Forgotten Child

Eleventh Chapter

"What's your plan?" tanong niya sa'kin.

Nandidito kami ngayon nitong lalaking ito sa pamamahay niya dito sa Manila dahil dumeretso kami dito pagkagaling sa kulungan.

Walang imikan ang byahe namin. Ngayon lang siya nagsalita ng makaupo ako sa sofa niya, doon naman siya umupo sa katapat nito.

"Patunayan na anak talaga ako ni Mama Violet," buntong-hininga kong sagot.

Tumaas ang isang kilay niya. "And exactly how are you going to do that?"

Napakagat-labi ako bago huminga ng malalim. "I'm going to contact that person who might as well known with the name that symbolizes death."

Akala ko kukunot ang noo niya pero mali ako, sa halip ay napangisi pa siya. "Haha," he chuckled much to my surprise. "Bilib talaga ako sa'yo, Maiah."

"Ha? Bakit naman?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Because you became someone that is special to him, dame de mon cœur," paliwanag niya.

"Ha?" tanong ko ulit at napaupo ako ng maayos. "Ano bang pinagsasabi mo diyan? At teka, kilala mo kung sino ang tinutukoy ko?"

He nodded lightly. "Yes. It's Spade, isn't it?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Paanong ―" hindi ko na natuloy ang sasabihin ko dahil bigla akong napasinghap. "Kilala mo? Sila?"

"Hm?"

"The Masters, you know them, don't you?"

He gave me smile. "Yes, very well, actually."

And then it hit me. Of course kilala niya sila! Why am I surprised?

"Nakalimutan ko, magkakakilala pala kayo nila Aidan," iling kong sabi.

"Good memory," he replied.

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, pwede na ba akong magpahinga?"

"Sure, I don't see why not."

"Okay then, maari ka na bang umalis dito para makatulog na ako?"

His face turned serious all of a sudden. "No. You are not going to sleep here in the sofa."

"Ehh," daing ko. "Okay lang naman ako. Malambot naman at maluwag ang sofa, tsaka tamad na akong tumayo. Dito na lang ako."

Tumayo siya at kinuha ang duffel bag ko. "Either you're going to get up and walk or I'll just carry you. Either way, you will sleep on the bed." Magsasalita na sana ako kaso bigla niya akong inunahan. "If you're going to complain that you're comfy at where you are right now, I swear, Maiah, I will carry you like a sack of rice and bring you to my room."

Bigla agad akong napatayo at nagtungo na sa parang hallway papunta sa mga kwarto ng bahay niya. "Sabi ko nga, 'lika na. Ano pa hinihintay mo diyan? Show me to my temporary room!"

Nagsmirk siya bago ako sinundan habang dala-dala ang bag ko. "Kung umasta ka parang you own the place. Haha," tawa niya sabay gulo ng buhok ko. "I'll just show you to the guest room okay? Rest and freshen up but don't sleep yet."

"Ano? Ehhh! Bakit naman hindi pwedeng matulog? Kwarto na at higaan na mismo ang tutulugan ko, ano pa ba? Ang dami mo namang gusto eh!" hinaing ko.

"Ikaw lang naman ang gusto ko eh," he muttered something under his breath that I didn't quite catch.

"Ashubelabedo," I imitated what I heard eh said. "Wala akong naintindihan sa sinabi mo."

"Haha, I said, ikaw lang ang gusto ko hindi tulad ng hinala mo," he said gently as his hand that was on my hair made my head turn to him. Napastop ako sa paglalakad at napatingala sa kanya. "Ano? Naintindihan mo na ba ang sinabi ko, Maiah? O baka gusto mong ibulong ko pa para mas rinig mo?"

He didn't wait for my answer as he already closed his face to my ear, hearing him loudly inhale my scent and I couldn't help but gasp in surprise. My bag landed on the floor with a thud.

"Ki ―"

"You're the only one I like, Maiah Adria," he whispered rather with a low, dangerous voice. His right hand gently tracing my neck. "La seule dame de mon cœur." His other hand found the back of my waist, pulling me closer to his body. The point of his nose nuzzled from down my neck up to my ear before he continued what he's saying. "The only lady of my heart."

The lady of his heart? What --

Nawala ang iniisip ko when he started nibbling. 

Hindi ako makagalaw. Hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng aksyon ang dapat na gawin ko sa gantong klaseng sitwasyon. But I guessed my body knew what my mind didn't and I just found my head leaning more to the warmth of his breath, asking — wanting — for more.

"I ― Mmm." What I was going to say ended up into a low moan when he suddenly bites the side of my neck gently. "W-What are you ― ohh." He gently sucked that flesh of mine and my right hand, moving by its own will, found his soft hair and started to push his head more to my neck.

And my body, as it arched closer to his, the left arm he has around the back of my waist is now totally hugging me tightly, answering my body's unspoken need.

His lips started to move across my neck and I just responsed with a whimper -- not really sure what I'm whimpering for: to make him stop or to just let his tongue taste and lips kiss me.

"Ah! What the ―" bigla kong napasabi ng sinandal niya ako sa wall ng medyo marahas. I looked at him blinking, trying to process what was just happening, feeling the heaviness of my breathing.

My attempt to catch my breath mirrored his way of breathing. And that was when our eyes met -- mine in confused, aroused state; his in aroused, trying-to-stay-in-control state.

"I'm not sorry for having a taste of you, Maiah," he said hoarsely, surprising me again dahil akala ko magso-sorry siya. "But I am sorry for doing it now at your tired state," he breathed.

Lumunok ako. "O-Okay lang, 'di naman ako t-tumutol," pagsabi ko ng totoo. Isa kasi ito sa mga katangian ko. Kapag naco-confuse ako, hindi ko mapigilan magsabi ng totoo.

He groaned lightly. "S'il vous plait, sirène," he muttered in French. "Please, Siren," he translated. "Don't tempt me to have a taste of you again." Sinasabi niya ito while nuzzling his nose to my neck and when he ended, he gave my neck a little lick.

"U-Um, s-sorry?" Kahit ako di ko alam kung magso-sorry ba ako or what?

Teka!

"Wait!" bigla ko siyang naitulak. Ilang beses akong huminga ng malalim bago nagsalitang muli. "A-Anong ibig mong sabihin kanina sa sinabi mo? La z-zoo something something kwer?"

He tilted his head before understanding what I was trying to say. "La seule dame de mon cœur, you mean?"

I nodded. "I-I mean, yes naiintindihan ko ang English meaning nito, kakasabi mo lang eh but what I have a feeling that there's more to it than just the literal na translation nito. Paano ako naging only lady of your heart? Ano ang ibig mong sabihin doon?"

He looked at me solemnly, like his mind was having a fight right now whether he's going to tell me or not.

"I'm waiting," I said seriously. "What are you hiding from me, Kieran?"