Caged [RWS #1]

CHAPTER 19: SEASIDE DINNER

[Warning: R18+. The following scenes are not suitable for young readers. Read at your own risk.]

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Clio's POV

"Thank you, Clio. I loved it." She softly said followed by the most genuine smile I ever saw from her.

My heartbeat raced. Halos isang minuto yata akong nakatingin sa kanya hanggang sa maupo na siya sa silya and I'm still unable to move.

"Clio, hey, let's eat." She said and pursed her lips. Hindi ko alam kung natatawa ba siya sa akin o ano.

She kissed me on the cheeks. How did she expect me to react? Syempre kikiligin ako! Ano pa ba?

"Ah, yeah, let's eat.." I whispered.

Get a grip of yourself, Clio. Halik lang sa pisngi kinikilig ka na. You kissed many girls before. Pero kasi.. si Vianca na 'yan e. And she's not just a girl.

Naupo ako sa silya katapat ni Vianca. Tahimik ako habang pinapakalma ang sarili. It's like I forgot that there's something more that had happened between us. Sa tuwing magkakaroon kami ng contact, naninibago ako. Like it's the first time I experienced it, ever.

I opened the bottle of wine.

"Wine?" I asked.

"Sure." Sagot niya. I poured some wine on her wineglass then I poured at my glass.

I immediately drank mine while she just took a sip. Pinangunutan pa niya ako ng noo kaya nagsalin ulit ako pero pinigilan niya akong inumin 'yon.

"Kumain ka muna." Saad niya sa seryosong tono.

"Y-yeah." Nauutal pang sabi ko. I started eating the dinner that the staff prepared for us. It's just a steak and mashed potatoes with gravy.

While cutting my steak, I can't help but to glance at her. She looks elegant sipping on her wine. Habang iniisip kong ilang oras nalang ang natitira na magkasama kami, hindi ko mapigilang malungkot. After this, everything will be back to normal. Magiging professor ko nalang ulit siya, at magiging estudyante niya ako.

"May dumi ba sa mukha ko?" Tanong niya na nagpa-ayos sa upo ko.

"Wala," iling ko.

"Then what's wrong?" She asked in a soft voice.

"Wala rin," umiling ulit ako.

"Come on, you can tell me." She encouraged me.

Napabuntong hininga ako. Binaba ko ang mga kubyertos ko. Pinakatitigan ko siya nang diretso sa mata.

"Naiisip ko lang na hindi na 'to mauulit." Sagot ko sa malungkot na tono.

"Hindi na 'to mauulit?" She echoed in confusion.

"Oo?" Naguguluhang sagot ko. What does she mean? Bakit niya tinatanong? Hiningi ko lang naman itong pabor na 'to dahil may utang na loob siya sa akin. I'm sure she only agreed to pay me back.

"Why are you unsure?" She asked again. Her eyebrow meeting is giving me mixed signals.

"Ano ba dapat?" Tanong ko. 

She was just about to answer me when suddenly, the rain starts to drop.

Napatingala ako. Nagsimulang pumatak ang ulan. Nagtinginan agad kami, tila tinatanong ang isa't-isa kung anong dapat gawin. I circled my eyes.

"Sa cottage." I said and grabbed her hand. Mabilis kaming tumakbo sa pinakamalapit na cottage. Naging malakas ang buhos ng ulan pagdating namin sa cottage. Mabuti na lang ay hindi naman kami nabasa.