Calming the Storm

Kabanata 18

"Tahimik mo?"

Napahinto ako sa pag nguya. Lutang ang isip ko habang kumakain. Hindi ko nga naisip na kasama ko pa si Ramiel.

"Kumakain tayo. May laman bibig ko kaya," pagdadahilan ko kahit na ang totoo ay may kakaibang pait akong nalalasahan. It's not coming literally from the food.

"Are you bothered with your friends?"

Umiling ako. "Hindi ko naman sila kaibigan. I'm
not bothered, Ramiel."

"Are you sure? Even though they're not your friends, it surely affects you somehow.."

I smiled a little. He's definitely keen and emotionally aware.

"Splits second lang. Hindi ako malulungkot or what sa di nila pagpansin na sa akin. Sanay na ko sa ganyan noon palang."

I'm not very lucky when meeting people, I guess? Ramiel could be an exception...but this is still uncertain.

True enough to his word, he's really staying for the rest of the week. Mukhang natapos nga niya ang trabaho kaya nandito na naman siya sa apartment at nanggugulo.

There are nights he won't stay here due to work and social gatherings. I guess he has a very active social life. I heard he has a lot of friends and cousins. I'm not just familiar with them, with their world. That's why there's no wonder why he's like a chic magnet. That man knows how to socialize, or maybe he knows as well where to tickle the women he finds attractive.

Thinking that thought makes me bitter. I'm not innocent and never naive. From the start, I find Ramiel dangerously attractive. He's damn gorgeous in a masculine way. He's like sculpted patterned with the Greek gods in mythology. I was attracted to him—maybe one of the reasons why I agreed to being his escort.

My attraction fell deeper when I get to know him. And it gets deeper by each day we are together or even apart.

I'm not blindly attracted to him. I know how big the gap between us is, no matter how much he's close to holding every time. Simula noong inisip ko kung ano ang lugar niya sa buhay ko, para akong nagising sa panaginip. Para akong si Cinderella na inabutan ng alas dose ng hating gabi. Maybe this is the reason why I least liked her story. It reminds me of my reality.

He can be a friend, but in reality, we met because of our mutual agenda. He needs my service. He pays for it. After this situation, I know we will forget this transient interaction.

Ngumiti ako nang mapait. Parang walang binigay sa akin ang langit? Pinagkait lahat.

Pero bawing bawi naman sa itsura ko.

Nakatitig ako sa salamin habang suot suot ang uniporme. Tuyo na ang buhok ko at nakapag ayos na rin ako para sa unang araw ng pasok.

Sa likod ko ay si Ramiel na pinapanood ako. Suot niya ang usual attire pang opisina. Kanina ko pa siya pinapaalis. Ang sabi niya ay wala naman siyang limit sa pag pasok. I almost forgot he is his own boss.

"Wag mo na ko ihatid! Magsasayang ka pa ng gas. Ang lapit lapit lang ng school!"

"Then I'll walk with you."

The image of us walking the side road made my limbic system go wild but it comes along with another image of him being the center of the eyes of other college girls make me tick.

"Ayoko! Pumasok ka na nga lang sa hotel. Baka sabihin pa nila, ang laki laki ko na tapos hinahatid pa ako ng tatay ko?"

"What the fuck? You're starting na naman! I'm not old!"