A Rose Hidden in The Thorns.

Chapter 26: how much?

I'm fighting the urge to go after him. Narinig ko ang lahat. Ang ginawa ni Mark, ang sagot sa kaniya ni Lawrence. I heard it all.

Big part of me doesn't wanna believe it. Basi sa imaheng iniwan ni Mark sakin, parang impossible na magawa niya 'yon. Ngunit dahil sa nakita kong inakto niya kanina, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang paniniwalaan ko. Subrang daming butas sa kwento ni Phoenix making it hard for me to believe him.

Sino si Ian? Bakit umalis sa section nila si Mattew? Magkaibigan si Lawrence, Steven, at Mattew dati? What happened to them? Sino yung Claire?

A lot of questions are bugging my head. One after another, making it hard for me to think. But my body gathered some cells when I saw a shadow moving near us. Hindi ganon ka layo samin, pero tago. The shadow moved more and bit by bit, it dissapered. Not sure but my guts says it all. Someone other than us heard what Mark and Phoenix talked about.

I don't know how much he or she heard, but I still need to make sure. Me myself how much there's still is. But the amount of information I have is enough to prove that this is beyond what they call 'can be make public.'

I tip toe and walked to the shadow. It was behind a three few blocks away from us, ngunit pagdating ko roon ay wala namang tao. Nilibot libot ko ang paningin expecting to see someone but no one. Not a shadow.

Namalikmata lang ata ako kaya bumalik na 'ko sa dating pwesto. Wala na si Phoenix, Lawrence is just there, standing firmly looking straight on Phoenix walking away from us.

"What did he say?"

Tinignan nya 'ko. From his serious eyes, to soft and gentle ones. My brows raised and he chuckled. He walked closer to me.

Hindi ko nagugustuhan ang inaakto ng isang 'to. My heart is palpetating, my body shivered when he left only few inches between us.

He smiled at me before sticking some of my hair strands behind my ear. "Nothing much. I'll talk to him later." He said gently.

Tumili ako nang biglang naramdaman ang pagpulupot nang kaniyang braso sa aking bewang at paghila niya sakin palapit sa kaniyang dibdib.

Matangkad si Lawrence, hanggang baba niya lamang ako. Napahawak ako sa kaniyang matipunong dibdib. The same feeling I feel whenever he's around is here again. Ang lakas nang tibok nang puso ko. My senses disappeared, it's as I'd there's only the two of us here.

He lowered his head leaning closer to me. I flinched when he gave me a kiss on the cheeks. I didn't expect that and was on a complete shock. I could't move nor do anything but to stuck up.

"Khai..."

"H-hmm?" 

I flinched a bit again when his head lowered more and he's digging it on my neck now. Nasa dibdib parin niya ang mga kamay ko. I couldn't move an inch and is completely dumbfounded of what's happening.

I felt him shook his head on my neck. "Ang bango mo..."

Nagsitayuan ang aking balahibo ng dumaplis sa aking balat ang kaniyang hininga. Hindi ko na natiis ang kung anong nararamdaman at tinulak siya palayo. Nakita ko ang kaniyang pagkagulat sa aking ginawa yet I didn't care. My heart is skipping beat, my system is losing control, and an unfamiliar feeling inside me is rising. I couldn't do it, I can't take it.

Tumalikod ako sa kaniya't sinuklay ang buhok, pilit pinapakalma ang sistema. I still haven't forgotten what he did at the tree last time. That was my first kiss! And now this? Heck no!

Sa tuwing umaakto siya'y kinakabahan ako. Hindi dahil sa ginawa niya, kundi dahil sa epekto nito sakin.

Their features are a like, is he aware of that?