15 Chapter 12 - Dahan-Dahan Lang (1/2)
Ilang minuto rin akong naparalisa dahil sa text na nabasa ko. Sure, he could find out my address or my number, pero ang ipinagtaka ko ay paano niya nalaman ang bintana ng kwarto ko.
I stood up. I finally had the courage to look through my window, and just as he said, there he was, parked on the curve outside my house. Hindi tinted ang kotse niya kaya kita ko siyang nakatingin sa akin mula sa driver seat.
Nagulat ako at nabitawan ko ang phone ko ng bigla itong mag-vibrate at tumunog ulit, it was a phone call.
”Hey,” I answered, jumpy. I didn't see him holding his phone so I looked at my phone's screen and it was a number I was not familiar with.
”Who is this?” I asked, feeling stupid.
”Cece.” I saw his mouth opened and heard the voice from my phone. He was calling handsfree from his car, I winced at my sheer dumbness.
”T-te-teacher Kim?”
I started to hyperventilate, but I wasn't sure if my heart was even beating. The sex monster from the Pleasure Dungeon was in front of my house. It was beyond insane.
”We have to talk, Cece.”
”Err, o-ok. But I can't just... leave. Sobrang lakas ng ulan.”
My mouth, my brain and my feet were all contradicting each other; my mouth wanted to ask a lot of questions; my brain was terrified as shit; but my feet just wanted to run towards him.
”I, uh, I, I can't...” he seemed to be lost for words. He was staring directly at me, serious but brooding. He continued, ”I don't know how to handle this, Cece. I don't.. know, I suddenly don't know what to do now.”
”It's ok. It's.. it's fine, sir. We don't need to talk, reall -- ”
”I don't want to lose you.”
I was stunned, he sounded pleading. My heart started beating loud and slow, it felt like my body was melting. It was an unfamilliar feeling.
I inhaled deep, but words came out faster than I could think. ”I don't want to lose you too,” I breathed.
We stared at each other for what seems like an endless time. I don't know if it was the drama of the rain, the somberness of our situation, or our wistful attraction with each other. I was crestfallen.
My vision would switch back and forth from his eyes then fade into the drippings of the rain in his windshield as I try to accommodate my thoughts. I kept thinking I wanted to run to him but I didn't trust myself at the moment.
”Come to me, Cece,” he asked in a whisper; agony creeping up his face.
”Teacher Kim...”
”Come to me..”
I melted. It was like my body moved on its own, I suddenly found myself changing into a pair of jogger pants and a hoodie. I tip-toed down the stairs but kuya Jako catched me.
”Heyy-yi... Peach. Goin' somewhere?”
Great! The second nosiest brother! - But at least it was not kuya Jared.
”Ah, yea. I was thinking, since wala naman si mama, I'd go to Jessie's and probably sleepover na rin,” I said, furtively. Madalas si kuya Jako ang unang nakakapansin kapag may tinatago ako o may hindi ako sinasabing totoo.
”Again?”
”Err, ok lang? She's just next door.”
”Hmmm. Ok lang. Napapadalas lang kasi sleepover mo kina Jessie, and she's not a good influence, I know that for sure.”
My face dulled. ”She's not that bad. We like Jessie. She's one of my bestest friends.”
”More like your partner in crime. You know we don't approve that she gets you in trouble.”
”Hey, I wasn't given a sister, you know. At saka sa lakas ng ulan na 'to, for sure cancelled ang school bukas. If not, sabay pa rin naman kami gigising ni Jez bukas ng umaga for school e.”
”Fine, sure.”
”Thanks. Pakisabi nalang din sa kanila, kung maghanap.”
Katabing bahay lang namin si Jessie Cruz. Siya ang kababata at matalik kong kaibigan na naging partner in crime ko na rin. Mostly, her crime, at ako ang palaging alibi niya.
But this time, it was my turn to do a crime. I hid in a safe corner of our garage and called Jessie with a lousy ass lie and asked her to be my alibi in case kuya Jared come snooping and check on me.
Apparently, Jez knew me well enough to know I wasn't telling the truth at alam kong hindi niya ako titigilan until I tell her what was this all about. ”You're lying Uriella! Spill it, what is it really?”
”'Yun na nga. Basta. I'll tell you next, soon. Ikaw na bahala kay kuya Jared.”
”That monkey wouldn't dare to come snooping again no. Takot lang niya.”
I rolled my eyes. ”Really. You looove when he snoops around.”
”Oh, shut up,” I could hear her kilig. ”Don't change the subject! So bakit ko nga kailangan magcover sayo? This is totally not you.”
”What, I can't make a crime of my own?”
”You can't even lie properly! But fine, just.. be safe ok?”
”It's safe. Thanks.”
”Uriella, matalino ka. But.. don't be too smart that you do something stupid. Call me right up when there's trouble.”
”Cuz that's where you're good at,” I coyed.
”Trouble is my middle name. Just be safe! K.”
But at then back of my mind, I wasn't sure if it's really going to be safe. Maingat akong pumuslit at tumungo sa nakaparadang itim na Audi SUV ilang hakbang mula sa gate ng bahay ko. Mabigat ang hawak ko sa payong dahil sa lakas ng buhos ng ulan. Nang papalapit na ako, bumukas ang headlight ng kotse ni Teacher Kim. Medyo madilim na ang paligid, tanging tunog lang ng malakas na ulan ang maririnig; tapos may itim na kotse, may suot akong hoodie, it looked and felt like a bloody crime was about to happen.
”Thank you,” the greek god said few minutes after I got into the car.
Awkward pauses with Teacher Kim was excruciating, often arousing, but again, always excruciating.
”So, now what?” medyo suplada kong sagot. This multiple personalities I was having was starting to scare me.
He didn't answer and he just drove out. May namumuong kaba sa dibdib ko habang papalayo na kami sa bahay ko. The road was barely visible, he was driving slow and careful which made sitting in his car more awkward and excruciating.
”How did you know my room's window?”
”I saw a telescope, a solar system, a pink vase with a white Lily. And I don't think your brothers would have a yellow curtain.”
Nahiya ako sa kulay ng kurtina ko. ”My curtain's either usually pink, lavender or blue. Nasa laundry lang kasi.”
He pursed his lips and nodded.
”Are we heading somewhere? Akala ko ba you want to talk,” I snarled, medyo naiinis na rin kasi ako sa kaniya.
”Over coffee. Or beer. I don't know where to go yet, but I just need to drink something first.” He sounded nervous, it was not very Teacher Kim, I mellowed.
Given that we were out of words, I took the moment to survey the interior of his car. It was sleek and clean. There was a lot of black leather and grey steel lines, distinct accessories, but all of the content of his car resembled a minimalist touch. It was very him; it smelled of him too - masculine.
Despite the almost zero visibility, I noticed we were driving along the high-end part of the city. Then he drove inside a familiar building, and into the parking level. It was a luxury residential condominium, I read about it from a magazine and I've passed by this place several times. I was sure there wasn't any coffee shop in here.
”What are we doing here?” I asked.
”I.. changed my mind.... I don't want coffee anymore. And I can't bring you into a pub or any place with alcohol,” he said before he exited the car. I frowned, he can be just so annoyingly mysterious.
He walked towards my door and opened it, I rolled my eyes. ”I'm not five. My brothers drink alcohol, we even got beers in our fridge... and there are beers served in restaurants too, you know.”
I stepped out the car, annoyed. I wanted to act and sound like an adult, but I know I was failing.
He closed the door and lowered his head to face me, his brows crooked and he looked smug. ”There are beers in my fridge too. Let's go,” he said, annoyingly bossy.
He grabbed my hand and we strode across the parking to the elevator. My legs aren't that short, but his were gigantic, I was jogging to keep up with him.
”Wait, dito ka nakatira?” I asked, awed, as we went inside the elevator. My annoyance dissipitated for a bit.
”Ah. Yes.”
”Wow. I've read, there are celebrities living in here.”
”Didn't think you read showbiz tabloids.”
”Err, there is this thing called, the internet? Tabloids are so old school,” I sniggered.
”Right.”
His nonchalance annoyed me again. Siya pa talaga ang feeling masungit; I rolled my eyes again, my mouth twisted.
It was a quick elevator ride; according to the floor indicator screen, we arrived at the penthouse. I was astounded and mystified. The sex god lives on top of one of the most expensive residential towers in the country. I was slack-jawed.
”This. is. insane! You live at the penthouse?”
”Come out here. I don't own the lift. It'll close and go down soon.”
I stepped out into a marbled floor grand foyer that looked like a five-star hotel entrance lobby. There was a large, expensive-looking, round wooden table in the middle, with equally expensive and large flower arrangement of Lilac on top of it. I realised, the elevator lead us directly to his unit as there were no other doors.
Then we entered into the grandest living room I have ever seen in my life. During the elevator ride, I was expecting luxurious minimalist will be his taste for interiors, just like his car and his cubicle at the faculty office; but it was the complete opposite, it was neoclassical, very french royal and... old.
There were large expensive looking paintings on the high-ceiling walls; strange but exquisite looking sculptures stood on different corners; and the furnitures were similar to those in royal palaces. The interior's theme is gold, brown, white and some dark grey. The lights were artfully dimmed and it smelled like a limited edition expensive french perfume around, with a hint of a masculine scent, leather and wood. I felt, especially with my outfit, out of place.
”Wow. Didn't expect you are living in a place like this. Very, not you.”
”I didn't design it.”
Nakakainis na ang suplado niyang asta. I scowled him, he ignored. Then he went to another room and I followed him like a dog; I was very displeased with myself.
The room looked like a palace inside a kitchen, or a kitchen inside a palace. I don't know, everything looked so grand and luxurious.
He went straight to the giant fridge, took out a bottle of beer and chugged it all like a desperate, thirsty man. I chuckled at the sight, then he looked at me with those piercing eyes. I swallowed, my throat suddenly ran dry.
”You think, I could have some beer too? I won't... tell the adults.”
He took two beers out, opened it and gave me one. He smiled. ”You, little fox. You amuse me.”
”Really,” I said with sarcasm. But then, I just couldn't wrap my head with the grandeur of the kitchen. ”You know, kuya Jako would die if he sees this kitchen. He's a chef. Do you cook?”
”No. I don't.”
”Too bad. This kitchen is incredible.”
He stared at me and then he sighed at my obviously quizzical expression. ”My late granddad was filthy rich. He left me a huge inheritance, including this. He bought this place before he died.”