Hardest to Lose (Villaraza Series #4)

37 | Threat

37 | Threat

___________

Brand him mine?

Pumunit akong muli ng isang tissue paper sa rolyo at suminga. He had finally lost it!

Ni hindi ko nga tanggap na gusto ko siya. Tapos gusto niyang angkinin ko siya? He could hang out with every girl, I could die of jealousy, but I would never claim him. Never!

“Pres, okay ka lang?” nag-aalalang tanong sa akin ni Miriam, ang vice-president ko, nang muli akong bumahing.

I smiled at her as my nose reddened. “Yeah, I’m fine. This is nothing.”

“Uminom ka na ng gamot? I think I have one in my bag. I’m just not sure if it hasn’t expired.”

Tumawa ako at in-assure siya na okay lang talaga ako at huwag na siyang mag-alala.

We were in a summit for student leaders. Unfortunately, I got rained on yesterday and I had been sneezing since we came here in the venue. I was hopeful this would go away later on – it had to go away. Marami rin kasing activity itong event at ayokong hindi mag-participate o makasagabal sa vice-president ko.

Pero masyado yata akong umasa.

“Pres!” my vice-president exclaimed as she touched my forehead. “Mainit ka!”

I snorted. “Of course, I’m alive.”

She hissed and called someone on the phone. It was probably our adviser.

“I’m okay, Mir,” I insisted. “Magpapahinga lang ako nang kaunti mamayang lunch break.”

“No. Ang sabi ni Madam, ‘wag ka na munang mag-participate ngayong hapon. Magpahinga ka raw muna.”

“B-but—“

Hindi na ako nakapagprotesta nang pinandilatan niya ako ng mga mata. Ngumuso ako, nag-iinarte.

In the end, I couldn’t do anything. Bukod sa naiinis na sa akin si Miriam dahil sa pag-i-insist ko, nagsimula na ring sumakit ang ulo ko. After lunch, she escorted me to my hotel room and gave me a paracetamol. Mamaya rin daw ay may mga darating pang gamot kaya sulitin ko ang pahinga.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at naupo sa kama. Napaka-wrong timing naman talagang sakit ‘to. Kawawa naman si Miriam. She would have to take my responsibilities. I hoped I would be fine as soon as possible.

Determined to get better as my head spun, I decided to sleep. Hindi naman ako nahirapan dahil ilang segundo lang ay nasa banayad na kadiliman na ako.

I didn’t know what time I dozed off but I was certain I woke up hours later.

I moaned softly and held my head. Unti-unti kong binuksan ang mga mata at sinalubong ng maliwanang na paligid. Bumuntong-hininga ako at inilipat ang tingin sa kalapit na bintana. Madilim na sa labas.

“She’s fine. Bakit ba ang kulit mo?”

Startled, I turned my head to where the voice was from. Mas lalo yatang sumakit ang ulo ko nang nakilala ang lalaking iyon, magulo ang buhok at pagod na hawak ang kanyang cell phone.

He probably felt my stare that his gaze fell into mine. Napaayos siya sa pagkakatayo at nagmamadaling ipinasok ang cell phone sa kanyang bulsa. Pagkatapos ay lumapit siya sa akin at agad kinapa ang aking noo.

“Medyo mainit ka pa rin,” he murmured.

“W-why are you here?” I thought he was an illusion or I was still in my dream!

“Ano pa, e di para alagaan ka.” Tumayo si Markus at kinuha ang maliit na tuwalya mula sa aking noo na noon ko lang napansin. “I brought food. Wala nito sa hotel kaya lumabas pa ako. When you’re finished eating, take your meds.”

I wanted to ask more. But I was still too weak to deal with him. Kaya ayoko man ay hinayaan ko siya sa hotel room ko.

This was the first time we met again after he told me he knew my feelings for him. Because as a coward to this foreign attraction, I didn’t know how to deal with it. So I avoided him, as I had always done.

Ano kayang iniisip niya?

“Alalang-alala sa’yo ‘yong pandak mong kaibigan,” untag niya sa akin habang inaalis sa balot ang mga dala niyang pagkain. “Tatawag na naman ‘yon mamaya. If you can, assure her you’re okay.”

“I told you. Her name is Faye,” sabi ko sa garagal na tinig.

Tumaas ang isang kilay niya saka ngumisi. “That girl is too caring, you know.”

“She’s just like that.”

May gusto pa yata siyang sabihin pero ngumuso na lamang siya na tila nagpipigil ng ngiti.

I watched him as he busied himself with the food. Kanina pa kaya siya rito? I was asleep for so many hours.

“I was worried you weren’t answering any of my calls. Kaya kinontak ko vice-president mo,” he said and put my meal on the bed.

“She allowed you here?”

“Oo,” he nonchalantly replied and scooped a good amount of porridge with the spoon then placed it before my mouth. “Sinabi kong boyfriend mo ‘ko.”

If my head wasn’t in pain, I would have smacked his face!

Tumawa siya nang tumagal ang pananahimik ko. “It was a joke.”

“Then, why are you here?”

Knowing Miriam, she wouldn’t let this asshole in my room just like that.

“Nandito ‘yong vice-president no’ng dumating ako. She wouldn’t leave until her boyfriend came. But she was so distrustful of me. Dito raw siya matutulog mamaya kaya ‘wag daw akong magloloko. Kasama ko siyang bumili nitong lugaw sa labas,” he explained. “Kumain ka na. Para makainom ka na ulit ng gamot.”

“I can feed myself.”

“Hindi mo nga maidilat nang maayos ‘yang mga mata mo, nagyayabang ka pa?”

I glared at him. Hindi rin iyon nagtagal dahil sumakit ang paningin ko. In the end, I had no other choice but to be obedient to him. Ikinatuwa niya yata iyon dahil hindi mapunit ang ngisi niya sa tuwing ibinubuka ko ang bibig.

“You know, I always wanted to do this to you,” aniya mayamaya.

I cleared my throat and looked away. “Why were you calling me, by the way?”

“Wala naman. I just wanted to hear your voice. You’ve been so pissed with me since I told you I knew your feelings for me.”

“I said I don’t like you.”

He stared into my eye and I felt my soul suddenly bare. “You really don’t?”

“S-stop assuming things!”

Mahina siyang tumawa. “So it’s okay if I date another girl right now? Hindi ka magagalit?”

“You can date whoever you want. I don’t care.”

Muli siyang tumawa at marahang hinawi ang buhok ko saka isinipit sa likod ng tainga. “Talaga?”

I clenched my jaw. “Oo.”

He snorted and inched his face closer to mine that I could feel his breath. “Hindi ka magseselos?”

“H-hindi.”

Matunog siyang ngumisi at mas inilapit ang mukha sa akin. “You mean it? You can just tell me you will be. That’s all I need to hear, my Iñara.”

“I-I’m not yours.”

“But I am,” he said like a confession of sin. “I have always been yours.”

Umawang ang bibig ko, napipi sa naghuhuramentadong puso.

“I can’t be the only one this in love, Iñara.”

It was a threat uttered lovingly.

And unimportant, because we both knew he wasn’t the only one who fell.