Relentlessly Yours [Completed]

Chapter 4

Nicola, Age Fourteen
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Leyton is back. The resident asshole was gone for four years and suddenly, he couldn't speak a single Filipino word.

Seriously? He was being ridiculous. May accent pa!

Kai's arm was draped on the back of my chair casually as Calum and Reid picked on Leyton's new accent and his sudden inability to speak Tagalog.

Bumaling ako kay Kai na agad 'ding napatingin sa akin. I swear every time I warrant his attention, he always gives it to me like it was the most natural thing in the world for him. My heart clenched and I suddenly forgot what I was going to tell him.

"What is it?" he nudged as his hand from the back of the chair started to play with my hair.

I blinked and racked my brain for words. He chuckled softly as if he knew I couldn't think because of him. Nag-init ang pisngi ko.

"I was just going to say, thinking back, I don't remember Leyton speaking Tagalog. Ako lang 'ba?"

It was not like we couldn't understand him. Lahat kami ay lumaki na English ang unang natutunan na lenggwahe. All the students in St Augustine both in coed and all-girls--especially in all-girls, were proficient in speaking the language. However, it was a bit weird to ask Leyton something in Tagalog only for him to answer in English and I repeat, with an accent!

There was still a lingering smile on his lips when he nodded. "He always spoke English. You know Tito Leandro only speaks Italian and English, right? I think Leyton got so used to his father and was never really able to practice any other language."

"But he doesn't even speak Italian."

Tumawa siya at tumango. "Yeah."

"At nagtatagalog 'din naman si Silver."

He shrugged. "Who knows how that fucker's brain works?"

Nag-init ang pisngi ko sa tinuran niyang salita. Why did it sound so weird coming from his lips?

"Fucker," I murmured, testing the word.

Namilog ang mata niya bago ngumisi. "I'm bad for you, Calliope," he teased as he continues to twirl my hair using his finger.

"Wala ka 'bang training today?"

Umiling siya. "Next weekend 'pa. Do you want to do anything this weekend?"

I chewed on my lips. "Hindi 'ba pupunta tayo sa rest house nila Reid?"

His eyes widened. "You're coming with?"

Tumango ako. "Pupunta sa Davao sila Dad to check the finishing touches of his new resto," I grinned. "That means I don't have to practice all day."

He stared at me.

"What?"

"Are you still enjoying playing the piano? Tita Bettina seems to be abusing you or something..."

Namilog ang mga mata ko. "S-She's not abusing me." Mabilis at automatic na pagde-defend ko kay Mommy.

Napaisip ako sandali. Fine, she's overbearing and I am becoming less and less enthusiastic with piano recitals but I think I still enjoyed it. After all, he was always in attendance at all of my recitals. I wanted to play for him. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I imagine he's the only one in the audience. Was that weird? I'm not sure I'm even supposed to think that way.

"Well, you play well enough. You don't have to practice every weekend for the whole damn day for it."

"Nagagalit ka 'ba?"

Bumuntong-hininga siya. "I just feel like you're being forced to do it and I don't like it when you're being forced to do something you don't like."

My heart skipped a beat. "Why?"