ALONG THE WAY

CHAPTER 6

Walang sali-salitang inabot ko ang paper plate ngunit hindi man lang ito nag-ambang lumingon.

"Mangangalay ka riyan"

Hindi kalaunan ay sabi nito nang hindi pa rin tumitingin. Pigil ang mga hiningang umupo ako sa tabi nito.

She's just so scary.

"You know, I'm not mad" panimula ko saka bahagyang tumikhim dahil nanunuyot ang lalamunan ko

"I don't care whether you're mad or not. I prefer you being mad actually. That will make me more at ease" diretsong sagot nito nang hindi muli tumitingin

I took it as an advantage to look at her.

She's beautiful, and smart, but she can be selfish, and heartless. But those traits are the reason why I keep on pursuing her. That's way more I like it. It's her charm I guess?

Right.

Even that sounds way more like convincing myself.

"Then I'll be mad at you" seryoso kong pagharap dito

Her strong gaze then started to face me in a slow motion. What? Why am I being like these? Why is she so gorgeous that my heart almost skipped a beat?

"Tch do as you please" she smirked

Those lips.

Mariin kong ipinilig ang ulo sa mga naiisip. I can access those later on. You just wait.

"Then pay me back by working for me" ibinalik ko sakanya ang walang emosyon na mga tingin

Nilingon lang niya ako sandali bago hindi makapaniwalang nagpakawala ng ismir at ibinalik ang tingin sa dagat. I remained looking at her.

That smirked knock off my ego but I'll let it go for now.

"You're unbelievable. There's no need, I can pay you with my own strategy-"

"I don't care about your strategy. You broke my phone so you'll have to pay me according my way"

I cutted her words off. Let's see your limitation my heartless lady.

"Ano?! Bakit ka pumayag?!" hindi ma-explain ang gigil ngayon ni Andeng after I told her about the conversation I shared with Sollirim awhile ago

I mean, it's my fault! I should take care of it even that means serving him until I'm no longer indebted. That's part of the consequence of my reckless/impulsive actions.

"Ginoo naman Elya! Alam mo ba ang pinasok mo? What if...what if utusan ka ng mga masasama o kaya mapupusok?! I mean-I told you about them diba? They're playboys! You know how playboys think more than anyone else!" bakas ang pag-aalala sa bawat kataga nito

She looks anxious, disappointed, and helpless. Her face screams how dumb my decision is. It was like telling me that I just dig my own grave.

"I can handle myself" I assured her pero mas dumoble lamang ang frustrations sa mukha nito

"Can you even hear yourself right now?! Gosh I can't handle you! Here, call him right now at sabihin mo sakanya na babayaran mo na ngayon LAHAT" mahinang pagbato nito sakin ng telepono ko

Nakasimangot kong dinampot ang cellphone kong lumanding sa kama.

"Look, it's just going to be a short while. And besides, bakit ko naman siya hahayaang abusuhin ako? I can handle myself promise. Kaya ko na 'to" I convinced her and flashed my sweetest smile

She didn't utter any words anymore and just stared at me with pure disbelief for my stubbornness. Napahilamos nalang siya ng mukha saka nagkibit balikat at sumusukong umupo sa kama.