I chose to wear a turtleneck sweatshirt and pants just to make sure that there wouldn't be any marks that Devlin left on me that could be seen. I already checked myself in the mirror but it was better to be safe. Si Rio pa naman ang makakaharap. He was always observant. He hid his thoughts behind his smile. Kapag naiisip ko pa lang na ngingiti s'ya sa 'kin habang kausap ako, my nervousness would already spike up. His gentle smile, which I always loved to see before, has become something that scares me now.
I was really surprised to see him here. Wala man lang s'yang pasabi. He never called me before coming here. The last time we've talked was way so long ago that I had the impression na patatagalan pa s'ya sa kung anumang inaasikaso n'ya. And to be honest, it was fine with me. I missed him, but... I wasn't that excited to see him again. Unlike before.
So, I knew that Rio got confused with how I acted earlier. I didn't think I looked too enthusiastic seeing him again, which was probably not what he was expecting as I was... too attached to him before. I was even downhearted when we met the last time, and he told me that he wouldn't be visiting me for a long time dahil sa mga aasikasuhin n'ya.
I knew I had a huge crush on him before. I was so aware of that. But now... thinking about it, I might have been wrong. Dahil hindi iyon ang una kong naisip kanina nang makita s'ya. When I looked at him, I didn't see him as a man whom I was crushing on. Mas inisip ko pa si Devlin at ang nararamdaman n'ya. All I could think of earlier was how Devlin felt when Rio suddenly showed up. I knew that he didn't like Rio.
And even right now, mas iniisip ko pa si Devlin. Alam kong ayaw n'yang kinakausap ko si Rio. I knew that he might get... mad at me again. Iba pa naman s'yang magselos.
Maybe... what I felt for Rio was just admiration. Because he was there to cheer me up when my mother died. He took care of me. Maybe... I just saw him as an older brother figure.
But what I felt for Devlin was too intense. A feeling that I didn't know how to handle. It was too much. Palaging may gustong kumawala. Nandoon din ang pakiramdam na gusto ko s'yang palaging nasa tabi ko. And that I want to keep him all to myself.
I wanted him all for myself. His attention, his time, his emotions, his feelings, his love... gusto ko ay sa akin lang ang lahat ng 'yon.
I went back to the drawing room. I saw Rio already sitting down, calmly sipping his tea that the maid probably served while I was gone. He had his legs crossed, as if he felt really comfortable. Sa kaharap n'yang long sofa ay nakaupo si Devlin. Unlike Rio, Devlin looked tense. He had a stern expression on his face. Madalim ang mukha a parang gusto nang patayin si Rio gamit ang tingin. I also noticed his fist clenched on his lap.
What the hell happened?
"Angioletto mio..." It was Rio who greeted me. Pinasadahan n'ya ako ng tingin. "You're covered up."
Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanya.
"I just like this style." What a lame lie.
Sinulyapan ko si Devlin. I found him already staring at me. His eyes were blank. Nandoon na naman ulit ang kawalan ng expression sa mukha n'ya. I hated it when he was like this. But I guess that now that Rio's back, balik na naman ulit s'ya sa ganoon.
No... I missed him already. Iyong s'ya kapag magkasama kami.
Kailan ba aalis si Rio?
"You can go now, Alexeev."
I noticed Devlin's jaw clenched. Halatang hindi nagustuhan ang sinabi ni Rio.
"It's my job to watch over Yelizaveta," he even said.
Rio raised an eyebrow. He was chuckling when he put down the teacup on the table.
"I know. I gave you that job. But you don't have to watch her when she's with me."
