In His Kiss

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Laure Ri Daza's Point of View

Hindi ko na namalayan ang oras simula nang ihagis ako ni Hiro sa pool. Hiro's cousins are fun to be with. They made me feel that I'm already part of their family even though we just met this morning. It turns out that the only single in the family were Tori's brothers— Damien, Clevon, and Cainn. That's why they're pretending to vomit whenever they're looking at their other in a relationship cousins. Lalo na at nameet ko na rin ang girlfriend ni Nikos na si Reeve at asawa ni Kalev na si Marsh.

"Laure!" Tumingin ako kay Tori na ngayon ay wala na sa pool.

"Your phone kept on vibrating. Someone's calling you nonstop." Bigla akong napaisip kung sino naman ang tatawag sa akin. Iniwan ko ang phone ko sa sunlounge chair kanina at dahil malapit lang si Tori sa mismong sunlounge chair ay talagang maririnig niyang may tumatawag sa akin.

"The caller ID says Creed." I suddenly went flushed when Tori mentioned the name Creed. Nagkatinginan naman kaming dalawa ni Hiro. Hiro's face turned into a scowl as if he was also not expecting Creed's call.

"Who's that? Is that your brother?"

"You and your curiosity, Victoria Abbel." Hiro hissed. I swam on the pool corner and Hiro did the same. He even helped me by lifting me up from the pool water. Nang makaalis ako sa pool at kinuha ang phone ko sa sunlounge. Kahit si Hiro ay nakita kong umalis na rin sa pool habang nakatingin sa akin.

I excused myself and have to walk away from them before answering the call. Creed just called me out of blue! Simula nang nagkaroon kami ng open relationship ay hindi naman ito madalas tumatawag sa akin. Nakita ko na lang ang sarili kong sinasagot ang tawag niya sa may likurang bahagi ng bahay nila Hiro.

"Creed," I said on the other line when I answered his phone call. I heard a rustling sound coming from the background.

"Hey, baby. Buti na lang sinagot mo na ang tawag ko. Kanina pa kita tinatawagan." Sabi niya sa kabilang linya at ako naman ay tiningnan ang screen ng phone ko at doon nakitang nakailang missed call na pala ito sa akin.

"Bakit ka napatawag?" Tanong ko dito at napakagat sa ilalim ng aking labi habang nakahawak ang isang kamay ko sa aking noo. It's just so weird answering Creed's phone call while I'm at Hiro's house— just a feet away from his family!

"Kailangan ba ng rason para tawagan kita? I want to check up on you and be with you, Laure. Why does it seem to me that you're making me sound like a jerk here?" Creed sound offended, and I hurriedly closed my eyes and exhaled abruptly. I suddenly felt guilty. It was my fault for avoiding his phone calls while he was trying his best to reach out. And I felt horrible for enjoying someone else's presence. Napahinga ako nang malalim at bigla na lang napaisip.

What am I even doing?

"No, I'm sorry if it sounded like that. I'm actually busy." When I say busy, it means I'm with Hiro.

"I can tell. Wala ka sa apartment mo." Hindi ko alam kung ako lang ba ang nakapansin. But Creed sounded so serious that he was blaming me for not being in my apartment. He blamed me for not being with him now that he needed me.

"Right,"

"Are you with—" he pauses. "What was his name again?" Another loud breath came from me. Nagsimula na rin akong lamigin dahil basa ang buong damit ko. I just got up from the pool a moment ago.

"Hiro." Pagkasabi ko ng pangalan niya para ipapalala kay Creed ay may narinig akong mahinang yabag ng mga paa na papalapit sa aking pwesto. Napatingin naman ako kung saan ito nangagaling. Hindi ko akalain na sinundan pala ako ni Hiro. Nakita ko siyang sumandal sa may pader habang naka cross arms at tahimik lang na tumitingin sa akin— na para bang hinihintay niya lang akong matapos ang tawag namin dalawa ni Creed.