CHAPTER 6

Kung mga Kuya ko ang gusto, e, 'di pagbigyan, nakararami na siya ng insulto sa akin at mas lalo pa akong ginaganahang inisin siya. If she really likes them, then go, but there are barriers on reaching the limits at hindi na maaari at gusto kong tumawa.

Hindi ako umimik sa agahan naming dalawa. Hindi ako nakakain nang maayos, I am a damn stress eater but how could I eat when she's menacing at me ans and I got her thoughts that she would probably annoying me about my brothers at ang mga gagong iyon, anong sinabi nila o ginawa at parang nagayuma nila ang mapapangasawa ko?

"What's inside the mansion?" she broke the silence between us while I was in my coffee.

"Marami." I said without tearing my eyes in my laptop.

"Tulad ng?"

"Anong bang nakikita mo?"

"Ikaw?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin.

"I mean..." she panicked, "I-Ikaw? Anong masasabi mo? Hindi ko kasi alam…"

Ang gulo niya at parang natanto ko ang isang bagay kaya tumaas ang sulok ng labi ko.

"Ako na lang ang maglilibot, baka maabala pa kita sa ginagawa mo," bawi niya.

"Hindi ka magiging abala sa akin, Zuri."

"Your brothers are inviting me to have a movie date."

My jaw clenched twice, "You're not going."

"Hindi ako makatanggi, lalo na't ang mga pinsan mo pa ang nag-suggest na manood ng movie kila Ate Cheska..." humalukipkip siya. 

"Simple lang... you should've said, I will spend my time with my future husband," my face was in grimace.

"Kapal ng mukha," aniya.

Hindi ako nagsalita lalo na nang nangapit bahay ako kila Tito Rogelio matapos akong magtrabaho sa screen.

"Ivo..." Kuya Achilles chuckled while his son is on his lap, playing on his phone. 

"Ano?" sabay upo at binuksan ang biskwit.

Hindi siya sumagot dahil napansin ang kasungitan ko.

"Ivo, nag-away raw kayo?" Ate Elijah asked.

Hindi ako sumagot, nananantya rin ang titig ni Daddy sa akin.

"Sa agahan niyo raw, nag-away kayo, sa hagdan." 

"I can handle her, Dad." 

"Talaga? Bakit ang sungit mo rin daw sa kanya?"

I glared at him, "We both know that we're getting married by the end of the year but can you feel the irritation when she said directly that she like my cousins or even my brothers?"

Suminghap siya at ngumisi, "Are you jealous?"

"She could have told me if she wants a movie date, she was slapping me the truth that she was invited by the jerks, ang matindi pa, kila Cheska raw."

Tumawa sila, sana hindi na lang ako pumarito kung uusisain din lang ako. I was about to go home when I saw her roaming the wide estate, hindi ko gusto ang sirain ang masaya niyang aura.

"Miss Zuri, taga Switzerland ka ba?" now, Ate Deborah caught her attention that she even went to the fence heading here.

"Naku, you can call me Zuri, 'wag na po iyong Miss."

Tumayo si Tito Rogelio, "Tawid ka, hija, masaya rito."

She turned to me as she avoided my gaze, "Iyong movie, Kuya..." sabay upo sa upuan. 

Nagkasalubong ang kilay ko.

"Black out yata," sabi ni Tita Delaiah... "Wala man lang pasabi..."

"P-Po?" nanghinayang ang mukha niya.

"Kung gusto mo, sa mansyon na," I suggesed.

She looked at me, "Magkakaroon din mamaya."

"Magkakaroon lang silang lahat ng kuryente kapag pumayag kang manood tayong dalawa," I smiled evilly, "Pinaputol ko ang mga kuryente ng buong bayan ng Nasugbu, pinasara ko ang lahat ng mall para sa sinehan," I held up my phone.

Her jaw dropped and stood, she screamed at me with all of her force of irritation. She marched headed back to the estate of mansion as I follwed her quickly  in the back. Tumawa ako at dumakot sa mga lupa sa paso.

"Bulate," sigaw ko.

Natapon niya ang lupa at tumili, she got the hose, tinutok niya iyon sa akin.

"Sige, Ephraim- Ivo pala."

Inandar niya iyon pero hindi ako lumayo, tumigil siya.

"Mainis ka! Bakit hindi ka naiinis?" sigaw niya at tinutok pa, I was completely wet as I removed my shirt from my nape.

Suminghap ang mga kasambahay at nakuha kong sinamaan niya sila ng tingin.

"Why do you hate me so bad, hmm?" lumapit ako at nasasalubong ang lagaslas ng tubig sa hose.

"K-Kasi naiinis lang ako sa 'yo..." nabitiwan niya ang hose.

"Bakit ka naiinis? Did I already showed you a disgusting attitude?"

Umiyak siya at nakatingin sa walang emosyon kong mukha.

"Bakit ka ngayon umiiyak?" tanong ko at lumapit pa.

Lalo siyang umiyak at umiling. Nagpunas ako at tinapi ang tuwalya sa bewang.

Tumalikod siya at naupo sa lounger. "M-Magpalit ka na sa loob, saan ang kwarto mo at ihahanda ko ang pampalit mo?"

"Connecting room ng kwarto mo ang kwarto ko," sabi ko at humakbang para lumapit sa kanya pero nauna na siya sa back door. "'Di ba galit ka sa akin? Why'd you want to prepare some clothes for me?" hindi ko napigilan ang magtanong. 

She hates me and it's inevitable for me to ask it. 

Lumingon siya at tinitigan ako. "Kasi ako ang bumasa sa 'yo." 

I chuckled and I followed her, may ngisi pa akong nakita kay Mommy nang makita namin sila ni Tita Betty na nag-uusap. 

"Magpapahanda ako ng meryenda, saan niyo gusto?" Mom asked. 

I looked at Zuri as if I'm letting her decide on where we are going to eat. 

"Sa kwarto na lang po niya, Tita. Siya na lang po at hindi pa naman ako nagugutom," aniya at nauna nang umakyat. 

My eyes widened. Gusto kong matawa at tinignan ang likuran niya. 

"Ivo, pagpasensyahan mo na, she's just the rebel one that when she can't get you annoyed, nagiging matamlay siya," Tita Betty chuckled. 

I pursed my lips and nodded. I followed her and she's already in my walk in closet, she prepared my favorite short and t-shirt. 

"Th-Thanks," bigla akong nakaramdam ng ilang at hinubad ang tuwalya sa harap niya. 

She shrieked and turned back, "Damn you!" 

"You're inside my room, you'll get used to it, baka mamayang gabi, dudukutan mo 'ko ng hipo, ah," sabay suot sa brief. 

"Sa tingin mo, gusto kong may mangyari sa atin?" 

"Gano'n din iyon, I want a child after wedding, or, what's your plans, graduate first?" sinuot ko na ang shorts at humarap siya. 

"Pwede rin."

"Saan doon ang pwede?" inabot ko ang damit na inaabot niya, puting sando iyon.

"Whatever you like, ikaw ang masusunod."

Hindi na ako umimik dahil hindi siya roon kumportable. Nakapagdamit na ako at tumunog ang cellphone ko. Hindi ko iyon pinansin at nanatili ang titig ko sa kanya.

"Can I... take this important call?" marahan kong tanong.

She nodded. I took it in the veranda and it was from Sri Lanka. A long transaction while I was looking inside, watching her roaming my wide room. Seryoso siya and I was also serious, stoic and not showing any emotion. I remains so dark. 

"Manonood ka pa ba ng movie?" tanong ko pagkapasok at nilapag ang phone sa nook. 

Tumango siya. Sa movie room nga kami at pumunta sa frontal area. I turned the home cinema with no lights and just the blue leds. 

The movie played while I was sitting beside her.  We spent the day with her, tahimik siya at nanatili ang mga mata sa pinanonood.

Slowly, I felt her leaning on me. Nakatulog siya! I moved leisurely and pulled her softly. I held her shoulders and felt a bit like an awkward moment but damn. My soon to be wife is sleeping on my hard abdomen and she even wrapped her arms around me.

Tulog mantika siya na kahit igalaw ko ang inuupuan naming couch para maging sofa bed, hindi niya napansin.

I chuckled and put her head in my broad shoulders, and sighed. Pinagmamasdan ko siya hanggang nagising siya at agad siyang bumalikwas ng bangon.

"Sorry, anong oras na?" tanong niya.

I looked at my wrist watch. "Twelve..." I said hoarsely, "It's okay, you can just sleep, I know that you haven't slept well last night, thinking-" humalakhak ako nang binunot niya ang manipis na buhok sa hita ko.

"Bwisit ka!"

I smiled and pulled her slowly, "Dito ka muna, I watched you sleeping, you should watch me also sleeping,"

She was already lying beside me, "Hindi ko sinabing panoorin mo ako."

I looked at her, medyo mas mababa siya sa akin. "Hindi ko rin sinabing matulog ka sa akin." 

"You should have woke me up kung isusumbat mo rin ang pagtulog ko sa 'yo nang dalawang oras," umirap siya.

"Let's kiss," I said wearily. 

Kumurap kurap siya at bumangon. "You're not going to kiss me while we're not yet married."

Tumawa ako at tumagilid para matalikuran siya pero hinawakan niya ang bewang ko para maharap ko siya.

"What?"

"Bakit wala kang sagot? Sagutin mo 'ko."

"Hindi ka naman nagtanong, it was a conclusive statement that I am not allowed to kiss you while we're not yet married."

She gulped.

Napansin ko ang hawak niya. It was in my lower abdomen. Dahil medyo napataas ang hem ng damit ko, nahahawakan niya ang medyo makapal na buhok doon.

Humagikgik muli ako at hinuli ang palapulsuhan niya at binalik ang kamay niya roon.

"Baby, I like the way it kills me when you touched that part."

Sinampal niya ako at binawi ang kamay.

"Manyak!"

"You're my fiancee now, you should be holding it now,"

tumawa ako nang sikmuraan niya ako at halos patungan sa panggigigil.

Her forearm was on my neck and the other one was on my chest. Halos ang mukha ay magkalapit na.

"N-Nakikiliti ako..."

Malakas akong humalakhak nang ang kamay niya ay nasa tiyan ko na, sa parte kung saan talaga ako nakikiliti.

"Tigilan mo ang kabastusan mo, hmm?"

Tumahan ako at hinihingal sa pagkakakiliti. "What did I-"

She did it again and I almost called my Mom for help.

"Magmamanyak ka pa ba?" natatawa siya.

"The most popular man in the world, kikilitiin mo lang?"

Diniin niya ang daliri sa bewang ko at napahalakhak ulit ako.

"Tama na..."

"I love your accent."

"It's just my accent?"

"Yes," she said confidently and fixed my messy shirt.

Bumangon ako at inayos ang buhok, gumalaw siya pero umilag ako at hindi naipit ang kili-kili. Tumawa siya nang tumayo ako at bahagyang lumayo.

"Ako hindi mo love?" I winked.

"You can't force me to love you immediately, it's in the process of getting to know each other more, Ivo."

I understand that, at kahit ipagkakasundo lang kami, we could just wait, though. Hindi madali, just like my bothers' marriages, the whole Zallega clan weren't easy in the complex.

Tumango ako at ngumiti, "Naiintindihan ko, Binibining bibihag sa puso ko..."

Humalakhak siya, "Ang pangit-pangit ng tagalog mo," she almost shouted.

Sumimangot ako. I saw the silhouettes on the door, may hagikgikan din akong naririnig doon kaya binuksan ko at bumulagta ang mga Kuya ko. Kumaripas sila ng takbo.

"Hoy!" sigaw ko at tumakbo.

They were laughing too hard as they went out, lumabas din ako para suntukin sila. They are now reching the gate as they went out still laughing and whispering.

"Shh!"

Napatigil sila sa suway ni Daddy kila Tito Alejandro.

"Daddy, we heard his unrighteous tagalog, ang pangit pakinggan na pati si Zuri, she laughed too hard," Kuya Achilles said loudly.

"Can you speak in tagalog, Ivo, iyong deretso," Dad laughed there.

"Ayoko..." tumawa ako at bumalik na roon.

Nakita ko siya sa sala. She smirked when she saw me.

"Abnormal mga Kuya mo..."

Umupo na ako at humilata sa couch. "Gutom na 'ko..."

"Walang kakain," aniya at pumulot ng magazine. "Oh, shit..."

I turned and she said that she'll going to missed at big party on Manila, I insisted myself to drive for her but Tita Betty was invited Mom at sinabay nila si Zuri.

Gabi no'ng hindi ako mapakali at hindi pa sila nakauuwi. Wearing my white long sleeves that folded till my forearms and grey slacks, I drove headed to Manila with my men on their cars.

It was the birthday of Aurelious Del Ferrer Junior, Fabian's father. Agad akong bumaba sa Bugatti ko sa basement ng hotel, ang sadya ko rito'y si Zuri. I won't sleep if I can't make sure that they will gonna be home, wala silang bahay rito sa Maynila dahil ang kanilang bahay ay nasa Davao del Sur, she grew up before in US but they lived in Davao when they went home.

Ako:

I'm on the basement of the hotel where you are.

Bumaba ako ng sasakyan at kinuha ang coat kong itim.

She called immediately, "What?! What are you doing here? Nagkagulo ang mga tao at ibang negosyante, someone saw your luxurious car, and your foreign men." 

I sighed. "Ano bang meron sa akin? Why are they panicking?" 

She groaned silently "Damn you. Your stage of life and who you are, gago. Everyone took their seat as they were praising the living greek god of all time." 

I chuckled.

"Baby, I won't go there, I am ashamed, and I don't have any present to the celebrant." I leaned on my car. 

"What the fuck?! Why did you came here if you won't go here?" she almost whispered.

"Widowed women, girls your age, teens, or even gays are crazy over me."

She groaned again and cursed at me.

"Alright, I will go there, I will just mumble at the celebrant then I'll be back here, wait for you to finish the party then I'll drive you back to Nasugbu."

I went there and greeted by the fancy design of the hotel as I nearly mobbed by the bunch of medias, thankfully, I was guarded.

Ngumiti ako kay Tito Aurelious at lumapit kung saan siya nakaupo habang binobotones ang coat.

"Ivo, I am so grateful that you came," tumigil siya at pinagmasdan ako, "You've grown! How's living with a jet setter life?" he laughed.

"I'm okay po, Tito," nakipagkamay ako.

Hindi ko na nabigyang pansin si Zuri dahil si Tita Margarette, tumawa-tawa.

"I'm so glad that you went back here, satisfying those sinful eyes."

Gusto kong magpabendisyon dahil sa sinabi niya. Uminit ang pisngi ko.

"Oh my god, Ate Veronica, your son's blushing," tumawa-tawa si Tita Margarette. 

"Si Vincenzo at Shane po, Tita?" tanong ko at hinanap.

"They are busy, napadaan na lang sila kanina," aniya.

My phone beeped so I had to excused myself.

Zuri: 

Don't you dare looking at me, kikilitiin kita hanggang sa mamatay ka. Kapag tinanong ako, ideny mo. 

I pursed my lips while typing.

Ako: 

At bakit? I can't even see you. Saan ka?

Sinikap kong hindi lumingon pero nandoon ang Mommy ko. I directly smiled at her and turned to Tito Aurelious.

"Tito, I should go now, I still have a meeting tomorrow," palusot ko.

He smirked and nodded, "Parang hindi naman kasi ako ang pinunta mo."

Humalakhak ang asawa niya.

"No, Tito, kayo po talaga, at happy birthday po ulit, your gift will be on your table tomorrow," natawa ako.

Sasagot na sana pero natawa si Fabian.

"Pinunta mo talaga si Papa, pero ang regalo, bukas?"

Napatigil ako sa logic at pumatak ang pawis sa noo ko.

"Well... uhm..."

"We've got the point little bro," tinapik nang marahas ni Kuya Achilles ang balikat ko at nagtawanan sila.

He's here? Or he was the announcer that I am here? Damn him.

"Sino nga ba? O nasa America?" pang aasar pa ni Fabian at uminom sa alak.

I looked at him with a smirk. "Nasa America. Si Patria."

Nag-ingay ang mga Del Ferrer at mga Cardinal. Fabian gulped and his hawk like eyes turned to me.

"With Maru?" Grayson Del Ferrer teased.

Humalakhak ako at nagbrowse sa phone ng picture, stolen shot nila. Tinapik ng mga pinsan niya ang balikat niya at nagpaalam na.

One glance at Zuri, she looked so bewildered by the topics, I smirked and walked heading to the exit. Tumigil lang ako sa tapat ni Daddy na natawa habang umiinom.

"Didn't know that you were here," sabi ko nang mahina.

"You know that I am going out every night for a party," he chuckled. "Why did you came here?"

"I was about to fetch her but she told me not to look at her," I inserted my hands in my pocket as he laughed heartily.

"Bakit daw?"

Nagkibit balikat ako.

"Maybe, she doesn't want to be filled with so much news, features on those magazines, maybe, she doesn't want to be added on your long list." Dad added with so much meaning in it.

I marched and chuckled cooly, iniwan ko na siya at sumunod sa akin ang mga tauhan ko.

"Why are you leaving early, apo?" I heard Lolo's voice.

Lumingon ako at ngumiti. "I just presented myself..."

He smirked, "Saan dito? Tatawagin ko..."

"You should enjoy the night, Lo, I can handle myself but don't drink too much. Your doctors aren't allowing you to drink more liquors,"

Sa basement ko siya hinintay at nakita ko na siyang pasunod, with her high heels, she was running.

"Ivo, there are medias," she said. 

"Nakita ka?" iyon pa ang tinanong ko, e, kasi naman, she doesn't want to be involved. 

"I covered myself with my clutch bag..." 

Hinubad ko ang coat ko at tinakbong sa mukha niya. It was exactly the medias caught us with their cameras as I guided her heading to the Lincoln Navigator. 

One of my men drove my Bugatti and we headed home as the familiar Benz of Zallega's were lighting.