#DS3Unscripted #BelayaxPierce #LKCouple #DaggerSeries

CHAPTER 21: NEAR

BELAYA'S POV

I've been awake for the past two hours but instead of getting up to have breakfast with Pierce, I decided to just stay in bed. It's not like I want to go back to sleep. I just don't want to get up yet and face the world.

I looked at my phone's calendar again as if staring at it would change the date. Napapabuntong-hininga na pinatay ko iyon at inilagay ko sa tabi ko bago ako tumagilid para yakapin ang unan ko. I hate this month more than anything. Lalo na ang papalapit na araw na ayoko na sanang maalala.

"Hey."

My eyes went to the direction of the voice and I saw Pierce standing at the door. Kunot ang noo niya habang tinitignan ang ayos ko. Usually kasi halos sabay lang kami magising. Minsan nga nauuna pa ako. Hindi naman kasi sanay ang pagkatao ko sa masyadong mahaba na tulog.

"You missed breakfast," he said.

Hindi ako umalis sa pagkakahiga at sa halip ay binigyan ko lang siya ng maliit na ngiti. "It's okay. I don't usually eat breakfast anyway."

"Are you dieting again?"

"Lagi naman akong diet. But no, I just don't feel like eating."

Lalong lumalim ang pagkakakunot nang noo niya. Inaasahan kong lalabas na siya pero sa pagtataka ko ay lumapit siya sa kinahihigaan ko. Hindi ko na nagawang makagalaw nang umangat sa direksyon ko ang kamay niya at nilapat niya iyon sa noo ko.

"You don't have a fever," he said.

"No I don't. Inaantok lang ako."

"You slept early last night."

He's right. It's been a busy week and I attended two script readings that went well. Usually it takes a lot of time but I found out The Chains Of Ravine was being planned years ago. Cast lang talaga ang problema nila na ngayon naman ay naayos na nila at ilang location hunting. They managed to cast all the main characters kaya nagawa na nilang makapag-schedule ng script reading.

"I'm just a little tired."

I know he can hear the lie behind my words. My schedule now is nowhere near as hectic as the schedules that I had before.

"Arctic's coming home this week, right?" I asked so we could change the subject.

"Yes. He'll be staying with Luna."

"That's too bad." Umupo ako at sumandal ako sa headboard ng kama. "Matatagalan pa ba bago mahanap ang gumagawa nito sa akin?"

"The stalker didn't leave any trace and we couldn't find a fingerprint on the mask that he left. We need him to make a move again so we'll get more information. As of now the list are getting narrower and we have men investigating the people on the list."

"So it will take awhile."

His eyes roamed around my face. "Nagsasawa ka na ba na lagi mo akong kasama?"

Sa pagkakataon na ito ay ako naman ang mataman na napatingin sa kaniya. There's something in his eyes that I couldn't name but he quickly hide it, settling into his usual blank expression.

"That's not why I asked. I just feel bad that you can't be with your son because I'm here."

"I can still visit him."

It's not the same but I just decided to nod my head. Shake it off, Belaya. You can't act this way around him.

"Come. You need to eat."

Inabot ko ang kamay niya na nakalahad sa direksyon ko at tinulungan niya akong makatayo. Tumalikod siya sa akin at inabot niya ang roba ko para ibigay sa akin. Not once that he looked below my neck.

Despite what seems like a heavy cloud surrounding me, I can't help but smile at his actions. He never stopped being a gentleman. I think he's the kind of person na kahit ang kaharap niya ay ang ex niya na nagpapahirap sa buhay niya ay hindi niya pa rin maaalis sa personalidad niya iyon.

Sinuot ko ang robe at pagkatapos ay kinuha ko ang cellphone ko. Sinundan ko si Pierce pababa ng bahay at saktong nasa dulong baitang na ako no'n nang tumunog ang hawak ko. I saw Sebastian's caller ID and I answered.

"Hello?"

"Management called. Pictures of you and Pierce are circulating."

I didn't expect for him to stay hello or what. Sebastian never called unless there's something important he wanted to say.

"Pictures of what?"

"With you on a date with him a week ago."

"We just went out to eat."

Napatingin ako kay Pierce na kasalukuyang bitbit ang mga pagkain na naglakad papunta sa dining area para ilagay ang mga iyon sa lamesa.

"Some gossip sites and magazines are already talking about it, Belaya."

Actors usually hide their dating life because for one, privacy is a big deal. You don't want people poking around the people you're dating specially if that person is a non-celebrity. I dated a lot of people and only a few of them was made public. Kadalasan sa mga nababalita ay rumor lang na pilit nilang ikinakabit sa pangalan ko. That's why for ages they've been talking about my flavor of the week or month because it's interesting for them. But the things that really happened in my relationships rarely made it to the news. Hindi ko naman kasi inaamin direkta ang ugnayan ko sa mga taong idinidikit nila sa akin.

Hindi kasi masaya sa pakiramdam kapag naghiwalay kayo tapos araw-araw ay makikita mong pinag-uusapan iyon. It's like a continuous reminder of how you failed on the dating game. For me, it's an insistent reminder of how I was fooled again and again.

"It's fine, Sebastian. The management will probably release a statement about it. Hindi naman tago sa lahat kung anong sitwasyon ko ngayon. Alam nilang may bodyguard ako."

"You need to look at the pictures."

"Seb-"

"You're an actress. You don't mind the gossips, but you know what they will do to him. They will tear him apart and he has a kid, Bela."

Napatingin ako kay Pierce at napapabuntong-hininga na umupo ako sa upuan na hinila niya para sa akin. I saw his forehead creased while looking at me. Hindi niya kailangan marinig ang pinag-uusapan namin ni Sebastian para matukoy na may pinoproblema ako.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Just be careful. I'll talk to the management and we'll relay the results to you and Pierce."

"Alright."

Sebastian didn't speak for a moment but after awhile he sighed. "Do you need anything? The date is coming near."

Sa pagkakataon na ito ay ako naman ang hindi nakapagsalita. I just watched Pierce who's putting food on my plate as I stayed quiet.

"Bela..."

"I'm fine. I'll call you if I need anything."

Muli kong narinig ang pagbuntong-hininga niya pero nagpaalam na ako at binaba ko na ang tawag. Pierce gave me a look but I just shook my head as I reached for the spoon. "It's nothing. They'll fix it."

"Fix what?"

"Someone took a picture of us when we went to that restaurant. The management will try to make our situation clear to the public."

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "Who cares about what they think?"

"I prefer not to make any of my relationships public. People is already making up stories without me even telling anyone my real status. My life is public enough but things like that... I rather keep it to myself. Isa pa you have a son. Gossip sites could be insufferable."

"Nag-aalala ka dahil bodyguard mo lang ako at may anak na ko?"

Napatingin ako sa kaniya nang may marinig ako na kung ano sa boses niya. His face is back to his blank expression but there's something bubbling behind his eyes.

"No. That's not what I'm worried about. Some people will try to drag you down with me. Hindi pwede 'yon lalo pa at may anak ka. I don't want to cause trouble to Arctic. He's a child but the media is not merciful. They can make it look like I'm wrecking a relationship kahit na hindi naman ganoon ang sitwasyon or they will make it seems like I'm trying another flavor and this time I want to play house with someone that has a child. They can also make it look like I'm after your money even though my net worth is not something to sneeze at or they can reverse it and make it look you're the one trying to use me."

"So me having a son is an issue?"

"For them it could be. Lahat naman ginagawa nilang issue."

"Pero sa'yo hindi?"

Nagkibit ako ng balikat. "You have a son. A very sweet and lovable child that I happen to like. Bakit magiging problema iyon sa akin?"

Hindi siya sumagot at nanatili lang siyang nakatingin sa akin. Pagkaraan ay tahimik na nagsimula siyang kumain. I let him be and instead I opened my phone to look at my email. Gaya ng inaasahan ay nakita ko ro'n ang mensahe ni Sebastian.

I scrolled down and I instantly saw the pictures he's talking about. A strange feeling enveloped me as I look at the images of Pierce and me eating at that restaurant.

You can see me smiling at him, there are pictures where I'm laughing, at mayroon ding kung saan bahagyang nakayuko ako sa direksyon niya na parang may binubulong ako sa kaniya. Pero hindi iyon ang pinaka nakaagaw ng atensyon ko kundi ang ilang mga larawan kung saan nakatutok ang mga mata ko sa pagkain sa harapan ko o sa ibang direksyon. Those pictures showed how Pierce had his eyes on me... looking at me in a way that feels so familiar to me because I've seen them on a different set of eyes before.

I looked up from my phone and I caught Pierce staring directly at me. He didn't look away and for a moment I got lost in his eyes.

We're in trouble.

HINDI ko mapigilan ang ngiti na sumilay sa mga labi ko habang paminsan-minsan ay napapatingin ako kay Pierce. Halos mapaangat na siya sa kinauupuan niya habang kunot na kunot ang noo na nakatutok ang mga mata sa hawak niya na cellphone.

"Shit!" he exclaimed.

I look at my screen and I saw that my resurrection countdown is starting. Napangisi ako nang makita ko ang mga chat ng mga kasama namin na galit na galit na... hindi sa kalaban kundi kay Pierce.

"This people should go back to school and learn manners. How could you curse at someone you don't even know?" he muttered under his breath.

I've been playing Mobile Legends with him for almost an hour. He's the one who suggested it to me which is a surprise. I guess he's feeling the mood that I'm in. Wala naman akong balak tumanggi dahil kailangan ko rin talaga ng mag-aalis sa utak ko mula sa tila fog kung saan ako nakakulong buong araw.

"Normal na lang ang thrash talkan para sa iba," sabi ko.

"It's not normal. People are just enabling them kasi akala nila nakaka-cool."

Mariin na pininid ko ang mga labi ko para mapigilan kong mapangiti. Kanina pa kasi siya namamatay sa laro kaya galit na galit na sa kaniya ang mga kasamahan namin. Paano ba naman kasi ay wala siyang ginawa kundi sundan ako. At kada may aatake sa akin, hinaharang niya ang sarili niya. Ang taas na tuloy ng death count niya.

I saw on the screen that Pierce got resurrected first. Imbis na sundan ang mga kasama namin na humihingi ng back up ay nanatili lang siya sa base habang hinihintay ako.

"You need to follow them," I told him.

"Ayoko."

"But-"

"Malaki na sila. Kaya na nila 'yan."

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. I moved my character when it got resurrected and I went to the top lane of the map. Sumunod si Pierce sa akin gaya ng inaasahan ko. "Eh bakit ako sinusundan mo? Malaki na rin naman ako."

"Sino namang may sabi na malaki ka? You're tiny."

Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata pero umangat lang ng bahagya ang sulok ng labi niya na para bang proud pa siya sa "joke" niya.

We played for another fifteen minutes but I just shook my head when as expected, we lost. Binaba ng lalaki ang cellphone niya sa coffee table at tinignan niya ako sa paraan na para bang nahihiwagaan siya sa akin.

"I don't know why you like that game. It's stressful."

Nagkibit-balikat ako. "It's the kind of stress that is controllable. Choice kong ma-stress hindi katulad sa ibang bagay na umiikot sa buhay ko. Bakit ikaw ba? Anong stress reliever mo?"

"Looking at my son."

"And?"

"Working on my garage."

"And?"

"Travelling."

"And?"

He opened his mouth to speak but he just closed it again. Tuluyan na akong napangiti dahil hindi ko kailangang maging henyo para mahulaan kung ano ang dapat niyang sasabihin.

"Sex ba ang sasabihin mo sana?"

"No."

"Ahuh."

I watched as bit of pink appeared on his cheeks. Tumikhim siya at tumingin siya sa nakabukas na TV. "It's not like I had a lot of time to date."

"You don't need to date them when you just want to sleep with them." His eyes turned back to me and something in them looked strange as he fixed them on me. "What?"

"What's your stress reliever?" he asked.

"Games."

"And?"

"Food."

"And?" he asked again.

I know where the conversation is going so I just gave him a sweet smile. "Lion, I don't need to date or find a stranger to have sex with for that. I could relieve my stress on my own."

Sa pagkakataon na ito ay sa leeg niya na nagsimula ang paggapang ng pamumula. I know he understood what I meant and he might be a gentleman but he's still a man. I'm pretty sure that a visual of me "relieving my stress" flashed in his brain just now.

"That's your movie right?"

Napatingin ako sa TV dahil sa sinabi niya. All the playfulness went straight out of the window when I saw what movie he's talking about. It's an old one. Something that I made when I was eighteen. It's one of movie that became a national sensation because of all the people that supported it and it's the movie that I rather not see again.

"You look comfortable with him," he said conversationally.

I wanted to take my eyes off the television but I couldn't. It's been too long since I've seen his face... more so of me with him.

"Is he on the list? I couldn't remember."

He could probably remember him if I told him his name. Sigurado akong kasama ng taong nasa telebisyon ngayon sa naging imbestigasyon nila. I know why they didn't focused on him and why he wasn't included on the list.

"No," I whispered.

Kumuyom ang mga kamay ko nang makita ko kung paano ako hinalikan ng taong kasama ko sa movie. It was my first screen kiss.

"Did you date him?"

"I did."

"Another bad break up?"

"We never really broke up." Naramdaman kong dumako sa akin ang mga mata ni Pierce. I gave him a small smile. "He's Jackson and he died years ago."