Belonged to the Mafia 18+

020: Dove

020: Dove

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"What are you doing here?"

Naikuyom ko ang mga kamao sa likod ko. Naglakas-loob ako ngayon na harapin si Valence para humingi ng tulong. Alam ko, isa itong malaking pagkakamali dahil gaya nila Uncle, parte siya ng mafia. Ngunit dahil gusto kong nang makaalis sa islang 'to at malaman kung nasaan ang mga kapatid ko, haharapin ko ang panganib. At may pinanghahawakan ako na idinudulong ko sa langit na sana ay tuparin niya.

Nagtatakang inulit ni Valence ang tanong niya sa akin. Tumayo siya mula sa kinauupuang mesa para lumapit sa akin. "Ano'ng ginagawa mo dito?"

Umatras ako nang magkaroon ng sapat na distansiya sa pagitan namin. Lumunok ako sa kaba. Ngayong nasa harap ko na ang kailangan ko, biglang tinakasan yata ako ng lakas ng loob. Hindi ko magawang maibuka ang bibig ko. Ramdam ko ang namamawis kong mga palad.

"Swimming class will start in ten minutes," tumayo iyong lalaking nakasalamin. Isinara niya ang laptop niya at tumayo. "We'll see you there." Pagkatapos ay niyakag niyang sumama sa kaniya ang isa pang lalaki na namukhaan ko kung sino.

Damang-dama ko ang nagsisimulang pag-iinit ng mga pisngi ko. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. Hangga't maaari ay ayoko ng eye contact sa taong nakahuli sa amin ni Valence sa nakakahiyang sirkumstansya. Laking pasasalamat ko sa loob-loob ko dahil hindu na ito nagkumento pa at lumabas na ng silid-aralan.

"Hey."

Napapitlag ako sa kinatatayuan. Bigla ay nakaramdam ako ng paninikip ng dibdib. Ang katotohanang kaming dalawa lang ang tao dito ay nagdadala ng hindi pamilyar na damdamin sa akin. At kailan pa naging masarap sa pandinig ko iyong boses niya? Sapat na para kumabog ang dibdib ko. Para tuloy ang sarap na lang pumikit at pakinggan ang mga salitang lalabas sa bibig niya.

"Magsasalita ka ba o ano?" anito.

Umayos ka nga, Judy! Kung ano-ano iyang iniisip mo! Pagalit ko sa sarili. Lumunok ako uli at sinubukan ang pinakamakakayanan ko magawa lang na masalubong ang tingin niya. Pero pagkatamang-pagkatama pa lang ng tingin ko sa magagandang pares ng mata niya, nanghina na agad ang mga tuhod ko. "Ah... Ano..." Ganito ba talaga ka-dominant ang presensiya ng isang mapya?

"Ano?" tinaasan na niya ako ng kilay. Nauubusan na siya ng pasensya sa paghihintay ng maayos na sagot.

"Kailangan ko ng tulong mo." Tinalikuran ko agad siya pagkasabi noon. "Sabi mo babawi sa 'kin." Kagyat na bumalik sa alaala ko ang mariin niyang pagkakahawak sa mga braso ko. Sa totoo lang natatakot pa din ako. Puwede niyang ulitin iyon kung gugustuhin niya. At wala akong kakayanan para lumaban. Ni wala akong matatawag na tunay na kakampi dahil hindi ko naman talaga lubos na kilala maski sila Uncle. Nakapanghihinayang dahil mukhang mabait si Auntie Rita. Pero isang sigurado ako, kung si Leo nakagawa ng masama, paano pa ang mga magulang niya?

"Can you elaborate? And mind your manners."

"Huh--" napasinghap ako nang hawakan niya ako sa baba at pinihit paharap sa kaniya ang mukha ko.

Hinuli niya ang tingin ko. When our eyes met, I seem to be locked in his beautiful gaze. "When you're talking to someone, you need to face them rather than presenting them your back. It leaves them an opening to get to you. D'you know that?"

I couldn't move a muscle. I just stared at his perfectly shaped face. I wonder how many expressions it can make? A lot of girls must be dying to have him. Or yet, he does have someone. Itong pagmumukha ba naman niya mawalan ng girlfriend? At kung wala man, sure akong mahaba ang pila ng mga nagkakandarapa sa kaniya.

An evil smirk formed his lips. "Aren't you a curious one?"

I didn't let his teasing bother me. I may be subconsciously crushing on this guy, yes, he flatters me, but I'm not someone easily swept away with looks alone. "Yeah, I'm a curious one."

He looked surprised.

I reached out for his left cheek. As I examined his face' features, I stated what is on my mind. "You're such a handsome guy. You're going to become more manly for sure. So... perfect."

He was resilient for quite some time. He touched the back of my hand holding his cheek. Looking at me deeply, he says, "What do you know about being perfect?"

"I don't have preferences nor vocabulary for it. I just know you're perfect."

"Then maybe you're right." He stepped back. "I am perfect. So perfect that God casted me out of the heavens, never to come back. Just like Lucifer."

Was it me? Or there's a hint of sadness in his voice? No, sort of hatred? But to whom? To God? Or to himself? Now I am curious.

He cleared his throat. Which helped me get back to my senses. "What do you need?"

"Can I trust you?" I blurted out.

"Pardon?" he placed his arms crossed on his chest.

"Can I trust you?" I repeat.

Amusement flashed on his gorgeous face. "Do you need a reason to?"

I didn't say a word.

A few moments of staring contest and he broke free first. "One time."

"Eh?"

"You can trust me one time... to make up for what I've done before."

"Really?" A series of fireworks blew in my imagination to portray my joy. "Thank you!"

"Shut it. The word trust do not exist in my world. Don't get too cocky."

"I will trust you, Valence," I announced. I will trust him for once. It wouldn't be bad to take one risk at a time, right? I just hope for the best.

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Unknowingly, Valence has already making up plans within his head on how to corner this young lady he started to secretly call "Dove". He has various ways of capturing her in the dead end. But he never imagined things will be a lot more easier than he anticipated. The Dove have volunteered to trap itself in a cage he prepared.

"I will trust you," Judy is particular with the word. He doesn't even know what that means. In mafioso, only leverage exists. It's a matter of kill or be killed using weaknesses to crush one another.

"We'll see," he couldn't help it, a victorious grin painted on the surface of his face. "Now tell me what you want, Dove."

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