Taking Chances

CHAPTER 20 - Asa pa more

*** ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ***

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VICTORIA

"Wake up."

"Hmmm... ayaw." Ang kulit. I wanna stay in bed. Kakatulog ko lang e.

"Wake up na Princess, you'll be late for work."

Late. For. Work.

Napabalikwas ako sa kama. Keber kung nakahubad lang ako. Napatingin ako kay Matt na todo ang ngiti na nakatingin sa akin.

OMG! Bakit parang ang saya saya nito ni Matt. At bakit parang ako ang may hang over, samantalang hindi naman ako ang uminom.

"Lika na, breakfast is ready."

Natulog ba ito? Hindi pa nga ako nakakatulog ng maayos nakapagluto na sya ng breakfast?

Para lang akong robot na sumunod sa kanya. Tumayo ako sa kama at isinuot ang hawak hawak nyang robe.

Pagdating sa dining ay nakahanda na nga ang pagkain. It might not be a feast pero pinaghandaan nya ang pagluluto nito. Pati ang pagkakaprepare nya ng gourmet coffee na me heart pa sa foam.

"Must be a special day," sabi ko sa kanya while sipping my coffee. Oh! It looks too good to drink pero at the moment, I need all the caffeine that I can get.

"It's always a special day when I'm with you," nakangiting sagot nya sa akin. Waaahhh, ang panty ko, baka malaglag...

But wait, I'm naked underneath this robe.

"Oh, I know that look Victoria," sabi nya sa akin, "and much as I'd like to indulge, ayoko rin na ma-late ka na naman today."

Namula ako. Nalate kami kahapon dahil, um... we had breakfast in bed.

"I don't like Marco breathing down your neck. Literally and figuratively."

And then I heard the bubble burst. Talagang may pagka possessive lang itong si Matt. Lalo na kay Marco.

End na ng landian. We ate in silence.

Umakyat sya sa unit nya to get ready for work. No morning shower o morning quickie. In a way, okay na lang din, I really need to be early today.

And now I'm driving to the office. Sa wakas, hinayaan nya akong mag drive. Andun pa din yung katahimikan sa aming dalawa.

Makes me wonder kung naalala pa kaya nya ang mga sinabi nya kagabi?

I didn't ask and he didn't offer any explanations. It was as if nothing happened. Yun nga lang mas masaya sya ngayon. Mas relaxed.

"Sunduin na lang kita mamaya," sabi nya sa akin habang pinagbubuksan nya ako ng pinto sa driver's seat. He handed me my coffee and lunch bag.

I gave him a kiss and then he drove off. No fuss. Hmm, ano kaya ang meron.

Whatever it is, I didn't have enough time para mag-isip. Busy maghapon sa opisina. Surprisingly, walang tawag galing kay Matt.

Just a text during lunch time reminding me to eat the lunch that he prepared for me. O di ba ang haba naman ng buhok ko, pati lunch ko sinali na din nya sa pagpe-prepare.

Between the two of us, I should be the one doing these things for him. But it's nice to be pampered. Lalo pa at I spent almost eight years na pinapangarap ko lang si Matt.

Pinagmamasdan mula sa malayo. Pinapanuod on how he flirts with women and yet how indifferent he is to their presence.

Yung naipaparamdam nya sa kanila how sprecial they are, pero sa malayo, kitang kita mo yung wall.

Iisipin ko ba na ganun din ang ginagawa nya sa akin ngayon?

And yet, base sa nangyari sa amin kagabi, I felt him open himself to me. Wala yung walls, walang kahit ano. He offered himself to me as much as I opened myself for him.

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UWIAN NA!

Pagdating ng 6pm ay sinimulan ko ng magligpit ng gamit. Kanina pa nagtext si Matt na on the way na sya.

Pagkatapos kong maayos ang mga gamit ko ay nag text ako sa kanya:

'I can leave na. San ka na?'

'Outside.' Yan lang ang sagot nya.

Paglabas ko sa may reception area ay kalmado syang nakaupo doon at may binabasa sa tablet nya.

So unlike the impatient and irritable Matt pag nasa opisin ako. He smiled at me ng makita nya ako. Biglang tumalon ang puso ko. Hindi sya iritable unlike kahapon.

I kissed his cheek.

"Dinner muna tayo bago umuwi ha?" Sabi nya sa akin.

I'm actually sleepy na. But hey, I've got to eat. Besides, it would hard to say no to him lalo pa at ang saya saya nya.

We went to the same French Mediterranean restaurant and then naisip ko na sana I said no na lang and then offered to buy take out.

And I could have killed Matt sa pagdadala ulit sa akin dito. Hindi pa ako nakakamove on sa nangyari kagabi.

At papatayin ko talaga sya pag andito ang mga kaibigan nya.

Yet, walang ibang tao sa resto.

"Walang tao?"

"Don't worry about it. Halika doon tayo." He led me to a table at the middle of the room. In fairness, ibang iba ang hitsura nya ngayon from last night.

Pagkaupo namin, the waiter poured in the wine and the food started coming. At walang pagpapanggap na tanungin talaga ako ha?

We ate in silence. Wala na din ako sa mood para makipagkwentuhan. I just want to eat. And go home. And sleep. I want to sleep so bad.

"Hey, you're falling asleep on me again."

"Not fair. Bakit parang hindi ka naman napuyat?"

Natawa lang sya.

"I'm sorry. I should have realized how tired you are." He held out his hand and I took it from across the table. "But this could not wait."

Huminga sya ng malalim bago nagpatuloy, "Victoria..."

OMG! Is he going to propose? Eto na ba yung say you'll be mine nya kagabi?

"I know I never gave you that courtship. Sabi ko I'll take things slow and then I jumped from trying to court you to having s3x with you. I've cheated you out on the whole experience of dating. Going out. Pero at this moment, we can't go back. And I don't want to. And today, I want to make our relationship official."

Oh g*d. Eto na ba yun? Ready na ba ako?

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Rev.07-19-15