Reasons to Loathe [COMPLETE]

Kabanata 41

ARE YOU HAPPY?

Ardent

"Mas mabuti nang makita kitang masaya kasama siya kaysa magkasakit dahil sa ulan."

Anong ibig niyang sabihin?

Now I'm sure that he's the one stalking me back in New York. But why? Naka-move on na siya 'di ba? Tsaka ipinangako na rin siya sa iba.

So why does he need to stalk me? At bakit kung kausapin niya ako ay parang may nararamdaman pa siya para sa'kin?

Ilang sandali akong naupo lang dun. Parang tangang naghihintay dahil inaasahan kong babalikan niya ako. Pero si Brando ang dumating.

He was so mad. Kaya pagdating namin sa hotel ay nagtaas agad siya ng boses.

"God, Ardent!" bumalik na naman si Brando sa pagiging istrikto. "Nababaliw ka na ba at bigla ka na lang naligo sa ulan?" tanong niya.

Hindi ako sumagot at nanatiling nakatingin sa sahig. Lea wrapped me with a towel before turning up the temperature of the aircon.

"Ba't ka umalis?" mas kalmadong tanong niya.

Umiling lang ako bilang sagot. I'm still in deep thoughts with the words he said.

"I'll call the room service for tea." Lea volunteered since she can't understand a thing we were talking about. "Or coffee?"

"He doesn't drink coffee." sagot ni Brando habang minamasahe ang sentido.

"Tea then," si Lea bago umalis.

Ilang sandali rin kaming natahimik ni Brando. Siya nakatitig nang matiim sa akin, tila ba binabasa ang bawat galaw ko. Ako na nasa sahig lang ang paningin, iniisip pa rin ang mga sinabi ni Lorenzo.

"I-I'll just take a bath." paalam ko tsaka ako tumayo.

I heard him sigh loudly before talking.

"You saw him, didn't you?" tanong niya na nagpatigil sa aking paglalakad. "Si kuya Enzo?"

Nang lingunin ko siya ay siya naman ang umiwas ng paningin.

I don't really want to tell him. Brando has been nothing but good to me. He just confessed and I don't want to reject him too soon.

I swallowed before deciding to be honest with him.

"He looks different now." pag-amin ko. "He looks," I can't find the right word, "expensive."

He chuckled softly looking down on the floor so I can't see his real expression.

"That's why you ran after him?" he asked. "Are you even sure it's him?" tanong niya.

"It is him. Hinarap niya ako. He even spoke to me." maluha-luhang sambit ko. "Brando, it's really him." I can even hear the desperation in my voice.

Now I got his full attention. Tinignan na niya ako sa mata. I don't know what it is pero I can see something new in his eyes. He isn't angry or concerned. It was something else.

"Pero kailangan mo ba siyang habulin?" tanong niya. "Anong sasabihin mo sa kanya kapag nahabol mo? Kumusta?" he asked sarcastically.

Iniwas ko ang paningin ko. I can't answer his question because it's true. I can't just ask him to have small talks with me.

"Ardent, I told you to run away." he said weakly. "He's a dangerous man. He's being obssesed."