Lies in the Past (Alimentation Series #2)

Chapter 12

"Where would you be eating dinner?"

Napatingin ako kay Harminder na nakaupo sa tabi ko habang mabilis ang andar ng sinasakyan naming taxi. My hair was ruined by heavy rainfall kanina and the strands are now releasing its trickle.

"I don't know yet. Depends kay Rhianna." I looked at my fingers and pouted. "Sakit ng kagat mo."

Kinagat niya kasi ang fingers ko kanina dahil sa pagkurot ko sa dalawa niyang pisngi. Saka pa lang ako tumigil. He was so concerned after he bites me pero my fingers were already pained.

Inagaw niya ang kamay ko at tiningnan. I suppressed my smile. He stares closely at my fingers.

"I'm so sorry, Lemonade." It was as if I was comforting me by the way he said it. Ang ganda ng boses ni Harminder. Maybe I was crazy to notice little things about him.

"Wala na, masakit na, e."

"I didn't mean to do it." Nakasimangot siyang sumulyap sa akin and to his surprise, I was trying not to show my smile. I was holding it back. "Was it really painful?"

"Yeah," I frowned. He was constantly rubbing my fingers bitten by his teeth. He looks concerned and remorseful all at once. "But it's okay, malayo naman sa bituka."

Nakakunot ang noo niya sa cute na paraan. "The rash will be obvious later. Bite me too so you can get revenge on me." He places his fingers over my mouth. "Go on, Lemonade. It was my fault, so you should bite me too."

Hindi ba niya ako sisisihin? It was my fault naman talaga kung bakit niya ako kinagat. I pinched his cheeks first and when it hurts him, he bit my fingers to get his revenge. Why would he orders me to bite him too to get even? Saka kinagat niya ako dahil nabigla siya roon sa sinabi ko na ang pogi niya. He doesn't like hearing compliments. Parang nahihiya siya.

Smiling, I took his hand and lowered it with mine. He was just staring at me and slightly facing my seat.

"Ano ka ba, I was the first to hurt you, so why should I retaliate because you bit me?"

"Because you were hurt, and it's because of me."

"And you bite me because I hurt you first. It's my fault. Ano ka ba?"

The driver sneezed in front, so Harminder and I looked at him at the same time. We were both shocked to see that he was secretly watching us through the rearview mirror, with a smile on his face!

When he sees that we've finally noticed him, umiling siya at nakatawang binalik sa kalsada ang tingin. I went back to reality and slowly let go of Harminder's hand.

Bumabang muli ang tingin ko nang maramdaman na hinawakan niya point finger ko. We stayed like that for at least a minutes dahil pagdating sa tower ay mabilis akong bumaba sa taxi.

"Oh, Rhianna is not coming home tonight." Sabi ko noong nahawakan ko na ang cellphone ko habang nasa loob kami ng elevator. Dahan-dahan kong nilingon ang nasa tabi ko. "Where will you eat dinner?"

Napansin ko ang bag ko na nasa harapan pa rin niya. Hindi niya pa rin binibigay sa akin. Anyway, I'm soaking wet.

"Why, are you planning on eating dinner with me?"

My shoulder dropped. He was the first to ask earlier, ah? He looked at my phone and narrowed his eyes as he read Rhianna's text. She said she would sleep at her friend's place because she was stranded. Sobrang lakas kasi talaga ng ulan. I guess there's a bagyo.

"Okay, let's meet at the lobby around seven thirty."

"My God, gusto ako kasama mag-dinner." Nang-aasar kong sinabi at hindi mapigilan ang ngiti. "Harminder nga naman."