PAPIKIT-PIKIT ang mga mata ni Leon nang pumasok ang kanyang kapatid na si Isabella sa opisina. Hindi niya ito pinansin at sa halip ay tinapik-tapik niya muna ang pisngi upang magising bago ibinalik ang atensyon sa gawain. Tila palubog na ang araw ngunit ang kanyang gawain ay hindi niya pa natatapos.
“You look so beat,” bungad ni Isabella nang maupo ito sa silya na nasa harap ng kanyang lamesa. “I never see you so restless before... not until the start of rumors.”
Hindi niya pinansin ang kapatid at nagpatuloy lamang sa pagpirma. He knew Isabella and he wouldn't give in. It's her enjoyment to piss him off and she wouldn't have that today.
“That’s a good strategy to avoid arrange marriage by the way,” dugtong ni Isabella para mapahi
NAGISING si Leon na nahalimuyak ang mabangong pagkain mula sa kusina. It was the smell of a frying bacon on butter which made his stomach rumbled. Iminulat niya ang mga mata at sumipat sa bedside table. It was eight o'clock in the morning and already passed his waking time.Bumangon si Leon na tila humihikab pa. Kung hindi lamang kumakalam ang kanyang sikmura ay babalik pa sana siya sa pagtulog. For the first time, he woke up without having the enthusiasm to work. He was so tired, he just want to lay in bed, eat, and then sleep all day. Kung pabaya lamang siya na CEO ay baka iyon na ang ginawa niya dati pa. Pero hindi. Hindi niya iyon gagawin dahil hindi siya ganoong tao. He was known to be strict, perfect, and industrious. Nakadikit na iyon sa kanyang pangalan hanggan saan siya magpunta. And taking a half-day off seem to be unfulfilling for him. He have wasted a three hour of wor
TININGNAN nang masama ni Claire ang sariling repleksyon sa salamin. Fortunately the dress was fitted on her, however, she can’t tell whether it looks good on her or not. Hindi siya sanay magsuot ng mga damit na masyadong nahahayag ang kanyang balat. Ang mga damit na pinapasuot sa kanya ni Leon noong mga nakaraang araw ay may manggas at hanggang tuhod, ngunit ngayon ay hapit na hapit sa kanyang katawan at halos makita na ang kanyang kaluluwa. It was a lowered heart-shaped red silk dress that is exposing her chest and has a flowy end black and red lace just an inch above her thigh. Para itong lingerie na pinaghalong gown na nauso ngayong damit ngayong taon.Tiningnan ni Claire ang sarili at muling napapilig sa pagkadisgusto sa naging anyo. With her black hair on her back, she looks sophisticated and expensive which she isn't. She was still having a hard time pretending to be r
NANG makitang masama ang tingin sa kanya ni Leon ay napaingos siya dito. Sapagkat nang bigla itong ngumisi ay pinigilan niya agad ito sa sasabihin sa pamamaraan ng pagdikit ng hintuturo sa labi nito.“I know what you’re going to say. You will say ‘Do you want me to do it for you, baby?’” wika ni Claire habang ginagaya ang tono nito. “If you are just going to say that, stop. I don’t want you to do it for me and you will never do that to me so stop asking me from now on.”Walang emosyon na hinayaan lamang nito ang kanyang hintuturo sa labi bago pabiro na ngumiti. “You’re not sure though.”Napapantastikuhan na napalingon siya kay Leon at pinandilatan ito ng mga mata. “Ano?”
SINUNDAN ng tingin ni Claire si Leon dahil nakaramdam siya ng tensyon sa magkaibigan. She watched him how he drink water from the glass with a creased eyebrows. Nang mahagip ng kanyang mga mata ang pag-iling-iling ni Klaus ay napalingon siya dito at mas lalong nagtaka.She glanced at Carol with her query eyes. Nagkibit-balikat lamang ito bago lumapit sa kanya.“Huwag mo na silang pansinin, ganyan talaga mga lalaki. Magluto na lang tayo ng ulam,” suhestiyon ni Carol para mapasang-ayon siya dito.“Is it okay if we cook Tinola?” tanong ni Claire. “Leon requested Tinola for today's lunch.”“Ayos lang at saka madali pang maluto. Mag-aalas-onse na rin kasi baka nagugutom na
NAKAKATUNAW ang titig ni Leon. Sa sobrang riin nang pagkakatitig nito sa kanya ay napayuko na lamang siya sa kinuupuan at tinanggihan ang pagtatama ng kanilang mga mata. Pakiramdam niya sa kasalukuyan ay may kumukulong tubig sa kanyang loob dahilan para uminit ang kanyang katawan.After the peaceful exchange of affirmation, Leon’s mood suddenly changed. Hindi niya tuloy alam kung may naimutawi siyang masama para maging ganoon na lamang ang reaksyon nito. Leon was staring at her as if he was melting her using his eyes. And it seems to be working because she was starting to feel an unexplainable sensation at the pit of her stomach and to the back of her spine. Like a blaze of fire touching her nerve endings... her soul even.Yes, Leon has been getting on her nerves lately. There's no time he didn't. But what she is wonder
“I MEAN it’s possible,” dugtong ni Klaus sa napakamapang-udyok nitong tono at ipinagpalit-palit ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa. “Is it not?”“Yeah, I guess I can do that,” sagot ni Leon sabay tingin sa kanya.Napakamot sa batok si Claire at nakangiwi na tumango. “Me too, I guess. That way it’s fair for the both of us.”“Then that is settled!” Pumalakpak si Klaus pagkatapos ay tumikhim. “Ms. Carol, mind if I borrow you for a minute? Let's leave these two for a while and let’s buy snacks for later.”Mabilis na napalingon siya kay Carol at palihim na inilingon ito bilang pagpapahiwatig na huwag siyang iwan na kasama si Leon. Nang m
“WEAK?” tila hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Claire sabay turo sa sarili. “My kisses are weak? What do you expect me to do? Kiss you with tongue? Straddle you with a deep kiss? It’s my first kiss, you idiot!”“It’s your first kiss? Really?” tanong ni Leon pagkatapos ay ngumisi dahil hindi niya na napigilan ang pagkamangha. To think that it was him her first kiss seems an honor but at the same time funny for him.Marahil napagtanto ni Claire ang itinugon kaya ito nag-iwas ng tingin at dismayado na pumikit sa kinauupuan. “Unfortunately, yes. And if you want to laugh because you become my first kiss at the age of twenty-nine, go on, I won’t mind. Kahit ako natatawa ako sa sarili ko.”Mahinang natawa si Leon at
NATIGILAN nang ilang sandali si Leon bago siya napangiti sa mga kataga na umalpas mula sa bibig ni Claire. Seeing Sophia at the most unexpected place made him reminisce about his experience with her. Good and bad, he can recall with just a blink of an eye and how much it still consumes his very being. He can recall how much they love each other and how inseparable they were five years ago. But when it comes to chasing their dreams over their relationship, it was Sophia's love who wither first. And yet here is Claire, willing to wager her dreams for the sake of others' welfare, including his. Iyon ang pinagkaiba ng dalawa. It was just a glimpse of the woman he once loved but it pains him so much, and it feared him because after all the years of thriving without her, trying so hard to forget the past and put it behind him, it still haunts him. Nasasaktan pa rin siya kapag nakikita niya ang dating kasintahan. Subalit, masyado ng huli ang lahat para itigila niya ang plano. Kung