Stonehearts 8: Peridot

Six

Kiel's silence was bothering.

I should be happy that he didn't condone d his fit about the Aiden, but I wasn't. Instead, I'm freaking disappointed and pissed.

But why? Do I enjoy him pestering the hell out of me? Do I relish his obsession with Aiden?

Fuck, I'm starting to lose my damn mind.

I stopped at the departure gate, contemplating what my parting words for him should be. But it looks like he's not waiting because as soon as his side were cleared from pedestrian, he hopped out.

I unlocked the doors of the backseat for him to collect his things. A guard assisted him with the huge frame he's taking with him before he lastly gathered his luggage.

When he shut the door, he stood there, sedentary. I was staring at him through my tinted window, thinking if he still sees me clearly.

I should have locked my door, but I'm stuck waiting for him to do the next move.

Whatever it is, I was hoping he does, he didn't. Because after that uncertain moment, he turned to his heels and walked away.

Bakit naman kasi ako umasa na bubuksan niya ulit ang pinto para kausapin ako? 'Diba ito naman gusto ko? Ang tigilan niya ako?

Why do I find it unsettling and disturbing?

I decided to go around the city just to drive my annoyance out of my system. Last flight out pa naman ako, marami pa akong oras na pwedeng sayangin.

Madilim na rin nang nakauwi ako para kunin ang mga gamit ko. Naisip ko ngang mag-reschedule ng flight para ma-process ko pa ng husto itong hindi ko maintindihan na damdamin ko ngunit naisip ko si Era. Ano na lang ang reaksyon niya kapag sasabihan ko siyang bukas pa ako makakaalis?

I sighed my resignation to the idea of seeing Kiel again. Wala naman akong magagawa, hangga't hindi kinakasal ang kapatid niya, makikita't makikita ko ulit siya.

I asked my mom to drive me to the airport for the ease of transport. But since she has an early day tomorrow for she'll take over my business, for the time being, we have to leave a bit early.

"Pasensya ka na, Dothy. Ang aga mo tuloy." Mom said when she's helping me unload my luggage from the trunk.

I gave her a smile and bid her goodbye with a hug, "Okay lang, Ma. Bye, love you."

I sat by Starbucks and went over my checklist for Era's wedding, making sure I'll accomplish all of it.

"Invitations" it read. Saka ko naisipang tignan ang invitation nila. I never paid much thought to it before. Ang akin lang ay basta tama lahat ng spelling at maayos ang pagkakagawa.

But thinking about it, I never read Kiel's name there.

I quickly closed my task manager and went to my files to view the electronic version of it. My eyes skimmed through it until I found what I was looking for.

"Best Man, Keiran Ignacio Esteves Loyzaga"

That's why he's called Kiel. But what do I expect, ganoon rin naman ang pakulo ng pangalan ni Cael.

Mariin kong tinitigan ang pangalan niya sa hindi ko malamang rason. Gusto ko bang bigla na lang siyang lumabas kung saan? Pero bakit? Why can't I have enough with the presence of that man? It's starting to drown me. He's starting to drown me with his existence.

I jumped when I felt my phone vibrating from my purse, breaking the useless reverie I'm having. I searched my bag for it and got surprised when I saw Era's name.

"Era?"

"Dothy! Nakaalis na ba si Kuya Kiel?" her voice was shaking.

Napapikit ako. Don't tell me he snuck out again! "Oo, hinatid ko siya kanina kasi alas-dos ang flight niya."

"W-wala siya rito. We went to check his room, unoccupied pa raw sabi ng front desk."

I face palmed, magsisimula nanaman ng tagu-taguan ang hayop na 'yon. "Sige, sige. I'll try contacting him again."

"Please, hindi siya sumasagot sa'min, eh. Cael is also losing it. Lulunurin na niya raw si Kuya kapag hindi pa siya dumating dito."

We both laughed at the thought, "Sige, babalitaan kita agad."

"Yes, please do that. Ewan ko ba, mas tumigas ulo ni Kuya Kiel. Ikaw na lang ata ang pinapakinggan niya." I stilled when I heard her words. What did she just say? "Sige na, Dothy. I'll drop the call. Tinatawag na rin ako ni Cael. Bye, see you her and please bring Kuya Kiel with you."

And she was gone. Napatitig ako sa cellphone ko, internalizing what she just dropped on me. What does she mean by that?

Hindi ko alam kung gaano ako katagal na walang galawan, when I felt two hands on both side of my face before my head got titled upwards, forcing me to look at a set of very familiar, coffee, colored eyes.

"Found you." He claimed with a grin.

"Kiel?" I asked, dumbfounded. I savored his pretty face for a while before my mind got hurled back to the mess he's making.

I shook my head free of his hold before I twisted my body to face him since he's standing behind me. "Kiel! What are you doing here?! Sabi ko magpunta ka na ng Boracay!" I nagged.

He scratched the back of his and ignored me. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin hanggang sa naupo siya sa harapan ko.

"Sa'yo 'to?" turo niya sa kape ko.

Sinimangutan ko siya. "Hoy, sagutin mo tanong ko!" I demanded.

But he continued to disregard my rage. Inabot niya ang kape ko saka ininuman 'yon. My jaw dropped on what he did, coupled with the burning sensation I felt on my cheeks.

He looked amused with my reaction, while he keeps eye contact as he sips. When he was finished, he placed the drink back in front of me. "What? You act so innocently and as if you haven't tasted my mouth before well, in fact, I remember giving you a brief but very wet kiss."

I tried my best to scowl at him even though my continuous blushing is making me lose all the intimidation factor.

Hindi ako mananalo sa taong ito. Kahit anong gawin ko, babalik at babalik sa'kin. So, I stomped the idea of getting back at him and just focused on what's important.

"Bakit nandito ka pa? You deliberately missed your flight again. Ilang beses ba kita dapat sunduin at pagsabihan?"

Hindi ko ba alam sa taong ito. Imbes na mainis siya dahil tinatalakan ko siya parang natutuwa pa siya.

He propped his elbow on his knees before he rested his chin on his palm then he gave me a heart-racing grin. "I don't mind getting you mad at me, because whenever it happens, I know I'm the only person consuming your thoughts."

I was taken aback by his words. His grin went bigger when he saw I look baffled. I don't know what to do and how to process what he said. And I'm sure it shows clearly on my face.

He gave me a moment to collect my thoughts. I shoved the crazy ideas visiting my head. "Bakit ka nga hindi nanaman tumuloy sa flight mo, Kiel?"

"Because you're taking the last flight out."

"Huh? What does it have to do with me?"

"You do a lot of things to me and right now all I can think about is doing you."

I got shocked by the sudden turn of our conversation that I went mum. The gleam in his eyes and the alluring grin he has promised a lot of things, things I'm not quite sure I would want to discover.

"But we can't do that right now, can't we?" he later on added. Hindi pa rin ako mapakapagsalita. I seemed to have swallowed my tongue. "Marami pa tayong dapat pag-usapan at gawin. But the first thing on our list is doing something about that damn boyfriend of yours."