CHAPTER 7

MABILIS ang galaw ng mga daliri ni Lockett sa keyboard ng laptop niya habang tinitipa ang pangalang Creed Santillana sa Google Image search box. Nagbabakasakali siya na may larawan ito roon dahil mukhang sikat naman ito.

Abot-abot ang kaba na nararamdaman niya habang hinihintay na lumabas ang mga larawan ni Creed.

Her breath was caught on her throat and she feels like someone poured her a freezing cold bucket of water when different pictures of Red popped out on Google image.

"Oh my goodness..." She muttered under her breath. "This is not happening to me..."

She clicked the web in Google to read his biography.

Creed Santillana is the most sought after bachelor in Asia. He's a very excellent and well-known photographer of National Geographic Channel. He was born on December 3, 1983. He is the most outstanding photographer in Asia and is now competing for the best photographer in the world.

He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Clave Santillana, the CEO and owner of Santillana chain of Hotel and Resorts in Asia.

Mabilis na isinara niya ang laptop. Hindi na niya tinapos ang pagbabasa sa biography nito. Nasu-suffocate siya habang nagbabasa. Parang hindi siya makahinga.

Lockett can’t believe she's this stupid! Bakit ba hindi niya napansin na magka-apelyido ito at ng boss niya? At bakit ba hindi niya inalam ang mukha ng Creed na iyon bago niya pinaalam sa mga magulang niya at kay Red na boyfriend niya ito? Urgh!

I can’t believe this! This is so not happening to me right now! This is too humiliating for her! She is so stupid!

And to put an icing on her humiliation cake, yesterday, Mr. Santillana called her. He was asking if she can teach his son how to manage a hotel. Of course she said yes! Kung alam lang niya na ang anak nito at si Red ay iisa, nunkang papayag siya!

Huminga siya ng malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili.

Napaigtad siya ng makarinig ng sunod-sunod na malakas na katok galing pintuan ng penthouse.

She cautiously walked to the door and opened it. Her heart dropped when she saw Red. Mabilis na isinara niya ang pinto pero naharang naman nito iyon ng braso nito.

"Aray!" Sigaw ni Red. "Open the door, damn it!"

"No!" Balik na sigaw niya at mas inipit pa lalo ang braso nito. "Get out of my room!"

"I'm not even in yet." Wika ni Red na halata sa boses nito na nasasaktan. "Let me in, girlfriend."

Nang marinig ang salitang girlfriend, kinutusan niya ang sarili. Bakit ba kasi sinabi niya rito na boyfriend niya si Creed without knowing Creed Santillana's background? How can she be so stupid? Gusto niyang sabunutan ang sarili sa katangahang ginawa.

Napasigaw siya sa gulat ng biglang itulak ni Red ang pintuan, dahilan para mawala ang balanse niya at sumubsob siya sa sahig.

Lockett glared at Red who enters the penthouse like it was his.

"Can you please give me a break?" She said, gritting her teeth.

Red looked down at her. "You're cute while sitting there, but," he offered his hand to her, "you're cuter when you’re standing."

Tinabig niya ang nakalahad nitong kamay at tumayo siya. Pinagpag niya ang pang-upo at pinukol ng masamang tingin ang binata. "Get out!"

Red shook his head. "Nope. Not happening." He walked towards the living room. "This is me, entering your penthouse, no scratch that, this is me, entering the penthouse that may father made for me." He grinned at her like a Cheshire cat.

Nanggigigil na malakas na isinara niya ang pinto at sinundan ang binata sa living room.

Pinagkrus niya ang braso sa harap ng dibdib ng maabutan niya si Red na komportabling naka-upo sa mahabang sofa. "Ano ba ang kailangan mo?" Mataray na tanong niya rito.

Nilingon siya ni Red at nginitian. "Masama bang bisitahin ang girlfriend ko?"

Naningkit ang mga mata niya sa narinig. Minu-minuto ba nitong ipapamukha sa kanya ang kahihiyan na yun? Bwesit!

Her jaw was tightening as she walks to the sofa adjacent to Red's. "Ano ba talaga ang kailangan mo, ha?" Tanong niya, sa pagkakataong ito, medyo malumanay ang boses niya.

Red looked at her for a moment then smiled. "Nothing. I'm just visiting you, my girlfriend, what's there to fuss about?"

Huminga siya ng malalim para pakalmahin ang nararamdamang inis sa binata na nasa harapan niya. "I already explained why I used you." Mariin niyang sabi.

He shrugged. "You still used me, Lockett, and I feel molested." Eksaheradong wika nito na dumagdag lang sa inis niya. “I didn’t know that someone is using me as her boyfriend, without my knowledge. You were molesting—”

"Molesting, my ass! Baka ako pa ang molestiyahin mo—"

In a blink of an eye, Red moved and pinned her on the back of the sofa, cutting her words.

"A-Ano ba ang..." Her voice weakened and disappeared when he realized that Red's lips was just inch away from hers.

Red stared deep into her eyes for a moment, before lowering his head to capture her slightly parted lips.

Parang may sariling isip ang bibig niya na bumuka iyon at tinugon ang mainit na halik ng binata. Nawala sa huwesyo ang isip niya ng mag umpisang gumalaw ang mga labi nito at buong puso naman niyang tinugon iyon.

Every move of his lips against hers made her body burn. His lips are like her favorite wine, it’s intoxicating her.

Isang mahinang ungol ang kumawala sa bibig niya ng ipasok ng binata ang dila nito sa loob ng bibig niya. Yes, she had been kiss before, but not like this. The feeling of his tongue inside her mouth was something she never felt before. It was more than her virgin mouth can take.

Nasundan pa ang ungol niya ng lumapat ang palad nito sa beywang niya at dahan-dahan iyong dumaos-dos patungo sa hita niya.

Isang mahabang ungol ang lumabas sa bibig niya ng tumungo ang kamay nito sa gitna ng hita niya. Para siyang nagdidileryo habang ninanamnam ang sensasyong dulot ng kamay nito sa gitna ng hita niya.

Lockett gripped Red’s shoulder and moaned loudly when a finger slid inside her panty to touch her wetness.

“You’re so wet for me, Lockett.” Red whispered over her lips. “I like it, but I better get going before I do something you will regret.”

Red pulled out his fingers from her mound then lick off the wetness coating his fingers. “See you around, Lockett.” He said then left.

Hanggang sa marinig niyang sumara ang pintuan ng penthouse, hindi pa rin siya makagalaw sa kinauupuan niya.

What just happened? Paulit-ulit na tanong niya sa sarili.

Nararamdaman pa rin niya ang basa niyang pagkababae. Nararamdaman pa rin niya ang daliri ni Red sa pagkababae niya. Parang sirang plaka na paulit-ulit na nagri-reply sa utak niya ang mga ungol niya.

Anong nangyari sa kanya? Bakit niya hinayaan ang binata na gawin yun sa kanya? How can she be stupid enough to let him touched her like that?

What happened?

One kiss was all it took to melt her anger. One kiss was all it took to make her forget her stupidity. Just one touch of that insolent man, she forget everything except his lips on hers and his hand pleasuring her.

Did he bewitch me or something?

Marahas niyang ipinilig ang ulo at tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo sa sofa. Tinungo niya ang kuwarto at pumasok sa banyo para maligo.

ILANG ARAW na ang nakakalipas pero hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ni Lockett ang nangyari sa kanila ni Red. Nagpapasalamat siya at hindi na niya ito nakita na pakalat-kalat sa Isla.

Baka umalis na ito?

Something in her felt hurt with that thought. Marahas niyang ipinilig ang ulo para mawala ang iniisip. Bakit naman siya masasaktan sa isiping umalis na ito?

“Miss Lockett?” Anang boses mula sa likuran niya.

Agad siyang lumingon ng marinig ang pangalan niya. She frowned when she saw a teenage boy holding one bouquet of flower.

“Anong kailangan mo sa’kin?” Tanong niya habang ang mata ay nasa bulaklak nitong dala.

Iniabot ng binatilyo ang isang pompon ng bulaklak sa kanya. “Pinapabigay po sa inyo.”

Mas lumalim ang pagkakakunot ng nuo niya. “Ano? Para sa’kin?”

“Oho. Pinapabigay po sa inyo.”

Nag-aalangang tinanggap niya ang bulaklak at tumingin sa binatilyo pero tumakbo na ito palayo.

She looked at the flower, bewildered. Who would give this to her? Nang mapansin ang maliit na card na nakasiksik sa loob ng pompon ng bulaklak, kinuha niya iyon at binasa.

Hey Lockett, by the time you read this, I’m already in Manila. I just want to say sorry for annoying you and for what happened in the penthouse. It wasn’t supposed to happen. I was just teasing you and it went out of hand. So I left and I decided to never see you again.

P.S. Your secret is safe with me.

This is Red, saying good bye and have a nice life ahead.

Ilang minuto na mula ng mabasa niya ng sulat ni Red pero nakatitig pa rin siya sa maliit na card. Hindi niya alam kung matutuwa o maiinis siya sa pag-alis nito.

I hope it’s the former. Dapat siyang matuwa dahil wala na rito ang binata sa isla. She won’t run into him and feel awkward about what happened. Pero hindi niya akalain na biro lang pala ang lahat dito, pati ang nangyari sa penthouse.

Ayaw niyang aminin sa sarili pero masakit na malaman na biro lang ang nangyari. Halos hindi siya makatulog sa kakaisip sa nangyari pero biro lang pala iyon.

Ang walang hiya!

Nagma-martsang tinungo niya ang pinakamalapit na basurahan at ibinasura ang bulaklak, pagkatapos ay pinunit niya ang sulat ng walang hiyang hudyong ‘yon! Bwesit siya! Bwesit!

“Are you angry or something?” Anang boses sa likuran niya.

“Ano naman pakialam mo!” Sigaw niya sa nagsalita pero nang lumingon siya at nakilala ang nagsalita, biglang lumambot ang ekspresiyon ng mukha niya. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout at you.”

Reeve smiled. “It’s okay. But it looks like you loathe whoever sent that flower, kulang nalang chop-chop-pin mo ang mga bulaklak e.” Natatawang wika nito.

Dumako ang tingin niya sa bulaklak na nasa basurahan kapagkuwan ay ibinalik ang tingin sa kaharap. “Yeah. Nakakairita nga ang nagbigay sa’kin ‘non kaya naman tinapon ko.”

“Halata nga.”

She gave out a chuckle. “Yeah, anyway—”

She was cut off when she heard her phone rang. Mabilis niyang kinuha iyon mula sa bulsa ng pantalon sa suot at tiningnan kung sino ang tumatawag.

She cursed when she saw that it was her mother.

Locket excused herself from Reeve then slowly walked without destination.

“Yes, mom?” Aniya ng sagutin ang tawag.

“My dear, I called to inform you that your dad and I’s anniversary will be next week.” Her mom’s voice sounds so excited. “I want you to be here two days before that special day. Okay?”

“Okay.” Sagot nalang niya para hindi humaba ang usapan nila.

“Great.” Her mom giggled like a teenager. “Don’t forget to bring Creed Santillana with you. Nai-kuwento ko sa mga kumare ko na boyfriend mo ang sikat na photographer na si Creed at gusto nilang makilala.”

Halos malaglag ang panga niya sa narinig. “Mom! Why the hell did you told them?!” Now, she’s angry.

“My dear,” Mahinahon ang boses nito. “Hindi lang naman sila ang sinabihan ko. Lahat ng inimbita ko para sa anibersaryo namin ng Daddy mo ay kinuwentuhan ko ng tungkol sa inyo ni Creed.”

She can’t believe what she’s hearing. This is so not happening to me! “Pinagkalat mo na may relasyon kami ni Creed Santillana?!”

“Yes, my dear. Don’t be mad.” Her mother’s voice was soothing but it didn’t sooth her at all, it angered her.

“Nakakahiya ang ginagawa niyo, mommy!”

“Anong nakakahiya roon? Pinagmamalaki ko lang ang anak ko at ang boyfriend niya. May masama ba roon?”

Masama iyon dahil kasinungalingan lang naman lahat ‘yon!

Kinagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi sa sobrang kaba na nararamdaman. “Mom, baka hindi makapunta si Creed—”

“Oh, hush my dear. He’ll come. Kapag hindi mapapahiya ang pamilya natin, tandaan mo yan, Lockett. And you know me; I don’t like to be embarrassed so you better bring you boyfriend to the party.”

“But mom—”

“No buts, my dear.” Her mother paused for a second like she’s contemplating on what to say next. “Dadalo sa party ang pamilya De Guzman, so you better bring Creed. Ayokong mapahiya na naman sa ikalawang pagkakataon ng dahil sa’yo.”

Her stomach dropped when her mother mention the De Guzman family. This is bad. Very bad! It was like that horrible night all over again.

Nakapag-move on na siya sa nangyari ng gabing iyon.

“Okay, mom. I will bring Creed.” Aniya at pinatay ang tawag.

Bagsak ang balikat niya ng matapos ang tawag. Gusto niyang kastiguhin ang sarili. Gusto niyang kutusan at tadyakan ang sarili pero alam niyang walang mangyayari kung gagawin niya iyon. The lie she thought was harmless is now spreading like venom; venom that will poison her family if they found out the truth.

If the De Guzman family is going to attend her parents Anniversary, then she really has to take Creed with her.

By hook or by crook.

The De Guzman family shamed them once because of her. hindi niya hahayaang mapahiya pa ang pamilya niya sa ikalawang pagkakataon ng dahil na naman sa kanya.

She doesn’t have a choice but to beg Creed to be her fake boyfriend for a night. She will do anything just for him to go with her.

She will do what it takes; she can do anything, even if it means she has to seduce Creed.