THE bells over the front door of the bakery chimed as we entered. The grin on my face couldn't get any wider as soon as we were welcomed by a whiplash of fragrant aromas coming from the visible kitchen behind the counter. There, a few of the bakers in their white uniforms caught a glimpse of us and smiled while their hands were enveloped by flour.
"Welcome to the Sweet Room, ma'am and sirs!" they enthusiastically greeted us in chorus.
"You're here again?" the person manning the sole counter said. "And you've brought quite a bunch of good-looking people. Did I owe you or something?"
"You should be glad. We, attractive people, bring you nice profits, you know," Rupert smirked as he smugly put both his hands in his pockets.
Kasing bilis ng pagkumpol sa papel ang paglukot ng mukha ng nasa counter. "Ang sabi ko 'yong mga kasama mo, hindi ikaw," panduduro pa nito na siyang hindi kinatiisan ng guwardiya ko. Ang sumunod na lang naming nasilayan ay may hindi na kaaya-ayang eksena ng karahasan sa may counter.
And here I thought we'll be saved from another bickering show since Reinald chose not to come.
"Christ. May kaaway ba siya sa bawat lugar? If he does, nakakagulat na hindi pa siya nagi-gripuhan ngayon," tahimik na komento ni Caesar habang may panghuhusgang pinapanood pa rin ang eksena. Agad naman niyang pinutol ito nang mapansin niyang nakatuon ang tingin ko sa kaniya. "Tsk. And you said, he's gonna help you choose what to eat."
Kahit na ba parang handa na muli siyang manermon, hindi ko maiwasan ang mapangiti. 'Pagkat sa bandang huli, sino bang natalo sa pangungulit ko at sumama pa rito kahit na ba pilit niyang pinagbabawalan ang paglabas ko?
As if he could read my mind, he instantly grabbed my right cheek and pinched it. "Masaya ka ba na pinayagan kita, ha?" tanong niya nang naniningkit ang mga mata. "Even if the cat's out of the bag now, you do know it's actually more dangerous for you now, don't you?"
"I know, hehe," I beamed.
He frustratingly sighed at how nonchalant my response was. Dissatisfied, he pinched harder. "And for saving my face back there, you only want to personally visit a bakery and eat to your heart's content, is that it?"
"Yep, pretty much? Hehe," I tilted my head, smiling. But seeing how his grip was not getting loose, I gasped at the possibility of my answer offending him. "Did I get it wrong?" My shoulders melted in worry.
At tulad ng kanina, tiningnan lang ako ni Caesar na animo'y sinusubukan niyang matukoy kung saan nanggaling ang mga salita ko. Sa isang banda, muli rin niyang tinakpan ang mukha niya ngunit hindi makatatakas sa pandinig ko ang tila pagpipigil niyang humagikgik sa harap ko.
Nagugulumihanan, kinurot ko ang kamay niyang nasa pisngi ko pa rin. "What's so funny?"
YOU ARE READING
The Montelier Bride
Mystery / ThrillerIn order to survive her hunters, Quinzel de Agustin, a woman who bears truths that could forever change the Underground, told one lie--- she's a mute. However, when their trail comes closer than ever to threaten her freedom, Quinzel decides to resor...
