Stop
After breakfast, I was already in his car, trying to pick up what his mood could be.
But my thoughts are quite elsewhere. The inside of his Donahue Alcuesta smells exactly like his perfume. It's manly but not the kind that's strong and hurts my nose. It just makes me feel kind of dizzy and weak, like something addictive that lulls me to sleep.
Hindi ko tuloy matanong kung sakaling babalian niya ba ng leeg si Heron pagdating namin doon.
I audibly sighed and sunk deeper in the passenger's seat.
Napasulyap siya sa akin, tila tinatantya ang mood ko.
"You still sleepy? We can pull over at a nearby restaurant and order a soup for your hangover," he says, his voice laced with concern.
I smiled. Sa pag-aalala niya sa kapatid niya ay pati ako, nadamay na sa pag-aalalang iyon.
"I'm fine..." I murmured and closed my eyes, trying to inhale the scent inside his car that's soothing to my senses.
Ilang minuto akong nakapikit nang naramdaman ko ang pagtigil ng sasakyan. Napaahon ako 'saka napasulyap sa bintana.
He stopped at a small cozy restaurant and my lips parted. I look at him with questioning eyes but he already got off the car and opened the door for the passenger's seat.
"We'll order your soup first before we go and pick up Francia," sagot niya nang pagbuksan ako ng pintuan.
"What? It's okay! Nag-breakfast at nakapagkape na rin naman ako. Matatagalan tayo." I waved my hand to decline his offer.
He just gave me a final look and started walking inside the restaurant. Kaya wala na rin akong nagawa at sumunod na sa kanya.
Dahil maliit lang ang restaurant at kaonti lang ang tao ay dumiretso siya roon sa counter. He started ordering for me and looked back at me with an inquiring look when the cashier asked for the soup's flavor.
I went beside him, tiptoeing to peek at the menu and tried to weigh what flavor will be the fastest to make.
"How long will it take for a chicken noodle soup, Miss?" I smiled at the cashier.
"Forty minutes, Ma'am." She gave me a small smile upon my look of hesitation.
"Forty minutes, that takes a bit long. Magihintay pa tayo rito? I know you're worried about Francia." I tiptoed again to whisper in his ear.
"Uhmm... we can hurry the process for thirty minutes, Ma'am, Sir," marahang sabat ng cashier.
Oh, useless pala ang pagbulong ko. Awkward akong napangisi sa babae.
"That's fine. No need to hurry the process, Miss. We'll wait." He gave her a reassuring smile.
The cashier blinked profusely and she pretended to be busy with the machine cash, clearly flustered.
"O-Okay, Sir. Thank you!"
"Damiano, it's okay, really. Pwede naman sigurong i-takeout na lang natin 'yon?" I looked at him as we settled down a table for two.
He just raised an eyebrow at me, his lips starting to form a grim line.
"Where's that name you've been calling me last night?"
"Huh?" Napamaang ako dahil hindi nakuha agad ang off-topic niyang tanong.
"That name you called me on the yacht and on the garden," he repeated slowly.
Sumandal siya sa upuan niya, naghihintay ang ekspresyon habang nakatitig sa akin.
Nang naintindihin ko ang ibig niyang sabihin ay marahan akong napatawa at nanunukso agad ang tinging iginawad sa kanya.
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