Drowning Emotions (Isla Series #5)

18

"Bakit mo ba ako tinatakasan, ha? Ganiyan ka talaga, 'no?"

Marco's head snapped at me, not liking the words I blurted out. He pointed at me angrily. I felt a pang in my chest.

"Ano? Ano ako, ha? Sabihin mo. Ituloy mo," he demanded.

Matalim ko siyang tiningnan. "I'm doing everything for you," nahihirapang sambit ko, pagod at nasasaktan nang husto ang tono.

"Everything?" he repeated sternly. "If you're doing everything, then why does it feel like nothing?"

My lips quiver, getting weak. "It feels like nothing? My everything feel like nothing to you? Does that mean I'm nothing, too?" It was almost like a whisper. My voice strained to say that.

"Hindi sapat ang binibigay mo. Hindi na ako kontento sa 'yo. Kulang ka. Tapos na tayo."

"Ang kapal mo!" I became enraged. As I raised my hand, his eyes widened in anticipation of my slap.

"Hoy, cut!" sigaw niya. Marahan kong dinapo ang kamay ko sa pisngi niya. "Lord! Akala ko sasampalin mo ako, babe! Wala iyon sa script, eh!" Hininghal pa siya sa takot.

I giggled before wiping my cheeks. Nagme-memorize ako ng lines para sa movie. "I won't do that to you, 'no! Ilalabas ko ang galit ko kay Aspen para makaganti sa pangloloko niya sa 'kin," wala sa loob na sabi ko.

"Pangloloko?" His head tilted slightly to the right.

Nanigas ako. "Pangloloko sa character! Ano ka ba!" I let out an awkward laugh. Ano ba naman! Why did I expose that?!

I pulled a stool. Nasa likod ko siya kaagad. He put both his hands on each sides of the chair and rested his chin on my left shoulder.

"Hindi naman nagloko iyong character, ah? Hindi lang daw enough iyong babae." He knew the plot too well that he didn't believe my palusot.

"Huwag kang spoiler!"

"May kissing scene sa movie?" tanong niya at pinalibot ang mga braso sa leeg ko. Pinatong naman niya ngayon ang chin niya sa itaas ng ulo ko at pagod na bumuntong-hininga.

"Mayroon," sagot ko sa nanliliit na boses. He only hummed as a response. "I can say no naman if you're not comfortable. Pwede akong gumawa ng rason," agap ko kaagad, puno ng katotohanan. Pwede naman talaga. Madami lang itatanong sa akin at mangangapa siguro ako ng sagot pero pwede.

I felt the vibration of his chest on my back as he laughed. "Huwag na huwag mong gagawin iyan dahil lang iniisip mong hindi ako komportable. Isipin mo kung komportable ka dahil ikaw naman ang hahalik," he uttered.

"Are you comfortable?" I asked, looking up to him.

"Hindi." He didn't hesitate. "Ang weird naman kasing panuorin na may ibang humahalik sa girlfriend ko, kaya hindi ko na lang papanuorin iyong scene na iyon. Professional ka naman."

My brows knitted. "I had a fake bed scene in the last two movies," I told him, recalling that he saw those films in the cinema. The one with Aspen, and the other with Lawrence, who 'boasted' my fame—according to Gia.

"Hindi ko pinanuod, uy. Pumikit ako. Ganito." Tinabon niya ang dalawang kamay niya sa mga mata na para bang sobrang natatakot sa memorya.

"Hindi na bagay ang kaartehan mo minsan," paninira ko.

Humalakhak siya. "Pero talaga? Pinatulan mo iyong partner mo na iyon? Austin ba pangalan?" taas kilay na tanong niya. He already drawn conclusions in his mind and didn't spare me from his teases based on my words earlier.

"Aspen," I corrected.

"Ah, pake ko." He smiled politely. "Sino'ng mas magaling humalik sa amin?"

Sinamaan ko kaagad siya ng tingin. "Beaumont," banta ko. Ano ba namang tanong iyan?