Loving Chaos

Chapter Eight

Tahimik ang mga unang sandali ng byahe. What was I thinking? Masyado akong nagpapahalatang apektado pa rin sa presensiya niya kapag malapit siya? Lagi na lang akong pinapahamak ng puso ko, mula noon hanggang ngayon.

I put on my strongest urge not to look at him, though I'm fully aware of his stare at me. Umayos ako ng upo at pilit tinutuon sa bintana ang atensyon. Nang mag-red light ay hindi ko napigilan ang mapatingin sa kanya, he was looking at my bare legs. Dahil nakaupo ako ay lumihis pataas ang dulo ng aking dress, giving him a slight show of my fair skin.

I cleared my throat at hayagang ibinaba ang dulo ng dress ko. Ano Franco? Mas lalo ba ko pumuti?

"Uh, hindi na pala ako sa mansyon nakatira, lumipat na ako ng bahay. You can drop me at the Ramon Street," naiilang na sabi ko. It is better that way huh? He'll think I move out with my parents since I'm already of age.

"You move out? Why?" kuryosong tanong nito. Titig na titig sa akin. He was like reading between the lines of what I've just said.

"I'm of age, Franco. Isa pa, gusto ko din naman," sa maliit na boses. Less talk, less mistakes of lies.

Umandar ang sasakyan ng mag-go signal. I took a glanced of him, his jaw was clenched in a grim manner. Hindi ko alam na mas gwapo pala siya sa anggulong iyon. Siguro noon pa, dahil talagang gwapo na siya noon pa. Girls ogle over him, he is a girl magnet. At naging isa ako sa mga iyon.

"Ramon Street, then," napapaos na sabi ni Franco.

Balak kong buong byahe nang tumahimik, ayoko ng makipag-usap pa at baka hindi ko na mapanindigan ang pagsisinungaling. I was always true when it comes to him. Always. Pero wala ata siyang balak na manahimik. May inabot siya sa dashboard at dahan dahan niyang inabot sakin ang kanyang phone.

Kunot noong tumingin sa kanya, speechless. "Put your number here," he said huskily. Sabay tingin sa akin at sa kalsada ulit. Nag-aalangang kinuha ko ang cellphone niya, his phone's wallpaper's default. Wala masyadong espesyal at napakasimple lang. I swiped it and it has no password!

Nag-iinit ang pisngi ko habang tinatype ko ang numero ko doon.

Really Chaos? Wala man lang tanong kung anong dahilan?

Inabot ko sa kanya ang cellphone niya without looking at him. I could feel the weird emotion in my chest, but this emotion is so damn familiar. Sinilip ko siya ng hindi niya pa inaabot ang phone niya, he was just staring at me.

"Franco, your phone."

"I'm driving, kindly put it on the dashboard," now he was pouting a bit in a manly manner, like supressing a smile.

Inilagay ko sa dashboard ang phone nito. I can't get over the fact that he got my number. What for? To connect the lines between us?

I took a deep breath. Even his car smells so like him, manly and wild. Like a vast mist ready to conquer your senses. Deep breath, again.

God, nababaliw na ata ako!

Napansin kong malapit na kami sa tinutuluyan ko. Hindi na ko makakilos at medyo natataranta na.

"You can drop me already right here," sabi ko at unti unting umayos ng upo. Binagalan naman ni Franco ang takbo ng BMW. I saw him creased his forehead.

"Here? There's even no houses in here, Chaos," mariin na sabi niya. He looked at me.

"Uh, l-lalakarin pa kasi ng konti, papasok kasi y-yon," naiilang na sabi ko.

"Then I'll drive you to your house," sabi nito. Sa tingin nito parang wala akong panalo. But I would insist.

"Stop the car, Franco," sabi ko. Pilit hindi iniinda ang kanyang sinabi. I won't let him see where I live, I don't want to.