Untamed

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Race

"Bibiyahe ka pasyudad?"Vince smiled softly.

Natigil ako sa pagimpake ng mga damit ko at nilingon siya.

He's standing at my door, holding the door knob.

"Yeah."tinanguan ko siya."Aaron is a friend of mine."

"He's from the city."

Tumango ako sa tanong niya.

"Babalik kana sa buhay mo dati?"he asked.

I am not sure what to answer.

"Nah. He's just asking for a favor. Uuwi din ako pagkatapos."I answered.

"G-great. Pag uwi mo naisip ko baka puwedeng lumabas tayong dalawa? May masarap na nagtitinda ng ice cream sa kabilang bayan. Baka puwede nating puntahan?"

"Sure. I would love that."I smiled at him before I finish packing my clothes and my things.

"Are you really sure you're coming back, Grace?"he asked, parang nag-aalala sa kung anong bagay.

Living here in a small province and meeting Vince parang nagkaroon ako ng ibang katauhan. They know me here as Grace and not Raze. Alam nilang mahilig ako sa car racing pero hindi nila alam na iyon talaga ang trabaho ko.

They knew nothing about my life before they met me. O kung may alam man sila siguro kaunti lang iyong mga bagay lang na dapat nilang malaman tungkol saakin.

"Yeah. Andito pa ang ibang gamit ko at may trabaho pa ko."I chuckled.

Napakamot siya sa batok na tila nahihiya."P-Puwede bang tawagan mo ko pag nakarating ka na doon gusto ko lang na makasiguradong ligtas ka."

"Sure. Ako na ang tatawag sayo pag nakarating kami sa Manila."Aaron pop out of nowhere.

Napalingon naman sakanya si Vince.

"Thanks."

"No prob, dude."tumango si Aaron sakanya bago bumaling saakin."You ready? My driver is already here."

"Yeah. I'm already done so I guess I'm ready."I answered.

"Don't miss me too much."I grinned at Vince when I'm about to get inside the car.

"I'll try not to miss you."he smiled shyly.

Tinawanan ko naman siya bago nagpaalam at tuluyan ng sumakay sa sasakyan.

"May gusto sayo 'yon."puna ni Aaron nang umandar na ang sasakyan.

"He's just a friend."iling ko.

"Yes. And I'm just a friend too but I had a crush on you before. Hindi sana iyon mawawala if you didn't reject me kaso si Greg ang pinili mo."he laughed playfully."Mabuti na lang nakamove on na ko."pahabol niya pa.

"Silly. You know you're just a brother to me."I laughed.

"Ouch! Oo na! Alam kong di uubra ang charms ko sayo."he pouted.

"It's not like that. It's just that you are better to be my brother."I explained.

"Yeah. As if I want a sister. I'm an only child, Raze."he snorted.

"So am I."balik ko sakanya at sa bintana na tumingin.

Sa biyahe ay nagpahinga lang ako. I am  too occupied of a lot of things to socialize with Aaron. Mukhang naramdaman naman iyon ni Aaron dahil hindi siya nangulit sa biyahe. Minsan ay naguusap kami but not really something serious like about what happened 2 years ago. It was just a light casual talk.

"I'm really happy you agreed on this. Hindi nga naniniwala sakin ang team ko na mapapabalik kita e."he chuckled.

"Yeah. You have a convincing ppower"I shrugged my shoulders.

"Malakas lang talaga ako sayo."pagmamayabang niya.

Aaron is my childhood friend. We trained together. I'm not really a friendly type of a person. School, bahay at practice lang ako madalas not until I met Aaron. My father introduced him to me. He's in my same age. At first I find him annoying pero sa mga ibang araw may pakinabang din naman ang ganoong ugali niya.

Sabay kaming nagdebut sa mundo ng karera.

Hindi sang-ayon ang magulang niya sa napiling propesyon. Racing is extreme and dangerous. Kaya hindi nagustuhan ng ina niya dahil may sakit sa puso ang ama niya kaya bihira lang ang mga itong manuod ng tournament o kahit practice ni Aaron. Palaging sinasabi saakin ni Aaron na kahit kelan hindi naging proud ang magulang niya sakanya. That's why he is happy when he's with us. He treated my father like his own father and I'm okay with that. I'm not a selfish greedy only daughter. I'm fine sharing my father to him. But in that case kay Aaron lang. I don't like anyone except him. Si Aaron ang nagturo saaking kung pano makisalamuha at pakisamahan ang mga tao kahit na ayoko sakanila o ayoko sa ugali nila.

Kaya siguro kaunti lamang ang kaibigan ko.

"We'll be staying here. Puwede sana sa bahay ang kaso baka hindi ka maging komportable sa pamilya ko. You know they will never stop bugging you questions after you disappeared."he shrugged his shoulders. Gesturing the Joel suite where I'm staying."Nasa kabilang room lang ako kung sakaling hanapin mo ko. You can always call me.  Dito ko na pinili dahil malapit lang sa arena."

Marahan akong tumango sakanya at inilibot ang tingin sa kabuuan ng hotel suite.

"Okay. Thanks."

"I should be the one to say thank you. Like really I mean it. I really wanted to help charities you know that."he laugh it out.

I agree on him. He have a soft spot for those who is unfortunate in life. Madalas siyang tumulong sa mga charity even before at hindi lang iyon pakitang tao. Palagi talaga siyang nagpaparticipate sa mga ganitong klaseng event.

On the next day he invited me for a race, practice na din para sa gaganaping laban bukas.

"Wow! Are you sure you're not competing on your stay in that province? Wala ka pa ding kupas!"he commented, hinubad niya ang suot na helmet.

"Not really. But I race there too for a friendly match. Isa pa ang mga tao doon ay hindi mahilig sa ganito. They're not into racing."iling ko.

"Sabagay. Maliit lang ang probinsyang iyon at mukhang hindi pa 20th century style ang pamumuhay. Puro bukid lang ang nakita ko doon. So I assume their work there is all about farming?"

Tinanguan ko siya bago uminom."Yes."

"Buti hindi ka naging magsasaka?"he asked.

"Well I applied as a waitress."

"Kaya pala doon kita naabutan. I thought you're there for your lunch? Well kumikita ba ang resto na iyon? It looks old...bukod pa doon wala masiyadong tao."

"It was fine. Hindi madaming tao. At sila lang naman ang nag-iisang resto doon at doon lang kumakain ang mga tao pag may okasyon o gusto nila."I answered.

Tumango siya."You know what that place is really perfect if you wanted to runaway and hide."

"Another match?"he asked. After he drunk all his water.

"Game."