Chapter 25
"La-la-lala-la-la~"
Napatigil ako sa pagluluto dahil naramdaman ko ang pagyakap ni Travis sa akin mula sa likod ko, nagulat ako nang ilapit niya ang mukha niya sa batok ko at umaktong inamoy ito.
"Good morning..." Ramdam ko ang mainit na hininga niya.
Lumunok ako. "G-Good morning..."
"What's that?" Turo niya sa niluluto ko.
"Kanin lang naman na nilagyan ko ng itlog at sausage." Sagot ko, "and on the other hand is a chicken soup."
Kumawala na si Travis sa pagkakayakap sa akin, nakaramdam ako ng unting kalungkutan. Binaling ko na lang ang pakiramdam na ito at pinokus ang atensyon sa niluluto, why would I even want us to stay like that? No, no, no. This is a bad sign.
Stop before you get hurt, Kai...
~*~
After I cooked, kumain na kami ni Travis, dali rin siyang umalis sa unit ko, sabi niya sa akin ay magiging busy raw siya sa araw na ito at kung may kailangan ako tawagan ko na lang raw si Grey.
Since wala si Travis, I decided to go shop with my besties, sina Vivien at Trisha.
Matagal na pala akong hindi nakakapaggala sa mall.
"OMG, Kai!" Hiyaw ni Trisha, "mabuti naman at nakagala ka rin! Akala ko sasayangin mo na lang ang buong araw mo kasama ang bilyonaryong iyon!" She said, obviously stating Travis.
"We missed shopping with you though..." Sagot naman ni Vivien.
Tumango ako at ngumiti, "sorry huh, madalang na lang tayo magkasama. Alam niyo naman na, masyado akong bantay-sarado ni Travis."
"At gustong gusto mo naman." Tumawa ang dalawa.
Tinignan ko sila ng masama, but at the thought of me liking how Travis corner my world made me feel like I did. Or did I?
"Anyways, I called the both of you to shop and not to talk about my life." I said, "so saan ang gusto niyong shop?" Tanong ko. We were currently walking in the middle of the mall with no particular destination.
"How about Culture?" Vivien suggested.
"Sige. Doon na lang tayo." Pagsang-ayon ni Trisha.
"Uhm before that... kailangan ko munang magbawas..." Parang nahihiyang sabi ni Vivien, "kanina ko pa talaga itong tinitimpi. Hindi na kaya ng powers ko."
"Okay ganito na lang, mauna ka na sa Culture shop Kai at kaming dalawa ni Vivi ay pupunta muna sa CR." Trisha said. "Maghihilamos lang ako, feeling ko ang oily na ng mukha ko eh."
"Doon na lang tayo sa culture shop magmi-meet." Sagot ko naman at naghiwalay na kami.
~*~
Habang tumitingin ako ng mga damit ay may nakita akong magandang damit na nakasampay, I was about to walk when somebody bumped into me.
Tumingin ako sa salarin and I felt myself froze on my spot.
It was Jad... my almost-rapist.
What was he doing here?
Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba, I couldn't move, at the simple glimpse of him every bad memories of that night came back...
I was afraid, scared...
Tumingin sa akin si Jad, his eyes looked at me intensely, "Kai..."
Hindi pa rin ako makagalaw.
Somebody... help...
Ngumisi si Jad, is he high and taking drugs?!
Dali akong tumalikod at naglakad, pero hinablot ni Jad ang braso ko at mahigpit akong hinila, "aray!"
Ramdam ko ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso ko habang nararamdaman ko ang kanyang hawak sa akin, natatakot ako.
Jad was hurting me again.
Kinaladkad niya ako, much to my protest, he was too strong. Lahat ng mga tao ay napapatingin sa amin but none of them tried to help me. "Jad ano ba! Bitiwan mo ako!"
Parang walang naririnig si Jad, pero kita ko ang kanyang masamang balak base sa pagtingin niya sa akin, "Kai, nabitin ako sa gabing iyon. We'll just finish what we started on that night. Sa araw na ito, sinisigurado kong wala nang mang-iisturbo sa atin, papasayahin kita Kai..." Nakangising sagot niya.
"Ano ba Jad!" Gusto kong umiyak...
Kinakaladkad pa rin ako ni Jad... I tried to get rid of his hold on me but it was too deep and firm.
Travis...
I blinked my tears away, bumwelo ako at tinadyakan ko si Jad nang nasa escalator na kami, nawalan siya ng balanse at natumba, mabuti na lang at nabitawan niya ako. Ang mga tao naman ay nagbulungan.
Dala ng adrenaline rush ay mabilis ang pagtakbo ko, lumingon ako at nakita siyang hinahabol ako. Wala akong pake sa paligid o sa mga taong napapatingin, I tried to snatch my phone on my purse and called Vivien. Mabuti na lang at naka-sneakers ako ngayon at jeans at hindi dress na may matching stilettos.
"Kai? Asan ka na? Bakit wala ka sa Culture?" Tanong niya.
"Vi, sorry! I had to to home! Pakisabi na lang kay Trisha sorry pati sa iyo!" Sagot ko at binabaan na siya.
Then I scanned my contacts, I still didn't have Travis number...
I sighed and focused my attention on escaping.
Mabilis akong nagtago sa isang toy shop sa likod ng mga human-sized bears na nagpaalala sa akin kay Boo, ang napanalunan ni Travis sa amusement park na human-sized bear. Mukhang nawala ko si Jad pero alam kong hinahanap pa rin niya ako. I told to the saleslady who was looking at me like I was a retard to keep her mouth shut and don't mind me.
I searched for my contacts again and suddenly an unknown number popped up in my notifs.
One message received.
I quickly tapped it to read the message from an unregistered number.
Kai, this is Travis.
Suddenly, I felt myself tear-up. Travis really knew how to find ways at the right moment.
I quickly called him.
"T-Tray... help please..." Hinihingal na sabi ko.
"Kai? What happened? Where are you?" Halata ang pag-aalala sa boses ni Travis.
"I went to the mega mall... and... I met Jad... I think he's on drugs... please help me! He is chasing after me... pero nakatago ako ngayon sa toy shop, sa likod ng human-sized bears, I think hindi ako mahahanap ni Jad but I can't stay here forever!" Mahinang sagot ko.
"Tsk. Dapat nagpasama ka kay Grey! I didn't know that bastard was on the loose again. Ok. Just calm down. Ok? I'll come and get you. Just stay where you are." Travis muttered.
"Paano ang trabaho mo?"
"My work can wait. My princess comes first."
Somehow, I felt myself relaxed a little upon hearing him say that... but I wasn't a princess, I was just Kaira Chaves, the woman who saw Travis' tattoo.
You are just a trophy... I reminded myself.
But if it was Travis who said those words, maybe I could trust him.
Maybe I was really a princess for him.
Maybe not.
Nagbuntong-hininga ako.
"I'll call you when I get there, trust me. Okay?" Travis said before he finally ended the call.
I let out a sigh of relief.
Travis is coming to save me again...
