FEROX FOREVER 1: Nothing Sinful ✓

Kabanata 09

Abby

Okay, I needed to address the elephant in the room.

Now that I was paying attention.

Now that I was able to observe him from afar without getting vexed or anxious.

Veric Mavros looked sharp and unfairly flawless in his dark navy tux and fitted slacks. The grey shawl draped over his wide shoulders complimented the color of his deep brown hair and his tan complexion, and every time his hand brushed across his stubble framing his angular jaw, I could see the appeal why some women were trying to flirt with him. He'd always turn them away, though, for some mysterious reason.

I'd seen gorgeous men in my life, and admittedly, I was now only realizing that Veric was one of them. Well, gorgeous was an understatement. He was basically the black hole in the room, where all eyes and attention were pulled and got sucked in his direction.

Was he even aware that he was the center of gravity in the open space full of lavish people?

My guess was no. Because even he was an excruciating swank, he wasn't that ostentatious. Egotistic, but not flashy. As if I'm making sense right now.

"Siguro ganyan ka rin paglaki mo," I told Cal who was busy munching on his chocolate chip cookie at the table where we were seated. I smiled at Cal who might not have heard me.

When I gazed in Veric's direction again, something in my chest clenched, and I didn't know the exact reason. Nilapitan lang nanaman ulit si Veric ng isang babae. Ano'ng bago do'n? Kaya ewan ko ba kung bakit nakaramdam ako ng biglaang pagpiga sa dibdib ko na di ko rin naman malaman kung bakit. I was just seeing him again being approached by a beautiful woman which seemed to be the only common denominator of all females in the party.

But something was different, though. Because this woman in particular Veric let into his vicinity without immediately shooing her away. She wasn't like the other girls who'd tried to flock Veric like hungry vultures.

And she was simply the most dazzling woman I'd ever seen. If I remembered correctly, she was Lana Rhoedes, an a-lister actress. Palaging kontrabida ang mga ginaganap niyang karakter sa lahat ng pelikulang sangkot siya.

I was more into singers than actors or actresses. Kaya naman hindi ako masyadong thrilled 'pag nakakasalubong ako ng mga artista sa party. Chill lang ako dahil may classmates nga ako na teen stars eh.

Nakapagpa-picture lang ako kina Morissette Amon and Moira Dela Torre kanina noong nahagilap ko sila sa foyer ng museum. Then that was it.

Lana and Veric stayed close together at the bar, bickering and talking to themselves.

They looked good together. They could have been a perfect couple since they seemed to have known each other if they were able to hold a conversation that long.

I wondered if I was in Lana's shoes, being flirted by some handsome guy. Not Veric in particular, but someone who had a brooding personality, with quick smiles and great humor, who could probably sweep off my feet.

But I wasn't Lana, and Veric certainly wasn't an ideal guy to have a romantic conversations with. For obvious reasons.

I was just a nobody, an outlander, drifting in the ocean of strangers.

"Where's Veric?"

Napatalon ako sa kinauupuan ko. "Tangina ka!" Hindi napigilan yung pagmura ko. Ikaw ba naman yung biglang tatanungin mula sa likuran mo tapos ang baba pa ng boses n'ong nagtatanong.

"May kasama kang bata," matalim na paalala ni Hexon sa akin saka tumango kay Cal na abalang umiinom ngayon ng strawberry juice mula sa isang champagne glass.

"Hindi naman niya yata ako narinig," tugon ko. "Sa susunod kasi, magsalita ka sa harapan ko para hindi ako nagugulat."

Hexon's face contorted in irritation. "Nasaan si Veric?" ulit niya saka binulsa ang mga naglalakihang kamao nito sa itim na leather coat niya.

Inirapan ko siya paglingon ko kung saan nakaupo si Veric mag-isa sa bar. "Do'n. He was flirting with a woman just a second ago. Biglang umalis yung babae."

"Veric is not the social type," Hexon said. "He might have told her to back off."

"Or maybe he has a bad breath and she didn't want any of it going into her once they kiss."

Hexon glared at me.

My lips tightened. "Sorry. I'm just joking."

"I didn't laugh," he stated with a straight face.

"Can I be honest? Why does everytime we interact, you're always scowling and so derisive? May nagawa ba ako sa 'yo?" matapang na tanong ko dahil naiinis na rin ako sa ugali ng dambuhalang 'to.

Hexon stared at me for a moment, then to Veric's direction, then back at me. His eyes were hard and unnerving. "You're trouble."

He left me at the table after that and went to Veric.

What the hell was that about?

*****

Hexon dropped me off at my house at one o'clock. Of course Veric let his lapdog drove the car since he was clearly drunk and barely spoken a single word to me throughout the ball.

I left a sleeping Cal at the backseat with his father, and they looked cute together, with Cal leaning sideways against his dad who was plastered against the car window. Kahit na napaka-vulnerable tingnan ni Veric sa lagay niya, mukha pa rin siyang sopistikado.

Secretly, I took a picture before I closed the car door. I'd hoped Hexon wasn't paying me any mind when I'd pulled out my phone and turned my camera on.

"Delete it," Hexon grumbled without looking at me from the driver seat. He was typing something on his phone, waiting for me to get Cal safely tucked in beside Veric.

I closed the car door immediately with no response, pretending that I didn't hear him.

Nang makapasok ako sa bahay namin, naghihintay sa sala si Dad.

"You should have gone to sleep," sabi ko sa kanya. "It's late."

"I've just recently finished grading papers," ika naman niya. I almost forgot that he was a literature professor at a community college. "How's your night?"

"Fine," sabi ko naman saka ngumiti. "The food is great. Ngayon ko lang nalaman na itlog pala ng isda yung caviar. I've met some celebrities, which is a plus."

"Sounds wonderful. Met someone amongst the crowd?"

I shook my head. "I'm actually there to babysit, not to mingle."

Dad seemed relieved about that. "That's my good girl."

"Stop calling me that. I'm already an adult," reklamo ko pero hindi ko matanggal yung ngiti sa bibig ko.

"Bakit? Gusto ko lang naman na tapusin mo muna yung pag-aaral mo bago ka makipagsapawan sa mga rela-relasyon na 'yan."

"Dad, if I ever want to have some sort of fun, I know how to take care of myself," kontra ko naman. "And it's weird talking with you about this."

"Tatay mo ako. We can talk anything about everything if I say so. Lalo na kung tungkol 'to sa kapakanan mo. But since you're here, and you sure look you're in one piece, I'm gonna head to bed."

"Sige na, Dad. Goodnight," sabi ko naman. I embraced him and let go.

Habang papunta ako sa kusina para uminom ng malamig na tubig, I went through my gallery and thumbed through my recent images. Nang matagpuan ko yung picture nina Veric at Cal sa backseat ng upuan, I clicked more, then pressed Set as wallpaper.

Nothing Sinful