green eyes but instead of clearly showing it to me he widens his smile at me, "Are you hungry, Bubbles? I've prepared breakfast for us, I just fell asleep for a moment, I will just reheat our food and then we could eat together now—"

"Open the door, Ridge," baliwala ko sa mga sinasabi n'ya at utos ko sa kaniya.

Saglit s'yang natigilan pero gaya ng 'di ko pakikinig sa kaniya 'di n'ya din ako pinakinggan.