OS #4: Claws of Dominance

18th Dominance

Hotel

We stopped catching each other's gazes later on which was confusing. It was effective, however, there's something indifferent about him.

I did get his attention while doing it but he appears somehow dark and his furrowed eyebrows became more defined. His every movement is done with a sense of heaviness while fixing his things to have them inside his bag.

He's obviously frowning!

Maayos ko namang ginawa. What went wrong for him to look... offended? Hindi ba dapat mutual interest na?

"Dahlia kanina ka pa tingin ng tingin diyan ah?" Pansin ni Mike.

Lahat sila lumingon at sinundan ang tingin ko. Pagbalik sa akin ay malaki na ang ngiti nila pero hindi ko magawang makisabay sa tawanan at tuksohan.

"Nyjhiel na naman!" Natatawa na ani ni Denis.

They continued teasing however it didn't sit well with me after I saw him leave the cafeteria without sparing me a glance anymore.

May bahid ng inis na nagsimula akong kumain. Hindi na mainit ang ulam ko pati kanin tas ganun lang ang resulta?!

This is all Nereus' fault! Why did I listen to him? Baka pala kung ano-ano na ang tinuro niya sa akin at nagmukha akong tangang ginagawa iyon!

After arriving inside my room I then dialed his number. When he answered, I rant my way at him. Hindi ko siya hinayaang makapagsalita man lang at nagpatuloy sa pagrereklamo.

'T-Teka nga!'

Nagtitimping tinikom ko ang aking bibig kahit gusto ko pang magsalita.

'You did do what I asked but guessing from his expression when he got back it seems you 'did' something wrong.'

Tumikhim ako. "Anong 'him'? Who are you talking about?"

Narinig ko siyang tumawa sa kabilang linya. 'You don't need to act dumb on me. Kilala kita. Wala kang ibang target kundi ang kapatid ko.'

Napairap ako.

'Ayos naman sa pagkaka-describe ang ginawa mo. Show me. Mag video call nga tayo.'

Agad akong sumunod. Nakita ko si Nereus na mukhang nasa pamilyar na kwarto niya.

"I did as you said, Nereus. From the beginning to the last step!"

'Okay. Kalma muna. Show me how you did it.'

Napabuntong-hininga ako bago inilagay ang phone sa stand. He watched me carefully as I acted it out. Mas nangibabaw sa akin ang inis para isipin pa ang hiya ko.

'Stop right there!'

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko pero nanigas ako sa pwesto. "Now what?"

Nagulat ako ng biglang malakas siyang tumawa, yung tawa na para bang ang tanga-tanga ko nga talaga.

'Hindi na ako nagtataka pa. I should've expected!'

This time, I moved and faced him. "Say it!"

Naiiling niya akong tiningnan. 'Dahlia, with the way you looked at him up and down na may mapanuksong tingin tas dagdagan na tumawa ka pa bigla.'

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "What?!"

'Para mong jinudge ang kapatid ko!'

Ako ngayon ang natahimik. Wala sa sarili'ng naalala ko ang nangyari kanina.

"What? No, I didn't!" I objected.

Kaya ba tumaas ang kilay niya kasi na misinterpret niya iyon?

'If you don't mind me pointing out, mukha kang naglalaro lang. And yeah, flirting works that way pero...'