André

"Hindi kita gusto sa paraang iniisip mo..."

"Fuck, ang sakit!" I cursed at myself out loud, punching my thighs over and over habang nasa kama ako ng gabing iyon.

Hindi ba talaga ako gusto ni Charles? Did I just get rejected? Fuck me!

I shook my head. "No, hindi ako susuko. Magugustuhan rin niya ako."

Just then, my phone lit up from the bedside table. Picking it up, I saw a name flashing on my screen. My fiancée is calling...

"Livie, what's up?" I answered.

"André..." her voice was muffled. "Are you free right now?"

Inayos ko ang upo ko sa kama. "Why? What's wrong?"

"The stalker... he's back..." she paused, soft sobs coming from her mouth. "I'm alone in the house. Mom and dad are out of the country. And I'm-"

"Okay. Just stay in your room. I'm coming."

Taking my motorbike, I reached Olivia's house in less than half an hour. I tried pressing their doorbell few times, but no one was answering.

Napatingin ako sa mataas na pader nila. It was few inches taller than me, so maybe I could climb over it.

I took off my jacket and prepared myself to climb, when I heard the lock of the gate suddenly moving.

When it finally opened, Olivia rushed towards me and hugged me tight. "André, I'm scared..." she mumbled.

Tinapik ko ang likod niya. "It's okay, Livie. I'm here now. You don't have to be scared."

"Thank you for being here," she continued, still sobbing.

That's right. I promised Olivia that I would be by her side... especially now...

Hinatid ko si Olivia sa kanilang hotel dahil hindi ko siya pwedeng dalhin sa penthouse. As soon as we got in the hotel, aalis na dapat agad ako, but she stopped me by the arm.

"André, can you stay with me for a while?" she requested, her crescent eyes still swollen from crying earlier.

I creased my brows. "In the same room?"

She nodded. "You can leave once I fall asleep. I just..." she paused, looking down. "I don't want to be alone right now."

I sighed. "Okay."

We both proceeded to a room in the fifth floor, which was a luxury suite room. Isa lang ang kama sa kwarto, but it was spacious enough for the both of us.

"Go take a rest now," I told her, so she climbed on the bed in silence.

Pinatay ko na rin ang mga ilaw sa kwarto para makatulog siya. Somehow, I could feel her fear right now. It was the same as what I'd felt everytime I'd see the wicked woman.

"André?" Olivia hushed, catching my attention.

I turned to her as I sat on the couch few meters away from the bed. "What is it?"

"Don't leave me, please..." she begged in whisper.

"I won't, Livie. Just sleep now," I reassured her as I rested my head on the couch. Hindi na naman ako makakatulog ngayong gabi.

I closed my eyes, attempting to ease the heaviness from my eyes. My mind suddenly went back to yesterday when Charles rejected my confession. It was hard for me to wrap my head around it because she was like a gem... something I wanted, but couldn't have.

On the other hand, I was a dirtbag... I had nothing to offer, apart from my generational wealth.

Maybe this was for the best. For now, kailangan ko munang makawala sa arranged marriage na 'to.

And until I could prove myself and to the world that I was worthy of being loved.

Days passed and I stayed by Olivia's side as much as I could. Natatakot pa rin siyang umuwi sa bahay nila. Apparently, her mom and dad had been fighting recently. It was a good thing na may hotel sila. At least, she could just stay there and avoid the chaos inside their house.

Nagtatrabaho pa rin ako sa restaurant, pero tuwing weekdays nalang. I didn't want Charles to think that I wasn't honoring my words when I told her na lalayuan ko na siya.

The truth was that I was supposed to intern at our company, but when Olivia told me that Charles was going to work in the restaurant, I immediately told grandpapa that I wanted to start working like a normal person first... without my family's help.

During my lunch break that day, I was hanging outside the hotel near the pool area when I overheard two staff talking while cleaning the pool.

"Ano? Inaya mo na ba si Charlie?" tanong ng isang babaeng staff.

Charlie? Are they talking about my Charles?

"Ha? Hindi pa. Paano kung hindi pumayag?" the guy employee answered.

"Ang torpe mo talaga. Kaya ka walang girlfriend eh," the girl teased.

I cleared my throat, catching their attention. "Sorry, bro, hindi ko sinasadyang marinig ang conversation niyo. But, are you talking about Charlemaigne?"

"Uh, Sir André..." The guy paused, looking at me. "Opo, si Charlie nga po. Bakit?"

I stretched my neck lightly, flashing him a smile. "Wala naman. But from what I know, she's already taken by someone else."

"Ah, talaga po? Parang wala naman siyang nababanggit-"

I chuckled, moving closer to the guy and tapping his shoulder. "Sa iba ka nalang, bro. Marami pa namang iba diyan."

After that, I went back inside the restaurant. Kahit pala dito sa hotel, may nagkakagusto sa kanya. I thought I was the only one charmed by her bizarre beauty. I guess I was wrong.

When Saturday came, I wasn't supposed to come to the hotel. But, Olivia called me and asked me to come, so I had to... not that I wanted to see a certain someone or anything.

The moment I stepped inside the hotel lobby, I immediately caught sight of Charles inside the restaurant.

My feet suddenly moved on their own, until I reached inside the restaurant. She was busy wiping the tables, so she didn't notice my presence yet.

Ilang araw ko rin siyang hindi nakita. I just wanted to be closer to her... even just few steps closer.

"André!" Olivia called me from behind.

I saw Charles turning her head, looking my way. Our eyes locked for a good few seconds, until she dropped her gaze, breaking my heart in the process.

"André, what are you doing here sa restaurant? You don't have work today, right?" Olivia grabbed my arm, pulling me away.

"I just came to say hi to them," I reasoned out as we finally reached back the lobby. "Anyway, bakit mo ako tinawag dito?"

"Axe!" A familiar woman suddenly appeared from behind me, waving her hand with no signs of remorse.

Creasing my brows, I snapped my head at Olivia. "Why is she here?"

"Sorry, André, I just thought we can all go out today," Olivia answered.

"Why don't we go to the golf club? The weather is very good today, not too hot outside," the wicked woman suggested.

Olivia clapped her hands. "That's a wonderful idea, tita."

I grunted, shaking my head. "Livie, didn't I just tell you before na ayaw ko siyang makita?"

"But, André, your mom is going back to France later tonight. Can't you just spare a day for her?" Olivia pulled my arm, stopping me.

"She's not my mom," I wanted to blurt out, but I decided to shut my mouth, letting off invisible steam from my nose.

"Uh, hello... sorry po sa abala," Charles' voice suddenly caught my ears and when I saw her standing behind me, I almost fell to my knees.

"Charles?" I mumbled her name, but she didn't look at me.

"Charlie, is everything all right?" Olivia asked her.

"Sorry po talaga. Napag-utusan lang ako na kung pwede ko raw sabihan si Sir André na magtrabaho ngayon sa restaurant. May isang customer po kasing naghahanap ng specialty Pistachio cake ni Sir André. Iba raw po kasi ang lasa ng ginawa ni Chef Bong na naka-duty ngayon," Charles explained, which didn't make any sense because I was definitely not the best baker here.

"Axe, I didn't know you learned how to bake," the witch commented, smiling at me. "Now, I suddenly want cake."

I was still too dazed to speak, my eyes glued at Charles, who was now looking at me.

"Ano, sir? Okay lang ba sa inyo?" Charles asked me.

My eyes fluttered uncontrollably before I found the right words to say. "Y-Yeah. Of course."

"Maybe we should just stay here then," Olivia suggested.

"I might as well just go," I heard the wicked woman say, but I couldn't care less.

"Are you sure, tita?" Olivia asked the woman and she just nodded.

"See you again, soon, my baby Axe," the evil witch managed to say before she finally walked away.

I stiffened at the way she called me, but I remained calm by looking at Charles.

"Tara na sa loob ng kitchen, sir?" Charles pulled my hand, taking me away from that scene.

I was saved by Charles... I didn't know how she knew I needed a miracle earlier, but she definitely made it happen.

Few moments later, I was inside the kitchen, trying to bake a whole ass Pistachio cake from scratch. Pinagtatawanan pa ako ng mga chef sa kusina habang pinapanood ko ang Youtube video sa aking cellphone.

"Sir André, sino ba ang may order niyan?" Chef Bong, our main chef asked.

I wiped my face with the back of my hand, attempting to scratch the itch on my cheek. "Para sayo talaga to, chef."

"Naks. Ang sweet talaga ni Sir André," sabi pa ng isang assistant chef na si Zimuel.

Sa loob ng ilang buwan kong pagtatrabaho dito sa restaurant, I must say na naging close ko na lahat ng staff dito. Isa lang naman ang hindi ko nakakausap nang maayos simula noong araw na yon.

Speaking of her, I wondered where she went, matapos niya akong isalba kanina sa doomsday ko.

"Chef, ready na ba yong sweet and sour pork para sa table 7?" That was Charles' voice.

I immediately turned to her as she waited for the plate to be finished by the chef. I just wanted to walk up to her, grab her by the hand and take her out for a nice date. But then, I just remembered that I was engaged with someone else.

"Sir André, baka malusaw naman yan sa lagkit ng tingin mo," Zimuel remarked, nudging me on my side.

I chuckled, diverting the tension away. "Ang pogi kasi ni Chef Bong."

Napatawa na rin si Zimuel. "Oo nga naman."

I glanced at Charles one last time bago siya lumabas ng kitchen. Pinagpatuloy ko ang pag-bake sa cake na order ni Charles. I was just smiling the whole time I was making the cake and before I knew it, it was done.

Natapos ko ito few minutes before Charles' shift ended that day. Bago pa siya makaalis, I waited for her outside the staff room, holding the box of cake that I just made.

As soon as I saw her walking out of the room, I called out to her. "Charles!"

Tumigil siya sa paglalakad at nilingon ako. "Bakit?"

"Yong cake na order mo," I handed her the box from my hands.

"Ah, walang may order niyan. Sinabi ko lang yon para..." she paused, shaking her head.

"You saved me," I finished her sentence. "So, thank you."

She pressed her lips together, looking at me in the eyes. "Ha? Save? Saan?"

"Didn't you say that dahil alam mong galit ako sa stepmom ko?" I asked.

"Hindi ah."

I sighed. I guess I was wrong. "Never mind. Thank you, still."

"Bakit ka nga ulit galit sa kanya?" she questioned me again.

Napatigil ako, not knowing if I should tell her now. What would she think of me when she'd find out? Will she think I'm weak? Or a dirty, worthless, pitiful guy?

"Huwag mo na palang sagutin. Wala akong pakialam," she suddenly said, turning her back at me.

"No, wait!" I stopped her by the arm, making her turn to me again. "If I tell you, tatanggapin mo ba tong cake?"

Her eyes met mine, as if answering my question. "Okay."

I nodded, taking out my phone from my jacket pocket. I searched on my Notes app for the draft of the letter I sent to my dad several weeks ago. I copied all of it and sent it to Charles' number as a text message.

"Ano nga?" Charles asked me after minutes of silence.

"I sent it through text message. Basahin mo pag nakauwi ka na. Take care, Charles," I told her, leaving the box of cake with her and walking away.