Craving the Thorns (Monforte Series #1) (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 6

Prepaid

"Why are you here outside?" he asked darkly.

Nanginig ang labi ko, ngayon ko lang halos naramdaman ang basa ng katawan at ang lamig.

The wind suddenly became wild. Napapikit ako nang pumiyas sa'kin ang ulan. He saw how I'm struggling that's why he blocked the rain, so it'll stop attacking me. Ako naman ngayon ang medyo napatingin sa likuran niya dahil siya naman ang nababasa.

"U-Uhm..."

"Let's go inside."

Hinila niya ng marahan ang braso ko. I was stunned when I felt his warm touch. Pakiramdam ko, kahit na hindi naman niya ako marahas na hinihilia... nagpapatianod pa rin ako. Mabilis kong binawi iyon dahil sa may naramdaman akong kakaiba. Napatingin naman siya sa'kin, his eyes were cold and his jaw were tight. Parang may pinipigilan.

"N-Nahihiya ako kaya... ayokong pumasok."

"No one's inside. You should've went in."

Napailing ako. Masama na ang tingin niya ngayon. He licked his lips. His gaze turned to my see through top. Lalong dumilim ang paningin niya. He then shook his head and took off his coat. Mata ko naman ngayon ang bumaba sa katawan niya. I know that his body was well built but I didn't even imagine it. Even in my dreams. Ngayon na napapahapyawan ng mata ko ang katawan niya, pakiramdam ko hindi na malamig.

Mainit na.

"Here." inalagay niya ang coat niya sa balikat ko. Just enough to cover me. "Let's go inside. There's no hint that the rain will stop anytime soon. Sa loob na tayo."

Ni hindi pa ako maka-recover. His body were all over my gaze. Napakurap-kurap ako at umiwas na lang ng tingin.

Pagpasok ko pa lang, kitang-kita ko na agad ang rangya ng paligid. Mas malaki pa ito kaysa sa bahay namin. Sala pa lang, walang wala na sa bahay nina Simon. Not that I'm comparing it, hindi ko lang ma-imagine na nag-eexist nga talaga ang ganitong mga bahay.

"Make yourself at home. Magbababa ako ng damit para sa'yo. Magbibihis lang din ako."

Ni hindi ko na siya tiningnan. I was too busy admiring the view. Dito pa lang sa sala, alam mo na agad na mahilig sa painting ang may ari ng bahay. Malalaki ang mga painting na nakasabit sa bawat dingding. The walls were not crowded even though it was made to hang arts.

Marami. Iba-iba. Pero kahit gano'n, sobrang elegante pa rin ng bahay.

"Here."

Nakabihis na siya. Just a white shirt and gray shorts. I licked my lips when I saw that the clothes he was offering me were the same... colors. Gray na shorts din at shirt na white.

Tinuro niya sa'kin ang banyo at doon na ako nagbihis. Maging sa banyo, hindi ako binigo. There is a massive painting inside it. A garden full of roses and thorns. Napangiti ako nang makitang pulang-pula ang mga 'yon. The petals were very accentuated that's why the beauty were seen.

Hindi nga lang nakawala sa paningin ko ang malalaking tinik sa ilalim niyon. Hawak-hawak ko ang damit pero pinatong ko muna sa counter top ang mga 'yon. My gaze were focused now on the thorns.

The thorns. It symbolizes a lot for some people. Inaalis nila ang bawat tinik sa bawat rosas. Maybe because for them... it is pain. A painful part of the rose.

The unacceptable. Its flaws.

We pick roses not because of the thorns. For some people, it was a struggle. To hunt roses just to be welcomed with pain... when we're about to grasp them. It is easy to find every rose in this world, but you must be careful getting it... because it can scar you. It can hurt you. It is that beautiful, that you need to at least be hurt, be patient, and kind enough to accept that every rose... has its thorns.