Blade was sure that something is going on right now with Andrea.Although,alam na niyang may pinagdadaanan na ito noon pa man,ngayon na kasama at nakikita na niya ang dalaga ay mas nararamdaman pa niya ang bigat ng problema nito.
He knew na hindi madali para rito ang maging open sa estrangherong katulad niya. She may not say it pero alam niyang hesistant pa rin ito sa kanya. Everytime he looks at her eyes,he could see the sadness,fear and confusion. Tuloy ay mas lalo pang umigting ang kanyang kagustuhang tulungan ito upang tuluyan ng makalimutan ang masalimoot na nakaraan nito. He's going to let her see the light of life. He wanted her to know that even in the darkness,there's hope awaiting for her. He wanted to make her feel that's she's safe with him and no one could ever hurt her anymore. However,he decided to just take things slow with her. He thought he won't be able to break her walls if he's going to be aggressive. She's a broken masterpiece na kailangang ingatan at unti-unting buuin ulit.
"Blade.." napalingon siya kay Andrea na tahimik lamang na sumusunod sa kanya habang papasok sila sa mall. He knew she's ashamed of what people might say kapag nakitang kasama niya ito.
This is also one of the things na kailangang matibag niya. Ayaw niyang maliitin nito ang sarili sa harap niya lalo na sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanila. Siguro ay napansin rin nito ang mga tinging tinatapon ng mga nadadaanan nila.
It's not new to him to caught attention in places like this especially with women whose eyes were hungrily all over him. But the things is he doesn't care. All he cares right now is the woman beside him.
He stopped walking at hinarap si Andrea. She's looking at the floor not meeting his gaze.
"What is it,Andrea?" malumanay niyang tanong rito.
" Pa-parang gusto ko ng umuwi." nahihiyang tuan nito ng hindi man lang siya nito tinignan.
Napagbuntong-hininga siya. He knew what she's feeling right now.
Nilapitan niya ito saka hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat. Of course, she flinched but she didn't pulled herself away from him. Sa halip ay nakita niyang ang humhinging paumanhin sa mukha nito.
"I know how you feel right now,Andrea. I can see it. I can sense it. You have to overcome your shyness,you know. Don't be afraid of anything. I am here with you. Kasama mo ako. Just trust me."
"Nahihiya kasi ako.."
"Don't" pigil niya. "You have nothing to be shy about. You are my soon to be bride,Andrea. And I don't care kahit ano pang itsura at pananamit mo."
Nahalata niya ang sobrang pagkagulat sa mukha nito dahil sa sinabi niya. He meant every word he said to her. At wala siyang balak bawiin iyon.
He smiled at her assuringly and offered his hand to hers. "Let's go?"
It took her awhile bago pa nito narealize kung anong gusto niyang mangyari. He,himself was surprised of what he did too. He can't understand himself as to where his sudden urge to hold hands with her inside the mall came from.
And when she took his hand to hers,he felt a jolt of electricity inside him. Her hand was not soft nor rough,tamang-tama lang. Halatang sanay ito sa mga gawaing bahay. Gaya ng kanyang Mama Barbara.
He has dated a lot of different types of women in the high society before at alam niyang hindi sanay ang mga ito sa gawaing bahay. Mostly of them likes to have fun,travel the world,go on non-stop shopping. Kaya siguro wala sa kanila ang isa man na nakabihag sa kanyang puso ay dahil ay hindi pa niya noon natagpuan ang babaeng maihahalintulad niya sa kanyang Mama Barbara.
And now that Andrea came in the picture,he felt so delighted and contented because he knew that he won't regret choosing her to be his other half even if they didn't start in a normal way as per say.
Kinukulit na nga siya ng kanyang mga kaibigang sina Vince at Rob na ipakilala niya si Andrea sa kanila. Bukod sa pamilya niya ,tanging matatalik niya lang na kaibigan ang may alam na ikakasal na siya kay Andrea.
"Ano ba talagang gagawin natin dito,Blade? Tignan mo oh,halos pagkaguluhan ka na ng mga babaeng nadadaanan natin." nakangusong turan pa ni Andrea.
He let out a chuckle of what she said. No need for him to confirm it dahil alam niyang totoo naman ang sinabi nito. Kanina pa niya napapansin ang mga titig ng mga kababaihang madaanan nila. May iba na halos hubaran na siya at may iba namang kay Andrea tumitingin na para bang hinuhusgahan ito. He wants to let them know that she's his soon-to-be bride pero alam niyang di iyon magugustuhan ni Andrea kaya naman ay kinontrol niya na lang ang sarili.
"We will visit a store. It's my cousin's. My boutique siya for women's clothing ang shoes kaya dadalhin kita sa kanya para matulungan ka niyang pumili." wika niya.
Nagulat siya nang biglang binawi ni Andrea ang kamay nito na hawak niya saka kunot-noong tinignan siya nito.
"Anong ibig mong sabihin? Dinala mo ako rito para bilhan ng mga damit? Blade,hindi naman dapat."
He was stunned for a moment when he saw how serious and looks like she's pissed off. This girl got claws,too! busal niya sa sarili. Her face turned red and naningkit pa ang mga mata nito.
"Akala ko ba,mamamasyal lang tayo dito? Blade,hindi mo naman dapat gawin ito eh. May mga damit naman ako. Kontento na ako kung anong meron ako. Hindi ako sanay sa mga sosyalan. Kung kinakahiya mo ako ngayon dahil sa pananamit ko,sana hindi mo na lang ako dinala rito." may halong galit pang tinig nito.
He was shocked at how she turned out to be a tigress from a timid girl. "This girl has claws hiding inside. " he thought to himself.
Kahit pa galit ito ay mas lalo lamang itong gumanda sa paningin niya. He find it cute when her brows almost meet each other. He wanted to laugh at her pero nagpigil siya baka mas lalo lang mainis si Andrea sa kanya.
"Hey,just because I brought you here and I want to buy you stuff means ikinakahiya kita. Andrea,no. Okay,I'm sorry if I didn't tell you beforehand dahil alam kong tatanggi ka. Please,don't take this the wrong way. I have no intention of making you feel what you feel now. I'm sorry." pagsusumamo niya. Nakita naman niyang lumambot ang nakalukot nitong mukha.
If it's another woman na kasama niya ay baka nainis na siya. He is not the type na humihingi ng sorry sa babae lalo na alam niyang wala naman siyang ginawa. Yes, he knows how to respect women pero alam niya rin kung kailan at saan dapat siya humingi ng sorry. But now,with Andrea, maging siya ay nagulat sa sarili niya. Para bang ayaw niyang magalit ito sa kanya.
"Sorry,Blade kung minasama ko ang intensyon mo. Hindi lang kasi ako sanay na may ibang bumibili ng gamit ko bukod kay Yaya.At isa pa,hindi ako sanay gumamit ng mga mamahaling gamit. Okay na ako sa kung anumang meron ako."
Nakita niya ang bakas ng lungkot sa mukha ng dalaga. He knew what she meant. Gusto niyang yakapin ito. Andrea deserves the best in the world. It must have been tough for her to just be contented with what she has instead of enjoying the things that she should have kung hindi lang sa kasamaan ng ama nito. Thinking about her father makes his blood boil. How could a father be so ruthless to his own blood and flesh. Paano nito naaatim na hayaang magdusa ang sariling anak. Paano nito nakakayang makita ang anak na iba ang nag-aalaga at nagbibigay ng mga bagay na dapat ay ito ang gumagawa?
BINABASA MO ANG
In Your Loving Arms
Storie d'amore" I let if fall,my heart and as it fell,you rose to claim it. It was dark and I was over until you kissed my lips and you saved me..." [Adele -Set Fire To The Rain]
