Bound by Crown (Boundless #1)

Chapter 13

Vladimir tested my physical and emotional endurance by taking me hiking and trekking all over Sagada. It was scary at first that I just wanted to give up but I got over it after I started really doing it.

I had so much fun with our activities that I crave for more. I felt free so I want to have that experience again.

I am in the living room lying on my stomach on the floor with a blanket laid out while looking on a paper on the list of activities that Sagada offers to its tourists. The cold breeze of the night enters the living room because the sliding door is open, like it was used to when we are home.

We've done almost all the fun and dangerous activities in the past three days of our extended vacation here. Hindi nga siya nagbiro at nagulat nalang ako kinaumagahan after our talk here three days ago ay niyaya niya ako na lumabas to do something surprising that I didn't expect.

Both of us didn't even call back home to inform our parents that we will not yet go home. He said, matanda na kami and that they can live without us for a few more days, which is true and I let the subject be dropped immediately. I would rather have fun and be free than worry myself at the moment with the things I couldn't change. We will face them when we get home but for now, I'll be Sophia and he will be Vladimir. The real us.

"Looking for some more fun or trouble?" He lightly laughed. A handsome laugh that made me shiver.

"Yes." I nodded as I set aside the paper while I compose myself back to normal in sitting position and then I grabbed the mug with a hot coffee that Vladimir handed me carefully.

"I think you need a rest for a while. How's the leg?" He asked, sitting coolly beside me as he sipped on his hot coffee looking at the dark sky.

We always sit and stay here like this every night with the sliding door open so we can see the view outside very clearly. Since that night when he asked me if I want to extend our vacation, ito na ang nakasanayan namin gawin bago matulog though we haven't really talked about doing this. It just happened naturally.

Umayos ako ng puwesto saka umupo crossed-leg at tumingin nalang din sa malayong dako ng tahimik na lugar sa labas kaysa sa mawala sa aking sarili kakatingin sa kanya.

I didn't answer him about my legs. I always say I am fine and that nothing is wrong with it but he see and feel otherwise. Sometimes within the day, he teased me about it but there are also times that he asked out of... curiosity? I can't say he cares whether I lose my leg or not. I don't think we are on that level yet but he shows care, somehow or it's just me. I don't know. All assumptions anyway.

He lightly nudged my thigh with his and I scowled at him. Sinasadya niya iyon and he didn't even say sorry. Seryoso pa ang kanyang mukha na nakatingin sa akin.

"The leg." He insist on asking.

"It's fine. Leave my legs alone, will you?" medyo irita kong sagot dahil alam ko naman na kahit anong sabi ko na ayos lang ay iba ang interpretasyon niya niyon. Ayaw ko nalang makipagtalo.

He just smirked as always like he has some secret joke on his own and then he came back to his thoughtful state while looking out. Ibinalik ko na rin ang aking tingin sa labas at napaisip tungkol sa maraming bagay.

Alam ko na hindi ko matatakasan ang kung ano man ang aking uuwian. Hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang naghihintay sa amin pagbalik. All I know right now is that I just want to stay here where I feel free.

I can't ask this guy I am with to extend our vacation more because I know that he still have to work. I don't think he has a hold of his schedule at ayaw ko na maging pabigat o maging problema niya kaya kahit ayaw ko pa na umuwi ay kailangan ko na magtiis.