A maid prepared tea for us. I just watched Rio as he calmly sipped his tea, looking graceful with his every move. Well, I guess he also learned etiquette since I heard that the Rossetti family is of royal blood in Italy. Kaya rin siguro ganito ang kilos ni Rio. The manliness was still there, but he looked more like a gentleman with his graceful moves.
Maybe that was why I got comfortable with him the first time I saw him. Because he acts and talks like a true gentleman. Unlike a certain bodyguard of mine.
I groaned inwardly. What the hell am I doing? Rio, whom I hadn't seen for almost a year, was finally here in front of me, and yet, kung sino-sino ang iniisip ko!
It was Devlin's fault! I could still feel his heavy stare, but I refused to look at him. Base sa bigat ng mga titig n'ya, para bang may malaki akong kasalanang ginawa sa kanya!
"How are you, angioletto mio?"
I smiled at Rio. That's right. I should focus on him. Baka matagal na naman kasi bago maulit ang pagbisita n'ya.
"I'm good! I just got off from my photoshoot."
"You didn't have school today?"
"I did! But it was in the morning, then I went straight to the studio where we held the shoot."
Rio's eyes turned gentle. Papalubog na ang araw kaya may liwanag pa at kitang-kita ko ang mga mata n'ya. I really like the gold flecks in his hazel eyes. It looked as if I was looking at nature.
"You must've been exhausted," he said. "If only I'd known, I wouldn't have taken your time—"
"It's alright!" Putol ko na sa sasabihin n'ya bago pa s'ya magsising binisita n'ya ako ngayon. I wouldn't allow that. I was so happy to see him today. "I wanted to see you. I missed you so much, Rio."
He gave me a gentle smile.
"I missed you too, angioletto mio."
I smiled at that. Goodness. Kinikilig yata ako. Everytime naman na kausap ko si Rio, ganito ang nararamdaman ko.
The boyish look I saw in him when we first met is now gone. In front of me was a man, who looked so freaking good that I could feel myself blushing whenever I looked at him.
Shit... Sobrang gwapo kasi ni Rio!
"By the way, I'm good at speaking Tagalog now. I think I can have a full conversation using the language without any problems," I said, feeling proud of myself.
"Is that so? Then... should we start speaking in Tagalog now?"
I wet my lips. I started to doubt myself. I haven't had any conversations with someone using the language. Nasabi ko lang 'yon as I could read and understand the Filipino books that he gave me. I just wasn't sure if I could really talk using the language right now.
But... this is Rio. Hindi naman n'ya siguro ako pahihirapan.
So, I smiled and nodded.
"Okay!"
"Then... tapos mo na bang basahin 'yung mga librong binigay ko sa 'yo?"
Shit. That was a long question. My mind was trying to translate every word he said. Ang bilis pa ng pagkakasabi n'ya. It was obvious that he was used to speaking Tagalog.
Maybe he was talking a lot with his stepmother? Or stepsister? Para kasing sanay na sanay s'yang magsalita ng Tagalog.
"Uhm..." This is hard. "Yes—Oh, no, I mean... Oo. Tapos ko na silang basahin."
Rio smiled at me. Napangiti na rin ako. Ibig sabihin, tama ang sinabi ko.
"Mukhang pinag-aralan mo talagang mabuti, ah? Gusto mo pa bang bigyan kita ng ibang libro?"
