Embracing Her Flaws (ONHOLD)

CHAPTER 9

"Kanina ka pang tahimik, ah?" puna ni Yves sa akin.

I continued to sip the drink I was holding while ignoring him, then kept thinking about what I had noticed about Nursima earlier. Something odd was going on with her behavior.

Didn't she like the food?

I shook my head and roamed my eyes around the bar. Searching for her presence. Alam kong itinuloy niya ang pagsasayaw rito sa kabila ng trabahong ibinigay ko sa kaniya.

"You got it bad, Dude," seryosong imik ni Yves sa gilid ko habang may nakaupong babae sa hita niya.

"Shut up," I simply replied with an evident hint of warning.

Napabuntonghinga na lamang siya at itinuloy ang pakikipag-usap sa babaeng kasama. Ako naman ay napaayos ng upo dahil lumabas na sa entablado ang hinihintay ko. Like the first time I saw her, she's wearing a typical stripper attire. Suot niya rin ang wristband sa kaniyang kamay.

Nursima started pole dancing. She moved in such a way that I couldn't help but be fascinated. Although it's perfect, I couldn't help but notice the emptiness in her eyes.

What are you hiding?

I forced a firm swallow as our eyes met.  I thought she would avoid me, but she kept her stares on me. My jaw tensed when her legs moved swiftly in the air while her body spun around the metal pole. She didn't stop there, she continued by slowly bending down and running her fingers up her thigh from her leg.

Doon ay ako na ang kusang kumalas ng tingin sa kaniya.

She's literally giving me a boner!

I shut my eyes tight and took a deep breath. I don't know if she's teasing me or what. Ang alam ko lang, hindi iyon kasama sa nakahanda niyang performance. It was as if she did that for me. And for Pete's sake! I don't know what's that for.

Hindi na ako muling tumingin sa stage kahit nagsasayaw pa siya. I just poured a drink into my glass on a continual basis and shot it straight. Inaalis sa isipan ko ang ginawa niyang panunukso.

Pagkatapos ng dalawang minuto, narinig ko ang ilang palakpakan senyales ng pagtatapos ng sayaw ni Nursima. I tried to look at her again, she let out a small smile to the audience and went down the podium.

"Where are you going?" Yves asked curiously when I stood up from my seat.

"Just mind your own business," I answered and left him with his girl.

Nakaigting ang panga ko habang naglalakad. Right after Nursima's show ended, I saw a guy asking to table her. I don't know why I am acting like this, but hell, I will not allow that. Not in my sight.

"Excuse me," pigil ko sa isang manager na siyang nag-aasikaso ng mga table request.

He eyed me from head to toe, then his mouth opened in a half. "Y-yes?"

Hindi naman ako agad sumagot. I pulled my wallet out of my business suit and took out a pile of cash. Tamad ko iyong inabot sa kaniya.

"I'll triple that, just let the girl who danced earlier be exclusively mine," I said coldly.

Tuluyan nang nalaglag ang panga niya nang narinig ang sinabi ko. He's even sweating in front of me. Kinakabahan siyang umubo saka umiling bilang pagtanggi sa gusto ko.

"I'm sorry, Sir. Pero hindi po tumatanggap ng gano'ng offer si Yma," paliwanag niya.

"It's not what you think, I want her service alone."

Marahan na kumunot ang kaniyang noo. "Usap lang po? Inom, gano'n?" paninigurado niya pa.

I just lazily nodded my head and took some money again. "Here's your tip, just do what I want."

Tinalukuran ko na siya at muling naglakad pabalik sa table namin ni Yves. I found my friend staring at me, but didn't even try to speak. Good, I was not in my mood to talk. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako nagagalit. To the guy who tried to hit on her, or because of the fact that Nursima didn't fvcking eat her meal.

Yes, she didn't eat. She lied about finishing her food. Alam ko dahil napansin ko ang pagkain at plato niya.

I breathed heavily and poured a drink on my glass. Asta ko nang iinumin iyon nang may umupo sa tabi ko at inagaw ang baso mula sa akin. Nursima drank the liquor straight before dropping it on the table. Pareho na kaming nakatingin ngayon sa isa't isa. Walang nagsasalita.

Nang muli niyang lalagyan ng alak ang baso ay pinigilan ko na siya. "You'll get drank," I said.

She scoffed. "Hindi ba kaya ka nagbayad nang malaki para makainuman ako?"

I gritted my teeth and stared at her emotionless eyes. "Are you done working?" I asked, trying to restrain myself from getting pissed. "I'll drive you home," I added, a little bit gentle this time.

She tilted her head as she kept her eyes at me. "Lasing ka na ba?"

"I'm not," I answered and stood up. "Let's go."

She unbelievingly shook her head. "Nanliligaw ka ba?"

Her question caught me off guard. Hindi rin nakaligtas sa pandinig ko ang pagkasamid ni Yves, ngunit hindi ko inalis ang paningin ko kay Nursima. Hindi ko mabasa ang emosyon niya. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin na parang naiinip pa sa tagal nang pagsagot ko.

"If I am, will you allow me?" I said straight.

"Bro, what the fvck?" Yves hissed along with his continuous cough.

For the nth time, I didn't bother to look at my friend. I just waited for Nursima's reply. Hindi siya mukhang nagulat sa sinabi ko kahit pa napansin ko ang pagkuyom ng kamao niya. It's like she's already aware of it.

"Why? Because you want to bed me? An exclusive fvck buddy?"

I unconsciously ran my fingers through my hair and then slowly licked my bottom lip. "Because I like you," I said directly into her eyes.

Nalaglag ang panga niya. Ilang beses siyang napakurap at bumubuka-sara ang bibig para magsalita.

"Y-You are kidding me." She let out an awkward laugh. "That's absurd!" dagdag niya pa.

I raised an eyebrow and walked near her. She looked shocked and on her defense. Tumigil ako sa harapan niya, nakaupo pa rin siya habang ako ay nakatayo.

Slowly, I bent down and stopped when my face was three inches away from hers. Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang kaniyang mga mata, papunta sa kaniyang ilong, paibaba sa kaniyang mga labi. She swallowed hard when my eyes stopped there. In spite of the noise in the bar, I could even hear her rapid heartbeats.

I gradually tilted my head to her ear and whispered, "I'm fvcking drawn to you, and because you are already aware of it, I am going to court you whether you like it or not. Hold on tight because I won't stop until you start falling for me."