Seduce the Gambler (PUBLISHED) ✔️

Page 15 - Connection to Everything that Matters

Page 15 – Connection to Everything that Matters

PAPASOK SI Zenair sa isang armored van. Nasa loob na nito ang walang malay na si Undefeated. Kahit na alam ko na ang pangalan niya, mas komportable pa rin akong gamitin ang alias nito. Kumawala ako sa pagkakahawak ni Vincentte.

“Willow?” nagtatakang tanong niya.

Nilingon ko siya at binigyan ng isang pagod na ngiti, “I...just need to talk to Zenair.” Pumasok sa isip ko na baka nagmamadali sila. Everything went too fast. Namalayan ko na lang, narito na kami sa likod ng Bet & Fight building at dahil nga mukhang may kasong isinampa ang isang organisasyon sa magkapatid, dinakip sila. “Is it okay?”

Lumingon si Vincentte sa bandang likod ko. Napatalon ako nang may biglang nagsalita, “Go ahead. The trial can wait.” Bumaling ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses at napanganga ako nang nalamang si Ate Zony pala 'yon. Grabe, hindi ko man lang narinig ang paglapit niya.

So badass.

“Ate Zony…thank you so much.” pasasalamat ko.

Ate Zony shyly grinned at me, “I’m glad you’re alright, Willow.” Manghang-mangha pa rin akong nakatingin sa kaniya. “Puntahan mo na si Raizen. You wanna talk to him right?”

Kumunot ang noo ko, “Raizen? I want to talk to Zenair, not Raizen.”

Napahinga ng malalim si Ate Zony, “They’re actually one person.”

“What?” I asked in shock. Kaagad akong lumapit sa kinatatayuan ni Zenair. Two men in joker mask were still holding him on place. I only stopped a foot away from him. He met my eyes directly. Vacant, emotionless eyes. Even his face was very neutral. Ito yung banayad na mukha niya. I couldn’t read him.

“Is it true? You’re turning me into a slave?” Pumiyok ang boses ko. “Bakit, Zenair?” I considered this man a friend, oo, friends with benefits kami subalit hindi naman siya gumawa ng kahit anong bagay na labag sa loob ko. Our sexual affair had been always consensual kaya hindi ako makapaniwala na napunta sa gan'to. “Bakit? I thought we're friends..” ulit ko.

“Operation seduce the gambler.” sagot niya. Banayad pa rin ang expresyon.

“Hindi ko maintindihan.”

He snorted and now he’s looking at me as if I’m a lowly human being, “Of course you won’t. You’re nothing but an average human being. My affairs is on a league above yours.”

Humakbang ako at sinampal siya, “Yes, I'm average,” saad ko, “But being average is better compared to someone like you.” Manipulator. Sinungaling. Manloloko.

“I deserve that,” nagulat ako sa sagot niya ngunit hindi ko pinahalata, “The concept of a human slave was interesting.” Zenair’s eyes had a far off look. Namumula yung parte ng pisngi niyang nasampal ko. “I've seen the best and the worst of this world. Nothing was new. I have money in my arsenal but still I'm… unhappy. It was boring I want to fade…until my sister introduced me to the concept of slavery, a tradition of old days long gone. I wasn’t born in that era you see.” He closed his eyes. “If I can have a slave, it would be something new. I need it. I need that change.Maybe it could make me feel something else other than the feeling of emptiness.”

Naiintindihan ko siya dahil alam ko ang pakiramdam na ‘yon. Dying is easy, giving up is easy, but living, that’s the hardest part. Mukhang madali ito from an outsider’s point of view but there are really people who are barely living everyday, living in a way that matters to them.