CROWN.

• 14

armi

once we were out of the gate, i immediately removed my hand from martel's grip.

"oh? may problema ba, kuusela?"

"you were holding my hand."

"so?"

"so? don't treat me like one of your flings, christiane martel."

"am i? hindi naman kita tinatrato gaya ng mga kalandian ko noon, bab--"

"there. you were about to call me with that disgusting nickname," i spat out.

martel heaved a sigh.

"okay okay. una sa lahat, pasensya ka na. if i ever made you feel that way, i promise that it is never intentional. i don't have any intention to toy you, kuusela. i promise that." he sais it with full conviction.

i stared unto his deep orbs, scrutinizing the truth deep in those brown irises. i sighed.

"fine. now, where are you taking me?"

"stop doubting, kuusela. trust me, you'll have fun." he smiled and grabbed me, holding my hand tightly in his.

christiane martel, seriously.

i thought we where going somewhere just around the neighborhood. however, that thought diminished right when we boarded the bus headed to the city proper. i never said a thing and waited for whatever trick this guy's trying to pull out of his sleeves.

he was still holding onto my hand, and so i tried to squirm my way out of his grip yet again, only to fail. christiane martel tightened his grip on my hand.

"tara, kuusela" martel lead the way as the bus landed on the city stop. we paced the sidewalks, still my hand in his, and after a ten-minute walk we have reached the destination.

"d-dog c-cafe?" fear was starting to creep into my system, but it immediately subsided when martel squeezed my hand reassuringly.

"come on," and we went inside the pet cafe.

i'm starting to get scared.

once we got in, dogs started to flock their way to us. my hand was shaking, but he - again - squeezed mine as we made our way to the counter. somehow, no dog dared to get near us while we were at the counter.

once he was done negotiating to the lady at the counter - who gave him weird looks, seemingly seducing him - he immediately pulled me upstairs, my hand still secured in his. i looked back at the counter, and the lady looked flustered.

tch, hitting on far younger boys. how decent.

we settled in a seat, the dogs upstairs were fenced inside what looks like a playground.

"m-martel," i called out.

"yes, kuusela?"

"w-when are you letting my hand go?" he stared at our adjoined hands for a solid second and immediately let mine go. i noticed his ears slightly getting red.

"s-sorry," he said.

"w-why?"

"huh?"

"bakit mo ako dinala rito? takos ako sa mga aso, christiane martel."

"alam ko. kaya nga kita dinala rito," his answer made me knit my eyebrows.

"nasabi ng kambal mo no'ng nakaraan na takot ka sa mga aso. dinala kita rito dahil gusto kong ma-overcome mo 'yang mga takot mo. you already surpassed one, successfully. it wouldn't hurt to do the same with the rest, right?"

i guess it won't. but rome's talkative mouth is so done tonight.

right at that moment, the keeper released the dogs out of the fences. a number of them came right at us. i was scared, yeah. but when i remembered what he and i talked just a moment ago, i inhaled deeply. with that, the tension dissipated and i was at ease.

"kuusela, say hi to the puppies," i shot him a glare.

does he think i'm a child?

a cute little one made its way to my lap. for some reason, my hand started stroking it's rich black fur which it seem to like. i do not understand how, but indeed - i was able to overcome my fear of dogs. i was petting one, then it became two, until i was petting three at a time.

i looked at martel to see what he was doing, and by the looks of it, he's having fun. kumikinang ang mga mata niya habang nilalaro ang mga aso at kumakain ng noodles at ewan kung bakit exaggerated ang mga pinagsasabi ko pero he absolutely looked quite...cute.

forget i said that.

"may dumi ba sa gwapo kong mukha, kuusela?" i was flustered, knowing he had caught me staring at him. but, one word broke it all.

gwapo? tch. oo na.

"gwapo mo mukha mo,"

"ayan ka na naman kuusela, eh. sinasaktan mo na naman ako." he started wiping non-existent tears from his eyes.

"excuse me?"

"dadaan ka, kuusela?"

i swear to hades, with that grin - i will throw him straight to hell.

"you're annoying,"

"annoying? wala naman akong ginagawa sa'yo, kuusela ah!"

goodness, this is going to be one long day.