Gorgeous

Challenge # 09

I'll take it

Bruno's

I still don't know what the hell happened. My legs were woobly and I can't stand up. I am trying my best to remember what happened to me. I sighed. I need to reevaluate my priorities. I shouldn't really be doing this. I should be in the family business. Why the fuck did I decided to do this?

I sighed again.

I kept on shaking my head. Whatever Cindy's dad put in that drink, made me so weak. I tried moving my left hand and my right leg but I really can't. Napabuntong hininga na lang ako. Natigil ako sa kakasubok gumalaw nang bumukas ang pinto na iyon at mula roon ay nakita kong pumasok si Cindy. She was holding a tray of food. A slow smile formed on my face while looking at her. She was walking towards me. Hindi ko alam kung bakit gandang – ganda ako sa kanya ngayon, siguro epekto ito noong gamot na ibinigay sa akin ng tatay niya. She smiled at me. Naupo siya sa tapat ko. Pinagsiklop niya ang mga binti niya tapos ay tiningnan ako.

"Alam mo, hindi kita talaga ma-gets. Dapat sinabihan mo akong pupunta ka dito. Ayan tuloy. Saka isa pa, diba assassin ka? Bakit boplaks ka? Si Daddy walang practice tapos may edad na tapos ikaw nasa fifties ka na, pero boplaks ka pa rin. Nakapatay ka na ba talaga?"

"I'm only thirty, Cindy." I told her. Tumaas ang kilay niya.

"Iyong totoo?"

"Thirty – three."

'Weh?"

"Fine. Thirty – five." Sabi ko sa kanya. She smiled – nagkaroon pa nga ng tunog ang ngiting iyon. Bigla siyang humagikgik tapos ay hinampas niya ako sa dibdib – ahh – she makes me feel so warm. I sighed.

"Nagluto iyong Mommy ko ng chicken soup. Para sa akin kasi ito, kasi akala niya may sakita ako, pero bongga na lang. Sorry ha."

"Saan?"

"Kay Daddy. Na-welcome ka na naman tuloy." She giggled again. My hearth throbbed. I don't know why. I feel like a teenager. Thirty – five na ako, hindi na dapat ako nakakaramdam ng ganito. Pero iba si Cindy, she makes me wanna feel things I don't think I need. Before, I used to view relationship as my own playground. Isa ako sa mga hindi sumang-ayon kay Ruel noong ginusto niyang pakasalan si Andy but as the days passes by, naiintindihan ko na kung bakit ayaw na niyang pakawalan si Andromeda, pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay naniniwala ako sa kasal.

My own father doesn't believe in that. Ang gusto niya lang ay anak, kaya heto kami, puro panganay, puro lalaki, iba't iba ang ina. Hindi ko masisisi ang mga kapatid ko kung may galit sila kay Papa, pero isa lang ang alam ko, lahat kami ay mahal si Avo.

"Kumain ka na."

"I can't move my hand. Too weak." I told her.

"Susubuan naman kita." She said again. Ginawa naman niya. I noticed that Cinderella is very sweet, she's young and maybe that makes her different than all the women I have dated. She's very sweet and innocent.

"Subo ka na. Ahhh." Sabi niya pa sa akin. I ate. Hindi naman basta maibabalik iyong enerhiyang nawala sa akin. Pero kahit paano ay nakakagaan iyon sa pakiramdam ko. Gusto ko lang talaga siyang makita. Ilang araw na rin ba? Gusto kong marinig ulit ang boses niya, gusto kong marinig ang tawa niya at makita ang expression ng mukha niya. Ang tagal – tagal kong naghahanap ng dahilan para lang makita siya and when I finally did, medyo minalas naman ako, pero I can say that it's worth it.

"Sorry, your dad got mad." Wika ko pa.

"Normal lang iyon sa kanya. He's just very protective. He has four girls. Siguro kasi masisiraan na siya ng bait kung hindi siya ganoon. Diba kayo puro kayo lalaki? Daddy wanted a boy. Mom got pregnant – menopausal baby but she had a miscarriage. Lalaki sana iyon. Tapos iyong isa kong kapatid, si Jasmine, she died when she was only two. She has a very bad heart, hindi niya kinaya, kaya si Daddy, he made sure that all of us is well and protected. Ayaw niya kaming masaktan. Kaya sorry rin, kung nasaktan ka niya – hindi pa nga kita jowa pero nasasaktan ka na, paano pa kaya kapag jowa na kita?"