Chasing Ephemeral Whispers

CHAPTER 8: Squirming Out of the Wicked Grasp

"What's that? Are you popping pills now Elise?"

I immediately drowned the tablet with water and grimaced as the bitter taste of it retained on the tip of my tongue.

"As in legal drugs? Yes I do, Leigh."

"What's happening there that got you sick? Akala ko ba naman ang lakas ng sistema mo eh naka apat na araw palang kayo diyan parang ililibing ka na. You look so pale."

I let out a sigh while adjusting my phone on the table top while watching Ashleigh applying a mascara on the screen.

"You know who happened," her hand holding the mascara stops midway her eyelashes at napatingin sa akin.

"What did she do this time?"

I crossed my leg, dangling it over one another as I leaned my back gently on the deck chair.

"She's so bossy, Leigh. Akala niya lahat mapapasunod niya sa gusto niya. She's even making me do things na labag sa kalooban ko!"

"Never thought mag papa under ka sa babaeng iyan, Elise," she made a 'tsked' sound while shaking her head as if she's disappointed.

"Sino nagsabi sayong nagpapa under ako sa kanya? Talagang ayoko lang ng gulo."

"You know what, let me know kung pauwi na kayo at maabangan ko ang babaeng iyan sa airport," the woman blabbered that I didn't notice the person settling herself on the row of deck chair that I'm sitting, leaving two chairs away from me.

"Ashleigh," I tried to whisper out pero hindi ata nadinig ng kausap ko sa videocall.

"I would make her pay for stressing the hell out of you! Alam mo anak ata ni satanas yang si Callista eh!"

"Leigh, please stop," I said, quiet begging dahil alam na alam kong rinig kami ng modelo even though it seems like she's busying herself applying a sunscreen on her limbs.

"Ay no! Alam mo she's treating you like shit na talaga. Pareho naman kayong binabayaran ng kompanya eh. She should treat you with respect!"

Agad kong pinatay ang videocall sa babae dahil wala atang balak ito tumigil. I sighed, brushing my fingers through my hair at bahagyang nag nakaw ng tingin sa babae.

She's wearing a green two piece, making her long legs on display and curvy waist that's making her followers die for.

May nakapatong na sumbrero sa ulo nito and a sunglasses was sitting neatly on the bridge of her nose.

Kinuha niya ang sombrero nito before pushing the rim of her glasses up her head without even batting an eye on my direction.

Her jaw's clenching and I'm afraid it was due to the things that she heard from a while ago.

Niligpit nito ang gamit niya bago tumayo at naglakad papuntang dagat. Her hips swayed from left to right, as if she's still walking down the runway.

Napapatingin naman ang iilang turista dito and some even asked her for a picture but the woman simply ignored them.

My phone beeped and it took me a while to take my gaze off from the woman who dipped her head on the water and later on come up the water, making her looking a little more expensive.

She combed her hair backwards, making the water trailed down her now tanned skin as she walked back towards our direction.

Mabilis kong iniwas ang mata bago pa niya makita ang pagtingin ko dito.