Blood: Under the Shadow of Love

Chapter Thirteen

After the festivities of the masquerade party, we made our way towards the catering. As we walked, I saw the buffet of food that was laid out for the guests. There were so many delicious options to choose from, and I was hungry after all the dancing.

“Ano'ng gusto mong kainin?” Tanong sa akin ni Archer habang nakatingin sa mga pagkain.

“Hmm, maraming pagpipilian. Naisip ko mag-steak. Ikaw ba, ano gusto mo?” I asked Archer what he wanted. The buffet was covered in various types of foods, and I was particularly drawn to the steak section. Natukso rin ako sa salad bar at sa mga pagpipiliang panghimagas, ngunit ang seksyon ng steak ay tumatawag sa akin.

“I’m going to get a little bit of everything, but I'm definitely getting steak. I'm also going to try some of that cheesecake over there. It looks really good,” Archer responded.

“Oh, I see!” I nodded in understanding. “Yeah, the cheesecake looks amazing, and it's probably going to be the first thing I try. I'll try some of the steak as well.” I smiled slightly and looked over at him.

We went to a table and sat down with our food. I was eager to dig in and enjoy the delicious food, and I hoped that my stomach would be able to handle all of it. I sat down and started to eat, and Archer was right, the cheesecake was delicious.

“Mas gusto kong umupo sa harapan mo kaysa umupo sa tabi mo dahil gusto kong maganda ang tanawin ko.” Sabi ni Archer.

Hindi ko maiwasang mamula ng bahagya sa komento niya! He was such a tease and he always knew how to make me blush. Ang mga salita niya ay nagparamdam sa akin ng mga paru-paro sa aking tiyan, at hindi ko maiwasang maramdaman ang init na tumataas sa aking pisngi.I was excited to eat my food and talk with him for a little while longer, so I took a bite from the cheesecake and smiled at him.

“Ano’ng gusto mong gawin bukas? Gusto mo ba maligo sa dagat?” Napatigil ako sa pagkain dahil sa tanong ni Archer sa akin.

“Yeah, I'd love to go swimming with you. The beach is so beautiful, and it would be great to spend the day in the water with you. ikaw naman? Anong gusto mong gawin bukas?”

“As long as I have you by my side, I don't really care what we do. I just want us to spend time together and make the most of our day.” Sagot naman niya at hinawakan ang kamay kong nakapatong sa lamesa.

“Okay!”

The whole party ended. Naglabasan na rin ng venue ang mga bisita at bago pa rin sila makalabas ay dinudumog pa rin sila ng media. Ang ilan sa kanila ay sumasagot at nagpapa-interview pa rin sa mga reporter.

Mahigpit ang hawak ni Archer sa kamay ko at pinipisil pa niya ito. Nang makita na kami ng mga reporter ay agad silang lumapit sa aming dalawa at itinutok ang mga camera at microphone.

“So, Archer, let's get straight to the point! We've all heard of the rumors about your previous partner… And now, you've been seen with this new woman by your side. So, let's cut to the chase: are the rumors true? How long have you been seeing each other?”

“How did you meet this new girl? Were you already familiar with each other? Or did it happen by chance?”

“How do you see your relationship developing in the future? Are you planning on taking it to the next level?”

“And finally, we're now going to ask about your relationship with your former partner. Archer, we're hoping for a straight answer on this one: have you moved on from your ex?”

The last question caught me off guard. Why would they ask a very personal question in front of me?!

“Shut your mouth or I will end you.” Walang emosyon na sabi ni Archer bago niya hilahin ang pulsuhan ko at lumabas na kami ng venue. There was a car waiting for us outside.