HE'S wearing a uniform with all those badges pinned onto his left chest. Those fox, brown eyes staring at me deeply and seriously. Nakatayo lang siya ngunit maya-maya, nang mapansin na hindi ako gumagalaw, ay naglakad na siya palapit sa akin.
Gusto kong gumalaw, lalo pa't hindi ko kilala ang lalaking ito. His voice is familiar, sure---pero seryoso? Ito pala si Colonel Apollo? You have to be kidding me, right?
Sa ugali niya, dapat hindi siya biniyayaan ng ganito kaguwapong mukha?
But I'm judging too quickly!
He even apologized for shouting at you, right, Nadia?
Right. He actually did.
So baka deserve niya naman---
"Why are you staring too much? Why are you here? I told you not to go outsdie. I instructed you very clearly not to go outside and roam the headquarters. If you read the note I left, then why am I seeing you here, Aurora Valencia? Especially that it is already 10 in the evening?"
Napalunok ako at napakurap-kurap. I avoided his gaze and sighed. "Sir, I apologized but I have to confirm. Kayo po ba si Colonel Apollo Santiago? You know, hindi mo naman kasi tinanggal ang mask mo kaya hindi ko kilala ang mukha mo. Are you Colone---"
"Ma'am, it's Lieutenant Colonel Apollo Santiago. Not just Colonel. I am not the colonel here. I am the lieutenant colonel, so refrain from saying just 'colonel', someone might hear you." Pagpuputol niya sa sasabihin ko.
Napanganga ako pero dahan-dahang napatango. "Ahh, ganoon po pala iyon. Pasensiya na, lieutenant colonel. Hindi ko po kasi alam. P-pero, ano, pabalik naman na ako sa kuwarto ko. I just . . . nagpasama lang po roon sa kuwarto ng mga bata. I took care of them for the meantime."
He raised his thick eyebrow on me, and crossed his arms over his chest. "And why did you do it? Did I tell you to take care of those kids? Is it your job now? Just follow the instructions I gave you, and avoid going outside of your room. As much as possible, refrain from doing so."
Natutulala talaga ako. So ito na talaga si Lieutenant Colonel Apollo Santiago? He's so guwapo and maganda! Nakikita ko ang mukha ni Doc Annie sa kaniya. He has this dark brown, fox eyes, pointed nose, and thick eyebrows. And I could not believe that he has this curly hair. Ang iniisip ko ay naka-clean cut siya.
Well, he looks very proper and clean. Mahahalata mo lang talagang may alon ang buhok niya. At wala rin siyang pimples! Grabe, sana all. I wonder if he's a pure Filipino. Because he looks like he's not. Para siyang may lahi. Moreno siya pero hindi ganoon ka-kayumanggi.
"With all due respect, Ms. Valencia, stop staring, please."
Doon ako nagising. Hindi ko napigilan ang kamay at mahina kong sinampal ang sariling pisngi. Nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo niya dahil sa ginawa ko.
"Pasensiya na po, natulala lang talaga ko. Excuse po, lieutenant colonel." Nagmamadali ko siyang linagpasan at naglakad na paalis. Nakakahiya, bwisit!
Actually, I wasn't lost on my thoughts. Hindi naman ako natutulala talaga. Naririnig ko ang mga sinasabi niya, sadyang hindi ko lang pinapansin dahil abala ako sa pagtingin sa mukha niya. Yes, I was busy checking him out. Inaamin ko. Siyempre namangha ako na ganoon palang mukha ang tinatago niya sa maskara at shades niya.
But too bad, he's not my type. Lieutenant Colonel Santiago is too far from my type. He's definitely not gentle and softie. Ekis na agad iyon. Of course, he's a soldier! He's tough and strict.
Kung may malapit man, ay siguro si Lieutenant Ulysses na iyon---
"Did I tell you to leave and walk away from me, Aurora---Ms. Valencia?"
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RomanceAurora Nadia Valencia--- a simple woman who has a passion for teaching and a woman who lives in a simple home, near the woods. She's contented, comfortable, not until a conflict between two groups in the country broke out. She's been living almost w...
