Kabanata 7

Obligation

I let my fingers trail the expensive material of his Aston Martin as my most loved scent attacked my nose. I looked at him when my fingers stopped at the radio.

"Can I play some music?" He nodded and looked at the rear-view mirror before licking his lips in a sexy manner

"Use my phone, inside the bag," tumango ako at marahang kinuha ang bag. I nervously looked at the zipped blue duffel.

"Am I not invading your privacy?" his lips twitched at my question. He shooked his head and focus on driving.

I bobbed my head before zipping his bag open. Tumambad sa akin ang isang damit na naka-rolyo and a two neatly folded towels. Sa gilid ng bag ay may nakabukod na zipper kung saan nakalagay ang kaniyang iPhone. I crinkled my nose and get the phone before zipping his bag closed again.

Ibinalik ko ito sa likuran at muling tumingin kay Orsovius. He handily steered the wheel with his two big hands and I literally gulped when I saw how the veins and his biceps moved. Suminghap ako inilahad ang phone sa kaniya.

"Encode the pass, please." he glanced down at his phone before speaking. A sudden shocked bang my heart when he voices out his password.

Nanginginig ang mga kamay na tinipa ko ito. "You can just t-type it, you know."

He just shook his head and I saw how his jaw clenched. "It's okay. You won't snatch my phone away when you got the chance, right?" he chuckled.

Umirap ako at hinampas ang kaniyang braso. Natigilan ako sa tigas nito ngunit agad ding kinalkal ang kaniyang phone. You won't believe that I, Seraphina Hanes Frontalio, are now rummaging through the phone of the great son of the business world slash a demi-god, namely Orsovius Hyrum Zallejos.

I played songs through Spotify and I banged my head in rhythm. Oh yeah, this is practically my jam!

I glanced at Orsovius who is now wearing a small smile. I pouted and continue jamming to the song. Sa gilid ng aking mata ay nakita ko ang walang kahirap-hirap niyang pagpihit sa manibela. I roamed my eyes on a fine dining restaurant where he parked the car.

Nang maka-park siya ay agad siyang lumabas at pinagbuksan ako ng pinto. Ngumuso ako habang tinitingnan ang restaurant when I suddenly felt Orsovius shoving me his black jacket.

"I told you to wear my jacket," he strictly said. Nagkibit balikat ako at isinuot ang jacket niya. I groaned at him ng maisuot ito.

"This is big!" I whined because right now, with his big jacket (which obviously just fits him) looked like a dress on me. He lets out a small chuckle before pulling me close to him. I suddenly felt conscious because for Pete's damn sake my heart's beating wildly and I am so afraid to let him hear it so I whined more even though I like the idea of his big clothes on my small petite body.

"Better than exposing your skin," he softly whispered on my ears. Nanigas ako ng hapitin niya ako at hawakan muli sa siko at igiya sa loob ng restaurant.

I composed myself and ignore the distraught beats of my poor little young heart.

Naupo kami sa upuan malayo sa mga nandoon and he immediately called for his order. I just picked a light meal dahil mayroon akong minementinang hugis ng katawan.

He stared at me with displeased eyes and jerked his head on the side. "Reason why you're so teensy," he glared at the waitress and dictate more names of food. The waitress nodded and leave silently. "I ordered you a proper food to eat, not just some sort of grass,"

I chortle at his laments and put my chin on top of my hands. "I have a figure to maintain!" I defended.

"Yeah, right. Like eating grass? Remind me to take you to a grass field," he sarcastically said. I pouted at my lips and just stared at him. How could this man be so gorgeous? I mean yeah, my cousins were all hot, but heck... This one right in front of me can make any women drool and throw themselves to him with just a glimpse!

He sighed and stopped when he knew I'm not really listening. He intensely gazed at me with dark eyes while playing his bottom lip. I swallowed hard and pretended to caught something outside. Iniliko ko ang atensyon nang magsimula ulit maramdaman ang kakaibang ikot ng tiyan.

Naputol lang ang mariin niyang tingin sa akin ng dumating ang mga order. My mouth gaped sa dami ng inilapag doon. I looked at him with an accusing eye but he just shrugged and place one plate of steak infront of me.

"Seriously?" I sighed in disbelief.

He arches his brow at me bago bumuga ng hangin at ilapit ang plate nang inorder kong salad.

"Talaga bang nabubusog ka sa mga dahon?" hindi makapaniwalang saad niya bago bumuntong hininga at magsimula ng kumain.

I started eating my salad and of course the brute won't let me go without eating a plate of steak. Labag man sa kalooban ay kinain ko ito dahil sa siya ang nagbigay. What about the figure Hanes? Napairap ako sa isipin at uminom ng juice.

"I feel so full!" reklamo ko sa kaniya. His eyes never left me and his lips twitched into a menacing smile.

"You should be." tumingin siya sa wrist watch bago nag-ayang umalis.

"I want to puke sa dami ng pinakain mo sa'ken," he just glanced at me before looking on his phone. Kumunot ang noo niya at umigting ang panga bago sumulyap sa akin.

"Let's go?" tumango ako at nagsimula na siyang magdrive. Nagtaka ako dahil mabilis siya ngayong magdrive kumpara kanina. Did something happen?

"Hey, ayos ka lang ba?" tumango lang siya sa akin nang hindi man lang sumusulyap. I gulped and averted my gaze. Maya-maya'y tumunog ang cellphone niya na nakakonekta sa speaker kaya naman nang sinagot niya ito ay halos manlamig ako at bumalik sa katotohanan.

"Orsovius..." the woman breathed. Tumambol ang puso ko nang makita ang gulat niya at ang madaling pagtanggal niya sa pagkakakonekta ng cellphone sa speaker.

"Yeah," he answered softly.

I face the window and let my mind wandered. Muntik ko nang makalimutan na mayroon na nga pala siyang obligasyon bilang isang lalaki.

That was obviously his girlfriend calling his boyfriend and asking him where is he right now. Napapikit ako sa mapait na realisasyon.

He immediately dropped the call and silence aired inside. I felt really awkward, like just how much stupidity pushed me in this complicated position, right?

Naramdaman ko na lamang ang pagliko ng kaniyang sasakyan sa parking lot at ang pagpatay ng makina. I glanced at him and get my pink duffel bag from the backseat. Muli ko siyang tiningnan at nakita ang mapanuri niyang mata na tinitimbang ang aking bawat galaw.

I widely smiled at him and sling the bag on my shoulder. "Thanks for the lunch! Next time ay ako naman ang manlilibre ah?"

I watched his eyes examining mine. Sa takot na baka mabasa niya ang nararamdaman ay lumabas na ako ng kotse. I inhaled and face him na ngayon ay nakalabas na din ng sasakyan and waved cutely.

"Bye! Thank you uli," I turned my back on him and shock registered on my face when I saw Jewel standing in front of me with her serious expression. Matigas ang kaniyang ekspresyon habang pabalik-balik ang tingin sa akin at sa likuran ko. "Uhm... H-hi! Don't worry nilibre lang ako ni K-kuya... Orsovius,"

Lumambot ang kaniyang ekspresyon saka ngumiti at tumango sa akin. Nilagpasan niya ako and I heard how she sweetly call for his name. Napapikit ako habang nagpatuloy sa paglakad. Bawat hakbang ay rinig ko ang napakalakas na pagkabasag ng kung anong nasa loob ko, kasabay nang pagkalat ng sakit at pait.

The lumped on my throat made it harder for me to breathe. And the next thing I knew, I'm crying inside the arms of my dear girl cousins.

"Hush, baby cous," pang-aalo sa akin nila Ryza at Franz habang nandito kami sa isang powder room. Kinusot ko ang mga mata at tiningnan ang repleksyon sa salamin.

My eyes are puffy and red. Namumula din ang aking pisngi at ilong. Suminghot ako at tumingin sa kanila na inaabutan ako ng tubig.

"Thank you," I whispered. Tumagal sila ng mahigit ilang minuto doon bago nagpaalam na aattend ng kanilang huling klase.

"Intayin mo kami mamaya ha? Doon ka na lang sa parking mag-intay," tumango ako. Alam na kung bakit ayaw akong papuntahin doon sa kanilang building.

I looked at myself and the jacket caught my attention. With low shoulders, I took it off and put it inside the duffel before breathing heavily.