TERRIFIED

-Chapter Fourteen-

NAKAUPO MAN SI KRISTEN sa outdoor sofa na nakalagay sa balkonahe at tinatanaw ang piazza ay malayo naman ang narating ng isip niya. Her life had drastically changed.

Parang kailan lang nang nagdesisyon siyang umalis sa Pilipinas. Hindi gaya ng karaniwang Pilipino, umalis siya roon hindi para maghanap ng trabaho kundi hanapin ang sarili niya. Ngunit hanggang sa mga oras na iyon, tila hindi pa rin niya natatagpuan ang sarili.

But unlike before, there wasn't a hollow space in her heart.

She could not really say that she was complete as a person. However, she could bravely admit that she was content. At malaking bahagi ng contentment na iyon si Enzo.

"Analyzing yourself again?" tanong ng lalaking siyang umookupa na naman ng isip niya. May dala itong platter of snacks sa tig-isang kamay.

"Maybe," aniya habang tinitingnan ang mukha nito. "Or maybe not."

Sumalampak ito ng upo sa settee paharap sa kanya. "Care to share with me your thoughts?" Inabot nito sa kanya ang platitong may lamang burritos na ito mismo ang gumawa.

"Kaharap ko na, eh."

"Burritos?" biro nito.

"Very funny," sarcastic niyang sabi matapos ipaikot ang mga mata.

"So you're thinking about me?"

"Wow! My husband is bright."

He ignored her snide remark. "At bakit naman bigla mo akong naisip?"

"Maybe I'm still thinking about the delayed honeymoon," she stated feeling no embarrassment at all.

Enzo smiled at her while munching burritos. "You're not going to drop that subject, are you?"

Sandali siyang nag-isip. Inalala ang mga sandaling inaakit niya ito. "Let's just say that I'm not a quitter. Pero teka nga, saan ka ba kumukuha ng lakas ng loob at tibay ng dibdib para tanggihan ang mga romantic overtures ko?"

Uminom muna ito ng juice bago siya sinagot. "It wasn't easy, okay! Kaya tigil-tigilan mo na ang paglalakad d'yan sa sala ng naka-bikini."

Natawa siya nang maalala ang dalawang beses na pagmo-model niya ng naka-bikini. Nagbabasa si Enzo ng diyaryo noon at halos itakip nito sa buong mukha ang papel pagkatapos ay sinigawan pa siya nito.

"You're really scared of having sex with me?" she asked blatantly.

Enzo winced. "Making love could be the more appropriate term."

"Ganoon din 'yun," she pointed out. "Anyway, what's the big deal if we make love? We do kiss and we kiss as passionately as the next married couple. So, why can't we elevate our relationship into a higher level?"

"Because our relationship isn't the same as the next married couple," he argued. "We never had a relationship to begin with. Kissing you felt so good, I won't deny it. Pero hindi ko hahayaang may mangyari sa pagitan nating dalawa dahil pareho nating alam ang kapalit noon. We know we'll get divorced in time at ayaw kong kapag dumating ang araw na iyon ay isipin mo na nag-take advantage ako."

"I wouldn't think of it that way. I am the dangerous seductress, remember?"

Napakamot ito sa batok. "How about this Kristen, iginagalang kita."

"Bastusin mo ako, Enzo. Insultuhin mo ako, huwag mo na akong irespeto. Hindi ko kailangan ang mga iyon." Seryosong sabi niya rito.

Isang halakhak ang kumawala sa lalamunan nito. "Ah! Kristen, you're really something," he said when he got his grip together.