Chapter 13: Intimidating Game

Tumila na ang ulan. Subalit nananatili ang makulimlim na kalangitan. Papasikat na ang araw sa di kalayuan noong umalis ako sa mansion ni Landon. Hindi ko siya ginising. Hindi ako gumawa ng ingay. I just wanted to get out of the place.

Naglakad ako palabas ng property ng mansion. The trees loomed above me creating dancing shadows on the path where I was headin. Basa ang paligid. Mildews glistened against the lone rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Hinigpitan ko ang hawak sa jacket na suot ko. Nag abang ako ng sasakyan sa tabi ng daan. The place was silent, secluded, almost solemn. A place hiding a secret.

Lumipas ang kalahating oras bago ako may namataang taxi. I tapped my worn out shoes on the cemented pavement. My uneven breathing created mist in the air. Nang dumaan ang taxi sa harapan agad ko itong pinara.

Hindi ito tumigil noong una. But I was so desperate I blocked the car. Mabuti na lamang huminto ito bago pa ako tamaan ng hood nito. Bumukas ang bintana at dumungaw ang driver.

"I have enough money," sinabi ko bago pa siya magsalita. "Dalhin niyo ako sa downtown."

Hindi ito umimik. But I heard him scoff. He motioned the backseat. Binuksan ko ang pinto at sumakay sa taxi. Nang makaupo na ako narinig kong bumulong ang driver.

"Kung nanggaling ka ba naman sa isa sa mga mansion na yan, malamang magkakapera ka."

Gusto kong sagutin ang driver. Ngunit pinigilan ko ang sarili ko. It's not worth it. Umandar ang sasakyan. Tinitigan ko ang reflection ko sa salamin. Magulong buhok, kulang sa tulog, maputlang mukha. No wonder the driver thought filthy of me.

Pagdating ko sa apartment halos bumagsak ako sa aking kama. Sa pamilyar na lugar naramdaman ko ang panghihina. Napatitig ako sa kisame. Naalala ko ang nangyari noong nakaraang gabi. Everything felt surreal. A venomously sweet nightmare.

Hinawakan ko ang sugat sa aking leeg. Dumaing ako. A silent curse escaped my lips. How did you end up in this mess, Denise?

--

Hindi parin bumabalik si Landon sa university noong sumunod na linggo. I went back to my regular routine. I went to my classes, and did my duty as a student assistant. Typical things and typical people. Far from the underlying reality of being a vampire's blood source.

Thursday noon. Katatapos lamang ng aming klase. Palabas na ako ng lecture room nang sumabay ang tatlo. Daniela, Justin, and Clomil. Umakbay si Justin sa akin. I nearly stumble. Being gay doesn't exactly excuse him for having manly strength.

"Denise, lagi ka nalang umaalis nang walang paalam."

Naglakad kami sa hallway. Sinubukan kong alisin ang pagkaka-akbay sa akin ni Justin. They are always like this. They act like everyone is their best friend. Kung si Elise ang kanilang kasama, baka natawa lamang ito sa gesture na ginawa ni Justin. Her hearty elegant giggle would light up the bare hallway.  But I'm not Elise. I'm not comfortable with people barging into my personal space.

We walked until we hit the grass covered lawn. Daniela ang Clomil was talking about a certain brand of luxury bag, oblivious to the fact that Justin was dragging me to be with them.

"Let's go to Rowage. Matagal na tayong hindi kumakain doon," said Clomil.

Sa wakas ay naalis ko ang pagkakaakbay ni Justin sa balikat ko.

"May kailangan akong puntahan," sinabi ko.

Lumingon si Daniela at Clomil sa akin. Daniela was about to come up with a retort when her gaze turned to my shoulder... or neck. Natigilan ako.

Ang dating nakapusod kong buhok ay kinailangan kong ilugay para matakpan ang sugat na ginawa ni Landon sa aking leeg. Pero dahil sa ginawang pag akbay ni Justin, nawala ang pagkakatakip nito.

Agad kong inayos ang aking buhok upang takpan ang sugat. Pero alam kong napansin na ito ni Daniela. Out of the trio, Daniela was the most observant.

"What's that?"

"It's nothing."

"What's what?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Clomil. Nagpalipat lipat ang tingin niya sa amin.

Tinitigan ako ni Daniela. "May sugat ka sa leeg mo, Denise." My name sounded like a hiss coming from her overpowering voice.

"Sugat?" Bumaling ang attention ni Justin sa akin. "May I see?"

Sinubukan niyang hawiin ang aking buhok. Tinabig ko ang kanyang kamay. Natigilan ang tatlo. Maging ako ay nagulat sa marahas na reaction ko. I wanted to apologize. Ngunit pinigilan ko ang aking sarili. It's better for them not to expect good from me. I won't have a problem if they are not always clinging into me.

"Denise, that's harsh. Nag aalala lang naman kami." Daniela pointed out. Even the sweet Clomil frown at my act.

"I have to go."

Umalis ako. Iniwan ko sila nang hindi nagpapaalam o humihingi ng tawad. I bit my lips. I remain cold. Subalit noong makalayo ako, hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na lumingon. Naglalakad na sila paalis. Naka akbay si Clomil sa balikat ni Justin. Maybe she's comforting him. Even with a clingy and jolly personality, Justin is sensitive. I should have apologized.

Pumikit ako at huminga ng malalim. I shake my head and mumbled a silent curse. No, it's better to keep my distance. They are not my friends. I reminded myself. They are Elyse's.

Pero kalaunan ay bumalik ako upang sundan sila. Dahil kahit anong gawin ko hindi ko kayang ipagsawalang bahala ang nararamdaman ng ibang tao. I want to be the girl who says fuck this and be heartless. But no matter what I do, I end up caring. That's my weakness. I can't just uncare.

Sinundan ko sila sa Rowage dahil alam kong doon sila pupunta. Ngunit bago pa ako makapasok, tumigil ang aking mga paa sa paglalakad. Otomatikong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Takot. Yon ang bumalot sa akin nang muli ko siyang masilayan sa loob ng paaralan. Kung ganoon ay nakabalik na siya. Si Landon Clifford Monaghan.

Naglalakad siya palabas ng Rowage. Halos magsalubong kami sa pintuan. Mabilis akong umalis bago pa niya ako makita. Pumunta ako sa iskinita sa gilid ng establishment upang iwasan siya. Ngunit halos takasan ako ng hininga nang maramdaman ang mainit na hininga sa aking batok.

"Avoiding me now, aren't you?"

Tuluyan akong humarap sa kanya. Dahil alam kong wala akong mapapala sa pag iwas ko. He owns me. He has the right to every inch of me, including my goddamn attention.

"What do you want?"

"Ah, that same filthy mouth who doesn't know the word decency."

Tinitigan ko siya ng masama. He was back to being the Landon that everyone loves to hate but can't. His smirking malicious lips, the scrunch in his lush eyebrows, the danger dancing in his gaze. He was wearing a simple gray v neck shirt and faded jeans. But the simple attire only contradicted to the alluring danger he possessed.

"How was your night, Denise?"

It was a rhetorical question dripping in a playful yet fatal tone. Gusto kong kalimutan ang nangyari. But being face to face with the devil himself imprinted the disgust I felt that night.

"Fuck you."

Landon chuckled sexily. "Won't it be uncomfortable for you if we do it here?" He jerked his head as if examining me. "I won't mind though. I can take you in any position." He smiled.

Tinalikuran ko siya. He loves this. He love instilling dread and disgust in me. Hinila niya ang aking kamay. Halos mawalan ako ng balanse. My back hit the bricked wall of the restaurant. Mabuti na lamang at ilang dipa pa ang layo namin sa glass wall na maaaring makita ng lahat.

I winced. "What's is wrong with you?!"

He trapped me against the wall. His hands was situated on the wall on both side of my face. My erratic heartbeat is making it hard to comprehend the situation. Isang maling galaw at makikita kami ng mga customer sa loob ng restaurant. Nasa loob ang mga kaibigan ko.

Hinawi ni Landon ang aking buhok na tinatakpan ang gilid ng aking leeg. He saw the mark. He smiled.

"The swollen mark looks fucking sexy on you."

I gritted my teeth. Lumapit ang mukha ni Landon sa aking leeg. Halos dumampi ang kanyang mukha sa aking balat. I tried hard to breathe. The contact was electrifying. Landon sniffed my bare skin. I nearly close my eyes. Would he do it here?

"Are you aware that your friends are sitting behind this glass wall?"

My eyes snapped open. Bahagya akong lumingon. Kauupo lamang ng tatlo sa table na ilang dipa lamang ang layo mula sa amin. The only thing separating us was the distance between the division of the brick wall and the glass wall.

"Would you look at that," Landon whispered on my air. The warm gush of breathe lingered on my skin. "You have the guts to have normal friends."

His words stabbed like dagger on my chest. Justin and the rest were ordering their food and laughing at something the waiter had said. Justin seemed okay now. They were carefree. They were normal. And in that moment, in that awful moment with Landon, they seemed out of reach.

Umiwas ako ng tingin. But Landon didn't let me. He held my chin, somewhat gently, to face them.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" He whispered. "The more they get close, the more they would know how mess up your life is. And you're afraid it might scare them. Look at them, look at your so called friends in their perfect little world. They know nothing."

Tinabig ko ang kanyang kamay. Mariin ko siyang tinitigan.

"I'm not afraid. I don't need anyone."

Ngumiti siya. It was an amused smile. Hindi siya naniniwala sa aking sinabi. But I don't give a damn. Wala siyang karapatan na banggitin ang salitang takot o pagkakaibigan. He doesn't have any of these. He doesn't feel anything.

***