In the Eyes of Love [HIATUS]

Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Chance Encounter

THIRD PERSON's PoV

It was noisy, crowded and dusty. The entire place was occupied by the aura of emergency. People were rushing and in the middle of them was a child who's clueless of the happening. Until...

A woman's outcry was audible before a sound of explosion and broken shards occupied the entire atmosphere.

Llara gasped and found herself raising up from her bed. Her breaths were heavy at pinagpapawisan siya.

'It was that nightmare again.' she thought, at tumingin sa kanyang paligid.

She was all alone, her room was dim, and only the light from her lamp shed the entirety of her room. It was quiet, and the digital wall-clock displayed '11:45'.

Quickly, she decided to get out from her room at nagtungo sa kusina. Dito'y naabutan niya si Altheo na nakaupo sa harap ng kitchen counter at umiinom ng kape. He was on his usual composure at sa kawalan ang tingin, but he turned to look at her the moment he recognized her presence.

"Gising pa po pala kayo, young miss." Altheo said monotonously.

Llara gave him a smile before proceeding to the refrigerator at kumuha ng fresh milk.

"Oo, I just had a nightmare." she said at tumabi sa binata.

"Was it that nightmare again?" natigilan si Llara when Altheo asked her that.

She looked down at pilit na ngumiti, "Oo, Altheo."

That moment, Altheo stood up at tinungo ang kitchen shelves.

"Just stay, ipaghahanda lang kita ng snack." Altheo said while getting a pack of slice bread that he'll be toasting, and other ingredients he needed.

Then he went to the kitchen counter again to prepare.

"Thanks Altheo. You're the best." Llara gave him a smile.

Altheo looked at her. He knew her very well, he can tell that behind her smile lies something that she's been long concealing.

Si Llara naman ay nagsalita na, "Don't look at me like that, nakakaintimidate ka."

The next moment, Llara reached out to the sides of his lips at pinilit na iguhit ang ngiti sa mukha nito, "Ayan, mas approachable ka tignan. Haha!"

Altheo was just looking at her coldly. Llara, feeling intimidated and sensed that he's dead serious end up slowly letting go of his face.

"Sabi ko na, 'di na ako mangungulit. Haha. Ha ha." she looked down awkwardly.

"May gatas ka sa labi." Altheo said plainly.

"Hindi na ako bata." ganti naman ni Llara, but the next moment, she saw him took a piece of kitchen napkin and folded it twice, before she felt it on the side of her lips. She was about to move her face away dahil sa pagkailang but Altheo was already done.

"What I mean was the literal." sabi naman ni Altheo bago ito nagtungo sa kabilang sulok ng kusina.

Si Llara naman ay nakasunod nalang ng tingin sa binata at napasimangot na bumaling sa basang napkin.

"Hays, ba't ba ang lamig niya?"
"Grrrr, giniginaw tuloy ako bigla." sunod-sunod na pahayag ng dalaga at umarteng giniginaw.

***

It was a fine weekend morning in a fancy garden house, perhaps a wide flower shop with almost rare and foreign plants. Miyaka and Laszlo were both with their moms matapos magpasama ang mga ito sa isang floweshop na madalas nitong pinupuntahan. Mamimili na naman ang mga ito ng bagong maidadagdag sa kanilang koleksyon.