Steal thy heart (PUBLISHED BY BOOKWARE)

Chapter 3

Caleb

Napatayo ako mula sa kinauupuan ko at hinarap ang babae. "What are you saying? Why did you do that? Are you some kind of a private investigator my lolo hired?"

She just shook her brown head and grinned at me like a shitless idiot.

"Or is it Heather?!" I demanded.

"No, just me.."

"What?!" tinangka kong lumapit at hawakan s’ya but she immediately jumped back. "Hindi ako nakikipagbiruan dito, Ana or Diane, or whoever you are! Bakit mo nirecord ang mga sinabi ko?! Para saan ‘yan?"

"Hawak na kita ngayon sa leeg." she laughed like a maniac.

What the—? "This is not a good joke, okay?!" I shouted at her but she doesn’t seem to be moved, or affected even. "Let me guess, you’re gonna use that to blackmail me!"

"About time, Caleb! Akala ko talagang shopol ka eh." humalakhak sya.

"A-anong shopol?"

"Bobo, tanga, stupid, dumb?" I wanted to wipe that stupid ass grin off her face.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. This woman! "Give me that!" I reached for the piece of technology in her hand but she moved it away before I even touched it and put it inside her bra again. Shit!

"Ano ko bale? Bakit ko ibibigay to sa’yo?" she folded her arms in front of her. "Ito lang ang paraan para mabawi ko ang boyfriend ko."

"Boyfriend mo?!"

"Oo, si Axel!"

"Ano namang pakialam ko sa Axel na ‘yon? Ano’ng kinalaman ko sa gulo n’yo?!"

Naging isang linya ang mga labi n’ya at tila ba nais niya akong kalmutin sa mukha sa paraan ng pagtitig niya sa akin. "Ikaw lang naman ang kumag na nagset up sa boyfriend ko at sa Heather na ‘yon! He broke up with me you know?" her eyes burned with intense dislike.

"I-I.." naguguluhan ako. Boyfriend nya ‘yung lalaking ‘yon?!

"Oh ngayon, wala kang masabi?! Ganyan tayo, eh! Gagawa ng kalokohan, ‘pag nagkahulihan, tahimik! Kala mo kung sinong santo!" she said, sneering.

"And who are you to speak to me like that?!" naiinis na sagot ko. Ayos ‘to, ah? Kung makapagsalita, akala mo kung sino! Kala mo kung sinong perpekto na walang nagawang kalokohan sa buhay n’ya ni minsan!

Does she even know me?!

"Ako lang naman ‘yung nawalan dito! And all thanks to you!" she jabbed her finger at me which took my blood to its boiling point. Nobody ever had the guts to degrade me or even talk to me this way.

"Look, I don’t care what you’ve lost! It’s not my fault your boyfriend chose another girl over you!"

Hindi sya nakaimik sa sinabi ko. She stood there staring at me while her sultry lips quivered. It looks like she's gonna cry. Again.

Argh! This is so not fair! Bakit ba ginagawang sandata ng mga babae ang pagiyak iyak na ‘yan para mapasunod kaming mga lalaki? Dammit! Bigla tuloy akong nakaramdam ng konsensya. Cmon, Caleb! Hindi ka dapat makonsensya, ‘yang babaeng yan ang dapat makonsensya for deceiving you! Don’t be such a pussy and give in to her whim!

"H’wag mo kong iyakan dyan ha?" nagiwas ako ng tingin.

"S-sinong nagsabing iiyak ako?" I heard her sniff.

Oh. So, now she's trying to be play tough? Nice try. Naguguluhan na ‘ko ngayon at hindi ko alam kung maaawa ba ko o matatawa sa babaeng ‘to. She’s a fucking weirdo! "Alam mo mabuti pa, umalis ka na! Hindi mo ako madadala sa pananakot mo!"