The Calm After the Storm (Northern Trail Series #1)

Chapter 10

Serena's POV,

Seth. Why are you here? You need to leave this place immediately. The goons who tried to kill you are here.

Those are the words that I want to tell him but I remained tongue tied. I was mesmerized by his eyes. Nadidistract ako okay? Di ako makapagconcentrate.

Did he recognize me? I think not. My hair changed and besides he won't expect me here. Netherlands? Inside the royal palace? Definitely not.

But I recognized him just by looking at his eyes. His hair is now in a clean cut. He looks so professional in a coat too. He still has that same built he had before.

"I'm sorry. I-I have to go" nauutal kong tugon at kumawala na sa kanyang kapit. Minadali ko ang paglalakad at hindi na sya nilingon pa. Ngunit napako ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang banggitin nya ang pangalan ko.

"Serena.. We meet again"

Napapikit ako at napalunok nang marinig ko muli ang boses nya. He recognized me.

Unti-unti kong naramdaman ang kanyang paglapit sa akin. I stop him halfway.

"Stop there! Don't come near me!" di ko namalayan na tumaas na pala ang boses ko. Hindi ko pa rin ito nililingon habang nakataas ang isang kamay patalikod. I sense that he stop midstep.

"I am n-not Serena. You're probably mi-mistaken."

Why the hell am I stuttering? Pull yourself together, Serena. Come on!

"Hmm.. Really?" he doubted me. Based on his tone, it wasn't a question. He was testing me.

How can he talk casually to me samantalang ako rito utal na? Hindi ko na ito sinagot pa at baka mahalata nya pa ako. Mahirap na lalo na't hindi makisama ang boses ko. Pautal-utal pa ang boba!

Magpapatuloy na sana ako sa paglalakad nang muli na naman itong umimik.

"Now you're leaving me again huh?"

Napapikit ako at di na lang ito pinansin pa. Nagpatuloy na rin ako sa paglalakad palayo sa kanya.

"The moment I taste that soup, I knew it was familiar. What's that? Hmm.. sinigang, isn't it? That same taste from before. Not that good."

Hindi ko na napigilan at marahas akong napalingon dito. Ano daw? Tama ba ako ng parinig? Anong 'not that good'?! Ang sabihin nya wala syang taste.

Ang kapal naman ng mukha nyang pulaan ang niluto ko? Samantalang nagustuhan nga ito ng lahat ng panauhin. Sa pagkakatanda ko ay naubos nya rin ito noong unang tikim nya sa Basco. Huwag nya akong inaartehan. Hmp!

"How dare you criticize my skills in cooking? You-" I stopped midway nang mapagtanto ko ang aking ginagawa.

It was a trap. Hinuhuli nya ako. At ngayon napaamin tuloy ako. And now he is so sure that I am really Serena. Grr.. as if he hasn't figured it out already.

"That's it! Let's just act that-that we didn't saw each other. And pretend that we ne-never knew each other" saad ko at nag-iwas na ng tingin. Napadpad ang tingin ko sa hawak nyang champagne. Is he drunk?

"I can't do that.." he said. His voice is so deep. Unti-unti na rin itong napapalapit sa akin. Damn it. Bakit di pa ako umaalis dito?

"No! We shouldn't crossed our paths again! Stay there. Huwag kang lalapit!" sigaw ko pero ako itong hindi naman makatakbo.

What the hell, Serena?! Run for your life. Nababaliw ka na ba?! And why do you sound so girly huh? Fuck this intrapersonal communication! It's not helping.