#NewClassicPFL

Chapter 13
Relationship

"Go faster, Sic!"

"No."

"Go faster!"

"I said, no."

"Bakit ba ayaw mo?" iritado kong tanong. "Bibilisan mo lang naman."

"I don't want to hurt you."

My lips parted as I turned to him with a scowl. "What hurt me?" I asked in confusion. "You're just going to drive faster."

"What if we meet an accident?" he asked back. "I don't want to drive recklessly. Ayaw kong mapahamak ka."

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako at humalukipkip. Although I wanted to completely let it go, I couldn't stop myself from worrying about his important meeting.

The night had already fallen when we arrived at the Metro. It was almost six thirty and we were still on our way to our house. Alas-otso ang meeting niya. Kailangan niya pang bumiyahe pabalik ng Quezon City kung saan ang First Class Record Label. However, unlike me, he didn't seem like he was pressed for time. He was very chill.

I lost count on how many times I urged him to step on the gas hard so we could go faster, but he just wouldn't do it. Kahit na malaki ang posibilidad na mahuli siya sa meeting ay hindi pa rin siya nagmadali. Hindi ko naman siya magawang tuluyang awayin dahil sa rason niya. He was just concerned about our safety.

Nang medyo malapit na kami sa bahay ay nabuhayan na ako muli ng loob. But then, I cut eyes in half when I saw a familiar SUV which had just arrived in front of our mansion. The tail lights were shut off the moment Sic parked his sedan behind it. Nang lumabas ang lalaki mula sa driver's seat ay saka lamang nanlaki ang aking mga mata.

"Who's that?" Sic asked while looking outside.

"It's Neil..." tahimik kong sagot at saka tinanggal ang seatbelt. "I'll get off the car now. Mag-ingat ka."

Dala ang aking bag ay lumabas na ako ng kanyang sasakyan. Pagkasarado ko nga lang ng pintuan ay namatay ang makina ng sasakyan. Gulat kong nilingon si Sic na siyang nakababa na rin.

"Bakit bumaba ka pa?" tanong ko sa kanya. "Mahuhuli ka na sa meeting mo."

"I want to meet him," he firmly answered before he took my hand and threaded our fingers together, acting like he was a possessive boyfriend.

Kinagat ko ang aking ibabang labi at hinayaan siyang hawakan ang aking kamay. We walked closer to Neil, and he met us halfway while his eyes were fixed on our intertwined hands.

Napalunok ako dahil sa kanyang pagtitig sa aming mga kamay. Naramdaman ko namang hinigpitan ni Sic ang pagkakahawak sa akin.

"Neil," I called out his name once we were standing in front of each other.

Unti-unti siyang nag-angat ng tingin sa aming dalawa ni Sic. He smiled at me before his eyes shifted to Sic.

"You must be Lavi's boyfriend?" Neil laid his hand out to introduce himself. "I'm Neil Alcazar, a close friend of Lavi."

"Sic Jaranilla." Saglit na bumitiw sa akin si Sic upang paunlakan ang kamay ni Neil, ngunit nang matapos ay muli niyang hinawakan ang aking kamay.

"I know," Neil told him. "When your dating news with Lavi surfaced on the internet, I already familiarized myself with you."

"It's good that you know," sabi na lang ni Sic.

Itinagilid ni Neil ang kanyang ulo. It seemed like he didn't like the tone in Sic's voice. So before he could point on that, I stepped forward and drew his attention to me. Agad namang nalipat sa akin ang kanyang mga mata gaya ng gusto kong mangyari.

"Why are you here?" I asked him once I got the chance.

"Your father asked me to check on you..." he answered.

I already figured that out since my father told me last time he would ask Neil to check up on me. It wasn't surprising that he actually came. I just didn't expect that he would come at the exact time I was with Sic.

"I'm fine," I assured him. "You don't have to go all your way here. You can just call me."

"No, it's alright," he said, then showed me a box of the same cupcakes he usually gave me every time he would visit. "I also brought you your favorite."

Sinulyapan ko muna si Sic bago sinubukang bawiin sa kanya ang kamay upang makuha ang box. However, before I could even do so, Sic already got it for me. Kinuha at binitbit niya ang box gamit ang tali. He didn't release my hand and used his spare hand instead.

"Uhm, thank you, Neil." Nag-aalangan akong ngumiti kay Neil. "Is that all?"

I had the huge urge to send him away. I used to want to be with him all the time, but that feeling somehow became foreign to me.

He lightly shook his head and kept his polite smile. "I asked Ritchelle for your schedule and she told me you're free tomorrow night."

"Oh, you did..." Damn, Ritchelle. She should've texted me first!

He nodded and gave Sic a quick glance. "I would like to invite you for dinner. I already made a reservation at your favorite restau," he told me his plans. "I have something important to say."

Bahagyang nanuyo ang aking lalamunan. Napasulyap akong muli kay Sic. Naalala ko ang naging issue namin ni Neil dati. Our photo was captured by the media when we ate dinner outside. I promised Sic that I wouldn't be that careless again. But I also had no idea how to turn him down. It would be a first to me.

Napakunot ang aking noo. "Hindi mo ba puwedeng sabihin na lang sa akin ngayon?"

"Uhm, no... I would also like you to meet someone so..." He hesitated a little, slightly frowning. "Ayaw mo ba?"

"That's not it, uhm―"

"I'm afraid she won't be available for dinner," Sic rejected his invitation for me when I was having a hard time to say no. "We're going on a date tomorrow night after our schedule."

Nang lumingon sa akin si Neil upang siguro'y makasigurado, nakangiti akong tumango. "I'm sorry, Neil..." paghingi ko ng paumanhin. "Maybe next time? Or you can just really tell me about it now or through call..."

"No, it's fine." He reassured me with an understanding smile. "It's my fault that I didn't invite you ahead of time. I just thought you really have nothing going on for dinner tomorrow so I proceeded with the reservation..."

"Ritchelle only has my schedule for work..." I explained. "When it comes to my private and personal schedules, I can keep in track with it."

"I figured." He was still wearing a smile as he nodded. "Anyway, I don't regret coming here tonight. I told you last time that I want to meet your boyfriend."

"You do?" Sic asked, and there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Yes." Nilingon siya ni Neil. "Her father asked me for a favour to guard her every time he's out of the country for business. Nabahala siya nang malaman ang tungkol sa inyong dalawa kaya gusto rin kitang makilala para sa ikakapanatag ng loob niya. He's very protective of Lavi. I'm the only one he trusts to keep her safe and away from troubles―that's why I'm here right now."

"That's kind and thoughtful of you to do that..." Sic said with a business tone as his grip tightened once again. "Although I want to assure you that I can take care of her, even without me, I believe that Lavi's mature enough to decide on her own and capable of protecting herself."

The smile on Neil's face slightly faded as Sic voiced out his thoughts about something he and my father wouldn't understand completely.

My lips parted and my heart pounded hard against my chest as Sic stood up for me. I turned my head and looked up to him.

Although Sic's expression looked serious and firm, his eyes were filled with tenderness which enveloped my heart with warmth. His words caressed each part of me with soft and gentle touch, giving me comfort. It meant a lot to me because I never thought I would receive so much support and trust from a person I just met.

"You should trust her, you know," he told Neil without holding himself back.

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Neil. "I do trust her," agap niya. "But I can't help but worry about her. We grew up together. Natural lang sa akin ang makasiguradong nasa kamay siya ng mabuting tao. That also applies to her father. She is his only daughter. Ayaw niyang mapahamak siya sa mga maling desisyon niya."

"Then, I think you and her father should trust her more," Sic still remained firm with his stand. "She's not a kid anymore."

"Of course, I know that..." Neil sounded a bit offended but he still seemed to accept Sic's advice and criticisms.

"That's great." Sic finally smiled after looking serious and intimidating. "But if you're still not rest assured..." He let go of my hand to wrap his arm around my waist and pull me closer to him. "I can assure you that I will protect her with all of me. I will keep her safe."

Neil pursed his lips tightly before he smiled and nodded. "If that's the case, then thank you. It looks like I don't have to worry about Lavi after all," he said after a few seconds. "Well, I think I should go now. That's all I came here for."

"No problem," Sic replied right away. "It's nice meeting you."

"Same here," sabi na lang ni Neil at saka ngumiti sa akin. "Let's hang out some other time. I'll make sure that Tito Virgil knows you're in good hands."

"Thank you, Neil." I forced myself to smile. "Ingat ka pauwi."

After bidding farewell, Neil finally stepped back and went inside his car. Pagkabukas niya ng makina ng kanyang sasakyan ay bumusina siya ng isang beses bago tuluyang umarangkada paalis.

I didn't know why but I felt relieved once his car was out of my sight. Hindi ko mapigilan ang mapabuntonghininga dahil sa pag-gaan ng aking loob.

"He's the guy you were seen with last time, right?"

I snapped my head back to Sic. He finally let go of my waist, faced me, and stepped back to give space in between us.

"The one you were on a dinner date with?" he added to make sure that I was on the same page with him.

"It's a friendly date," I corrected him. "But yes, that guy was Neil."

"You like him?" he asked as he handed the box of cupcakes to me. "Oh, wait. It shouldn't be a question. It's very obvious. You like him," he said with certainty.

"We're just friends," I reassured him.

"That's not the point," he said and placed the box on top of the car's hood when I didn't take it. "I know we signed a contract, but I don't really want to keep you caged against your will. If you want to start a relationship with him―"

"I don't." I couldn't believe I said that, but that was how I felt.

Nagtaas siya ng kilay sa akin. "You don't?" paninigurado niya. "Pero gusto mo siya?"

I really did like him.

My feelings for him were like a puddle of clear water over a soil before. However, it seemed like someone had stepped on it which made it muddy. The puddle became too murky for me to see clearly but I knew it was still there. I knew I was still feeling something for him, but it wasn't as clear as before.

I didn't know when it exactly started to happen and the reason why, but I guessed it was because I wasn't getting the support I needed from him like I expected him to. Maybe it was all because of the disappointment I felt.

"I do," I admitted my feelings for Neil to him. "But he doesn't like me back."

"He does," he said. "I see the way he looks at you. He cares about you so much."

"That's because he treats me like his sister," I told him, and that truth was hard for me to accept. "Like what he said earlier, we grew up together. Kulang na lang ay lumaki kami sa isang bahay. That's how close we are. He knows almost everything about me. Ganoon din ako sa kanya," I explained my relationship with Neil. "And I know that whatever feelings he has for me, it's all just familial in a sense."

Humakbang ako palapit kay Sic nang hindi na siya nagsalita. He was staring blankly at me and I equaled his stare.

"I'll be loyal and faithful to you while we're together, Sic," I stated without any hesitation which caught him off guard.

His eyes widened and he was completely speechless. He wasn't able to school his expression even if he tried to.

I knew well that Sic was doing everything to make sure that our fake relationship would work, so I wouldn't regret my decision. He showed efforts that deserved to be appreciated. He made me feel special and worthy in both actions and words. He trusted and believed in my skills and decisions.

Our relationship may not be real, but it still wouldn't work if only one of us would exert efforts to be a better partner. I should also give him an assurance and treat him like my real boyfriend. If he's doing his part, I should also do mine. That's how a relationship works.