CHAPTER TWENTY

HABANG naglalakad sila ni Blake pabalik sa beach house ay hindi na maipinta ang mukha ni Alexza. She was frowning at the man and how he treated her awhile ago as if they're close to think that she doesn't know him. What is his name again? Zyron? Even she tried hard to remember him, she can't. As in wala!

Drake is staring at her since they get in the house. Tinitignan siya na para bang ang weird weird niya ng mga sandaling iyon.

"Wait for me here mommy okay? I'll take a shower." Paalam sa kanya ni Blake at nagmamadaling umakyat sa hagdan.

Lutang pa rin siya nang maupo sa sofa. She's still thinking about the man she met awhile ago.

"What are you thinking?" Drake asked, looking intently at her, unsmiling. He's standing next to where she's sitting.

"Zyron?" She saw how his face darkened when she said that name. "K-kilala niya ako? Did you tell him about me?"

Ang mga makakapal na kilay ng binata ay unti-unti nang nagsasalubong. Ang labi ay nakaisang linya, tila may kinokontrol na kung ano. Mariin ang titig sa kanya, halos basahin ang kaguluhan sa isip niya.

"Look, if you don't want to talk about him, it's fine with me. I'm just confused." Aniya ulit, ayaw niya itong galitin.

She knows Drake well that whenever they speak about other man aside from him, aside from her brother, he will get mad and jealous. Hanggang ngayon ba? Gano'n pa rin ito? Well, the way his face darkened, the answer is yes. He still doesn't want them to talk about other man.

"I thought you were just playing a tricks with him,"

"Why would I do that? I don't even know him."

"You're confusing me, Alexza."

"I'm confused also." She plays with her fingers. "M-Maybe you told him our story that's why he knows me..."

"Even I don't tell my friends about us, they will know."

Drake lazily sat next to her. She move sideward a bit, avoiding their body contact.

"I did not even know that you have a friend aside from Kuya Dwaye?"

Napapantastikuhan na napatigalgal sa kanya si Drake. Bumuka ng kaunti ang mga labi pero wala naman lumabas na salita do'n.

Umusli ang nguso niya at inirapan ito ng matindi bago tumayo. Sa ilang taon na nawala siya, hindi na nakapagtataka na magkaro'n ng mga kaibigan si Drake. He's not a friendly type of a man, but she believe that everyone can't live without a friend.

"Where are you going? We are still talking, Alexza!"

"I want to rest my feet. Let's talk some other time, Drake." Iyon lang ang sinabi niya bago tuluyang pumanhik sa hagdan.

PAGKATAPOS nilang mag-dinner ay inaya niya si Blake sa silid nito para na rin makatakas siya kay Drake at sa pagtatali sa kanya sa kama. She would be sleeping with him again while her hand is tied up on his bed? That's a big no to her. He might do something that she would love to, meaning to say, she's just saving herself from heat.

"I want this mommy... read this for me." Blake picked a book and handed on her.

They're laying in bed already. She's about to start reading when the door suddenly opened.

Drake was fresh from shower, wearing a v-neck top and faded ripped jeans. Sa itsura nito, siguradong aalis ito at ikinakatuwa ng damdamin niya iyon. Pakiramdam niya ay malaya siya ngayong gabi sa kamay ng binata.

"Daddy, saan ka po pupunta?" Nakatitig si Blake sa ama.

He sat at the edge of the bed.

"I'm going to meet my friends tonight. So, your mommy will be sleeping here."

"Paano po kapag umalis na naman siya kapag nakatulog na ako?" Nag-aalala ang boses at mata ng anak.

"Aalis ka ba, Alexza?" Tanong ni Drake sa kanya, seryoso.

"Hindi. Dito lang ako." Tinignan niya si Blake. "Pangako, hindi ako aalis, anak." Itinaas niya pa ang isang kamay.

"Promise yan mommy ha?"

"I promise!" Siguradong sambit niya.

"Good, I have to go." Drake stood up.

She eye him suspiciously. He will going to D' Club to meet his friends? It means he will going to meet her brother and Zyron? Since he and Brooke were enemy? And then inside the Club is a lot of women who will flirt with them! And that Maisie!?

Kumulo bigla ang dugo niya nang maalala ang eksenang magkasama ang dalawa.

"She's not there." Drake said, as if he already read her mind.

Umismid siya at umirap. Pinipigilan niya ang sariling huwag magpakain sa galit pero parang ang hirap hirap, humuhulas talaga ang damdamin na iyon para dito at sa babae.

"How did you know that? She called you? She texted you?" She voice out bitterly.

"She didn't."

"Really, huh,"

Kahit na maang na pinapanood sila ni Blake ay hindi niya kayang pigilan ang pang-uuyam sa kausap.

"We will be in a VIP lounge. No girls allowed." He explained. "It would not happen again. I'm avoiding her. I stopped communicating with her since then."

Her one eyebrow shot up. "You don't need to explain though. I don't really care now."

"I was just trying to give you a peace here. Stop thinking what I'm doing in Club..."

"Hindi ko iniisip," kaila niya.

"...So you don't need to ran away again thinking that I'm having fun while you were left here with my son."

"Umalis ka na," taboy niya.

"Bakit po galit ka na naman mommy ko? Ayaw mo bang umalis si daddy? Namimiss mo ba siya kaagad?"

"Hindi ako galit," maldita na sagot niya. "Gusto ko ngang umalis 'yang daddy mo para hindi niya na ako itali. At hindi ko 'yan namimiss, ikaw lang ang namimiss ko Blake."

She lazily lay down beside her son and leered at Drake who's watching them. Bahagyang nakaangat ang mga kilay nito na halatang hindi naniniwala sa sinabi niya.

"I have to go now. Good night," Drake crawl onto the bed and kiss his son's forehead then his gaze drop down on her.

She greeted her teeth when he smirk playfully at him. What's on his mind?!

"Good night kiss din po ni mommy, daddy." Blake requested.

"Hmm, I don't think your mommy would allow me to kiss her."

"At isa pa hindi ka hahalik sa mga paasa, di ba? Kahit pa good night kiss 'yon." Aniya, inarkuhan ito ng kilay. "Go ahead and have fun tonight."

Drake keep smirking at her with playful small smile on his seductive lips. He's really unbelievable and annoying!

Pinilit matulog ni Alexza sa tabi ni Blake kahit pa umiikot na sa isipan niya kung ano na ang ginagawa ni Drake sa Club! Totoo kayang silang makakaibigan lang ang magkasama o may babae rin? Its hard for her to trust him again when it comes to the women who's around him and try to get near him.

"WHAT?! ARE YOU PREGNANT?! Alexza's mother asks shockingly and angrily at her, while she was laying in hospital bed.

"Yes, mom,"

Ilan beses niya na rin sinagot ang ina at kinumpirma ngunit hindi pa rin sumi-sink-in sa utak nito ang balitang iyon.

She was rush in the hospital last night with her brother and Jessielyn after she fainted at the hotel lobby. On how she managed to ran before Maisie could see her, she can't remember anymore.

Sa sobrang sakit yata na makita ang dalawa ay hindi niya na gusto pang alalahanin kung paano siya nakatakbo at nakalayo sa mga ito.

The memory of infidelity of Maisie and Drake on his suit was still lingering on her mind like an acid that burns her heart in a very painful way.

"Did that man know about your pregnancy, Alexza?! Ano ang sabi? Papanagutan niya ba? Handa na ba siyang matali sa'yo?"

"I did not tell him yet..." She took a hurtful sighed. "I don't have plan to tell him though."

"Bakit? Dahil alam mong hindi niya papanagutan ang batang 'yan?!"

Her mother massage her temple. She seem so stress now knowing that she's pregnant. She's around 52 but she looks younger than her age. Her aura screams in so much sophistication.

"I...I just don't like him to know my pregnancy but once I give birth, I will let him know that this child is his."

Marahan na hinimas niya ang ibabaw na impis na tiyan. Ngayon palang ay nakakaramdam na ng awa sa anak pero hindi dapat gano'n ang maramdaman niya! She will be a good mother with or without Drake! With or without his support! Damn him!

"No! Don't you ever try tell him that that child is his! Look how irresponsible he is! I already warned you, Alexza, pero sadyang matigas ang ulo mo at lapit nang lapit pa rin sa lalaking 'yon kahit ayaw namin sa kanya!"

"Mom, please...stop. You are making me stress." She grunted weakly.

Her mommy eyed her stomach then sighed and shook her head.

"I'm very disappointed, Alexza. Ano nalang ang sasabihin ng pamilya ni Tommy, huh?"

"Can you please stop it, mom? Hindi ako magpapakasal diyan kay Tommy! Why do you keep insisting it? Pinapaasa niyo lang 'yung tao!"

Tommy Herrera is the son of her parents business partner. Hindi niya man lang namalayan na pinagkasundo siya sa Tommy na iyon kahit na alam naman ng mga ito na kasintahan niya si Drake! Bakit ba kailangan makialam ng magulang niya sa buhay pag-ibig niya? Dinadagdagan lang ang problema niya!

"Magpapakasal ka sa kanya sa ayaw at sa gusto mo, Alexza! Forget that Villafuente and focus on Tommy instead! Ako na ang bahalang kumausap sa kanya tungkol diyan sa bata. I know he will understand and accept that kid as his."

"No!" She shouted impatiently. "Don't decide for me mommy! This is my child and I will do what I know is right as a mother. This child deserves to have a father and Drake deserve to know all about this! Even I'm hating him so much now, I still wanted him to know about our child!"

Her mother stilled with her sudden outburst. Her tears falling down her cheeks and she wipe it annoyingly.

"You hate that Villafuente? Why? Did he hurt you? Did he cheated on you? See? Eventually, you will realized that he's not the one for you, Alexza. Don't force yourself to someone who will only give tears in your eyes."

Nanatili siyang tikom ang bibig at panay mahihinang hikbi lang ang maririnig sa kanya. Kailangan niya lang ilabas ang sama ng loob niya sa nangyayari bago pa may mangyaring hindi niya gusto.

"I'll be back here tomorrow with Tommy. You are fully guarded outside so don't try to escape. Bukas natin ipagpatuloy ang pag-uusap na ito. Get some rest. Ayoko ng patagalin pa ang kasal niyong dalawa."

Her mother said before leaving the room without kissing her cheek or giving her at least a goodbye hug.

What happened really stress her and broke her. Mas inaalala niya pa ang sakit na nararamdaman niya kesa ang balitang ipapakasal siya ng ina sa lalaking hindi niya naman gusto.

She's bothered with what were Maisie and Drake did without her around. She can't believe that he can afford cheating on her that easy.

NABABASAG na kagamitan sa buong kabahayan ang nagpaigtad kay Alexza at nagpagising nang may kaba sa dibdib. Her head suddenly ache because of that and she needed to close her eyes again to calm it. Blake is still sleeping beside her.

She carefully get up on the bed and went outside the room to check the living room. The house is dim but she can still see Drake who's messing around his house. Dali-dali na bumaba siya ng hagdan at mabilis na napigilan ito nang akmang ibabalibag ang lass center table.

"Stop it Drake!"

Yinakap niya ito sa likod at nahihirapan na inilayo sa kawawang lamesa. He's so heavy and so drunk that his muscular built make her knees weak.

The living room are messy, the broken pieces of vases were all over the floor. Kung hindi siya mag-iingat ay tiyak na masusugatan ang paa niya.

"A-Alexza?" He called her name drunkly and turn around to face her. "W-Why are you still up?"

Lasing na lasing ito na halos napapapikit na at babagsak ng tuluyan ang katawan kung hindi niya naaagapan alalayan.

"Bakit ka ba nagpakalasing ng ganyan?"

She wrap his one arm on her shoulder and guide him to the kitchen. She turn on the lights using her free hand and made him sit on the chair.

Nakayukyok ang mukha nito sa ibabaw ng lamesa, pinipilit na ibukas ang mga mata para makita siya kahit pa gustung-gusto ng pumikit ng mga iyon.

Nagbasa siya ng white towel para ipunas sa mukha nito at nang mahimasmasan kahit papano. She's leaning so close on him, freeing herself to stare at his handsome face on his drunken state.

"S-sana hindi ka nalang u-umalis...kaya n-naman kitang ipaglaban." Nakapikit na ito habang lasing na nagsasalita. "I will f-fucking fight for you...if you c-can't fight for me. Why did you have to left m-me...huh,"

"I already tell you my reasons. You're drunk, you forget it." Sagot niya naman dito habang patuloy sa marahan na pagpunas sa mukha nito.

"I will surely fight for you with all my heart, with all my might and with all my life if you could only give me a chance to do it for us."

Nag-init ang magkabilang sulok ng kanyang mga mata at nagsisimula ng tumibok ang puso niya sa isang mahapding paraan.

"T-Tapos na 'yon, Drake. Sinusubukan ko nang kalimutan 'yung ginawa ko noon. Sana gano'n ka rin..."

"I don't know what did I do for you to left me like that. Did I hurt you? Did I cheated on you? Am I a bad boyfriend? What was wrong with me?"

Umiling-iling siya at naglaglagan ang mga pigil na luha. Mabilis na tumalikod siya at nagpunta sa lababo. Binasang muli ang towel habang nahihirapan na paampatin ang luha sa mga mata.

"It was my decision to left you, Drake. N-nothing was wrong with you. You've been a good boyfriend to me." She explained when she get back on him.

"I...I wish I could do something so you do not need to suffer from all the pain, alone. I wish I was there when you lose him...I wish I was there mourning with you for losing our c-child. I wish I was there."

She bit her lower lip, avoiding to make a sounds of sobbing. She brush his hair with her fingers smoothly.

"I wish that, too. I wish you were there to be my strength. I wish you were there when I needed you the most. But I was so scared to be with you, Drake. I was scared to be happy being with you again and eventually my parents would do something that could hurt us. I'd rather love you from afar than living my life without you forever."

Isang mapait na hikbi ang tuluyang kumawala sa labi niya at kailangan niya ulit na bumalik sa lababo para hindi na nito malaman pa ang pag-iyak niya.

Kinabukasan, sigurado naman na wala na itong maaalala tungkol sa pag-uusap nilang ito.

"Should I be happy that you still love me despite of all of these?" Drake let out a short laugh huskily.

Muli siyang bumalik sa binata. Lasing at malamlam ang mga matang nakatitig ito sa kanya. There's a glint on his eyes that shows that he's regretting on something.

"Y-You should be happy..." she whispered.

"Am I that really deserving for that kind of love from you? When all I do was hating you without knowing nothing but the fact that you left me hanging."

"I...I don't know if you still deserve the love I'm giving you...I don't even know if I deserve to get back with your life again?"

With his weak hand, he reach for her face and caress it gently.

"I could not ask for more but you to be back in my life again..." He whispered huskily. "I could not ask for more but to live my life again with the woman I wanted to share it with..." He swallow hard and stare at her longingly. He's so passionate saying every words that it is hard for her not to look on his beautiful eyes. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you and for all the pain you've been through without me beside you." His thumb touch her soft lips. "Let me heal you... let me fix you."

And once again, her tears roll down her cheeks. The emotions on his every words makes her heart gone wild.

Sinakop niya ang panga nito at siniil ng matagal na halik sa labi habang lumuluha.