THE LOVER : Lucius Marco

[Cuarenta Y Dos] CALLING

Alas-onse ng gabi, hindi pa din nakauwi si Lucius sa kanyang sariling bahay, nagmamaneho sa tahimik na kalsada. Galing ito sa bar pero 'di sa bar ng kaibigan niya. Alam niyang kung ano-ano nalang ang sasatsatin ng mga 'yun kaya mas pinili niyang lumayo at nagpakasasa sa alak hanggang lumalalim ang gabi at napagdesisyonan niyang umuwi. Maaari siyang mabingi dahil sa katahimikan pero dahil sa ingay ng isipan niya, imposibleng mangyari yun.

After that kiss, she said those words. He wished he didn't heard those. After she said those, Kirsten suddenly entered the dressing room. Good thing that her attention was on her iPad and didn't noticed how close they were, they had time to move away and the next thing Kirsten saw was him walking out from the room. 'Di man lang nagpaalam kay Emmanuela, 'di rin pinansin si Kirsten. Umalis lang ito na para bang walang nangyari.

"I love you."

Napakagat siya sa ibabang labi niya at saka parang bata na hinampas ang manibela. Naiinis sa sarili dahil siya ang dahilan kung bakit nasabi 'yon ni Emmanuela. Kasalanan 'to ni Papá. Pero kahit na sinabi niya 'yon, alam naman niya sa kaloob-looban niya na siya talaga ang may kasalanan. Kung 'di lang niya gustong makuha ang pagmamahal ng ama niya, 'di niya ito magagawa. Kasalanan niya, kung 'di niya sana sinunod ang utos ng Papá niya, hindi sana aabot sa ganito. Hindi sana siya aalis ng ganon at balewalain ang sinabi ni Emmanuela na siya ring sinasabi ng puso niya na pilit niyang binabalewala. Mananatili sanang estyudante si Emmanuela at mananatili siyang simple na professor sa University.

Sana 'di nalang ako bumalik sa pamilya ko.

His plan was to drag Emmanuela in the agency with any type of convincing, in his case, it was sex. Atleast that's what he thought. Just sex. But he was uninformed that Emmanuela was already feeling something beyond sex towards him and so does he. After dragging her, he will vanish into thin air but he found himself still sticking around her.

"Here," napatingin si Lucius sa passport, visa, at iba pang mga papeles na inilahad ni Maximo sa desk niya.

"What's this?" he asked as he lifted his gaze from the papers to Maximo.

"A new passport, visa, and job that is waiting for you in France," Maximo answered as he sits on his swivel chair, leaning his back on it as he looked at his son infront of him while puffing the smoke out of his mouth from his cigarette.

"France? Why? Pa, I don't need thi-"

"Sí, lo haces. (Yes, you do.)" He opposed.

Parang 'di mapakali si Lucius at binasa niya ang sariling labi. Why would I need a new job? And in France? Too far.

"Okay, por qué? (Why?)" he raises one of his eyebrows as he asked. Lalong kumunot ang noo niya nang tumawa si Maximo.

"Ay nako, hijo. Eres tonto? (Are you dumb?)" he asked then he cackles again. Maximo leans in, resting his elbow on his desk while still staring at his son.

"You've done a great job for dragging Emmanuela in our agency," a smug expression has plastered on his face. "You've convinced her with such daring acts, hijo, and I," he stood up then he pats Lucius' shoulder. "As a loving father, I'm just doing you a favor to leave this country," he said.

Lucius couldn't feel like shit more. It feels like his father wants him out from his sight. Bumalik siya para sa kanya pero bakit parang mas gusto niyang umalis siya?

"Why would I do that?" Lucius asked.

"Because you are her professor. Mahirap na baka idemanda ka kaya mas mabuti na umalis kana sa Pilipinas. Mag-resign ka as professor from that University and fly to France. Tutal, nandoon naman yung French mo na kaibigan. Sino ulit yun? Darius?" Maximo said and that smug look is something that Lucius couldn't forget.