GC16
I groaned when tried to go but Rift caught my hand again to pull me back on him. I chuckled. Hindi naman talaga ako naiinis. Actually, gusto ko rin naman na magtagal pa dito. Kaso baka kung ano nang isipin nila Mommy dahil ang tagal ko na sa labas.
Or worst! Baka lumabas sila at makita si Rift! I'm not ready for all of them to meet! Hindi ko pa sigurado kung anong gagawin ko kung ganon nga!
"Hindi ako pwedeng magtagal..."
He groaned. "Ten minutes."
Tumaas ang kilay ko sa kanya habang nakangisi pa rin.
"Kanina five minutes, ngayon ten na?" I teased him.
He held my waist again and pull me close to him. Now, I'm trapped again.
"Sa susunod, iuuwi na kita."
Sa gitna ng madilim na paligid, kitang kita ko ang ngisi niya saakin. His eyes are drunk with different emotions displayed in it. Pakiramdam ko ay nagtaasan ang mga balahibo ko sa katawan noong marinig iyon. My heartbeat rose again.
Hindi ako agad nakasagot sa kanya pero noong makabawi ako ay agad kong hinampas ang kanyang dibdib. He chuckled and catch my hand.
"Wag ka ngang mag-tagalog!" puna ko sa kanya.
Minsan naman, naririnig ko din siyang nagtatagalog pero mas sanay kasi akong nage-english siya. If he would keep on doing that, I think I'm just gonna scream one of these days to let out my feels for it. His deep and masculine voice speaking Tagalog? A total eargasm!
"Why?" natatawa niyang tanong habang naglalaro ang kanyang daliri sa aking bewang. He's drawing some shapes and weird lines in it using his forefinger. Hindi ko pinansin ang kanyang tanong.
"Tsaka Christmas kaya! You don't need to go here! Baka hanapin ka ng pamilya mo!"
"Whose fault is it? You made me want to go here..." he huskily asked me.
Napanguso ako dahil doon. Nanlaki ang mata ko noong biglang bumaba ang mukha niya sa mukha ko para patakan ng mabilis na halik ang aking labi.
"Rift!"
"Stop tempting me..."
"I'm just pouting!"
"Exactly..."
I groaned. Paano naman ako makabalik sa loob ng bahay nito kung lahat ng ginagawa niya ay mas nagpapataas sa kagustuhan kong manatili pa ng mas matagal? I know I have to go inside the house now and he has to go home because it's Christmas!
"Did your parents know you left?" tanong ko sa kanya.
He nodded at me. "Told them it's an emergency."
Tinignan ko siya ng hindi makapaniwala. What kind of excuse is that? Tsaka anong emergency dito?
"Naniwala ba sila?"
He smirked at me. "They are smart but I know they won't stop me so who cares?"
"So, hindi sila naniwala?"
"Why are we suddenly talking about my parents? Do you wanna meet them?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa aking narinig. Agad sumibol ang kaba sa dibdib ko dahil sa kanyang tanong. Lalayo pa sana ako sa kanya pero dahil nakakulong ako sa bisig niya ay hindi ko iyon nagawa.
What the hell?
Iniisip ko pa lang ang scenario na iyon ay parang lulubog na ako sa lupa. Meeting his parents... like meeting the King and Queen? Hindi ko alam kung bakit iyon ang naiisip kong analogy sa pagkatao ng parents niya pero... gosh! It's his parents!
"Okay... okay, stop your pretty little mind." Rift chuckled and held my chin to get my attention back to him. Agad namang bumalik ang kanyang kamay sa likod ko. "You look so baffled."
"Ikaw kasi..."
Tumaas ang kilay niya. "Why are you afraid? My parents don't bite... at least, not Papa..." saad niya na tila nag-iisip.
I gasped. Am I supposed to be comforted by that? So pano naman yung nanay nya? Pwede bang mag-pass kung dadating man iyong panahon na 'yon?
"Kidding. My Mama's nice..." saad niya pero parang ayaw kong maniwala. He doesn't look joking a while ago when he said that!
"How's my gift, anyway? Have you opened it?"
Napakurap ako dahil sa kanyang tanong. Agad bumalik sa ala-ala ko kung anong ginawa ko bago ko siya pinuntahan dito sa labas! My ideas of meeting his family went on the back on my mind as his gift took over again.
The fountain pen! I gasped.
"That..." hindi ko mahanap kung anong dapat kong sabihin. Bigla atang sumakit ang ulo ko noong maalala ko iyon. "Are you seriously giving me that?"
"Why not?" parang walang pakealam niyang saad saakin. "I thought you would like it. It's a limited edition. Only 39 pieces of that exist in the world." he shared like it's an amazing fact but it made my head ache more.
Mukhang kahit hawakan iyon ay hindi ko na magagawa!
"What..."
"I got it from an auction." tuloy niya pa sa kanyang kwento.
Mas lalo yata akong nahihilo para sa simpleng fountain pen na iyon. I thought buying a one or two-thousand peso fountain pen is already expensive. Now, since he got it from an auction, may possibility na mas mataas pa iyon sa original price noon diba?
I can't take this guy throwing money around!
"Rift..."
"Don't you like it?" naging seryoso ang kanyang mukha habang tinititigan ang ekspresyon ko.
My eyes widen. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakita niya sa mukha ko. I also don't know if he's offended with my reaction! Ayoko namang akalain niya na hindi ko nagustuhan yung regalo niya!
I actually like it. It shines in my eyes. Sobrang ganda ng design! Kung isipin ang halaga noon more than it's usability, it can also be an investment! Pero kasi... I never imagined myself owning that one. Kahit yata magtrabaho ako ng todo-todo sa isang buwan hindi ko makukuha ang price noon!
"Hindi no! I like it!"
"Then, keep it."
I groaned. He has his ways on this huh? Minsan talaga kahit gaano siya ka-mature, napapansin ko pa din kung paano siya ini-spoil siguro nung bata siya! He gets everything that he wants!
Ilang minuto pa akong nagtagal sa labas. But just as I told him, I can't stay long because my family will look for me. Nagawa niya ring pumayag na kailangan ko nang pumasok.
"Merry Christmas again, Cosette..." he said, kissing my forehead for a long second. Napapikit ako noong maramdaman ko ang malambot niyang labi sa aking noo. Oh my god... it felt so nice to stay here.
I suddenly wanna regret spending Christmas at my parent's home. Kung nasa bahay ko sana ako ay pwede siyang magtagal.
"Merry Christmas, Rift..."
I felt his lips leaving my forehead. Unti-unti 'din niya ring binitawan ang aking bewang. His hand slipped on my hand, holding me still. I smiled and step backward.
