Smitten Series: Book One to Eight

28 - The Letter

"Ah, akala ko po girlfriend niyo. Bagay po kayo, eh."

"Gano'n ba? Kung palarin ako..." Slate shrugged his shoulders again. "Kung palarin ako, iingatan ko siya at 'di ko ituturing na parang basura. Right, miss Kitty?"

Blythe didn't answer. She began to feel the fear again, the fear of giving trust to someone.

Sariwa pa sa isip niya ang sakit na iniwan ng dalawang ex-boyfriend niya sa kanya.

"I'm going home..."

Slate silently cursed himself. He saw the fear in Blythe's eyes and the panic in her movements. Hindi mapakali ang babae ngayon sa kanya.

Oh, shit, I fucked up. Sa isip ni Slate.

"Ihahatid na kita."

"No need." Blythe distanced herself from Slate. "I'm sorry for the sudden distance but I don't feel okay right now. Hope you understand."

"I understand... but let me take you home. No harm, promise. Gusto lang kitang ihatid to make sure you're okay."

"I am okay now." Blythe quickly said. Binawi na agad ang sinabi kanina na 'di siya okay. Gustong-gusto na niyang makalayo kay Slate.

She made a mistake again. Dapat ay 'di na siya sumama sa lalaki. Dapat ay nakalayo na siya agad dito.

"No, you're not okay. Your eyes can't lie, Kitty. You can lie but not with me." Slate breathed. "I know it's hard to trust me, when you just know my name and my face. And this is the second time we met in person but no harm, I don't want you to fear me."

Slate is now serious.

Tahimik na ininom ng staff ang Frapucinno habang nakatingin sa kanyang boss at sa babaeng kasama nito. Ngayon niya lang kasi nakita na may dinalang babae ang boss niyang si Slate kaya naman naintriga siya.

"Fine..." Blythe breathed, medyo 'di na siya nagpanic ngayon.

Nakahinga nang maluwag si Slate at napangiti. "Tara na?"

Tumango ang babae, "Tara na."

Hinarap ni Slate ni Lee at nagpaalam. "Alis muna ako, ah? Ikaw na bahala rito."

"Got it, sir. Ingat po kayo."

Slate nodded his head, bago niya pagbuksan ng pinto si Blythe ay iniwan niya ang Frapuccino at Cinnamon Danish niya kay Lee. Iinumin at kakainin na lang niya 'yon mamaya. Mas importante si Blythe ngayon.

Habang naglalakad sila ay tahimik lamang si Blythe sa tabi niya, gusto sana kausapin ni Slate ang babae pero natatakot din siya na baka magpanic na naman 'to gaya kanina.

Mahirap pala magmahal ng taong may trauma, may trust issues at may takot na sa lalaki na gaya ni Blythe. Mahirap makaporma.

"Dito na ako, thank you."

Slate felt an urge to give Blythe a hug, but instead he backfires. He controlled himself for not doing anything to Blythe, kahit na sincere siya rito.

First and foremost, he needs to avoid a contact skin ship with her. He needs to gain her trust first. He needs to wait for her to give in, to give her a break from fear of trust and fear of falling in love once again.

"Kitty..."

Blythe looked at Slate eyes. "Hmm?"

"A little reminder for a woman like you, the world is ours. It is okay to fear something, it is okay to put your defenses up, it's okay to panic but... you can give your heart a break and just breathe sometimes. It's okay not to feel okay, it's okay to be scared. It's natural. I hope one day you can tell yourself, to prove yourself that you're okay."