Martin Casper Lexington

"Are you stalking me?" Pinagkrus ko ang mga braso sa aking dibdib at pinaningkitan siya ng mata.

What? Does he think I'll get intimidated by how he towers and looks down on me? He should try harder.

"Stalking you?" He scoffed. "Who do you think you are?"

Nagkibit balikat ako. "No one. I was just some hole you can't stop fucking after breaking up with your girl." I grinned.

That must have hit some nerve dahil kaagad na nagbago ang ekspresyon niya sa mukha. His jaw hardened as he bore a hole on my face.

"What are you trying to do? Why are leeching off my mom?" I can feel the intensity of his hatred as he spat those words on me.

Napataas ang kilay ko doon. How dare he... how dare he tell the truth?

"Why? Would you rather want me to leech off of you, huh, salsiccino?" Mahina akong natawa sa tinawag ko sa kaniya. Don't blame me I just heard that kanina sa kabilang table.

Mas lalong sumama ang tingin niya sa akin. "Where the hell did you learn that?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Just... here and there."

"So?" Hindi ko na siya binigyan ng pagkakataon pang makapagsalita. "What are you doing here? What do you want? As you can tell it's rather late and I need to do my skincare routine and sleep so spill it."

"Do I need a reason to be here? This is my house," he argued and I can't help but to roll my eyes at him.

"Ngayon bahay mo na 'to pagkatapos kong linisan? Very shameless. Kung ayaw mong sagutin ang tanong ko then do whatever you want. I'm going to sleep. I'm tired. Paki-lock na lang ng pinto." I ended our conversation there.

I don't want any arguments after spending a good evening out. And it's useless to talk to someone like him. I feel like he doesn't listen to people so what's the point of talking? If he wants to be here then so be it. If he wants to be out then go. Walang pipigil sa kaniya.

Just two steps up from the floor, I stopped when I remembered something. "By the way, if you can't sleep on the sofa you can always come to my room and sleep beside me. Iyon lang ang malinis na kwarto."

I gave him a sweet smile before I continued going up. Whatever choice he chooses it's good for me. Huwag lang talaga niyang ibuka iyang bibig niya, kaya ko siyang i-tolerate. For his dck.

Sinilip ko ang sasakyan niya mula sa bintana pagkatapos kong maligo at nakitang naroon pa rin iyon. Maybe he decided to just travel tomorrow since gabi na rin. But what took him here? I don't think it's the house.

If he cares so much for this house siguradong hindi aabot sa ganitong sitwasyon ang bahay. Whatever he came here for, I hope he doesn't become a menace. He better leave me alone. But if he wants to play with me, I'll consider it.

Napangise ako nang maalala ang pinagagawa namin sa yate at eroplano.

I slept through the night without a care for the world. Nang bumaba ako mga 9 ng umaga nadatnan ko siyang nagk-kapae na may kasamang biscuit. He was also reading his newspaper. I scrunched my nose. Gurang.

"Ciao, papi," I greeted languidly with a mischievous smile on my face. "Do I get a morning kiss?"

Sinulyapan niya lang ako bago ibinalik ang tingin sa binabasa niyang newspaper. Napairap na lamang ako. Suplado.

Dumiretso ako sa counter at kinuha mula doon ang rice cooker. If you think I can live with their bread and coffee in the morning, think again. Lumaki akong kumakain ng rice at mamamatay akong kumakain ng rice. That's why I learned how to cook rice kahit hindi ako marunong magluto ng ulam. Ulam can be bought out but my rice? It has to be right.

I sat across him as I waited for my rice to cook. Nanuod lang din ako ng movie sa phone ko na binili ni Lucia. I heard from Julia na How to make millions before grandma dies is good.

"Oh my god, this is so annoying," I sobbed as I watch the poor grandmother sat alone outside her house. I pulled some tissue from the tissue holder here sa table at suminga doon.

I turned to look at Lucas and showed him my phone. "Look, her sons are so shameless. How could they do this to the woman?"

He gave me a strange look before he stood up at pinatay ang rice cooker. Naluto na pala iyong rice hindi ko namalayan at masyado akong naging invested sa pinapanood ko.

"Stop watching that if you're just going to cry," he said, annoyed, when he came back to do something on his laptop naman. Kanina pa siya natapos mag-breakfast.

I glared at him. "Shut up."

Tinapos ko muna iyong movie bago ako tumayo. I decided to cook the fish my neighbors gave me yesterday. Do I know how to cook a fish? Absolutely not.

I turned on the stove and waited for the pan to heat up like what I saw dati na ginawa ni mommy. I'm just going fry this swordfish. It shouldn't be that hard right? You just put the fish and flip it.

I put some oil sa pan and squinted my eyes. "Is this enough?" I mumbled before adding more.

I look at the fish and realized something. Hindi pala siya kasya sa pan kasi half siya ng swordfish. So like I'm going to cut this pa? I grimaced but decided to brave up. Kumuha ako ng kutsilyo sa tabi at sinubukan iyong cut... or chop? Fuck this is hard. I mean the fish is literally hard because it's frozen.

I was about to cut it again when I felt someone standing behind me. He grabbed my hand holding the knife and then turned off the stove.

"Why did you turn it off?" Ang inis kong tanong sa kaniya nang lingunin ko siya. "Saka bitawan mo nga ako. I'm cooking!"

He squeezed my hand a little hard then stole the knife from me. He looked down on me saka nakipaglabanan ng tingin. "Cooking? You're trying to burn my house down and you're about to make me a murderer with how you handle your knife."

Hmp! Napairap ako saka siya iniwan doon. "Edi ikaw na magaling magluto."

I was trying my best okay? It's not like I'm born to be a chef. I'm born to be served. Period! Tapos namatay na sa gutom. Eme!

Kumuha na lamang ako ng rice saka dinampot ko rin iyong tin can ng milo. We can't starve here, I still have plenty of dicks to taste.

"What are you doing?" He asked, curiosity laced on his voice.

"Surviving." I answered before putting milo on top of my rice. Si Gabrielle nagturo sa akin kumain ng ganito. Saw him doing it once and my life has never been the same since.

"Cazzo!" I heard him say before he stole my fucking plate. What the fuck is wrong with this man?

"Ano bang problema mo?!" I'm at my wits end. This man is literally testing my patience right now. Parang ang sarap na niyang sakalin. "Bwiset!"

I glared at him before turning my back at him. There's no point in fighting him. I just want him gone. It's not like I haven't tried skipping breakfast before. He couldn't be here for more than a day. I could just eat out sa lunch.

"Where are you going? Are you a child?"

Hindi ko siya pinansin at dire-diretsong umakyat patungo sa kwarto ko. I locked myself up at muling nahiga sa higaan. Binuksan ko ang phone na binigay ni Lucia at nag-type ng message doon.

Mhara:

Get your son out of here.

Lucia Alexandra Mariani:

Son? What do you mean, ijo?"

Mhara:

I mean your fcking son whose sick in the head. Get him out of here or I will go.

Lucia Alexandra Mariani calling...

"Mhara, dear, what happened? At sinong anak ko ang nandiyan? Si Lucio ba?" Ang kaagad na bungad sa akin ni Lucia pagkasagot ko ng tawag niya.

"No, Lucia. I meant that Lucas. Masyadong pakialamero. Akala ko ba walang anak mo ang interasadong pumunta dito? Isn't that why I'm here?"

I heard her sigh on the other line. "I am sorry... he can be bossy sometimes but I swear he's a good man. But I didn't know he'd be there. Wala naman siyang sinabi. Oh, wait!"

Napataas ang kilay ko sa biglaang pagtaas ng boses niya.

"What?"

"I remembered something. Tinanong niya pala sa akin kahapon kung nakita nila Anna si Odelia diyan. That girl used to live there and some of her living relatives stayed there. Kaya siguro siya nagpunta diyan. I am sorry, Mhara, ijo. Please bear with my son, problemado lang iyan sa fiancee niya."

Napaikot ang mata ko. It's there problem why should I be the one bearing his bad attitude? Do I look like a pushover? A punching bag? Ang kapal naman ng mukha niya.

"Bear with him? I'm so close to murdering your son right now Lucia. It's too late."

Just because she gave me the money and a place to hide from my grandmother doesn't mean I'll let her family trample me. That money can be paid but my anger? Never.

"I'm sorry. Hindi naman siguro iyan magtatagal diyan. He needs to take care of his business. Uuwi din iyan maya-maya. I'm really sorry."

"Save it. Ikaw ba ang may kasalanan sa akin?" Ang malamig kong tanong sa kaniya. "He better be out in the afternoon. I don't want him here."

"Alright. I'll talk to him."

Pinatay ko na ang tawag at saka ipinikit ang mga mata. But I was too hungry to go back to sleep so I ended up sitting out on the balcony of my room. Yup. I do have a small balcony here with a plastic chair and a small coffee table. Very fancy.

Kalahating oras yata akong nakatanaw sa dagat nang may marinig akong katok sa kwarto ko. Napairap ako.

Inilayo ko na nga ang sarili sa demonyo, lumalapit pa sa akin. Gusto niya yatang pahabain ang sungay ko.

Hindi ko iyon pinansin at ipinikit ang mga mata. Where should I eat later? I'm craving Filipino food already.

God, I miss home. I miss working. I miss my work space, my fancy jewels, my annoying patrons.

"How did you get inside?" I asked coldly without opening my eyes. Baka matulak ko lang siya sa baba kapag ibinuka ko ang mga mata.

Napalunok ako nang may ma-amoy na mabango.

"Eat," he commanded.

Ibinuka ko ang mga mata at taas kilay na tiningnan ang platong may kanin at isda. The fish looked professionally cut and seared...and the smell. Fuck! Get a grip, Mhara. Hindi ka niya makukuha sa pagkain.

"No, thank yo—" grumble grumble.

At ngayon niya pa talaga napiling tumunog. Tiim bagang kong tiningnan ang walanghiyang lalaki sa aking harapan. He was leaning arrogantly against the balustrade with his lips quirked up mockingly.

"Help yourself," he pointed at the food in front of me. I glared at him and showed him my middle finger.

"You're done here so get out," ang malamig kong utos sa kaniya. Heck! I will never eat this in front of him.

"No, let's talk about what you're doing with my mother. She called me and asked me to go home right away. It was you, wasn't it?" He asked accusingly. The mocking smile completely gone from his face.

I pinned him with an unimpressed look. "So? What if it's me? What are you going to do with it?"

Pagak siyang natawa at tumingala. Damn him to hell. Even in that rumpled dress shirt from yesterday, he managed to look effortlessly devastating without even trying. Inilihis ko ang paningin nang isang masamng tingin ang ibinato niya sa akin.

"Do you know who I am?" He asked with that dangerously low voice.

I smirked. "Oh~ should I be trembling now? You think your net worth scares me?"

I stood up and closed the distance between us with deliberate steps. My eyes never strayed away from him. The way he watched me felt like playing with fire, mesmerizing and deadly all at once. I grinned. Just the way I like it.

I rested my hands on his broad chest and tiptoed. "Daddy, I've eaten scarier men than you for breakfast. Try harder. Hm?"

I felt his body tensed beneath my hands. I chuckled and kissed his stubble-filled cheeks. "Thank you for the food, by the way. Italian sausage would have sufficed."

He pushed me away and glared at me. I can see anger and hatred clearly on his dark eyes and that made me feel giddier.

"Vaffanculo!" He spat before walking away.

I laugh as I watched his retreating back. "I would love to, papi. Only if it's you!" I yelled and laughed even more when he slammed the door.