FELINE FASCINATION (RHIAN x MICHELLE)

Chapter 15

Michelle's POV

So ayun, tirik na tirik ang araw at nag-aya si Ann na magbeach volleyball raw kami, competitive pa naman ako.

Eto napagpasyahan namin na kami ang teammates ni Patricia habang magkasama naman si Ann at Charlotte, and of course si Patrick ang referee.

Sa unang set palang ay medyo mainit na ang laban, may competitive side rin pala tong si Miss Thailand eh halos pinapakain na nga kami ng buhangin at marami naring mga nagsilapit para manood at magcheer sa laro namin.

Unfortunately, I'm not Michelle Marquez Dee for nothing.

Inhale exhale serve, tuloy ang laro kahit ilang beses na kaming parang magsiswimming sa buhangin nang bigla nalang akong natapilok at na out of balance sa championship set at pakiramdam ko katapusan ko na nang bigla nalang may sumalo sakin sa likod.

"O-okay ka lang?" Nag-aalalang sabi ni ni ni--

Dugdugdugdugdug

T-teka lang,

"A-anong ginagawa mo rito?" Takang tanong ko kay Rhian sabay sinubukang umayos ng tayo pero sobrang sakit parin ng ankle ko kaya inalalayan nya muna ko.

"Oh ayan, dahan dahan kasi." Sermon nito sakin.

"Alam mo, wag ka na nga kaya maglaro." Sabi pa nito.

"Di mo pa sinasagot ang tanong ko. What are you doing here?" Sabi ko.

"Claiming back my territory." Seryosong sabi nito at napakamot nalang ako sa ulo.

"Sit back and relax, I'll show this girl what competition is really like." She smirked.

Kaya ayun, tumabi na muna ako.

Samantalang wala naman kaideidea ang 3 Thai at parang nagtatanungan pa sila kung anong nangyari.

Inexplain naman ni Patrick sa dalawa kung anong sa tingin nya ang nangyayari.

Priiiiiiik

At nagsimula na nga ang game.

Of course, pinakain din sya ng buhangin ni Ann.

"Good game." Sabi ko kay Ann.

"Well, sometimes you gotta show your opponent who's the real boss Daddy." She winked at pumunta na sa cottage to have few bites. Napalunok nalang ako, ano ba tong pinasok ko?

Napalingon naman ako kay Rhian who is still treating her knee wounds at nilapitan siya.

"Lemme help you with that." Sabi ko.

"Chamba lang yun. You know, we were this close to winning and sa totoo lang--" Sabi nya.

I held her hand at napatigil sya. Kinuha ko ang band-aid at nilagay na sa sugat niya.

"Varsity yun since elementary, wala talaga tayong laban dun." Sabi ko.

"Gusto mo ba siya?" She blurted out.

DEAFENING SILENCE

"W-well she's--"

"You don't have to explain, kitang kita naman eh. The way you look at each other--at alam ko yang iniisip mo, di ko naman pinagkakailang nagseselos ako kahit alam ko sa sarili ko na wala din naman akong karapatan." Sabi niya.

"Rhian--"

"You don't have to love me back Michelle but I won't guarantee you that I will stop loving you anytime sooner." Tayo nito at lumapit narin sa iba.

Napakamot nalang rin ako sa ulo. Ano ba kasi talagang nangyayari?.

..

Ann's POV

We conversed in Thai so that this girlfriend wanna be of Michelle won't understand a thing as we just kept smiling at her while lending food from our table.

"..I won't deny that she got the looks." Charlotte said.

"Michelle definitely likes her." I said, with a slight tone of sadness.

"You know, I never really thought that I'd be hearing these kinds of stuff from you. I mean we often talk about pageant, work and boys. And suddenly waking up realizing that you might be into women is such a big leap." Charlotte said.

"This is new to me alright, I'm still trying to test the waters. After my engagement with Paul broke off last year, things hasn't been easy for me until I met Michelle. I never had this special connection towards someone before." I sincerely said.

7 PM

Everyone's eating dinner now in the dining hall while Michelle and I sat by the sea shore to watch at the beautiful moonlight.

"You know, when I was a kid. I constantly asked my Dad to bring me in the playground but he was too busy for that and Mom was always missing in action due to her demanding career. I've always wanted to try the swing." I told her.

"Did you get to do it?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah. I fell off it and broke my leg."

SILENCE

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"What do you mean?"

"It reminded my parents that their obligation is not only to give me the material things every girl could dream but for them to actually be there." I said.

"That's beautiful. Well me, my parents got separated when I was in highschool and Mom has been drinking since then."

"I could perhaps meet her in the future--" I told her.

And the word shall become flesh because just 2 days later, I'm in their house library with her Mom. Just the two of us together.

"Are you my daughter's new girlfriend?" Her Mom Miss Melanie said with a serious face as she drank another glass of wine.

"We're good friends Ma'am."

"That wasn't my question." She said.

"Do you want me to?" I asked.

"I used to be a beauty queen just like you, now look at me--"

"Still gorgeous as ever. I saw the photo albums in Michelle's room a while ago." I said.

SILENCE

"Look kid, my daughter--she had been through a lot. And unfortunately, I am one of those people who have contributed to her sufferings. Her cousin Vitto mentioned that she sort of have an eye for this Rhian girl that she used to hate for years, and honestly she's not my vibe." She said.

"Why are you telling me this Ma'am?."

"So you would know that I got your back. I think you're a decent woman and I think I can see you loving my daughter for a very long time." She sincerely said.

"I-I don't know Ma'am, I-I mean this has never happened to me before. W-what if this is just a phase or something?." I honestly told her.

"Nah, I bet that in your case; there's no turning back. By the way, we have this family gathering this coming sunday.." She said.

..

Rhian's POV

"It's my father's 87th birthday, you should come." Tito Derek said.

"Eh Tito, hindi naman ako--"

"Ano ba? Pagtataluhan na naman ba natin to? Hindi ka na iba sa amin Rhian. Mas para na nga kitang anak kesa kay Michelle eh. Besides, nagpapakipot lang yung anak kong yun. One of these days masusungkit mo rin ang tagumpay. Syempre, ikaw manok ko no. So ano, G? Come on, it'd be fun." Sabi niya.