Defying Destiny - COMPLETE :)

Chapter 5

Mababaw. She thought. Tapos, tinitigan niyang muli ang mukha ng binata. He looked very calm and composed but she could clearly feel the feather light and very warm energy emanating from him. Para itong init ng araw sa malamig na umaga; very comforting, very soothing. Bihirang bihira siya makaramdam ng ganoong type of energy sa mundo nila. Ano bang dapat ikasiya sa nangyari? Isasama lang naman sa exhibit ang mga gawa nito it’s not like may bumili na ng lahat ng paintings nito. Kinuha niya ang all purpose device para gumawa ng notes tungkol sa natuklasan sa binata.

“Nga pala lalabas na yung announcement of winners by the end of the week ng APP, ah.”

“OO nga kinakabahan na nga ako eh.”

“Hmmm… dapat talagang kabahan ka, Avant garde kasi masyado ang style mo kaya medyo di pa komportable ang marami sa gawa mo. Siguro kailangan mo ring itone down ang social issues na tina-tackle mo.”

Nakita ni Megahn na ngumiti lang ang binata.

“Come on sir, tama ba naman na sabihin niyo ’yan? Kung ang art ay aesthetics lang wala yung k’wenta.”

“Yes pero minsan kailangan din nating mag-bend.” Ranz merely shrugged. ”Oh sige na, kumain na muna kayo ng girlfriend mo.”

He stiffened. “She is not my girlfriend.”

“Sure.”

Napakunot noo si Megahn. Kanina pa niya naririnig ang salitang girlfriend. Naku-curious na tuloy siya kung anong ibig sabihin noon. Ni-reseach niya ito. Lalong kumunot ang noo niya sa nabasa.

“Oy, halika na kumain na tayo.” nakasimangot na tawag sa kanya ni Ranz. Lumapit siya rito at umupo sila sa table sa may bintana.

“Anong ibig sabihin ng girlfriend?” Tanong niya rito pagkaupong pagkaupo. Natigilan ito pero mabilis lang, matabang itong tumingin sa kanya.

“Akala ko ba kayang i-convert ng high-tech microchip mo ang language namin? Eh bakit hindi mo alam ang ibig sabihin ng girlfriend?” Sarcastic ito.

Matalim ang boses niya nang sumagot. “Iyon ay kung may direct translation ang salita sa language namin. In this case, wala. Kaya girlfriend din ang naririnig ko sa tainga ko.” Sagot niya, nakasimangot din. Hindi niya gusto na may nakakita si Ranz na ipupula sa kanyang mundo. Isoff was perfect dammit! Dumating ang waiter at umorder sila.

“So, ano ang ibig sabihin ng girlfriend?” Tanong niya nang makaalis ang waiter.

“Hindi mo ko tour guide, bakit kailangan kong sagutin ang mga tanong mo?”

“Gusto mong pasabugin ko ang lugar na ‘to?” Ang matamis niyang ngiti rito. Natigil ito sa akmang pag-inom ng tubig.

“Fine!” He said through his teeth. She smirked, sasagot din pala gusto pang tinatakot. “Ang girlfriend, siya yung babaeng karelasyon ng isang lalaki dahil gusto nila ang isa’t isa, satisfied?” Napakunot noo na naman siya.

“Ibig mong sabihin asawa?”

“Hindi.” He said still gritting his teeth. “Ang girlfriend walang formal contract na pinipirmahan hindi kagaya kapag nag-asawa ka.”

“So, girlfriend muna bago magiging asawa? So parang fiancée?” Nabawasan ang kunot niya sa noo, medyo naliliwanagan na siya.

“No, hindi porke’t naging girlfriend mo magiging asawa mo na.” Bumalik ang maraming kunot niya sa noo. The concept was very alien to her. Parang siyang colorblind na hindi mai-magine ang pinagkaiba ng kulay blue at green.

“Eh bakit ka pa nag-girlfriend kung hindi mo rin naman pala gustong maging asawa? Isn’t that a waste of time?” Lalong lumalim ang kunot noo ng Isoff captain. She touched her collarbone absentmindedly.

Hindi mapigilan ni Ranz ang sundan ng tingin ang kamay nito. Parang kandila ang mga kamay ni Megahn, they were long and tapered, they looked deceptively fragile and delicate. Ang totoo, lahat tungkol kay  Megahn mukhang fragile at delicate; her slender limbs, her narrow waist, the soft features of her face, parang babasagin ang dalaga. But of course, alam ni Ranz na wala kahit isang fragile at delicate na buto sa katawan ng Isoff Captain. Kahit laglagan mo ‘to ng ten story building, sigurado ang binata, kahit isang hibla ng buhok ni  Megahn di magugulo. Kung magulo man ang isang hibla ng buhok nito, lagot ang ten story building pati ang naglaglag noon.

He kept looking at how she languidly stroked her collarbone as she kept frowning. Obviously, lost in her own thoughts. Five minutes ago, kung may nagtanong kay Ranz kung anong parte ng katawan ng babae ang maituturing niyang sexy, nungkang papasok ang collarbone sa isip niya. But now, as he watched hypnotized at  Megahn's fingertips touching the subtle and graceful protusion of her clavicle,  Ranz  found himself thinking how it would feel like under his lips.

Natigilan si  Ranz . Nanlaki ang mga mata. HOLY FREAKING SH*T!

He did not, inuulit niya, he DID NOT just think of running his tongue across her collaborne! Or bitting and sucking at her throat and shoulders! He did not just wonder if her skin would feel as soft and as smooth as it looked like!

Gustong tadyakan ng binata ang sarili.

“Ano bang klaseng mundo ang pinanggalingan mo?” He said curtly, determinadong takpan ng sarcasm mga iniisip. Salamat sa Diyos at hindi totoong mind reader ang dalaga.

“Sa mundo namin meroong asawa, meron ding fiancée. There’s a government unit that deals with the compatibility of every person. You factor in the age, ability, temperament, wealth at mula doon malalaman mo kung sino ang partner mo. Then you meet with this person and you become fiancés and later on you get married.”

“That’s dictatorship to the extreme.” He said still trying his best to remain curt.

“ It’s practicality. You humans you are so impractical. Bakit kailangan mo ng girlfriend kung hindi naman pala ito ang magiging asawa mo? It’s stupid and it’s a waste of time. ”

“It’s not a waste of time it’s called freedom of choice.” May sasabihin pa sana siya pero nakalimutan na niya. Megahn was frowning and bitting her lower lip. To his horror, he found himself helplessly watching her again. Parang ang lambot lambot ng labi nito. He wanted to bite, suck and taste it himself. Instantly, an image of him and Megahn kissing passionately flashed in his mind. He imagined himself kissing her until she was panting, her eyes dark, her lips red and slightly swollen. Again, he froze.

She kept bitting her lower lip. Gustong sumigaw ni Ranz.

“Will you stop that!” Halos freaked-out niya.

“Ang alin?” Totoong nagulat ito.

“Bitting you lower lip!” Akusa niya rito. By Jove, what kind of sick, twisted joke was this? Utang na loob, somebody please tell him that this was not happening to him! Kahit nung kasagsagan ng raging, teenage hormonal days niya, hindi siya naging ganito ka-hypersensitive sa bawat kilos ng isang babae. Sigurado siya, gumamit ng kung anong hocus pocus ang Isoff captain para pahirapan siya ng ganito.

Humalukipkip ang dalaga.

“Anong masama sa pagkagat ng labi, aber?”