Maginoong Medyo Bastos

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I-I'm sorry...Aka...Akala ko walang tao. M-May kukunin lang sana—"

"Okay lang," pagpuputol nito sa sinabi niya. May ngiti sa mukha ng lalaki pero hindi ito umabot sa mga mata. Wari ngang lumalagpas ang tingin nito sa kanya, para itong tuliro. May luha pa rin sa mga mata nito na agaran din naman nitong pinunasan na parang wala lang.

Vannessa just watched the guy as he moved.

Pinatay nito ang sigarilyo at itinapon sa basurahan. Kinuha rin nito ang t-shirt na nakasabit sa balikat tsaka ito isinuot.

Ramdam niya ang malakas na pagkabog ng dibdib habang naeestatwa lamang siya sa kinatatayuan. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin, hindi niya alam ang dapat na sabihin. Kasi kung aaminin niya, hindi niya kilala ang lalaking nasa kanyang harapan. Para bang isa itong estranghero.

She had been trying to understand how his mind works for almost three months already. He had already proven that he wasn't the kind of person she initially thought he was. And for the time that they had spent together in and outside work, she thought that she had already understood him.

However, as he stood right in front of her with a countenance that she hadn't seen before, she realized that there were still a lot of things she still hadn't known about him. Right at that moment, Vannessa realized that Jax was an enigma.

She didn't even know he smoked!

As if reading her mind, he opened his mouth to talk, "I only smoke on rare occasions." He looked at the direction of the garbage bin where the cigarette was silently sitting.

'What kind of occasions?' she wanted to ask him, but chose not to. She just nodded. It wasn't her business to stick her nose into. Kahit gusto niyang magtanong nang magtanong dito hanggang sa malaman niya ang mga sagot na tumatakbo sa kanyang isip, pinigilan niya ang sarili niya kasi alam niyang wala siyang karapatang tanungin ang mga bagay na iyon.

"Kunin ko lang sana 'yong dress ni Bee. She mentioned she wants to wear it sana for later," sabi niya bago itinuro ang maleta. Nakatingin lamang si Jax sa kanya at muli, parang diretso lamang ang tingin nito. Lumilipad na naman ang isip. Vannessa wet her lips before quickly getting the dress that was luckily not buried under the pile of clothes inside the luggage. "Thank you. Pahinga ka na muna, ha? Mamaya pa naman darating ang van."

Lumabas siya ng kwartong iyon nang hinahabol ang kanyang hininga at malakas ang pagkabog ng kanyang dibdib. Habang naglalakad siya pabalik ng kanyang kwarto ay umiikot pa rin sa utak niya ang itsura ng binata nang lumabas ito ng banyo.

Naramdaman niya ang pagsikip ng kanyang dibdib.

-

Mga 9 AM noong dumating ang van nila. Tamang-tama rin dahil nagising na rin si Bee. Mukha pa rin itong inaantok at alam ni Vannessa na gusto pa rin nitong matulog ngunit hinayaan na lamang niya itong magbihis.

She wore the bee yellow dress that she wanted to wear. Vannessa, wanting to match the girl, wore a plain white dress, and topped it with a yellow cardigan. Now they looked like sisters.

"Are you ready na?" tanong niya kay Bee. Tapos na kasi itong magsuot ng sapatos.

"Yes po, ate. Ganda n'yo po talaga," tugon nito.

Napangiti si Vannessa sa sinabi ng dalaga bago rumolyo ang mga mata. "Naku, nagawa pang mambola," aniya bago kinurot ito nang marahan sa pisngi tsaka inayos ang buhok nito. "You look beautiful as well."

Vannessa and Bee both turned their heads when they heard a whistle. It was Jax on the doorway with a huge smile on his face. "Naks, ang gaganda ah," komento nito. He was wearing a white polo shirt, and a pair of black corduroy shorts. His hair was also wet as if he just got out of the shower.