K A T A R I N A (•GXG•)

XXXII.

K

I opened my eyes slowly, sobrang bigat ng mga mata ko, hindi ko alam kung sa pagod o sa sobrang tulog. When my eyes are already fully opened, nasa loob ako ng medyo madilim na kwarto, napansin ko rin na ang tigas ng kasama na hinihigaan ko, medyo madumi ang paligid na kapansin- pansin dahil puti ang pader ng kwarto. I coughed as I inhaled some stuff that's in the room. Maalikabok din ang paligid.

Suddenly, my eyes widened, realizing this isn't my room. I'm not in my room. This is not our house. Where the hell am I?!

Biglang nagbukas ang pinto ng kwarto. I adjusted my eyes to the view in front of me; to the person who's now standing in front of me.

Mikael?

Mikael? What is he doing here?

"How's your sleep Miss Katarina?" He's smirking and the tone of his voice is sarcastic. Naglakad pa siya papalapit saakin. "You seemed to have a really good ang long sleep."

"Nasaan ako? What is this place and why am I here?!" Pinilit kong maging kalmado ang boses ngunit ang kinalabasan ay iritado pa rin ito.

Bahagya namang tumawa si Mikael matapos iyon. "You can't use that tone on me anymore, Miss Katarina."

Tatayo sana ako para makalapit pa sakanya pero nakatali pala ang dalawang kamay ko. I am still so lost and confused at hindi ko napansin na I'm in fact held captive. But why? Why is Mikael doing this?

"Naguguluhan ka na siguro." Nakangisi pa rin si Mikael sa harap ko at tuluyan na siyang umupo sa kama at tumabi saakin. Nilagay niya ang iilang hibla ng buhok ko sa likod ng aking tenga. Salubong ang kilay ni hinarap ko siya. Pinipilit kong iwasan ang bawat kilos niya. "I did everything for you. All these years in Bridgett I did nothing but to uphold your reputation and make sure that it will never be put to waste."

"I didn't ask you to do that for me." I answered back.

Mikael laughed sarcastically. "I did everythi-,"

"I told you I didn't ask you to do that for me." I interrupted him. Iritado na rin ang boses ko dahil hindi ko alam ang nangyayari. Hindi ko kontrolado ang mga bagay- bagay.

"Because I like you." Tinignan niya ako sa mata at parang nagbago ang emosyon sa mukha niya bigla. "I am inlove with you Katarina. I wouldn't have done all those things for nothing. I thought that when you start noticing me, you'd fall for me eventually."

It's now my turn to laugh sarcastically. "I do not just fall for people, Mikael. Of all people, you should be the one who already knows that."

He held my cheeks in between his hands. Sinalubong niya ang tingin ko. Inilapit niya ang mukha niya sa mukha. Pinipilit kong lumayo because if I moved much more, in only one careless move, I'd kiss him.

"Let me go, Mikael."

"Don't I have any chance with you? Can't you like me too?" The tone of his voice seems like he's begging for me to say yes. That, yes, he does have a chance.

But he doesn't.

All I want to do right now is slap him in his face.

I shook my head. "I will never like you." I told him. "Look at you right now, you're begging for someone to like you. Do you think someone will really like you if you keep on doing that? You're just degrading yourself Mikael."