CHAPTER 11

Kanina pa naiinis si Pion sa kasama niyang ayaw bumaba sa sasakyan niya. A while ago, Danelle’s Dad contacted him to reach for his daughter that was in the middle of nowhere. The President and his first lady must be in Tagaytay for a conference and they will not be in home for a night.

Pion was struggling where to bring the woman and now they are in the basement of a building wherein his condo unit is also located. It’s near midnight to still drive and it might be dangerous for the both of them. 

“Come out.”

"No!" Danelle shouted

Pion sighed heavily sighed. He's really annoyed right now.

"Don't make me do it." He warned

Meanwhile, Danelle just laughed. "Ya! You think I'm threatened? Nah. Not even a bit." And she laughed again

He was already out of the car and he is currently at the back, the door is open and he’s trying to convince Danelle to go out but the woman kept on pushing him away.

"Really? Kahit gawin ko 'to?"  Pion muttered curses as he reached for her and carried her all the way to the elevator up to his unit. While opening the door of his condo, Danelle hit his face using her bag. 

"Shit. You're going to pay for hitting my face."

“P-put me down!” the woman started to raise her voice.

As soon as they got inside, he put her on the bed. Pion thought that the woman is already asleep when he turned his back. However, Danelle sat up and acted like she’s to throw up. Pion heard her groans so he twisted again and guided the woman to the bathroom.

“Fuck. Don’t dare throw up at my bed.”

Danelle was puking but there’s none coming out of her mouth. She stood up again, fixed herself, and smiled at the man.

“It’s a prank…” she said putting tone on her voice. Namumungay din ang mga mata niya, halata ang kalasingan sa mukha.

Pion licked his lips in annoyance. His hands were on his waist while looking at the woman. Out of annoyance, Pion carried the woman to bed and threw her there. Danelle groaned again.

“What the heck is your problem?!” she shouted

She sat again on the bed and pointed her finger on the man.

“Ikaw! You're not my crush anymore! Ang panget-panget mo! Bakulaw! Mayabang! Walang hiya!”

Hindi alam ng lalaki kung bakit nasali na lamang iyon sa usapan.

"Sure?"

Pion is playing on his tounge when he chuckled. Nakatuon ang mga kamay niya sa dulo ng kama habang nasa pinakagitna namang bahagi ng kama ang babae at kaharap niya. Bahagya niyang iniyuko ang ulo saka muling tumingin sa babae at umayos ng tayo.

“Are you sure? Mamatay ka man?” 

Danelle furrowed her eyebrows while her eyes are gazing at him. Namumungay pa ang mga mata niya na nakatingin dito.

“Bakit ako mamamatay? Hindi ako mamamatay! Mag-aasawa pa ako, magkakaanak tapos apo. Magtatravel kami sa buong mundo at hindi ka kasama!”

Pion laughed without realizing it. May sense of humor pala ang babae kung lasing?

“At bakit? Iiwan niyo ako ng anak natin?”

Sandaling natigil si Danelle. Tumagilid ng bahagya ang kanyang ulo na parang napapaisip saka muling nagtama ang kanilang mga mata.

“Hoy! Bibig mo! Hindi kita asawa dahil ayoko sayo. Ang asawa ko, mahal ko at ikaw, hindi. Baka mamahalin palang.” She laughed. 

Tumigil si Danelle sa pagsasalita saka lumapit sa pwesto ng lalaki. Nakatayo na ng maayos si Pion kaya naman kinailangan ding tumayo ni Danelle sa kama kaya ngayon naging mas matangkad siya rito.

“I'll have husband soon in the future and I will kiss him like this.”

She’s holding his face and slowly draw near. In no time, she started to kiss him. 

At first, Pion was not responding but when he realized that the woman is not stopping, he initiated for a deeper kiss. Pion pulled her nape to kiss her fully while Danelle encircled her legs to the man. From the time that they’re out of breath, they will stop for a moment, they will look at each other and then they will continue kissing again.

Slowly, Pion put the woman to bed and they were still kissing. But Danelle escaped his lips and trailed down to his jawline and his neck. The man was aroused that’s why he immediately stopped the woman.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

Danelle pouted, “I’m kissing my husband.”

Pion took a deep breath and stared at the woman again.

“Seriously? You have to stop now, Danelle. I’m a man—

He did not even finished his words when Danelle shut him up by her kiss. They were kissing passionately and endlessly like there’s no tomorrow when Pion muttered.

“You’ll regret this.”

The dim room is so tranquil that she can hear her breath. She can sense that her hair is a mess and when she lifted up the sheet that covers her, she saw herself naked. Her eyes were round as she was shocked with what she’s seeing. Then her head slowly turned beside her where there was someone who just moved.

It’s impossible to have ghost in her room.

And when her hand landed on the table on her right right side, she was surprised again.

My bedside table is on the upper left, not right.

Nahawakan niya doon ang bag niya saka kinuha ang kanyang cellphone. Tiningnan niya ang oras na alas tres ng umaga. Umalis siya sa kama at sa pagtungtong naman ng kanyang mga paa sa sahig, napatigil na naman siya.

I have a fury carpeted floor, not this rough texture.

Danelle began to be nervous. She turned on her flashlight and examined the room only to find out that she’s not in her own room. Where the heck is she? Then the person on the bed moved again, she slowly lighted his face and unexpectedly, she dropped her phone on the bed.

“O-oh m-my gosh.”

Instantly, she searched for her clothes and put them on again. She took her phone and her bag and she immediately went out of the room. 

“This can’t be happening.” She kept mumbling on herself while on the elevator.

Nakarating siya sa labas ng building at ang pinoproblema naman niya ngayon ay ang pag-uwi. Madaling-araw palang kaya hindi siya umaasang may masasakyan agad ngunit nabunutan siya ng tinik sa lalamunan nang may sasakyang pumarada sa kanyang harap at mayroong lumabas doon na lalaking nakasuit. 

“Ikaw po ba si Ms. Danelle Greogo?”

Nagtataka man ay tumango na lamang si Danelle.

“Dito po ma’am. Ihahatid ko na kayo sa inyo.” Ani ng lalaki subalit hindi agad kumilos si Danelle.

Nahihirapan siyang maniwala ngayon sa mga tao sa kanyang paligid lalo na’t ang nangyari sa kanya noon ay hindi isang biro. Naramdaman naman ng lalaki ang pag-aalangan sa mukha ni Danelle kaya may kinuha ito sa bulsa ng kanyang uniporme. Ang lalaki ay isang private bodyguard na ngayon ay naatasan.

Tiningnan ni Danelle ang ID ng lalaki pati na ang cellphone at labis na lamang ang kanyang gulat ng abutan siya nito ng baril. 

“A-aanhin ko i-iyan?”

“Ma’am, I am a private bodyguard and I have a duty to fulfil. You have to trust me in this one and I am giving you may ID and a gun, if I am a suspicious person to you, you can shoot me right away.”

Danelle is still stunned. Should she trust the man?

“H-hindi na. Iuwi mo nalang po ako bago pa tayo abutan dito ng demonyo.”

Bahagya namang napanganga sa kanya ang lalaki.

“Po?”

Alanganin na ngumiti si Danelle sa lalaki saka iniling ang ulo.

“Wala po.”

[“Nasaan ka ba? Akala ko ba sa isang araw pa ang alis mo?”]

Iyon ang bungad ni Xia sa kanya matapos niya ito tawagan kinaumagahan. Nang makarating siya sa kanilang bahay ay hindi na siya nakatulog pa lalo na’t hindi niya makalimutan ang nangyari. Sigurado siyang nawala na ang isa sa pinakapangangalagaan niya sapagkat hanggang ngayon ay ramdam pa rin niya ang sakit. She’s feeling sore everywhere. At ngayon ayaw niyang pumunta sa site dahil ayaw niyang makita ang lalaki kung sakali man na mapadako o dumaan ito doon. Kaya naman tinawagan na lamang niya ang kaibigan at kailangan niyang makagawa ng palusot.

“Sorry, Xia. Something came up and I need to fix it. Thank you for being there. Kindly just inform architect and engineer. Anyways, tomorrow I’ll be leaving and you can come here in our house later for dinner.” Alok niya upang makabawi naman kahit papaano.

[“May lakad ako mamayang gabi at isa pa, dalawang linggo ka lang naman sa New York, pwede mo naman ako ilibre pagbalik mo tsaka may ibibigay ka pa nga sakin eh.”]

Danelle bit her finger tip. That is the problem that she’s doubting to tell her now.

“I think I will extend.” She closed her eyes anticipating a yell from her friend.

[“Alam mo kung nandito ka lang, masasabunutan talaga kitang babae ka.”]

She’s imagining her friend’s annoyed face right now.

“Thank you, sis! I love you, mwa. Bye!” 

Hindi na naghintay pa si Danelle ng susunod na sagot ng babae. Ang kaninang nakangiti niyang mukha'y bigla na lamang nabura nang maaala muli ang gabing nakaraan.

Sinabunutan niya ang sarili saka itinapon ang sarili sa kama at doon nagpagulong-gulong.

“Ayoko na lumabas!” saad niya na puno ng inis habang nakalublob ang mukha sa unan at pinapalo-palo iyon. Sumigaw siya ng sumigaw hanggang sa siya’y napagod at tumigil. 

Naupo sa kama si Danelle at sa harap naroon sa harap niya ang malaking salamin. Gulo gulo ang kanyang buhok at muli siyang napayuko at napapadyak, pumasok na naman sa isipan niya ang katangahang iniwan niya kagabi.

“Darn.”

Sa kampo, abala ang ibang sundalo samantala ang grupong Prime SF ay naguusap-usap habang ang atensyon ay nasa kanilang cell phone.

“Hindi ba ito ang kasama ni Pzarova madalas? Close yata sila nito.” Ani ng isang lalaki na ipinakita ang cell phone niya kung saan may larawan ng isang babae na nasa isang runway, nakasideview, habang nakababa ang mga kamay at may hawak itong handbag.

“Siya nga.”

“Modelo? Modelo ang girlfriend ni Pzarova?”

Nakatanggap ng batok ang dalawang lalaki mula sa kanilang mga kasamahan.

“Mga tarantado! Iyan ang iniligtas natin nung makaraan at anak din iyan ng Presidente. Alam niyo na ba ang pangalan niyan, huh?” 

Walang nakaimik sa kanila maliban sa isa.

“Danelle Greogo.” 

Napalingon sila sa kanilang kapitan na siyang sumagot sa tanong na iyon. Nakatitig lamang sila dito habang ang lalaki'y nakangisi.

“Bakit, kapitan? Aagawin mo ba siya kay Pzarova?” nagtawanan sila dahil sa tanong na iyon.

“Bakit hindi?” 

Patuloy silang nagkantyawan at kinukulit din nila ang kanilang kapitan kung paano ba raw nito iyon gagawin o kung kailangan nito ng back up sa mga plano kaya naman mas lalo silang nagtatawanan.

“Have you seen my pictures?” tanong ni Danelle sa kaibigan sa pamamagitan ng isang tawag  

[“Yes. Next time, sabihin mo kay Tita na kunin din niya akong modelo ha?”] 

Danelle heard her friend laughed, “Of course, why not? I’ll recommend you the next time para naman hindi na niya ako kulitin ng kulitin sa pagpasok sa pagmomodelo. And you know what? Kakarelease lang nung bags and the magazine pero ang dami na namang nageemail sakin and they’re offering me so much things, Xia.”

[“Ayaw mo ba niyon? Magiging sikat ka na, you’ll have fans and—

“I never wished to be popular or famous as well as having fans. I just want to live a normal life at ayaw ko ring may nagboboss sakin, gusto ko ako ang commander, ako ang masusunod.”

[“Speaking of commander. The day before you left Philippines, pumunta sa site iyong sundalo na palagi kong nakikita, iyong gwapo na makisig na parang modelo, basta gwapo.”]

Hindi alam ni Danelle ngunit unti-unting bumibilis ang tibok ng puso niya. Parang gusto na niyang patayin ang tawag ngunit magdududa naman ang kanyang kaibigan.

[“He asked me where were you at sinabi ko lang na hindi ko alam dahil hindi ko naman talaga alam kung nasaan ka ng araw na iyon.”]

“Xia, mamaya nalang ulit kita tatawagan. Aayusan na nila ako para sa panibagong shoot. Kung may problema diyan sa site i’message mo agad ako.”

Sandaling tumahimik ang kaibigan niya ngunit kalauna'y sumagot din ito.

[“Alright.”]

The call went off and Danelle sighed. Nahiga siya sa kama saka tumitig lamang sa kisame.

“Damn it. What have I done? Ano ang mukhang ihaharap ko sa kanya? Arghh!”

Gusot na naman ang kanyang bedsheet dahil sa panggigigil niya.