Chapter 24
I slumped on my bed, "nakakapagod." Buntong-hininga ko, which was true. Ngayon ang pangatlong araw na tinuturuan ako ni Travis na magpatakbo ng kompanya, hindi ko lubusang maisip si Travis na hindi napapagod sa trabaho niya buong umaga hanggang hapon para sa kanyang kompanya.
"Why does it have to be me to run that freaking company of my Dad?" Inis na tugon ko.
"Well, you don't want your Dad's property to go to Sandy, right?" Biglang sagot ni Travis.
I nodded, "oo, ayaw ko talaga! Nakakainis siya-" I stopped on my tracks at tumingin kay Travis na nakatayo sa may pintuan, "what the hell are you doing?"
Pinakita niya sa akin ang susi, "let's just say I took a copy of your keys." He wiggled his eyebrows. Doon ko lang napansin na basa ang kanyang buhok which was a sign na kakatapos lang niyang maligo, he was wearing a fitted shirt kaya naman kitang-kita ang kanyang matigas na dibdib at pajama.
"At least knock before you use the keys!"
He grinned, "next time, I will." Tinaas niya ang kanyang kamay na para bang sinasabing peksman.
"Anyways, ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?" Tanong ko sa kanya.
"Sleepover." Sagot naman niya.
Napanganga ako. "Hoy! Ayoko! Layas!"
"Uhm, how about I say I have your souvenir bra andー"
Tumakbo agad ako at saka tinakpan ang bunganga niya, tinignan ko siya ng masama. "Don't continue." I knew what he meant, that frigging bra. Ugh.
Ngumiti siya na parang nanalo.
"I bought all the stuffs needed for this sleepover." Sabi niya sabay turo sa may kusina.
I sighed.
Hindi ko alam pero bakit parang ang saya ko? Bakit biglang napalitan ng kagalakan ang inis ko? How can Travis make me feel like this?
Marcus never made me feel like this... somehow, mas masaya ako ngayon and my heart... it was going wild. Then there, I realized Travis was making a lot of effort to make a time for us, a time which was different from lecturing me on how to run a company.
Ngumiti ako.
Then a flash interrupted me. "Nice." Travis smiled, sabay pakita sa akin ng stolen picture ko na nakangiti ako. Bigla akong namula.
"Bakit ang hilig mong kumuha ng stolen pics?" I frowned.
"Because I want these special moments to be captured." Sagot naman niya, "and you are special to me."
Somehow, I felt my heart flutter and fought myself not to giggle. Then... I suddenly realized that I was special to Travis maybe because I was the first one and only one to see his tattoo on that night I was almost raped by Jad...
Biglang naging malungkot ang awra ko pero hindi ko ito pinahalata, I didn't want to assume that he loves me, I didn't want to say that I love him, but I didn't want to lie to myself as well.
I wanted to know how Travis felt for me.
Pero natatakot ako.
I'm afraid that I might fall for a guy who only sees me as a trophy... something that must be achieved. Something that must be won over. Not someone who must be loved.
I can't risk the chances of hurting again.
"Kai, bigla kang napatulala." Nagulat ako nang kilitihin ako ni Travis sa tagiliran ko, natawa tuloy ako ng malakas hangga't sa naging halakhak na.
"Ano ba! Hahahaha!"
Tawa kami ng tawa habang siya ay nangingiliti, syempre gumanti rin ako ng kiliti sa kanya, kiniliti ko siya sa kanyang tagiliran pero hindi siya tumawa. "Wala akong kiliti! Hahaha!" Travis smirked.
Hindi ako nagpatinag, this time sa leeg ko naman siya kiniliti at nagulat ako sa reaksyon niya.
"Hahahaha!" He suddenly laughed.
"Wala pala ah?" I grinned. Mas lalo ko siyang kiniliti, he tried to push me but I forced him into the wall, still tickling him on his neck.
"S-Stop. Hahaha!" Travis was on the verge of crying because of the endless laughter.
Nang tumigil kami, parehas na kaming hinihingal at pawisan.
"Kung ano man ang iniisip mo na sumisira sa ngiti mo, kalimutan mo na iyon." Travis said, nagulat ako nang haplusin niya ang mahabang buhok ko, "you're still beautiful even if you look like a mess." After that, he patted me on top of my head kaya mas lalo nagulo ang buhok ko.
But I didn't budge... I just closed my eyes and let him do it, somehow, the feeling of his warmth on my head calmed me.
~*~
"Let's wach a movie!" I suggested.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Travis, "n-no." Pabulong na sagot niya.
Tinignan ko siya, I suddenly get it why he acted like that and so I acted like I didn't heard his whisper, "so let's watch a horror movie."
Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata, I laughed upon seeing the priceless look on his face. Of course, I was just joking. Gusto ko lang takutin si Travis.
Tinignan niya ako ng masama.
He huffed. "How about we play a card game?"
"Lucky 9?"
He nodded. "Wala akong cards." I pouted.
"Not a problem. I bought one just in case." Sagot ni Travis sabay pakita ng cards. "Let's go to the living room, let's play there." Sabi niya at naglakad na.
Sumunod naman ako sa kanya, parang siya ang may-ari ng unit ko ah!
"In every rounds, there will be a punishment to the loser." Sabi ni Travis. "Hmm... the punishment is simple, put a powder into your face."
Ngumisi ako. "Deal."
I'm good at this game, humanda ka sa akin Travis! Bwahaha!
~*~
Napanganga ako, I lost again! Ugh!
Sa may tray ay naglagay ulit si Travis ng powder sa kanyang fingertip at gumawa ng linya sa mukha ko using the powder.
"Another round?" Travis smirked.
Parehas na kaming may powder sa mukha pero mas marami ang powder sa akin syempre dahil mas maraming beses na akong talo.
Nakakainis! Why is luck not on my side today... rather, tonight?
"I suggest we should sleep." Sagot ko sa kanya sabay turo sa wallclock. "It's 11PM."
"Awts. How about the foods that I bought?" Sagot ni Travis.
Nag-isip ako, "I'll think of some dish to cook using those foods tomorrow morning for breakfast."
Ngumisi si Travis, "okay. Let's sleep."
Dali ko siyang pinigilan noong papasok na siya sa kwarto ko, "don't even think of sleeping with me!"
He sneared. "Good idea."
"Travis Javierres! Sa sofa ka matutulog!!!" Namumulang sigaw ko.
"Sasamahan mo ako?"
"Pisti!"
He laughed.
