REN and The Heartless Devil

CHAPTER XLIII

Naalimpungatan ako ng may kumatok sa pinto "Ate Ren baba na daw kayo kakain na" I rub my eyes sleepily. I felt a heavy hand on my waist nung tatayo na sana ako. Tch! I remember what he said before we sleep. A part of me wants to believe in him. But I'm tired of this kind of shit, they promised pero nasan na sila ngayon. Expectation hurts and broken promises are really heartbreaking.

I took his hand off my waist and softly smack his check. "Hmmm" he moaned "Why?" he asked in his husky voice. "Time for lunch" sabi ko sa kanya bago umalis sa kama. I just comb my hair with my finger and fix my crumpled clothes bago lumapit sa pinto. "Wait" dali dali syang bumangon at nag ayos at sabay na kaming bumaba.

I saw four people on the dining table, si Lolong nagbukas ng gate, si Nay Rosi, Anna at yung isang ngayon ko lang nakita. "Oh halina kayo" Nay Rosi saw us kaya napalingon na din yung tatlo. "Zeke kumusta na?" the guy beside Anna said. Umupo muna kami sa table before Grae answered him. "Ayos lang, ikaw ba?"

"Okay lang din, pasukan na naman sa lunes" lumipat naman yung tingin nya sa akin. "Kasama mo?" His voice is bright but his face screams the opposite, suplado. "Hmm kaibigan ko, Gabrielle Ren Nishida" dapat talaga complete name? Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Grae but he just ignore me. "Hi, Nicolo Sebastian kuya ni Anna" he smiled but it did not reach his eyes. I nod at him before I grab some food.

"Ito nga pala ang asawa ko si Anton. Apo naman namin itong si Nicolo at Anna" I look at the four of them with a small smile on my lips. It's not fake pero halatang pilit. "Saan nyo balak mamasyal ngayon Ezekielle" ngayon ko pa lang narinig na nagsalita si Tay Anton. "Sa may ilog po siguro Tay" I never knew Grae has this side of him. Marunong pala syang gumamit ng po.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?" he ask me out of a sudden, nasa sala na kami ngayon kaya pwedeng mag english, kami lang namang dalawa. Wow nangislap naman yung mata ko, I think I forgot when was the last time I rode a horse. "Wanna race?" he grinned, gusto kong bawiin yung sinabi ko. I'm not confident with my horseback riding skills at baka din sumakit yung sugat ko. But pride won't let me.

"Agahan nyo ng uwi ha" straight face pa din na sabi sa amin ni Nicolo maya maya. "Bakit?"tanong ko sa kanya, pero natulala muna sya ng ilang seconds bago nagsalita. " May liga sa kabilang baryo punta tayo, pista kasi dun bukas" wow! I never experienced what it's like. Yung pista sa probinsya. "Talaga?" I can't contain my excitement, at alam kung halata sa boses ko yun. " First time mo?" I shyly nod at him. And for the first time I saw his genuine smile bago sya lumabas ng bahay.

"What?" nakititig kasi sya sa akin. "Serisouly? First time?" he asked in disbelief. I blew the hairs on my forehead kakairita para kasing pinagtatawanan nya ako sa isip nya. "I've been to a lot of festivals in Japan. But this would be my first time here." Inirapan ko sya before a lean my back on the sofa and close my eyes.

"Ezekielle handa na ang mga kabayo" napa ayos ako ng upo sa narinig ko. "C'mon" hawak hawak na pala ako ni Grae sa kamay and drag me outside. An Arabian stallion is standing mightily in front of me. "Can I touch him?" Grae nodded smiling at me. Shit! Ang lambot hawakan. "Anong pangalan mo?" narinig ko na naman ang pagpipigil ng tawa ni Grae.

"What's funny Ezekielle?" he abruptly stops his suppressed laugh at tiningnan ako ng seryoso. "What did you just call me?" his impassive expression makes me nervous. "Ezekielle?" patanong kong sagot sa kanya. I was surprised when he gave me a sincere smile seconds later. Eh?