All For Show (COMPLETED)

Chapter 04

Chapter 04

"H-Hey," I said when I realized that Pablo had his arm wrapped around my waist. I was looking straight into his eyes. Fuck. He looked even prettier in daylights. Just when I thought this man couldn't get any hotter, he showed me how wrong I was.

His brows furrowed a little. I cleared my throat. Shit. Bakit ba ako nag-stammer sa harapan niya? I'd already seen everything there was to see in this man. Bakit pa ako mahihiya?

"Hey," paguulit ko. Ibinaling ko ang tingin ko kay Paul. "Pablo, this is Paul, the son of my employer," I said, choosing my words carefully para naman pumasok na sa isip ni Paul na iyon lang talaga ang tingin ko sa kanya. Totoo siguro talaga iyong kung sino iyong hindi mo makuha, iyon ang mas gugustuhin mo. Because I could seriously provide Paul with a list of names who would die to have a chance with him. Okay naman kasi siya minus the fact that he gives me the ick. I guess for other women, he's 'the' catch. He looks good and he's rich. A lot of woman would be ecstatic already. But me? Hindi ako kasama sa listahan na 'yon.

"Paul, this is Pablo," I said, at hindi ko na itinuloy dahil hindi ko rin naman alam kung paano siya iintroduce.

"The boyfriend," Pablo said as he offered his hand to Paul. They shook hands and I saw how firm Pablo's grip was. Actually, nakatingin lang talaga ako sa kamay ni Pablo. God, those veins! Did he have any idea what those veins do to women? Or at least to me?

Paul seemed to be a little taken aback sa pagpapakilala ni Pablo that he made an excuse para makaalis agad. I was relieved na wala na siya... but seriously though? It was infuriating na kahit anong pagpapaalis ang gawin ko sa kanya, hindi siya umaalis. All it took was a man's presence for him to fuck off. It was like my own words and actions were not enough—but one word from a man and he's off.

"You don't seem relieved," Pablo said nang mapansin niya iyong magkasalubong na kilay ko.

"Oh, I am," I replied. "You didn't have to, but thanks."

He shrugged. "No problem," sagot niya. "Been observing for a while. You looked real uncomfortable talking to him, so I thought I should intervene," he continued. "I hope I was right?"

Tumango ako. "Yeah," sagot ko. "Any more second with him would've given me aneurysm."

Bahagyang kumunot ang noo niya. "Why didn't you just tell him to go?"

"Not that easy."

Akala ko ay magtatanong pa siya, pero nagkibitbalikat lang siya. He was honest when he said he didn't like complication. Para siguro siyang may spidey-senses na kapag nararamdaman niya na pakumplikado na iyong topic, he'd immediately stop para hindi mapunta pa sa kung saanman.

"You do grocery shopping here, too?" tanong ko sa kanya.

He nodded. "Yeah. You, too, I presume?"

Tumango ako. For a second, we were awkwardly—o baka ako lang—staring at each other. 'Di ko naman matanong kung bakit hindi siya nag-reply sa huling message ko because that would just make things harder.

"I don't want to hold you up," I said after a few seconds of awkward silence between us. Hindi ko na siya hinintay pa na magsalita. I didn't want him to think that I was one to wait up para lang sa kung anuman ang sasabihin niya. He's hot, that's a given, but never would my life be put on pause because of a hot guy.

Again and again, I would remind myself that no guy is hot enough for me to put my life on hold. Just doesn't work that way for me. My survival instinct would kick me in the ass if I ever pull that shit again.

"Cerise."

Agad akong napahinto nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko. Slowly, I turned around to look at him. Would you look at that guy... just wearing a fitted white polo shirt, some pants he must've randomly put on, and sliders... but even so, he looked like he's ready to mess you up real good.