He Desired The Most- COMPLETED

Kabanata 18

Kabanata 18

Into Him

Para akong aatakihin sa puso nang makita ko kung sino ang lalaking nakatayo sa veranda ng katapat na bahay. Ang buong akala ko ay iyong magandang babae noon ang may-ari no'n. But looking at the man on the veranda right now, nalilito na ako.

Aiden is vaping while looking in my direction. I didn't expect this... dahil sa apat na linggong nandito kami, wala akong ibang nakitang tao riyan sa bahay na 'yan maliban doon sa magandang babaeng nakita ko noong ikalawang araw pa lang kaming nandito. And seeing him now almost gives me a heart attack! Buti na lang at nandoon kay Asthra si Harden ngayon.

Nagmadali akong naglakad papasok sa bahay matapos ilagay ang basura sa labas ng gate para kolektahin ng mga taga-ESWM.

"A-Ash..." I stutter when Asthra picks up her phone.

"What happened? Are you okay?" nag-aalalang tanong nito. I sigh and try to calm myself.

"W-Where's Harden?"

"Nandito sa opisina ko, nanunuod ng movie sa laptop ko, bakit ba? Okay ka lang?" Napahinga ako nang malalim dahil sa sinabi ni Asthra. Buti naman at 'di pa ito pauwi.

"Pupunta ako diyan. Don't let him out of your office. I'll be there in just a minute. Bye."

Agad kong binaba ang tawag kahit 'di pa man nakakasagot si Asthra. Mabilis akong nagbihis at dumiritso sa garage at nilabas ang Neuwagen ko.

I glance in Aiden's direction once again before I continue driving, but he's nowhere to be found. Wala na ito sa veranda, at tahimik lang ang bahay like it used to be.

I sigh in relief. Maybe it's just a hallucination. Fuck! Am I just hallucinating? Kasi kung oo, tinakot ako noon ng sobra!

Patuloy ang pag-iisip ko tungkol doon hanggang sa nakarating ako sa Café Gemini. Agad kong pinark ang kotse at dali-daling dumiritso sa loob. Mabuti na lang at kaonti lang ang customers ngayon.

"What the hell is happening?" Agad na salubong ni Asthra sa akin at hinila papasok sa opisina nito.

Gumaan ang pakiramdam ko nang makitang nanunuod lang si Harden. I sat down on the sofa beside Asthra.

"Do you know who's the owner of the big house in front of my apartment?" panimula ko.

"Hmm... I heard isang modelo raw ang may-ari no'n. Tsaka ang kompanya nina Troshin ang nagtrabaho sa bahay na 'yon. Why?" Kunot-noo akong hinarap ni Asthra.

"I just thought... I saw Aiden there." Hindi ko alam ang gagawin if ever siya nga 'yong nakita ko!

"That's impossible. He was in Bali last week. At sa Maynila na 'yon naglalagi, hindi na 'yon napapadpad dito. Tsaka last two years pa natapos ang bahay na 'yon."

I feel relieved by what Asthra said. Siguro nga nagha-hallucinate lang ako. I'm thankful kasi maliit lang naman pala ang tyansa na magkikita kami. If he's staying in Manila, maybe it's for good, or maybe he already has family there.

We talked a little more about our whatnots. Alas kuatro na nang hapon bago ako nagpasyang umuwi na... not thinking more about Aiden and I relaxed already.

Paglabas namin sa opisina, nakahawak ako sa kamay ni Harden, habang nagsasalita sa likod ko si Asthra.

"You bought your car? Does Diesdan plan to visit you later?"

"Yes—"

My breathing literally stopped when my eyes landed on the man in a counter, looking darkly in my direction... bago sa batang hawak ko. My hands shivered when I slowly pulled Harden to hide him behind my back.

"Tangina! Ano ba 'yan—Aiden?" gulat na sambit ni Asthra na nasa tabi ko na, nabunggo kasi ito sa likod ko kaya nagmura.

Nanatiling nakatutok ang mata ni Aiden sa akin, at hindi man lang pinansin si Asthra. I gulped hard. I am not able to move even a bit. I'm afraid that this isn't just a hallucination. If it is, Asthra won't call him... surprised. The only thing that registers on my mind now is Harden.

I don't know how to react after seeing Aiden today. I'm so scared to even speak. My heart throbs because of the unnamed emotion I have right now.

"Uh... long time no see, Aiden."

Asthra tried to make the moment light. Tumango lang si Aiden dito, pero nanatili ang mga mata sa amin. Ang ibang customer din ay napapabaling sa direksyon namin, which I found irritating.

"Mom, aren't we going home now?" I glanced at Aiden bago ko dahan-dahang tiningnan si Harden na nasa gilid ko na, kunot na kunot ng noo at parang tinatamad na. I don't know what to say. I am so preoccupied right now.

"Uhm... w-we're going now, sweetheart." I blew a loud breath at doon ko lang napansin na kanina ko pa pala pinipigilan ang paghinga ko.

"Uh... Ash, m-mauna na kami... H-Harden is tired."

I glanced again in Aiden's direction. Masama na ang tingin nito sa akin, kaya iniwas ko na lang ang tingin ko.

The chime rang, kaya bahagyang nakuha ang atensiyon ko doon, pero naunahan na ako ni Harden.

"Daddy!" agad na sigaw ni Harden nang makita si Diesdan na kakapasok pa lang.

Diesdan smiled widely as he carried Harden on his arms, but his smile slowly vanished when he saw his brother looking at him.

"Aiden? Kailan ka pa nakauwi rito?"

"You knew him, Daddy?" inosenting tanong ng anak ko na agad namang tinanguhan ni Diesdan.

"Yeah, he's my brother, handsome." Diesdan even rubbed Harden's hair, kaya bahagya itong ngumuso.

"Oh! That explains why he looks like you... but he's more handsome, I guess?" Diesdan chuckles, but I remain silent, as Asthra does.

I feel like my heart is choked. Nahihirapan akong huminga dahil sa mga nangyayari ngayon. I can't believe this is happening right now! We were just talking about him earlier, tapos nandito na siya ngayon sa harapan namin. I am not ready for this!

"Hi, Uncle. I'm Harden... hmm, I like your hairstyle; it really looks good on you." Napapikit na lang ako dahil sa sinabi ng anak ko.

"Thank you... you're handsome, too."

Aiden invites us to have dinner with him in Restau Gemini; katabi lang nitong café na pagmamay-ari pa rin ni Asthra. Gusto kong tumanggi, but I don't want to look affected by him, kahit na ang totoo ay sobra akong kinabahan.

"I thought you were in Bali, Aiden?" Si Asthra ang bumasag sa nakakailang na katahimikan. Halos hindi ko na malunok ang kinakain ko sa sobrang kaba.

"May importante lang akong inasikaso doon at last week pa iyon; I don't tend to stay longer there."

Aiden's voice is huskier now. He looks more mature in an intimidating way. His thick eyebrows are associated with rough yet magnetic male beauty. The stubble on his jaw looks more attractive and carries a super-sexy confidence. His deep voice screams sexy; it sounds so sensual, confident, and powerful. He is indeed the man who always breaks the rules.

"Oh! Akala ko nagbakasyon ka lang doon."

I snapped when Aiden's eyes were all on me. Agad akong nag-iwas nang tingin dahil sa sobrang kaba. Hindi ko na nasundan pa ang pinag-usapan nila. I remain silent, thinking of many things.

The dessert was served when Diesdan excused himself when his phone rang. Tsaka naman ang pagpapaalam ni Asthra na may kukunin sa opisina nito, isinama pa si Harden para sa pasalubong. I don't want to be left with Aiden alone. Pero masyado akong mapaghahalataan kong aalis din ako.

The longer the silence, the more my heart beats wildly and almost goes out to my chest.

"So... you're still into him, huh?"

Ang mapanuyang boses ni Aiden ay mas lalong nagpakaba sa akin. I can't look straight into his eyes. I'm afraid that I might get lost.

"Is he the reason why you left me here, dumbfounded?" Dagdag nitong nagtunog panunumbat.

He sounded bruised and wounded, but I know him so well that I can't even afford to believe what I saw in his eyes at this moment.