CHAPTER 8

LACY HAVENWOOD

"Excuse me. Are you Lacy?"

I quickly turned to look behind to see who the person is. My eyes widen for a second. Good lord, he's so tall. I don't know kung ilang minutes akong nakatingala sa kan'ya... or baka mamaya tulala na ako.

He had this toned yet slightly bulky body; I find it very hot. Addition to that, he has tan skin! Very very bagay sa kan'ya. He could be a bodyguard to us in England. If I offer that to him, papayag kaya siya?

His body proportions are clearly visible under his white fitted shirt. And when I looked down at him; he paired his top it with his maong pants and black cowboy boots.

I can't even help but look at his long black hair that it's in a topknot; it even suits his face even more with this trimmed beard. Even though he had that, his perfect jawline was still noticeable. I find it pretty yet manly. I can clearly know that he's a malinis na person kasi... I don't know ba. Nafefeel ko lang naman.

Aside from that... everything to him is perfect. Gosh, Lacy! Super tagal mo ng nakatingin sa kan'ya! What if maisip niya na kung ano ano na pinagiisip ko tungkol sa kan'ya?

"Uhm... Lacy?"

I blinked several times when I heard Shasha's voice beside me. Goodness! Napansin niya siguro na grabe ako magtingin dito sa lalaking 'to! So embarrassing, Lacy!

"W-what?" I asked her while stuttering. When I looked back at the guy, he was now furrowing his brows.

Oh no, I think... he's a grumpy person too. Naiinip na yata siya. I'm curious tuloy kung ilang oras siyang nag wait dito and I felt bad for that.

Hayst. Dapat mga 1 hour before magland ang plane saka na lang pinapunta siya rito para hindi na siya maghintay sa akin ng matagal. Mas okay na sa akin na ako ang mag-wait kesa sa kanya.

I don't want to bother other people kasi.

There was a long silence filled between the three of us. When I looked at my new friend, Shasha. Her eyes widened.

Huh? Why naman? I'm a little confused here. While this guy, whom I think is grandson ni Nana Feli, normal lang naman ang expression ng face. Maliban na lang sa kilay niya na almost magkadikit na.

I broke the silence between us.

"Hi! Yes, I'm Lacy. Ikaw ba yung grandson ni Nana Feli? If yes, thank you for fetching me here, and I'm sorry to keep you waiting for so long. Walang service bus a while ago, kaya kailangan pa namin mag wait."

Nakatingin pa rin siya sa friend ko. Hello? He can't hear me, ba? Dapat ba na mag-jump ako in front of him para naman makita niya ako at malaman niya kinakausap ko siya?!

"Uhmm... hi? Hello? Yohoo?" I said in a hesitant tone before brushing it off with a laugh.

Parang doon lang din natauhan si Shasha. Napatingin siya sa akin at nagsmile ng alanganin.

"I need to go now, Lacy. mukhang siya na ang magsusundo sa 'yo. Bye and see you soon." she took all of her things and started walking away from us.

She doesn't even hear my goodbye pa nga!

"Alright! Bye, Shasha! Take care and see you when I see you!"

At last... kami na lang nitong guy ang natira. Hinarap ko siya at tipid na ningitian.

"You're Nana Feli's grandson, right?"

"Nana Feli?" he asked while his brow was furrowed. I took a couple of seconds before he nodded. "And yes, apo ako ni lola."

I nodded. "Yes! She was my nanny in England."

"Felisia pangalan niya."

"I know naman but I call her Nana Feli. It's cute, right—oh."

Napanguso na lang ako ng bigla niyang kinuha sa akin ang luggage ko. Nauna na siyang maglakad and saw him look at me over his shoulder and gesture for me to follow. I shut my mouth and quietly follow him. He's not in the mood.

Is it because of me?

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The tall buildings in the city that we passed earlier while he was driving the red pickup truck have now been replaced by trees and mountains. I can also see the payalan; it was so lawak. Nakakita rin ako ng cow kanina and a bull! Even a baby sheep! I want to touch them.

"I never seen anything like this before... it's so beautiful..." I whispered.

Nakababa ang window ng sinasakyan ko kaya ramdam ko ang wind sa pwesto namin ngayon. It's okay dahil hindi naman ako pinagpapawisan dahil malakas naman ang wind na pumapasok, and at the same time hindi masyadong tirik ang araw.

"We're together for almost an hour, pero hindi ko alam ang name mo..." I talked again before glancing at him.

No answer? Hmm, okay. He's still focusing on the road. Super serious naman niya sa buhay. Paano naman kami magiging friends nito kung ganito siya—

"Juriell Andres Santillan," he replied shortly. "Everybody call me Juan, kaya 'yon na lang ang itawag mo sa akin."

Eh? That's weird. Bakit naman One ang nickname niya. My brows furrowed and fix my sitting position to stare at him properly. His first name was weird but the rest of it is fine.

Santillan is a nice surname. Pati na rin yung first name niya at second name. Dapat kapag ganyan naghahanap na siya ng wife or dapat may wife na siya so he can continue Santillan's line and besides, he's pogi naman. He can have a perfect family.

"One? That's weird."

"Mali. Juan," he answered again.

I nodded. "I know nga. Kaya nga One. Bakit One?"

He took a deep breath and brushed his left hand to his face before he rested his left elbow on the lowered window in his seat.

"Juan kasi hindi One."

"Huh? I'm correct, nga 'di ba? Don't worry, I'll call you Uno na lang para unique." I gave him a smile and tinaas baba ang dalawang kilay.

I saw him look at me for a second. Napapailing pa siya bago ibalik ang tingin sa road. I'm just wondering kung nagtitipid ba siya ng boses or laway... and parang may allergy yata siya sa small conversation?

Hayst.

Hindi na ako nag-talk and pinanood na lang ang mga nadadaanan namin until I found myself sleeping because of the wind on my face. It feels soft and not harsh.

I don't know how many hours I sleep before I wake up. The car that Uno was driving suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes and looked at the driver seat but wala siya roon.

"Uno—"

And there he is. Kalalabas lang niya sa dalawang big wooden gate na inopen niya. Napabuga ako ng hangin bago napahawak sa chest dahil sa kaba. Goodness, I thought iniwan niya ako!

"Mabuti at gising ka na. Nandito na tayo," he said when he entered the car.

I just nodded. I feel like my brain is floating somewhere. Para akong nalulutang ngayon. Uno started the car again and went inside the gate. There's a long, pretty straight driveway na dadaanan namin, but I can already see his house na from afar.

And I swear to God, It was a very beautiful barn house and so much greenery everywhere; ang sarap sa eyes na puro ganito ang nakikita ko. Same rin sa England but of course there's something special here and I just can't identify it.

Since we just got entered inside the gate, I'm pretty sure na itong malawak ng area ay pagmamay ari niya rin!

There's a driveway that had a fence at meron naman na wala. Kita ko ang ibang mga animals na pagala-gala rin somewhere especially the cow, chicken, horse, and marami pang iba. Did he also own these animals?!

After a couple of minutes, we finally stopped at his beautiful two-storey wooden barnhouse. Nilabas ko ang head ko sa window at tiningnan ang kabuuhan ng bahay niya.

"Wow..." I whispered.

"Welcome to my barnhouse," Uno said as he welcomed me, also staring at his own house.

SHANGPU