HIDING HIS DAUGHTER (UNDER EDITING)

CHAPTER 14

ANGELA'S POV

"Kuya, lahat na nga 'yang alak na 'yan ilagay mo dito sa harapan ko, I'm going to drink more," I told the bartender, my voice a bit hoarse from the several glasses I'd already consumed. The bar lights were a blurry mess in my vision, and the music was just a faint hum in my ears. I barely felt the sting of the alcohol in my throat anymore. All I wanted was to disappear, even for just a moment.

"Don't," a male voice suddenly interrupted, stopping me. Napairap na lang ako, feeling a slight chill from his unexpected presence. Who was this guy? Bakit ba siya nakikisali sa drama ko? I picked up my glass and poured, my hand trembling slightly. Just as I was about to drink it, he swiftly took the glass from my hand and drank it himself.

"What the f*ck!" I practically screamed, my shock overriding my drunkenness. My mouth fell open, unable to believe what he just did. This guy... so presumptuous!

"Your mouth, love," he said softly but firmly, his eyes fixed on mine with an intense gaze. A shiver ran down my spine, I couldn't tell if it was from anger or some strange effect his stare had on me.

"Wag mo nga akong tawaging 'love'! Naaalala ko lang si Jaiden," walang gana kong tugon, ang pangalan ni Jaiden ay tila lason sa aking dila. Ang bawat letra ng pangalan niya ay nagpapaalala sa akin ng sakit. Mas lalo akong napasimangot, feeling the corners of my eyes sharpen.

"That's good," he said, and he actually sounded amused. The anxiety in my chest intensified. Why was he amused? What did he mean by that?

"Sabihin mo nga, may nakatutuwa ba sa sinabi ko?" tanong ko, ang boses ko'y puno ng pagdududa. Gusto kong maintindihan ang lohika niya, kung mayroon man.

"Hmm," ang tanging tugon niya. Tinitigan niya ako nang matagal, ang mga mata niya'y tila naghahanap ng kasagutan sa isang tanong na ako lang ang nakakaalam. Ang titig na 'yon ay nagpatigil sa mundo ko, kahit panandalian.

"Bakit ba ang ganda-ganda mo?" tanong niya, ang mga salita'y bumulong sa aking tainga, tila musika. Pakiramdam ko'y biglang uminit ang aking pisngi. Ngayon, ako naman ang natameme. Sino ba 'tong lalaking 'to? Bakit ang lakas ng tama ng mga salita niya sa akin?

"Maganda talaga ang lahi namin," simpleng sabi ko, sinisikap na itago ang pamumula ng aking mukha. Pero kahit gaano ko pa itago, alam kong kitang-kita niya ang epekto ng kanyang mga salita.

Then he laughed. Shet! Why was the sound of his laughter so pleasing to my ears? Every laugh seemed to lighten my chest, even though it was full of sorrow. His laughter sounded like an angel's song in the midst of the hell I was feeling.

Calm down, Angela. You need to calm down.

"I'll take you home," he said, but I shook my head. I wasn't ready yet. I wasn't ready to face reality. I wasn't ready to go back to a house

"Ayoko pa, at wala kang magagawa," ani ko, ang boses ko'y may halong pagmamatigas. I wanted to fight, even against myself.

"Okay," he said, then suddenly swept me up, carrying me like a sack of rice. His sudden movement made me gasp. Shock consumed my entire system.

"KUYANG BARTENDER, TULONG!" sigaw ko, halos mapunit ang lalamunan ko sa lakas. Oh my God, kikidnapin ba niya ako? Pagkatapos ay ibebenta sa mga nangunguha ng laman loob? Kukunin ang heart at kidney ko? Hindi puwede! Paano na si Althea?

Nagpupumiglas ako, ang mga kamay ko'y sinisikap na kumawala sa matigas niyang hawak. Pero ang lakas niya. Mas lalo lang akong nasasaktan. Kaya tumigil na lang ako, sumusuko sa pwersa niya.

Siguro ito na ang katapusan ko. Siguro makukuha na nga ang kidney ko. Napaluha na lang ako. Paano ang anak ko? Paano si Althea? Sino ang mag-aalaga sa kanya? Sino ang magpapaliwanag kung bakit wala na ang mommy niya?

He put me in his car, the entire vehicle filled with the distinct scent of his cologne. Ang bango... his scent was so good. That scent seemed to calm me, even though my heart was still pounding furiously.

"Damn, why are you crying?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. He lifted my face, so I stared into his eyes. But it was still dark. It was already dark in the bar, why was it dark in the car too? That darkness seemed to reflect the darkness in my world.

"P-paano... you kidnapped me, I'll definitely file a case against you! Sunod, what are you going to do? Take my kidney?" I cried, my tears flowing endlessly. Fear engulfed me, and hopelessness became clearer with every drop of tears.

Tumawa siya, isang malalim na tawa na nagpatigil sa aking pag-iyak. "Iba talaga ang tama sa 'yo ng alak, love." Ang mga salita niya ay tila sumuntok sa aking dibdib. Love. Bakit ba niya ako tinatawag na 'love'?

"No, I'll take you home. I won't kidnap you," tumatawang sabi niya. Pero mas lalo lang akong umiyak. My heart was full of doubt, and my mind was full of fear.

"THAT'S A SCAM!" I yelled at him, trying to break free from his hold. But he was too strong. Every struggle of mine seemed to have no effect.

He held my face. His hands were soft yet firm. His fingers gently caressed my cheek, giving a strange warmth to my cold skin. His scent drew closer, and every breath he took seemed to accelerate my heartbeat.

And then, he kissed me.

Napakurap-kurap ako, ang mga mata ko'y nakatingin sa kanya. Siya'y nakapikit. Ang halik niya ay tila nagpatigil sa mundo. Biglang umurong ang luha ko. Napapikit na rin ako, at sinabayan ang labi niya. Ang bawat pagdampi ng aming mga labi ay tila nagdulot ng kuryente sa buong katawan ko. Nakakabaliw ang halik niya. Ang bawat paggalaw ng kanyang labi ay tila nagpapakawala ng emosyon na matagal ko nang ikinubli. Ang halik na 'yon ay nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang pakiramdam-isang halo ng pagkabigla, pagkalito, at isang kakaibang ginhawa na hindi ko maintindihan.

Mas lalo akong napapikit nang bumaba ang halik niya sa leeg ko. Every brush of his lips on my skin sent shivers down my spine. My fingers instinctively gripped his clothes, trying to hold on to reality.

But he stopped. He suddenly stopped.

He looked into my eyes, his gaze sharp but full of concern. He held my cheek, his hands slowly moving down to my lips.

"I miss your lips, but you're not in your right mind. Ayoko nang gumawa ng ikagagalit mo," he said, his voice tinged with restraint. Every word he spoke seemed to explain things to my mind, but my heart remained confused.

"Puwedeng mag-request?" tanong ko, ang boses ko'y halos pabulong. Ayoko pa matapos ang sandaling ito.

"Hmm?" Inumpisahan na niyang paandarin ang sasakyan. Ang tunog ng makina ay tila nagpapakabalik sa akin sa reyalidad.

"Can I have one more?" sabi ko, ang mga mata ko'y nakatingin pa rin sa kanya.

"One more what?" he asked, chuckling softly. Ang tawa niya ay tila nagpapagaan sa aking loob.

"Isang kiss pa," sabi ko, ang pamumula ng aking pisngi ay hindi na maitago. Namamangha naman siyang tumingin sa akin, ang kanyang mga mata'y tila nagtatanong.

"Sino ako para tanggihan ka?" sabi niya at hinalikan ako, ngunit smack lang. Isang mabilis na pagdampi ng aming mga labi. Ang halik na 'yon ay nag-iwan ng kakaibang init sa aking labi.

Pinaandar na niya ang kotse. Tumingin naman ako sa labas, ang mga ilaw ng siyudad ay tila nagmistulang blurry lights. Nakakaramdam na ako ng antok, ang aking katawan ay pagod na pagod. Kaya pumikit na lang ako, umaasa na paggising ko ay magiging maayos na ang lahat. Umaasa na ang bangungot na ito ay matatapos na.

A/N: Hula ko nakangiti ka habang nagbabasa no? HAHAHAHA Hindi ka nag iisa ako rin. Muchas gracias por leer. Love lots 🫶🏻