The Professor's Obsession (PUBLISHED)

Chapter 3

“Hell, yeah!  Puwede naman siguro na kumuha ka kahit isa lang,” she said with a laugh and shook her head.

I also laughed because of what she said. Paano ko ba matatanggihan ang paborito kong mangga? Ang sarap nila sa mata, kapag kakainin ko, siguradong mas masarap.

"Alright! Dito ka muna. Kukuha lang ako tapos babalik din ako kaagad,” paalam ko at mabilis na umakyat. Hindi na alintana kung masira ang jogger o madumihan ang puti kong t-shirt.

Tumango si Jessica at ngumiti. Nang nasa taas na ako ay nalula ako dahil sa sobrang dami. Ngunit hindi ako nakuntento sa mangga na malapit sa’kin at naghahanap pa ng mas hinog.  Nang makita ko ang hinog na hinog na talaga ay mabilis akong humawak sa sanga ng mangga. Nasa ganoon akong posisyon nang makarinig ako ng mabilis at malakas na tunog ng kabayo na paparating sa pwesto namin. Hindi ko na lamang iyon pinansin. Akmang pupunta na sana ako sa kabilang side nang biglang sumitsit si Jessica kaya yumuko ako para tingnan siya.

“Bakit?” takang tanong ko.

Kabado siyang nakatingin sa akin habang sumesenyas na bumaba na raw ako. At halatang ayaw niyang makagawa ng kung anong tunog dahil tanging kamay lang niya ang ginamit sa pagsenyas sa’kin.

“Bakit?” I asked her again, this time I made my voice louder.

“Bumaba ka na! Someone is coming! Seems like Melvin is not the owner of this place,” she said in a panic.

The sound of the horse's footsteps grew faster and louder. I panicked on what she said. Katapusan na talaga namin kapag makikita kami ng may-ari ng rancho. Baka kasuhan kami o hindi kaya ay papatayin. Kung alam ko lang na hindi pala rancho ni Melvin ito ay hindi na sana kami pumasok. Hindi rin sana ako umakyat para kumuha ng mangga. At higit sa lahat, hindi sana kami kabahan ng ganito.

“Jessica, go first! Susunod na lang ako sayo,” kabado kong saad at nataranta na rin.

Because of panic, she immediately ran fast. I was about to go down when suddenly… someone shouted, causing me to stop and stand straight while holding at the mangoes branch.

“Hey, you thief! Come back here!” he shouted hard. Ramdam ko ang panggigigil nito.

Base sa boses ng lalaki ay halatang galit na galit. Halata ring masama ang ugali.

But his voice is very familiar… parang si ano… nevermind.

I can’t see him since I’m surrounded by leaves. I silently prayed na sana hindi siya sumilong sa ilalim ng puno dahil kung sisilong siya, malamang malalagot ako.

I sighed in relief when the surroundings became quiet. The horse lost track. Nang may sumitsit sa likod ko ay mabilis akong napalingon. Wala lang segundo ay agad akong bumitaw sa sanga, hindi na inalintana kung saan babagsak.

I closed my eyes tightly habang hawak-hawak ang mangga, naghihintay na babagsak sa matigas na lupa. Ngunit, sa halip na sa mainit na damuhan ako babagsak, isang mainit na braso ang dumampi sa likod ko. Dahan-dahan akong tumingin sa sumalo sa’kin. Medyo blurry pa dahil sa liwanag ng araw kaya mabilis kong kinusot ang mata.

Gusto ko sanang magpasalamat dahil sa pagsalo sa’kin ngunit napatigil ako nang makita kung sino ang kaharap ko.

“Pollux?”

My forehead creased because of confusion.

How come he's here?

Is he the owner of the ranch?

Oh god! Trouble really loves me!

“Why are you here?” he asked using his baritone voice.

Lumihis ang tingin ko sa gilid niya. There, a huge brown horse and almost taller than me. I swallowed and got down from his catch. Immediately hide the mango on my back.

“Ah, I got lost,”  I answered weakly, swallowing repeatedly and looked away.

Of course, that was just a lie. I badly want to run and leave him, but I don't want to be disrespectful in front of him. Not my professor. Not this man.

“Again? You're not doing this on purpose? Not to get my attention?” he asked seriously while looking at me.

Instead of getting annoyed, I laughed softly.

“Ang galing mo talagang mag biro, Sir,” I answered and laughed sarcastically.

Conceited freak!

I can’t believe he’s also conceited like the other men I met.

“I’m not. Do I look like I'm joking to you?” he asked, raising his left brows.

Mabilis akong napalunok dahil sa seryosong tingin at boses niya.

“Sabi ko nga hindi,” I hurriedly defended, “Sabi ko nga ako ang nag-joke,” saad ko at plastik na tumawa habang pinipigilan ang sarili na mautal.

“So, why are you here?” he asked again, more serious than usual.

I’m like a puppy that spontaneously opens its mouth to bark/answer.

“Nanguha po ng mangga,” I said weakly at yumuko para iwasan ang tingin niya.

My heart beat fast as I waited for him to shout at me, but a hot hand touched on my jaw. Our eyes met. A cold and fierce look suddenly changed into a soft one.

“How many mangoes do you want?” he asked calmly and pinned the hair that was blocking my face into my ears.

I blushed because of what he did. Gusto kong mag-overthink sa ginawa niya ngunit pinigilan ko na lamng.

I'm suddenly taken aback by his question. Gusto kong sabihin na isang bag ang gusto ko pero hindi rin naman ganoon kakapal ang mukha ko. Kahit papaano ay guro ko pa rin siya at hindi kami magka-level kaya hindi pwede na dadaanin ko lang sa biro.

“Ah, okay na po ito. I’m just hungry kasi kanina at mukhang masarap kaya kumuha ako ng isa nang hindi nagpapaalam. Sorry po,” I answered honestly, smiled shyly and showed him the yellow mango I was holding.

I want to tell him that I badly want more, pero pinigilan ko na lang. Nahihiya rin ako dahil nag mukha na akong magnanakaw sa sitwasyon ko ngayon.

Pollux's eight abs were evident when he suddenly took off his shirt. I slowly looked away because of shame. Alam kung mas pula pa ako ngayon sa kamatis.

“H-hey! Bakit mo tinanggal ang shirt mo?” I couldn’t stop stuttering because of embarrassment.

Shit! His eight abs are exposed and his arms are toned. Mas hot pa siya sa mga model na nakikita ko sa magazine!

“I know you want to eat,” he said and smiled devilishly.