This chapter is dedicated to: bluepeerless

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I forced myself to forget everything about the message. Bagay na hindi naman mahirap gawin lalo na at kasama ko si Maverick.

We're inside the dining room of his condo, while I still can't decide if the food we bought is really appropriate for dinner.

"This looks more like a snack than a dinner," I peeked at the paperbag atop the table, containing our supposed to be dinner.

Maverick's eyes narrowed at me while removing his cufflinks. "And who chose those?" he asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

I pursed my lips that made him chuckled while gently shaking his head.

"How about let's reserved these for midnight snack?" I asked while playing at the handle of the paperbag. "I'll just cook for our dinner."

Napatigil siya sa pagtatanggal ng cufflinks at matamang napatitig sa akin. "You know now how to cook?"

I tilted my head. "Well, a bit. Maybe the basics?" nananantyang tanong ko at sa huli ay bahagya rin natawa sa sarili. "Let's just see if I can," hamon ko. Though I'm sure too.

Napalabi siya. I caught a ghost of smile at the corner of his lips. "Alright. There's the ingredients." Mav pointed me the refrigerator. "The kitchen is yours," he smirked.

"I'll just change my clothes. You sure you don't want to change yours?" Muling tanong niya sa akin na agad kong inilingan.

I already said no earlier. I'm comfortable with what I'm wearing anyway. "I'll be fine with these."

"Uh-huh, if you need anything just tell me. I'll be back in a few," sambit niya bago ako tuluyang iniwanan sa dining.

The kitchen and the dining room is an open space. Kaya naman kahit na nasa kitchen ako ay makikita ko kung bumalik na ba siya at pumasok na ng dining.

I opened his refrigerator and look for something I can cook. Isa isa kong inilabas ang mga gagamitin sa pagluluto matapos makapagdesisyon. I was planning to prepare a Sinigang.

I still know how to cook this. Madali lang naman at hindi tulad ng ibang komplikadong putahe.

Matapos ihanda ang mga ingredients ay siya namang pagdating ni Maverick. He's now wearing plain shirt and midnight blue board shorts. Ngiti ang agad niyang iginawad sa akin. I smile a bit but rolled my eyes afterwards.

He leaned in front of the countertop while facing me. "What are you cooking?"

"Sinigang na baboy."

He slowly nodded his head. Ginawa niya iyon habang pinapasadahan ng tingin ang mga nakalatag na ingredients sa aming harapan. "You sure you know how to?"

I just tsked at him and made a mocking face.

He let out a low chuckle."I'm watching you then. Make sure that's edible," he teased.

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata. "Continue teasing me and I won't let you eat whatever I'll cook."

Napatuwid siya ng tayo. His hand flew on his chest. "Oh wow!" Tila hindi makapaniwalang sinulyapan niya ako. "As if the ingredients weren't from my refrigerator, huh?" Iiling iling siya habang nakatitig sa akin.

"Alright. I won't tease you this time. I wanna taste your Sinigang."

I rolled my eyes on him while smirking a bit. I started preparing the Sinigang using the way I can remember on how to do it. Habang siya ay matamang nanonood sa akin matapos niyang magluto ng kanin. He's even correcting me whenever he'll saw something wrong on what I'm doing.

And when I'm almost done preparing our food, my phone suddenly started ringing.

Nakalapag iyon sa countertop kaya naman nahagip agad ng aking mga mata kung sino ang tumatawag and when I glanced at Maverick, I saw him looking at my phone too.

Wala sana akong balak sagutin si Spencer ngunit hindi pa nakakailang segundo matapos ang unang tawag niya ay muli na namang nag-ingay ang aking phone. The caller is still the same, Spencer.

I immediately grabbed my phone and turned to Mav. "I'll just answer this."

He cocked his head for a nod. "Go ahead."

I turned my back on him and take a few walks away from where he is standing.

"Hey, Spence--"

"Rylli!" Bahagya akong napapitlag sa bungad niya. Hindi iyon pasigaw na direkta sa akin. Tila tumaas lang talaga ang kanyang boses sa hindi ko malamang dahilan. "Where are you? Are you alright?" agarang tanong niya na ikinakunot ng aking noo.

My lips parted as I tilted my head. I gave Maverick a quick glance before answering Spence. "I'm with Mav in his unit and I'm fine. What makes you think I'm not?"

"Thank, God! Stay there, don't go anywhere, Rylli. I'll fix this. I'll find whoever's behind this," sunod sunod na sambit niya. Though I can't understand what he's saying. What's happening?

Naramdaman ko ang pagkabog ng aking dibdib sa hindi malamang dahilan. Or maybe it's because of Spencer's reaction. Why is he even reacting like this?

"W-wait. Wait." Pigil ko dahil sa dami ng sinasabi niya ay wala akong maintindihan. "What?"

"Just stay with Maverick. Don't--" he stopped like he changed his mind on whatever he's supposed to say. "Just turn your phone off after this," pinal na sambit niya na tila wala ng balak patagalin pa ang tawag.

"Ano? What the hell's happening?"

"Don't mind it. I'll talk to you tommorow."

"What!" Tumaas ang aking boses dahil sa prustasyon. We're now talking. Bakit ipagpapabukas pa niya? "Hello, Spence--"

"What the hell!" I screamed when no one answered over the phone. At nang sulyapan ko ang aking phone ay noon ko natantong pinutol na niya ang tawag.

What the fuck! How can I not mind it when he's reacting like that! Hindi ko kayang balewalain ang biglaang pagtawag niya kung ganoon na lang ang reaksyon niya. And obviously, its about me. Because suddenly he's asking me if I'm alright or what.

Marahas akong napabaling kay Maverick at nahuli ang malalaking hakbang niya patungo sa aking direksyon. Kunot ang noo ang bakas ang pag-aalala sa kanyang mukha.

"What happened?" he asked the moment he stopped in front of me.

I gently shook my head. Dahil hindi ko naman talaga alam! I can feel my heart ramming my ribcage. Hindi ko alam kung dahil ba iyon sa inis na nararamdaman para kay Spencer. Sa biglaang pagtawag niya na tila kinakabahan din ang reaksyon at hindi man lang sinabi sa akin ang dahilan o para sa kung ano.

"Binabaan ako ng tawag," I murmured while dialling Spencer's number.

Nakailang tawag na ako at kahit isa ay wala siyang sinasagot. His phone kept ringing until the operator announced that the phone's busy already. Fuck.

I kept dialling his number until a call from Dad came. Aksidente kong nasagot iyon kahit wala naman akong balak sagutin dahil masyado akong okupado sa tawag ni Spence.

Now, I have no choice but to talk to him. Maverick went to the stove and I saw him turned it off.

"Dad--"

"Where the hell are you?" bungad niya sa akin at agad na pinutol ang aking mga salita.

I immediately frowned. "Why are you asking?"

"I want to know where," he ordered firmly.

Napakunot ang aking noo dahil sa diin ng bawat salitang sinasambit niya. I know Dad's always grumpy when it comes to me. But this one sounds different.

I told him where I am, the address of Maverick's condo without telling him who I'm with.

"Go home. Immediately, Amaryllis. The Yñareses are coming over dinner."

I tilted my head and glanced at Maverick. But his time I saw him busy on his phone. Kunot ang noo habang nakatitig doon. At nang nag-angat siya ng tingin ay hindi man lang sinalubong ang aking mga mata. Dahil iyon sa pagmamadaling lumabas ng dining room.

"Do you hear me?"

I heard my father speaking over the phone but my mind's on Maverick. Sinundan ko siya hanggang sa sala. Akala ko ay hihinto na siya roon ngunit malalaki ang hakbang na tinungo niya ang isa sa mga silid ng kanyang condo.

"Amaryllis!"

"Dad," I spoke when he shouted my name. "What is it--" Napahinto ako nang maalala ang huling sinabi niya. "The Yñareses can dine without me. I'm not going home tonight," pinal na sambit ko ngunit tila hindi iyon maganda sa pandinig ni Daddy.

He cursed. "You're going home. That's final, Amaryllis. You have to be here and we will talk about your wedding with Draven Yñares. Para naman mabawasan ang eskandalong ginawa mo."

Tumindig ang aking balahibo, hindi lang dahil sa nahimigan kong determinasyon sa tono ni Dad kung hindi dahil din sa mga salitang binanggit niya. Like he's so sure it'll happen.

Hindi ko na nasundan si Maverick dahil sa mga sumunod na sinabi ni Dad.

"God! I don't know you're with Draven. Akala ko ba ay ayaw mo sa anak ni Rodolfo--"

Kumunot ang aking noo. "Ayaw ko nga, Dad! Ano bang pinagsasasabi niyo?"

"Ayaw mo?" napapantastikuhang tanong niya na tila hindi pa makapaniwala. He groaned, tila inis dahil sa sinasabi ko. "Hindi mo na kailangan itanggi pa ang bagay na iyan. Draven admitted it already, that he's the one you're with on that video. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ayaw mong aminin. Ang sa akin lang, what the hell are you even thinking!" he shouted the last part. And I can imagine his knitted brows as he speak.

"What--"

"Why did you fucking videotaped your-- Shit! Your fucking-- Lintik!" Putol putol ang mga salita niya at sa huli ay marahas na napabuntong hininga, tila hindi alam kung paano magpapatuloy kaya't hindi madiretso ang kanyang mga salita. "Pinagpipyestahan ng madla ang pamilya natin dahil sa video na 'yon! Malinaw na malinaw doon ang mukha mo, Amaryllis!"

Napakurap ako at agad na binundol ng kaba ang aking dibdib. I don't understand. Anong video.

"W-what--" My words were cutted when I heard a loud curse coming from Maverick's room.

"Fuck!"

Wala sa sariling naibaba ko ang tawag at agarang naglakad patungo sa direksyon ng silid na pinasukan ni Maverick.

"Remove those fucking videos! Make sure no one can download or spread it again. And I need proofs against whoever posted it. I have a hunch who but I need proofs so I can sue that fucker."

Iyon ang bumungad sa akin matapos buksan ang pintong kinarorooonan ni Maverick.

He's standing at the middle of the room while my eyes immediately darted at his laptop, lying in his bed. Nakabukas iyon at nakaharap sa aking direksyon. Even at the wide distance, I can see a paused video displayed in the screen.

Bahagyang kumunot ang aking noo at nagkalad palapit doon. That's when Maverick felt my presence. Agad niyang pinatay ang tawag at sinundan ang linya ng aking mga mata.

At nang matanto kung ano ang aking tinitignan, he then immediately walked towards his laptop and harshly closed it. Sa lakas ng pagsara roon ay hindi na ako magtataka kung masira man iyon.

Sinalubong niya ako at agad na pumulupot ang bisig niya sa akin. He hugged me tight but my eyes were fixed at his closed laptop. "You don't have to see that. I'll fix everything."

That's when I realized he's shaking, I can't understand, maybe in anger?

"W-what's happening?" I asked as I remember Spencer and Dad's call.

But he didn't answer. Kaya naman marahan akong humiwalay sa kanya. I first he doesn't want to let go but when I forcefully pushed him away, his hands on me loosened. Tuluyan akong kumawala at tinakbo ang direksyon ng laptop niya.

"Amaryllis!" he shouted but I'm too eager to know what's happening to mind it.

I kneeled on the floor as I faced his laptop that's lying on his bed. Binuksan ko ang laptop niya at agad na kumabog ang aking dibdib sa tumambad sa akin.

I saw that the video was sent directly at Maverick email address. It was from an unknown sender.

With my hands shaking, I played the video. At agad na namuo ang mga luha sa aking mata nang marinig ang impit na ungol mula roon.

The video wasn't close up but I clearly see my face. I clearly see my naked body moving while beneath me was a man. Sandali lang iyon at agad na pinagpalit ng lalaki ang aming posisyon dahil agad na bumagsak ang aking katawan, but it doesn't looks like it.

And even I can't see the man's face in the video, I surely know who is it.

I was blankly staring at the screen while my tears are freely cascading down my cheeks. Memories flashed back in my mind as the video continue playing.

I feel numb as I stared at it. Nawala ako sa pagkakaluhod at napasalampak sa sahig.

Kasabay noon ang muling pagsara ni Maverick sa kanyang laptop. I felt his arms on my body, slowly hugging me from behind.

"I'll find who posted it. I'll sue him, A-Amaryllis. I promise you that."

I can still feel him trembling in anger but I know its because of my video who leeked in the public. And not because on what happened on the video because he didn't know. He didn't know what happened.

"W-would you believe if I say... I was se-sexually assaulted in t-that video?" I confessed and I immediately felt him froze.

A deafening silence consumed the two of us until he spoke with a broken voice. "R-Rylli."

Of course, who would have thought that I was being raped when I was moving on top?

I remember how I cried. And cried. That day. But no one knew. No one asked.

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