Dealing with Mr. Scared of What? (Quadro Series #1)

Chapter 69

"Let's get drunk!"

Sigaw ni Dave kasabay ng pag-angat ng isang shot in whiskey nito. Andito sila ngayon sa bar, inaya niya ang dalawa at si Kersey. Buti na lang at dumating ang pinsan ng mga bata kaya niya idinakwit ang kaibigan na mukhang problemado din. Hinayaan niya lang si Dave na dalhin sila sa kung saan at dito sila idinala.

Umalma siya pero sinabi naman ni Dave na wala si Kyx doon. Tuwing monday lang kaya hindi na siya umalma at mukhang gustong-gusto na nitong uminom. Mukhang magandang timing iyon para kalimutan ang nangyari aninang umaga.

"Quinn! Sayaw tayo!" Aya ni Kersey.

Umiling lang siya bago pinag-patuloy ang pag-inom. Her mind is in a daze. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya o ayaw lang sundin ng katawan niya ang gusto niyang gawin. She wanted to run toward Kyx but heck, thinking Kyx getting triggered by his feelings is making her lose her mind! Hindi niya alam pero ayaw niyang matakot si Kyx ulit, but she'll lose him.

Bishop really knew how to fuck her mind so well. Hindi niya maintindihan ang lalaking iyon, but it kinda amazes her how he just went to her home and do all of those things, it drives her crazy but Kyx is fucking with her sanity. Could she really do it though? Bishop's words really hit her like a fucking truck. It's like he's telling her she's just sad that's why she's thinking and acting like shit or not.

Hindi niya maintindihan ang lalaking iyon. She grabs a random drink from the table in front of her and drinks it like water, she winces and was trying to recover from the hot trail of the drink on her throat when she saw Sunny walking towards her, smiling. Kahit papaano ay napa-ngiti siya.

Hindi niya din nakita ang lalaking ito. Umupo si Sunny sa gilid niya bago kumuha ng inumin sa mesa. The bar is going wild at the moment.

"How are you?!" Sunny asks in a loud voice, may mask din itong suot. Tinatanggal niya lang kung iinom siya. May ubo kasi ito. "Matagal din akong nawala, may ganap ba?!"

Ngumite lang siya, she's not comfortable talking about this stuff in open. She just gave Sunny a knowing look, mukhang nakuha naman nito kaya agad itong nag-simula ng ibang pag-uusapan. Hindi niya alam kung gaano sila katagal nag-usap ng biglang nag-ring ang cellphone ni Sunny. The bar calms down a little, yung music kasi na pinatugtog ay parang slow-dance.

Couples are dancing on the dance floor. Umikot naman ang mata niya dahil doon.

"The wife's calling?" I jokingly ask, seeing the name of the contact. Sunny is a very private person and also a manipulative bitch, I'm telling you but he does that for a good cause. She can tell. Kaya nga ito naging therapist.

Sunny grinned. "Husband actually."

Agad siyang natigilan kasabay ng pag-tingin niya kay Sunny, her mouth is hanging open as she and Sunny shared the kind of stares that talk. She's not against this kind of relationship, no. But she's shocked Sunny is straight as, well that's what she thought. She chuckled as she grabs a drink.

"Well damn. Your husband let you drink while you're sick?"

Sunny smile disappear. "No, we fight and I sneak out. Buti na lang inaya ako ni Dave." Ani nito kasabay ng pag-kuha ng isang shot at walang passing tinungga iyon. She chuckled before drinking her own shot. "That man is making me lose my mind, he's shameless and flirty as fuck!"

"And who is this man?" She asks.

"Me." Agad naman sila napa-tingin sa harapan nila ng may narinig silang boses, at halos maibuga niya ang iniinom niyang inumin ng makita niya ang lalaking naka-tingin kay Sunny, he looks mad but concern and worried for the man beside her. "And you, may sakit ka. Umuwi na tayo."

"Clyden?" She looks at Sunny who's ignoring the man who just sat beside him, halos walang espasyo sa kanilang dalawa. "Clyden Jace Martinez," Pumalakpak siya. "Mukhang nag tagumpay kang akitin to ah, mabuti naman hindi ka nabaliw." Fucking hell, mukhang seryuso talaga ang dalawa ito.

Clyden smiled slyly. "Ako pa. Hirap nitong paamuhin." Ani nito bago niyakap si Sunny, natawa na lang siya ng lumayo si Sunny at niyakap siya. Mukhang nagtatampo ang baliw. She laughs and unconsciously her eyes wandered to the other side of the bar, agad naman nawala ang ngiti niya ng may napansin siya, one man stood out in the crowd.

He was in the second deck of the bar, looking down at her. Malayo ito sakanila pero parang kitang-kita niya ang mukha nito. Ramdam niya din ang pag-lakas ng tibok ng puso niya. She felt anxious.

Her stomach dipped, she felt happy, and calm but also scared for some reason and it makes her uncomfortable. Her eyes leveled his gaze and it seems like the man finally figured that she is looking at him, that she was aware of his gaze. His gaze that almost melts her. Ang anina maingay na paligid ay parang tumahimik, ang nakakabulag na ilaw ay wala na sakaniya.

Naka-tingin lang siya sa lalaki na naka-tingin lang din sakaniya, both of them stared at each other until she felt Sunny swinging her body from side to side, making her a shield from Clyden. Sunny hug her before looking at Clyden. "No! Leave me alone!"

Looking at him, she saw a flickering emotion in his eyes. Ang layo nito pero parang kitang-kita niya ang emosyon sa mata nito,confusing her for a moment and that's when something creep on her mind.

Kyx, does he really want me gone or he's just like me? Overthinking all of this. Not knowing how to take everything back? O baka naman nagti- imagine siya dahil sa nararamdaman niya para dito. Napabuntong-hinga siya bago niya iniwas ang tingin sa binata. Hindi niya alam. She's lost, she don't know who to believe.

––––

"CLOSER, please." She request as she motioned her hand. For three days she was preoccupied with her work. Debut and event. "Very good. Let's wrap up." Malakas na ani niya kasabay ng pag-tingin niya sa mga larawan sa camera niya, tinitignan ang mga improvement na kailangan niyang gawin. She was walking toward Andrew, her assistant. "Everything good?"

Andrew put his thumbs up. She smiled before putting down her camera and connecting to the PC and saving all the pictures there. A few moments later all of them were driving toward their workplace. Pag-dating nila doon ay agad naman siya tumulong sa pag-ayos ng mga gamit at equipment na ginamit nila.

"I'll stay. Edit ko lang ang mga picture." Ani niya habang kasabay niya sina Andrew nag-lalakad papalabas ng building. She bid her goodbye before walking back to her office and started doing her editing and all. Hindi niya namalayan ang oras hanggang sa may kumatok sa pinto niya. Napa-tingin siya sa orasan.

Almost seven, agad naman siya uminat. She saves everything before turning off her PC. "Who is it?" Sigaw niya kasabay ng pag-abot niya ng purse niya. Walang sumagot sa bagkus bumukas ang pinto at mula doon nakita niya si Dave na mukhang balisa, puno din ito ng pawis. Anong nangyari dito?

"Quinn!" Sigaw nito.

"Oh? Anong nangyari sayo?" Tanong niya hanbang pinatay ang AVR. Wala naman kalat sa office niya kaya okay na okay na siyang umalis. Dave is panting, mukhang tumakbo ang mokong. "Bakit ka andito? At bakit parang batang madungis ka?"

"Kyx," He heaved a breath. "He's in the hospital!"

Her heart stops. What?