#DS3Unscripted #BelayaxPierce #LKCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER 20: DATE

BELAYA'S POV

I looked away from the calendar in front of me when I heard the back door of the house opened. Pumasok doon si Pierce na kasalukuyang tagaktak ang pawis. He's been working in his garage for what seems like forever.

Hindi ko nga alam kung anong ginagawa niya ro'n. But I think Pierce is the kind of person that will always find something to do. Kapag nasa loob naman siya ng bahay kung hindi siya may kinukutinting na kung ano ay abala naman siya sa pagtatrabaho.

"What are you doing?" he asked when he saw me just standing there.

"I'm bored."

"Akala ko may aasikasuhin ka para sa mga sponsor mo?"

Nilingon ko ang sala niya kung saan nagkalat ang mga gamit ko. His house is beautiful. Kaya ang daming lugar kung saan ko kinuhanan ng picture ang mga PR products na pinadala ni Sebastian.

"Tapos na kanina pa."

Pinagmasdan ko ang ayos niya. He's wearing a white shirt that is now dirty and drenched with sweat. Pawisan din ang mukha niya habang ang mga kamay niya naman ay may mga nakakapit na itim na dumi.

Why does him being dirty looks... sexy?

"Sebastian told me that if you have nothing to do you should answer some fan emails," he said.

"I've been doing that for the past two hours and it's making me sleepy." Nagpadausdos ako sa sahig at tinatamad na humiga ako roon. "I have nothing to do."

"What do you usually do when you don't have projects yet?"

"Finding a project that I can do for the mean time."

Bukod kasi sa The Chains Of Ravine ay wala naman akong ibang project pa na tinatanggap. I usually juggle two to three projects at a time. Hindi naman kasi lahat 'yon movies. Sometimes I do one movie, then I do a guesting on an episode for a TV show, or sometimes I have commercials to work on. Pero dahil sa sitwasyon ko ay binawasan ni Sebastian lahat ng ginagawa ko na mag e-expose sa akin sa tao. Para na rin sa Dagger na kinakailangan asikasuhin ang bawat lugar na kailangan kong puntahan.

They need to send a lot of people to every places I go to that I needed to stay for quite some time to make sure that everything is safe. Madami man ang nagtatrabaho para sa Dagger pero hindi ibig sabihin ay lahat sila ay sa akin lang idedesignate. They also have a lot of cases to handle other than mine.

"Get up from there. Malamig ang semento," sabi ni Pierce na nakatayo sa paanan ko.

"I'm bored."

"Play that killing game you like."

I rolled my eyes. "It's an RPG game and no I can't do that because my teammates have their day jobs."

"Trace use to play one in his phone. Hindi ba pwede ka namang makipaglaro sa random players?"

"And risk losing my stars kapag may cancer akong nakasama sa team?"

Kumunot ang noo niya sa pagtataka . "Anong cancer?"

"Toxic players na feeling ang galing nila pero mga wala namang binatbat. Tatawagin ka pang bobo, excuse my word. Akala mo naman nakakatalino kapag naglaro ka ng video games at nanalo ka."

Pierce didn't say anything but he reached a hand towards me. Hindi ko iyon inabot dahil ayoko pang tumayo pero mukhang akala niya ay dahil iyon sa madumi ang kamay niya. He wiped his hand on his shirt at dahil sa ginawa niya ay bahagyang umangat ang damit niya... giving me a glimpse of his hard abs.

Damn with a capital D.

"Get up."

Natutulalang inabot ko ang kamay niya. His big hand wrapped around it and he pulled me up. Binitawan niya ako nang magawa ko ng makatayo pero imbis na lumayo sa kaniya ay nanatili lang ako sa kinatatayuan ko.

Ang bilis naman no'n. Hindi ko pa nga masyado natignan. I just need a little more peek. Just one tiny tiny peek...

"What are you doing?"

My head snapped up to Pierce when I felt his hand stopping mine that is currently trying to pull his shirt up slightly. Sunod-sunod na napakurap ako kasabay nang pag-iinit ng mga pisngi ko. Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko na para bang makakatulong iyon para makabalik ako sa tamang ulirat.

"Uhhh... nothing?"

Hindi niya pa rin binibitawan ang kamay ko habang nakatingin sa akin. He's not smiling which is normal for him but there's something light dancing in his eyes. "Doesn't feel like nothing to me."

"Ha?"

His eyes roamed around my face. He stared and stared which made me a little bit uncomfortable. And I'm never uncomfortable with people staring.

"Your cheeks are red."

"Mainit."

"Centralize ang bahay ko at malamig din sa labas," sabi niya.

"Pang Antartica ang balat ko." What the hell am I saying? "I mean... hindi naman gano'ng kalamig."

"Ahuh."

Nanatili siya sa pagtitig sa akin at dahil hindi ko na matagalan iyon ay sinubukan kong hilahin ang kamay ko pero hindi niya ako binitawan.

I'm used to teasing him but somehow it feels different right now. Kapag kasi inaasar ko siya ay hindi niya naman ako pinapatulan. Like he's immune to my flirting. Now it feels like he's reciprocating. And I don't know what to do with that.

"Who would have thought?" he whispered.

"Ha?"

"Belaya Lawrence in front of me with red cheeks and being shy."

Tumikhim ako at pinaningkitan ko siya. I pulled my hand and finally he let go. Humalukipkip ako at sinalubong ko ang mga niya. "I'm not shy."

"Hmm."

That 'hmm' is doing something to me... and my body... that I don't think it's appropriate right now.

"I... I forgot. I have something to do."

"Ano?"

Nilingon ko ang sala niya na parang sinabugan ng bomba. "Those. I need to clean up my things."

Bago pa siya makasagot ay mabilis na tinalukuran ko siya at lumapit ako sa mga nagkalat ko na gamit. Nilagay ko iyon sa mga kahon na dinala ni Sebastian habang ang iba ay nilagay ko sa mga paper bag na kasama ng mga PR product.

"Belaya?"

Nilingon ko si Pierce at nakita kong may hawak siya na bote ng tubig. I followed his movement when he opened it to drink, his adam's apple moving as he swallow each gulp. Damn it.

Kung makikita lang siya ng mga scout baka ilang commercial na ang i-offer sa kaniya para sa kung anong beverage drink. I can almost visualize him on a sports drink ads where he would run, his body full of sweat, then he'll stop for a drink that even an eighty-year old will enjoy to watch.

"W-What?"

His hands went to the bottom of his shirt. "We can visit your pets and then we could go out to eat as well sa kung saan mo gusto."

I know what he's trying to say pero ang unang rumehistro sa akin na sinabi niya ay iba sa ibig niyang sabihin. For a moment my mind is in a haze and my thoughts are absorbing his words differently. I mean who could blame me right now? Dahil pagkatapos ni Pierce inumin ang laman ng bote ng tubig ay hinila niya ang madumi niyang shirt at hinubad iyon. He used it to wipe his sweat while talking to me as if this is a normal day to day thing.

That's why my brain is in a jumble and all I got from what he said is pet, eat, at kung saan ko raw gusto. My mind deciphered it with him telling me that he will pet and eat me anywhere I want. Damn it, Belaya.

"So? Sa labas mo ba gusto o sa loob?"

Fuuuck. A small shaky laugh escaped my lips and I woodenly turned towards the stairs before I could say or do anything that will embarrass the both of us.

"Belaya?" Kinunutan niya ako ng noo. "Dito ba tayo kakain o sa labas?"

"I need..." Nilingon ko siya at napatitig ako sa malapad niyang dibdib. "I need a shower."

Umangat ang sulok ng labi niya dahilan para matigilan ako. I stared at him but this time the cloud in front of me is clearing. Naningkit ang mga mata ko at lalong lumawak ang pagkakangiti niya. He's not the smiling type of person that why I finally knew.

"I know what you're doing," I told him.

"Hindi ko alam kung anong sinasabi mo."

Humalukipkip ako. "Ngayon pa lang sinasabi ko na sa'yo, you're going to lose."

Nagkibit-balikat siya. Napaatras ako sa hagdanan nang humakbang siya palapit sa akin, but he didn't move closer and instead he stopped a couple of feet away from me.

"I tried ignoring your play but it didn't work and you just keep on doing more. Now I know that there's a shy kitten inside you, it's only fair that you receive the same dose of your own medicine. "

"I can up the dose anytime," nakataas ang kilay na sabi ko. "I don't like losing, Lion."

His eyes remained on mine for a moment but after awhile he lifted his chin as if to acknowledge what I said.

"Challenge accepted, Kitten."

INOSENTENG tinignan ko si Pierce nang matigilan siya sa akmang pagsubo ng steak na nakatusok sa tinidor niya. Inabot ko ang kamay niya dahilan para mapalapit sa akin iyon. Without letting go of his eyes, I took the piece of meat with my teeth.

"Yum."

"Stop."

"Hmm?" I chewed silently and when I managed to swallow, I gave him a smile. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Pinigilan kong mapatawa nang kumilos siya at ilang sandali lang ay hawak na niya ang paa ko na kanina ay naglalakbay paakyat sa binti niya.

We're at my favorite restaurant, Signorina. Kagagaling lang namin sa bahay ko rito sa Manila kung saan napakilala ko siya sa pinsan ni Mireia na siyang umaasikaso sa mga alaga ko. We stayed there for quite some time and I get to play with my babies.

Now I'm not playing with babies anymore. It's daddy's time to play with me.

"Eat," he said.

"I am."

"Focus on your food."

"I'm a multi-tasker."

He just shook his head at me. All I needed was a shower and a pep talk. William Shakespeare once said that "all the world's a stage" and he might meant it in a more philosophical level but I'm taking it with my interpretation.

Pierce is trying to shake me with his teasing so that he could get the upper hand. I'm not planning to let him win. And it's more fun this way anyway.

"Do you want to transfer your pets to Tagaytay?"

Inabot ko ang baso ng wine ko at uminom muna ako bago ko siya sinagot. "Not now. When things are less busy and I have a reason to stay more at my Tagaytay residence, then I'll move them. Ngayon kasi kadalasan nasa Manila ako. Ayoko naman silang ipabalik-balik."

"You sound like you're planning to retire soon."

"Not very soon but probably sooner than the others in the industry usually does."

"Why? You're good at what you're doing."

Napataas ang kilay ko. "You've watched my films?"

"I needed to for your case." He put a piece of food in his mouth and chewed. "So?"

I shrugged and thought about it for a moment before answering. "I was a child actor. I've been in this industry longer than people that are older than me."

"You're tired of the job?"

"Not really. I enjoy doing this job but I'm not exactly getting any younger. Dadating ang panahon na hindi na magiging sobrang expanded ng options ko pagdating sa roles. It won't be forever that I get to play characters that are younger than my age or a little bit older... or characters that have more to offer than cliche situations."

"What do you plan to do after? Get married and have a family?"

I chuckled at his words. "I don't think so. Why is that the thing that is always expected for women?"

"I didn't asked you that because you're a woman. I asked you because I wanted to. You grew up in a large family. I thought maybe you wanted the same thing."

"Why? Do you want to marry me?" He gave me a sharp look and I just smiled at that. "No. I haven't thought of having a family yet."

"You're young. You have time."

"I'm nearly twenty-seven. Most people would tell me that's too old for me to not have any plans."

"You don't schedule having a child in your life. It's a responsibility, not a task to be ticked off your list. It's not the matter of your age. Kung hindi ka handa bakit mo pipilitin ang sarili mo?"

My world is loud, eventful, and hectic... yet people get obsessive with the lifestyle. I'm not exempted from it. Pierce is like fresh air. A healthy distraction. He could be hardheaded and sometimes too alpha, but he's also perceptive than most. Sinusunod niya kung ano ang pinapaniwalaan niya at wala siyang pakielam kung hindi iyon ang nakikita ng karamihan. It's not above him to tell the word to go fuck themselves and it's refreshing for a person like me that life revolves around pleasing people.

"And twenty-seven is young."

"Not that young," I told him.

"You're practically a baby."

Pinaikot ko ang mga mata ko. "Kung makapagsalita ka parang lolo ka na. You're only six years older than me, Lion."

May sasabihin pa sana siya pero parehas kaming natigilan nang makarinig kami ng kung anong ingay. Nasa dulo kami ng restaurant at hindi naman ganoon kadami ang tao pero maging ang ilan na mga kumakain ay napatingin sa pinagmulan ng komosyon.

"I hope your dick fall of you fucking cheater!"

Namilog ang mga mata ko at napatakip ako sa bibig ko nang makita ko ang pamilyar na lalaki na ngayon ay basa ang suot na mamahalin na suit ng wine pagkatapos ibuhos sa kaniya iyon ng babaeng tuloy-tuloy na lumabas ng restaurant.

"Is that..."

"Kaiser, the two timing ass," I whispered.

I know we're far enough from him to hear my words but it's like there's magic to it because Kaiser's eyes turned to me. He's already pissed what with getting a red wine shower but now he catapulted into a burning rage... and it's directed to my direction.

Huh. I guess my sister is not done making his life a living hell. At mukhang hindi pa rin nagdadala si Kaiser.

I know my sister is busy because the family business is still in lockdown but she probably hired someone to keep on messing with him. Ang alam ko lang ay pinapahuli ni Ate Vie sa akto na pambabae si Kaiser at pagkatapos ay pinadadala niya ang katibayan sa mga babaeng binibiktima niya.

"This is your fault!"

I felt Pierce's body stiffened and he stood up from his chair. Tumayo rin ako pero hindi dahil sa lalaking ngayon ay nanggagalaiti na nakatingin sa akin kundi dahil kay Pierce na baka kung ano pa ang magawa sa lalaki.

"Whatever you're doing just stop!"

Tinuro ko ang sarili ko at tinignan ko ang ex ko. "Ako? Anong ginawa ko sa'yo?"

"Ever since we broke up this kept on happening to me."

Ginala ko ang tingin ko sa paligid at nakita kong sa amin na nakatingin lahat ng tao. Thankfully they're not taking videos. "You mean ever since I broke up with you because you cheated on me?"

"You fucking bitc-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll cut off your dick myself and feed it to you, buddy."

Kaiser might be stupid but I don't think he's "that" stupid. Kahit na sinong tao aatras kapag nakita ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Pierce habang nakatingin sa lalaki. It's not just his usual calm coldness but rather it's the kind of silent deadly anger that can strike to kill any moment now.

"Stop messing with my life," Kaiser said to me when he look away from Pierce.

His eyes are full of disdain but I can't find myself to care. Lalo pa at inabot ni Pierce ang kamay ko para hilahin ako palapit sa kaniya. He angled his body so that he's in front of me.

"She doesn't exist to you. If you see her, walk away."

"You can't tell me what to do. And she's the one that is not walking away from me."

"Where's your proof that she's messing with you? She's Belaya Lawrence. Why would she waste her time on the likes of you?"

Tinikom ko ng mariin ang mga labi ko para mapigilan ko ang sarili ko na matawa lalo pa at namula ang mukha ni Kaiser sa galit.

"You said it's her fault? She's not the one fooling women left and right. Ikaw ang gumagawa ng katangahan hindi siya. Kaya kung may sisisihin ka sarili mo dapat 'yon."

"You don't have the right to talk to me this way," Kaiser said through gritted teeth.

Oh my god. I'm so glad that I'm not with him anymore. He's like the male version of Pierce's ex. Mas lamang lang ang ex ni Pierce ng konti.

"You're the one ruining our dinner just because someone recognize again that you're a douche bag who's so insecure that you need validation by playing with women. Which is stupid because in fact you're proving nothing except that you're just a miserable waste of time."

Oooh. Burn.

Nilabas ni Pierce ang wallet niya at kumuha siya ro'n ng pera. Ibinaba niya iyon sa lamesa bago niya muling inabot ang kamay ko. "We're done here, Kitten. We're not going out ever again. Lia's food taste better anyways and they have an asshole-free home."

I gave Kaiser a sweet smile before I let Pierce pulled me away from the place. Tuloy-tuloy na lumabas kami pero sa pagtataka ko ay hindi kami tumuloy sa sasakyan niya.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Bago pa siya makapagsalita ay nadiskubre ko na ang sagot sa tanong ko. Kumurba ang ngiti sa mga labi ko nang makita ko ang sasakyan ni Kaiser na akala mo ay bago ulit dahil walang bakas doon ng ginawa ko noon. He probably spent a lot of money to it.

"I need you to sign something for me," sabi ni Pierce at iginalaw niya ang ulo niya para ituro ang sasakyan. "Only if you're up to it of course. We don't have much time."

"Eh. We have a couple. That ass is probably still powdering his nose."

Lumapit ako kay Pierce at inilusot ko ang kamay ko sa jacket ng suit niya at kinuha ko ang susi niya. Light crossed his eyes when I gave him a smile.

"You're a fun date, Lion."

"I could say the same thing to you, Kitten."