Chapter 22: Wrong Decision

I'm back at the coffee shop once again like nothing happened. Like last night didn't shake me to the core. The fear I felt when I thought I lost my mother was incomparable. If I could, I would take any pain, any bullet, any kind of sadness from her.

Niligpit ko ang kalat ng mga kaaalis na customers sa table. Nakapagtataka dahil wala si Miss Van ngayong araw sa coffee shop. Madalang siyang hindi pumasok. This place is a sanctuary for her.

I was tired and sleep deprived. Ilang beses akong nagkamali sa pagsisilbi sa customers. Bandang hapon gusto ko ng magpahinga. Even a ten minute nap would do. But my whole senses was waken up when I saw a familiar guy approa ched the coffee shop. Pumasok ito sa loob. He's wearing casual outdoor clothes. Gray long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, and white sneakers. He's smiling with his dimples showing. River could radiate the look of guy next door. If I didn't only knew what's behind those enticing smiles.

Nagpatuloy ako sa paglilinis. Maureen was obviously smitten by his looks. Every girl at the coffee shop was smitten by his looks. The Monaghan's are the personafied version of the quote: looks can be deceiving.

River ordered iced macchiato. Saka siya lumabas ng shop. Akala ko aalis na siya at dederecho sa sasakyan niyang nakaparada sa harap ng shop, pero umupo siya sa isa sa mga tables sa labas. He sat in a table with trash. It's my duty to clean up the mess for him. I groaned. Maureen from the counter motioned her hands excitedly.

"Go!" She mouthed.

I rolled my eyes. If Maureen know what River is capable of, baka hilain niya ako palayo dito.

Lumabas ako sa coffee shop. I walked towards the table and cleaned up the mess. River stared at me. At first confused, then amused, and almost chuckling.

"Whoa, human girl you work here?"

Tama ang hinala ko, hindi niya alam.

"Obviously," bulong ko habang nililigpit ang kalat.

Napahawak ito sa baba na tila nag iisip. I catched a glimpse of Maureen silently gigling inside the shop. She mouthed to me. "Gwapo!"

"It makes sense to me, with Van taking you in," he muttered more to himself than to me.

Magkakilala din sila ng personal ni Miss Van?

"This is better than what I expected."

I frowned at his statement.

"Kung si Miss Van ang hanap mo wala siya dito ngayon."

Niligpit ko ang panglinis ko. Akmang babalik na ako sa loob nang marinig ko ang kanyang sinabi.

"She's with Landon."

I blinked.

"It's a special day today."

Special day? Lumingon ako kay River. My eyes were confused. Gusto kong magtanong. Pero wala akong karapatan. So I said my default answer.

"Ganoon ba."

"You don't sound too interested. I expected you to be jealous."

If there's one thing Yllona and River have in common, it's the fatal games they play. But somehow River sounded serious with his statement.

"It will be a hard day for Landon. He might need you today."

Ngumiti siya sa akin, exposing his boyish grin. Kinuha niya ang inumin bago nagpaalam.

"See you around, human girl."

Mabuti nalang at karamihan sa customers ng coffee shop ay nasa loob. Huminga ako ng malalim at inilapat ang palad sa mesa upang ibalik ang focus ko.

What does River mean? This game is getting more and more tangled up.

--

"Alam mo ba kung bakit wala si Miss Van ngayong araw?" tanong ko kay Maureen nang patapos na ang aming shift.

Nasa locker room kami noong mga oras na yon at nagbibihis. Lumingon siya sa akin.

"Lagi siyang wala tuwing araw na ito. It's about her friend."

"Friend?" tanong ko.

"Hindi ko pa nakikita but I think her name is Helena."

Natigilan ako sa pag aalis ng tali ng aking itim na apron. Helena. The name Miss Van mentioned a week ago.

"Ano'ng meron sa araw na ito?" tanong ko, nagbabakasakali na masagot niya.

Maureen shrugged. "No one knows."

--

Umuwi ako sa apartment na isang bagay lang ang nasa isip. Miss Van and Landon is somehow connected. And between the connection is Miss Van's friend, Helena.

Naalala ko ang sinabi ni River bago umalis.

"It will be a hard day for Landon. He might need you today."

Kumain ako at nagbihis. I was exhausted and badly needed a long sleep to make up from the lack from the previous night. But in the back of mind I was waiting for Landon. A call, a text.

I know what River meant. I'm Landon's blood source. He can need me anytime he wants to. Pero noong gabing yon wala akong narinig mula kay Landon. I counted the days since he last did it. It's been weeks. Wala ba itong magiging epekto sa kanya o sa kontrata?

--

I still haven't heard from Landon the next day. Nakabalik na si Miss Van pero si Landon hindi parin nagpaparamdam.

Hindi ko mapigilang bumaling kay Miss Van habang nagta-trabaho. I wanted to ask her about Helena. But I'm risking for something improbable. It maybe too personal of a question.

Maagang natapos ang aking shift noong hapong yon. As I'm walking out of the coffee shop I received a call from Yllona.

"Is Landon with you?" She asked. Her voice is shrill than usual.

"No," sagot ko.

"Did he lost his phone or something? Did he die? I think it's better because Uncle Nicholai will surely do it anyway if he didn't answer his phone anytime soon."

Yllona is anxiously blabbering.

"He's not here."

"Okay, thanks Denise. I have to go."

The call ended. I never heard someone hung up so quick especially Yllona. She loves prolonging your misery from a topic of your sore point.

Noong mga oras na yon alam kong may mali. I'm starting to doubt if this is still part of Yllona's game. No one from the three Monaghan cousins mention their elders or parents in day to day conversation. They never mention them at all. Tila iniiwasan nilang mabanggit sa usapan ang mga ito. But the fact that Yllona mentioned Landon's Dad erlier means something serious is going on. Madalas magbangayan at mag-alitan ang magpipinsan. Pero sila parin ang magkakampi pagdating sa kanilang magulong pamilya.

Sinubukan kong tawagan si Landon habang naglalakad pauwi ng apartment. Ngunit walang sumasagot. What are you thinking, Landon? If you'll get another punishment this time, you'd die.

Pumara ako ng taxi. Sinabi ko ang address ng mansion ni Landon. The driver stared at me from the rearview mirror. Saka ito nagmaneho. Lumipas ang halos kalahating oras bago ako nakarating sa property ni Landon. Tulad ng dati binaba ako sa bukana palang ng property.

Nagmadali akong naglakad sa mala'kakahuyan na lugar hangang sa makarating ako sa gate. Nakabukas ito. From the inside of the mansion I could hear the chirping of birds and lone breeze rustling through the trees. Pumasok ako sa loob ng mansion, unaware of what would greet me.

Tahimik sa loob pagpasok ko. My steps echoed throughout the bare interior of the mansion. Maya maya pa isang tunog ang nakakuha ng aking pansin. A phone is ringing.

Sinundan ko ang tunog nito. The ringing was distant. Pe ro habang umaakyat ako sa hagdan palapit ng palapit ang tunog nito. My feet brought me to the end of the hallway. Nakabukas ang pintuan ng isang kwarto dito. I've never saw that room opened before.

Nagdalawang isip akong tumuloy. But the ringing from the phone continued. At tila walang may balak na sumagot dito. Napalunok ako. Great, Denise. Another trouble to dip your toes into. I cursed under my breath for being so suspiciously curious.

Lumapit ako at hinawakan ang pintuan upang tuluyan itong buksan. Bumungad sa akin ang isang kwarto. My anxiousness evaporated. The room was mostly empty, except for a table and two things on the floor. A broken picture frame and Landon's phone.

There were several missed calls, most of them from Yllona and River. I stared at the broken picture frame on the floor. Nakadapa ito at nagkalat ang basag na parte ng salamin sa sahig. Akmang hahawakan ko ang picture frame nang halos sumabog ang dibdib ko sa gulat.

"Don't touch that."

Lumingon ako sa bukana ng pintuan. Landon was staring at me, eyes dark, hair disheveled, and he seems he didn't have proper sleep for the past two days.

Agad siyang lumapit sa akin. I was still on squat on the floor so when he grabbed the picture frame I stumbled.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, surprise by his reaction.

Hindi ako sanay na sinisigawan niya. He is used to teasing me. But he never snapped at me.

"What are you doing here?"

The question caught me off guard. "I... I was..." I was worried.

"Just get out." Napahawak si Landon sa kanyang sintido. "Get out for now, Denise." Mas mahinahon niyang sinabi.

Agad akong tumayo mula sa sahig. Nakaramdam ako ng paghapdi ng aking palad. Nang alisin ko ang kamay ko sa sahig bits of glass fell from my palms into the floor. I stumbled into the broken glass earlier. Blood trickled down from the cuts. Tinitigan ni Landon ang aking kamay. Nag-igting ang kanyang panga.

"I'm sorry..." Pakiramdam ko pinalala ko ang sitwasyon.

Binaba ni Landon ang hawak na frame sa mesa. Huminga siya ng malalim at lumapit sa akin. Nakikita kong pinipigilan niya ano mang galit na nakita ko kanina mula sa kanya.

"Let me see."

Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at pinaharap ang nakabukas kong palad sa kanya.

"There's first aid kit in the kitchen-"

Napalunok siya nang makita ang dugo ko mula dito. Pero agad siyang umiling. Hinila niya ako paalis ng kwarto, pababa ng hagdan. Nang makarating kami sa kusina pina-upo niya ako sa isa sa mga stool doon saka niya hinanap ang first aid kit.

"It's fine, really."

Hindi siya umimik. Nagpatuloy siya sa paghahanap.

"Maliit lang na sugat--"

"It's never fine, Helena!"

Napakurap ako sa pangalan na kanyang binanggit. Landon caught himself. Nasuntok niya ang pader at muling nagmura. I stared at him. He looks broken. Lost.

"I'm... Denise..."

"I know..." sinasabi niya, hindi sa akin kundi sa kanyang sarili. He's as if convincing himself.

Ako na ang tumayo at hinanap ang first aid kit. Nakita ko agad ito sa cabinet sa likod ng pintuan. Hinugasan ko ang aking sugat.

"Why did you come?"

Patuloy sa pag buhos ang tubig mula sa faucet. Tinitigan ko ang aking palad. Kasama ng pag agos ng tubig ay ang aking dugo.

"I was just... worried..."

Hinawakan ni Landon ang basa kong kamay at inalis ito sa tubig.

"You must not worry for me. You must not care about others unless you're safe."

"I'm your blood source," I said. "If ever you need me... I will... I will have to be by your side."

Napatitig si Landon sa akin. Napalunok ako. Ang pagtitimpi na kanyang nararamdaman kanina pa ay tila unti unti niyang pinakawalan. His jaw relaxes, the popping veins on his neck flatten.

"Damn it, Denise."

Hinila niya ako palapit sa kanya. He held my injured hand and sniffed my palms. Blood trickled down my wrist. Napasinghap ako na ng halikan niya ang aking palad, ang kanyang dila sa aking sinsitibong balat. He then started to suck the blood off my palms.

Umakyat ang kanyang halik mula sa aking palad, sa palapulsuan, hangang sa aking braso at balikat. Nang matunton niya ang aking leeg muli akong napasinghap. I arched my head to the side giving him full access in that specific part of my body.

Napapikit ako sa sensasyon ng kanyang labi sa aking balat. Hindi ko namalayan na naiupo niya na ako sa kitchen counter, with him standing in front of me, in between my thighs. Landon took his time on my neck, on my jaw line, kissing and nipping every inch of my heated skin.

Muli ay kinakapos ako ng hininga. I gasped as two sharp fangs dug into my flesh. Mahigpit akong humawak sa balikat ni Landon. Pain and pleasure flooded me. The unexplainable combination made my head jerk upward, eyes closed, chest rising and falling, with Landon's face in between my neck and jaw.

"Landon..."

I could feel blood being sucked out of my body, and in return, explicit sensation crashed me like a wave of venom. I scratched my nails against Landon's shoulders.

"Sshh, stay still baby."

He did one last suck and placed a lingering kiss on my sore skin. "I'm starting to think that this contract was a wrong decision."

***