The Temptress' Karma | Completed

Chapter 5

Mariin akong napapikit, hindi pa rin nakakabawi bago hinabol ang aking paghinga. Marahan akong tumayo at napangiwi nang makaramdam ng kung ano sa aking kamay at tuhod.

But then, my gaze went to Keogh na nakapanood parin sa akin.

"Anong... anong ginagawa mo diyan?" mahinang tanong ko at napangiwi ulit.

From my face, his gaze dropped from my hand to my knees and back to my face. My gaze followed him when he suddenly went to the fridge and took something from it.

Hindi ko inalis ang mata ko dito hanggang sa maglakad ito papalapit sa akin. Not breaking our eye contact, he slid the glass of water near me.

Nagbaba ako roon ng tingin.

"Drink that to sober up." aniya't binigyan ako ng huling tingin bago umalis ng kusina.

Ilang sandali akong natulala at nasapo ang ulo nang makaramdam ng hilo. Inakyat ko ang stool na malapit sa akin at saka uminom ng tubig. Maya-maya pa, muli itong lumitaw nang may dalang... disinfectant and bulak.

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Why do you have..."

Natigil ako sa pagsasalita nang ilapag niya iyon sa aking harapan, kasama ang isang box ng band aid.

My lips parted and I stared at it for a second, not knowing what to do with those.

"Why... are you giving me that?"

Kumunot ang noo nito.

"You... went out without your parents and brother knowing, shared a drink with someone yet remained oblivious to the fact that you have bruises all over your body?" His eyes narrowed a bit when he said that, a hint of annoyance flashing in his face.

"Bruises?" I echoed, ignoring his first statement before dropping my gaze on my hand.

Bumilog ang labi ko nang makitang mayroon nga akong galos roon. Nang mapatingin sa aking tuhod ay may roon din roon! Kaya pala kanina pa ako nakakaramdan ng hapdi.

"Where did I get this?" I absentmindedly asked myself while staring at it.

"Linisan mo muna bago mo i-disinfect. And it might be better to put some ointment for scars."

Nag-angat ako ng tingin rito. I don't know why, but his face right now was a mosaic of expression. Hindi ko matukoy kung bakit siya mukhang naguguluhan, hindi natutuwa, nanghuhusga o ano.

And the look he's giving me was too much to handle that I had to shift to my place to divert his attention. "B-Bakit?"

His eyes squinted. He opened his lips and then halted for a second. Then he shook his head, afterwards. Nagpamulsa siya at tinalikuran ako, paalis na.

I went down the stool and strided across the counter in haste enough for me to grab his shirt from his back.

His gaze bore an icy intensity when it met mine.

I forced a hesitant smile that quickly shifted into a grimace. Napabuntong hininga ako rito.

"You're not going to tell them about this." It's supposed to be a statement, not a question or a request. But when I saw him knit his brows in confusion, his eyes almost rolled heavenward.

"...right?" I added in my polite voice.

He pursed his lips and moved away from me. Nabitawan ko ang kaniyang damit, kaya't saglit na nahulog ang aking mata roon.

"I prefer not to pry into other people's affairs, if that's your concern." aniya bago ako tuluyang iniwan roon.

I watched him disappear for a second before I shrugged my shoulders and lifted the sides of my lips.