Buy Me

CHAPTER 45

'This place is a cage?'

Ella couldn't control her frown upon remembering what Constantine said. Ilang minuto matapos niyang magising sa kuwarto nito ay inaya siya ng binata na magpunta sa kusina.

The brute was holding her hand across the lobby. Hindi niya alam kung napapansin ba ng binata ang panlalamig ng kaniyang kamay, pero masaya siyang hindi naman nito pinupuna 'yon. They were just casual. Na para bang napakanatural na lang dito na hawakan ang kamay niya ano mang oras na gustuhin nito.

Who could have thought that the spoiled brat actually grew up in a mansion? Kahit naman may ideya siyang nakakaluwag ang binata ay hindi niya pa rin niya lubos-maiisip na ganito pala karangya ang kinalakihan nito.

Walang masasabing segunda-klase sa kinaroroonan nila, mula sa napakintab na marmol na sahig hanggang sa naglalakihang mga paintings na nakahilera sa dingding. There was no space for the word cheap in there. Madaling maintindihan iyon sa itsura ng grand staircase na nagmistulang pinakasentrong atraksyon ng malapasyong bahay at bulwagan na nasa dulo niyon.

Mahigit sa limang beses na silang may nakasalubong na mga unipormadong katulong. Kadalasan, sandaling humihinto ang mga ito sa mga ginagawa oras na masilayan ang pagdaan ni Constantine. They would politely bow to him first before turning to her and smiling. Hindi siya sanay sa ganoong pormalidad kaya hindi niya alam kung ano ba dapat na maging reaksyon niya sa tuwing sa kaniya nababaling ang mga atensyon nito. 'Damn it.'

"Sandali." They were already in the middle of what looked like an exaggeratedly spacious hall when she suddenly stopped walking. Then, taking a deep breath, she scanned the whole place one time, lingering longer on the man-made falls decorating one side of the house. Saglit siyang natigilan nang makasalubong ang nagtatakang tingin ni Constantine. However, she was just as frazzled as he was; thus, she asked, "What the eff is this, Alandy?"

"What do you mean?"

Paulit-ulit bumukas-sara ang kaniyang bibig. Her hand started gesturing in the air, wanting to say something, but then no words came out of her mouth. Paano nga ba kasi ang tamang paraan para sabihin ditong nagugulat at nanliit siya dahil unti-unting lumilinaw sa kaniya ang agwat ng estado nila?

The second-top model she used to know was comfortable to be with. Kaso mabilis na napalitan ng pagka-alangan ang nararamdaman niya para rito ngayon. He was actually more than what she could imagine, and she was just not ready for that.

"Bakit hindi mo nabanggit ito kahit minsan?" Ella managed to say after a couple of seconds. Nag-iinit ang mukha siya sa pagkapahiya habang naalala kung paano niya pakibagayan ito nitong mga nakaraang buwan. A huge part of her was telling her to melt right there and then. Bakit kasi napakaswal lang nito sa lahat ng tao at ni-walang nakakapansin na iba pala ang estado nito? She could also bet that not much of his fans knew about this, dahil kung alam ng mga ito... o kahit ng mga kasama nito sa GAIA... ang totoo ay mangingimi ang mga itong lumapit man lang. Tulad na lang ng nadarama niya ngayon. She couldn't even handle the disbelief gracefully.

"This is a bit... overwhelming, Alandy--I mean... Mr. Alandy--"

"Weren't you supposed to drop the formality?" he coldly cut her off. Kahit hindi niya pa natatapos ang kaniyang sinasabi ay tila nabasa na nito kung saan papunta iyon at hindi nito nagugustuhan 'yon. "Sa pagkakaalala ko, iyan ang unang hiniling ko sa'yo nang magkita tayo. For Christ sake, Pea. Dala mo na nga 'yong anak ko--"

"Iba 'yon."

"Paano?"

"Hindi mo nasabi sa akin na--" she said, and then shut her mouth, not wanting to say something that would embarrass her more. Letting out a controlled sigh, she strategically pulled her hand from his hold, pretending to pat the bottom of her pajama to remove any imaginary dust that clanged there. "I'm just not ready for all of this..."