Chapter 28
Kompetisyon
I tried so hard not to be affected on what I heard a while ago. Kumain na lang ako kaysa problemahin iyon. Mabuti na lang talaga ay nakabalik na si Sebastian sa pwesto ko at inalok ako na pumasok sa kanilang bahay. Tumuloy na 'ko kaysa tusukin ko pa ang singkit na mata ni Ylena ng mga stick na hawak ko ngayon. Well, I might not be kidding though...I'll probably do it if she triggers me.
"Are we going to your room?" I kid and squeezed his bicep.
Tuloy-tuloy ang pasok namin sa kanilang bahay at sumalubong ang preskong paligid. Tama ngang American style ang interior design ng kanilang bahay. The mahogany floor and the cream and white colour of the walls and the ceilings. Ang nakakaakit nitong istraktura sa aking mga mata. Malaki ang living room nila, nakakabit ang malaking flat screen TV, sa paligid nito'y larawan ng pamilya nila.
"Wow, payat mo nung bata ka," ani ko, tinatago ang ligaya. "How old ka rito?" sabay tingin.
"Ten," he breathed, shaking his head.
"Isang hinga ka na lang di--" Napatigil ako nang yakapin ako ni Sebastian upang hindi ko matuloy ang sasabihin ko. "That's unfair, Seb. What happened to freedom of speech?" I teased. I poked his chest and looked at him up. Smiling wide then pouted my lips, mockery.
"Would you love me if I am still like that, Marj?" he asked, eyes searching for every fiber of my being.
Sebastian cupped my jaw and he fucking licked his bottom lip.
I'm dripping, my gods.
"Of course!" tawa ko. "But I'll try to learn how to cook, you know. Para naman hindi ka isang hinga na lang," I fucking laughed after because he didn't interrupt me, speaking my feelings out, but I am still joking. "Me? Seb...how 'bout me?" I can't compose my question clearly inside my head. How can I ask him about, would you love me if I am still like this? Don't know my purpose? Don't know what should be my path? Na hindi ko malaman kung pa'no ang universe at bibigyan niya 'ko ng pagkakataon na maging successful? That I...could...be, you know, proud of myself somehow.
"How 'bout you?" His brows furrowed.
I smiled widely. "No, no!" lihis ko. "I mean, NVM. You still look handsome pa rin naman..." ani ko at inaya na siya sa ibang parte ng kanilang bahay. He toured me inside the kitchen. I checked their refrigerator...if there's a pizza. And yes, good lords, they have cold pizza inside. That's the number one rule having a fridge, you should fucking have a box of gorgeous slices. Muntik na nga 'kong mapakuha ngunit pinigilan ko ang aking sarili. Naalala tuloy namin iyong unang pagkakataon na nakapasok ako sa apartment niya sa NY where I found out the gross fridge existing in the whole wide world. He didn't even have a pizza inside. Seriously? Worst. Fridge. Ever.
Pumanik kami sa taas dahil tinuro niya ang kwarto niya sa akin. Of course, saan pa ba hahantong 'to? Tinago ko ang ngisi sa loob ko habang kinukwento ko na hindi galit sa pinto ang bahay nilang 'to katulad ng apartment niya sa NY. He cracked out a laugh that made me want to pocket the sound of it. I am so, so, in love with him. Every little things he does. Every good ways he expressed. Every part of him. Wholly. Completely. Partly. Minutely. Him.
He turned the knob of his door, but a voice appeared. The cringing voice I ever known.
"Seb, your mother is calling you for picture taking!" ani Ylena, papatakbo sa hagdan. She is elegantly walking the stairs like she fucking owned it. "Family," she breathed looking directly at Sebastian. "Come on," aya niya sabay lahad ng palad. I saw disgust in her eyes when it averted to me in a minute. "Family picture," buga nito.
BINABASA MO ANG
Hooked (ML, #2.5)
General FictionLana Marjorie del Rey refused to be a puppet of a world she doesn't admire. She was tired of being not herself anymore. She destroyed the image they'd pictured of her. She could no longer pretend to be someone who she's not. Ayaw na niyang ikulong a...