Her Unrequited Love

KABANATA 5

Napakurap-kurap si Leah at nanahimik matapos marinig ang sinabi ni Raziel sa kaniya. She didn't see that coming. Raziel, inviting her to stay at his house for how many days until the broken bridge is finally fix, that type of scene never crossed her mind. Mukhang hindi lang ata siya ang naging awkward dahil doon. Raziel cleared his throat and immediately opened his mouth before misunderstandings arise.

"Don't be mistaken, I didn't have any strange thoughts. We've known each other for many years, isn't it normal for me to help you?" untag ni Raziel at bumalik ulit sa dati ang ekspresyon ng guwapong mukha nito. Napaisip bigla si Leah at napahawak sa kaniyang baba.

Well, what he just said right now was the truth. There's nothing really bad in his offer. Besides, kilala na niya si Raziel noon pa. Alam niya na hindi ganoong klase ng tao ang lalaki. At kung may gagawin man ito, hindi niya nakikita ang sarili na magagalit sa kay Raziel. Maybe it was because she loves him so hard? Maybe her love for him will be the cause of her death in future.

Leah smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. Payag siya sa offer ngayon ni Raziel. Sino ba naman siya para tumanggi hindi ba? Opportunity na 'to para matupad ang kaniyang plano. She should take this chance to show herself to the man and leave an impact as much as she can. Pero bago iyon, she wanted to tease him for a bit.

"But are you really sure about this, sir? Paano na lang kung ayaw ko nang umalis at manatili na lang sa bahay mo habang buhay?" inosenteng tanong niya. Leah blink her eyes slowly to emphasize her acting even more. There's no way Raziel can see through her acting skills. Back then, she's always the best actor on the acting club she enrolled herself to.

Gusto niyang paglaruan muna, kahit ilang segundo lang ang kaniyang napakasungit at uptight na boss. She wanted to see him embarrassed because of her teasing. That would be a really good scene but then…

"Huh?" parang tanga na untag ni Leah at napatitig na lang kay Raziel na may mukha na hindi maipaliwanag. Raziel, her boss, spoke again in a calm tone this time.

"I said you can stay at my house forever. Isn't that what you want?" The playfulness and mocking on his voice was so evident to the point that it was Leah, instead of Raziel, who was now embarrassed. She was supposed to tease Raziel so she would end up seeing his embarrassed and flustered face, but it was her who ended up in this situation instead of him.

Ah! This side of Raziel is really annoying!

Simula noong nasa elementarya pa sila hanggang sila ay lumaki, kahit kailan ay hindi niya nakita si Raziel na nakikipag landian sa iba o hindi kaya ay may karelasyon. Raziel might not look like it but he's a no girlfriend since birth. Kaya normal lang na napaka inosente ng lalaki. But then, little did she know, Raziel has never been innocent.

He just hide his naughty and playful side. And now, witnessing this side again is making her suffer. But not in a bad way though. Ang rason kung bakit nasasabi niya na nagdurusa siya ay dahil sa kaniyang puso na hindi mapakali. She doesn't have any idea but everytime Raziel starts returning her teasing, her heart would always go wildly like this.

Kahit na wala pa itong experience, kung gugustuhin nito, he might even more skilled than those porn actors…

Hindi na lang nagsalita si Leah at binuksan na ang passenger seat ng kotse nito. Pumasok na siya roon at umupo na. Pagkatapos niyang makabit ang seat belt, tsaka na pinaandar ni Raziel ang sasakyan at pinaharurot. This will now be her second time coming on Raziel's house more like his mansion.

Noong una ay noong bigla na lang hindi pumasok si Raziel. Nagtaka siya no'n dahil hindi naman ganoong klase ng boss si Raziel, na hindi nagpapaalam kapag hindi pumapasok kahit na ito ang may-ari ng kompanya. She got worried and curious at the same time kaya pinuntahan niya ang bahay nito pagkatapos ng trabaho at kahit gabi na, tumuloy pa rin siya. At doon niya nalaman na may hangover pala ang lalaki at hindi maganda ang pakiramdam.

She took care of him during that time and…

Mabilis pa sa cheetah na winaksi ni Leah ang mga bagay na iyon sa kaniyang isip nang bumalik na naman sa kaniya ang nangyari noon sa kanilang dalawa ni Raziel. She doesn't want to think of it again since it will only make both her mind and heart to be complicated. And she doesn't like complicated things at all. Sumasakit lang ang kaniyang utak at ayaw niya sa pakiramdam na 'yon.

"By the way sir–"

"Just Raziel," mabilis na putol ni Raziel sa kaniya. Namilog ang mga mata ni Leah at hindi makapaniwala na tumingin sa lalaki na seryosong nag d-drive. Leah raised both her hands and wave it on the air.

"But–" and for the second time around again, he cut her off.

"We're not working right now. Do you still want to address like that?" Kung ibang tao lang siguro ay baka kanina niya pa na bulyawan dahil sa pag putol sa kaniya. But then, it's Raziel so it's fine.

Napanguso na lamang si Leah at namumula ang pisngi na tumango. She leaned on the back rest and looked outside. It was still raining but somehow, she felt comfortable because of the atmosphere around them. Dahan-dahan na itinaas ni Leah ang kaniyang kamay at gamit ang kaniyang hintuturo, nagsimula siyang magsulat ng kung ano sa basang bintana ng kotse.

'Raziel, you idiot' was the letters she wrote. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pero pakiramdam niya ay sinasadya ni Raziel na mas lalo siyang mahulog dito. It's just her feeling but she trust her instincts more than anyone could imagine. Her instincts has never been wrong until now. Kaya malaki ang kaniyang tiwala and probably, what she thought right now was true…

After that short conversation with Raziel, hindi na iyon nasundan pa. Tahimik lang silang dalawa hanggang sila ay makarating na sa tahanan ni Raziel. The familiar mansion that she once visited in the past are now on the same place as her.

Raziel wordlessly left the car. Bubuksan din sana niya ang pinto pero naunahan na siya ni Raziel. Hindi man lang niya napansin na umikot na pala ang lalaki. Leah looked up to Raziel and with a shy expression, she thanked him..

"T-thank you…" And just like the usual, tumango lamang si Raziel. Pagkatapos no'n ay nagsimula nang maglakad ang lalaki papasok sa engrandeng mansyon nito. Tahimik na sinundan ni Leah ang lalaki. Hindi na umuulan pero malakas pa rin ang hangin.

Nang nilibot ni Leah ang paningin sa paligid, ang mga halaman ay nakahiga na. Marumi rin dahil sa mga nagkalat na tuyong dahon. Noong una niyang punta rito, sobrang linis at ganda ng paligid. Ngayon na gabi na, hindi niya masyadong nakita ang kagandahan. Wala naman din kasi siyang plano na mag sightseeing dahil na busog na ang kaniyang mga mata noon.

After how many steps, they were finally in front of a large expensive door. It suddenly opened and a spectacular interior welcomed them. Aside from the jaw dropping and castle like design of the inside of the mansion, what makes Leah amazed were the maids and butlers. They were forming a straight line and there was a path between them.

"Welcome back, Sir Raziel," and just like those attendants from a fantasy romance novel, they all greeted Raziel simultaneously. Nakaawang ang labi na napatitig na lang si Leah sa kanila. These kinds of things didn't happen before, when she got here. Her second ego wanted to laugh. It just feels so cliche. Hindi siya makapaniwala na may ganito pa pala sa panahon ngayon. And of all people, kay Raziel pa talaga.

Tumingin si Leah kay Raziel. Nagulat siya nang makita ang mukha nito. He looks embarrassed and flustered. Leah chuckled silently and wanted to tease Raziel but stopped herself. Raziel shook his head with a long face and issued an order.

"Guide her to the guest room, and," Raziel paused and looked at her. He continued, "I'll be in my room. If you need something, just tell them."

Before Leah could even answer, Raziel immediately left as if he was in a hurry. Nang nawala si Raziel sa kaniyang paningin at nakangiwing humarap si Leah sa mga kasambahay na may nag niningning na mga mata. Napalunok na lang siya.

"I-I'll be in your care…"

"Wow, ang soft po ng buhok mo ma'am!"

"Grabe ma'am, anong shampoo gamit mo?"

"Share tips naman po ma'am," at iba pa. Iyan lamang ang mga komento ng mga kasambahay na kasama niya ngayon sa loob ng guest room. Nakaupo siya ngayon sa pinakadulo ng kama katabi ang dalawang kasambahay na sinusuklay ang kaniyang buhok. The two maids' name are Cindy and Paloma. They're twins and four years younger than her.

"Normal na shampoo lang gamit ko. There's no secret behind my smooth hair," untag niya sa dalawa. Kaagad na nagbago ang ekspresyon ng kambal. They looked at her as if they didn't believe her. Nagkibit-balikat na lang siya. She's not lying though. It was really the truth. Dati pa ganito ang kaniyang buhok. Makapal at malamyos sa pakiramdam.

"When you two are done, you can leave me behind," dagdag niya pa. Hindi niya alam kung anong oras na ba. Pagkatapos kasi niyang maligo ay kumain na siya. Dito lang din sa loob ng kaniyang silid. Magalang na tumango ang dalawa at niligpit ang mga gamit na nagkalat.

"Alis na po kami, ma'am," paalam ng dalawa at medyo yumuko. Nang siya na lang mag-isa ay nagpakawala si Leah nang isang mahaba at malalim na hininga bago dahan-dahan na humiga sa malambot at napakagaan sa pakiramdam na kama. Umikot siya at binaon ang mukha sa malambot na unan.

I'm tired…

She whispered to herself. Sobrang haba ng araw na ito at sobrang daming kaganapan na hindi niya ine-expect na mangyayari pala. She's still trying to cope up with everything. Parang sobrang bilis ng mga nangyayari at sobrang hindi makatutuhanan. But then, she needs to slowly accepts it or else she'll be left behind.

Dahil sa pagod, akala ni Leah ay makakatulog siya kaagad. Pero lumipas na lang ang ilang oras pero ang kaniyang mga mata ay nakabukas pa rin na parang isang tarsier.

"What's wrong with me?" nagtataka ang boses na tanong niya sa kaniyang sarili at bumangon. She's tired and really wants to sleep. But everytime she closed her eyes and tried sleeping, the drowsiness she felt would immediate go away like it was being blown by something.

Inis na bumangon si Leah at imbes na manatili sa kaniyang silid, lumabas na lang siya at napagpasiyahan na mag libot-libot sa paligid. Nagbabasakali na siya ay antukin at baka tuluyan na siyang makatulog. Hinayaan niya ang kaniyang mga paa na dalhin siya kung saan man siya dalhin nito. At natagpuan na lang ni Leah ang kaniyang sarili na may nanlalaki ang mga mata na kaharap ang isang Raziel na nakasuot ng robe.

Medyo nakalihis ang robe nito kaya kitang-kita niya ang malaki nitong dibdib. Namula ang buong mukha ni Leah pati na siguro ang kaniyang buong katawan. Flustered, Leah slowly took a step back but was stopped by Raziel. Mabilis na tinawid ng lalaki ang kanilang distansiya at hinapit ang kaniyang katawan palapit sa katawan nito.

"R-raziel… Let me go," she grunted softly and tried pushing him away. Pero imbes na lumayo ay mas lalo lamang nilapit ng lalaki ang katawan nito sa kaniya. The sweet and intoxicating smell of the alcohol immediately get into her nostrils.

"You're drunk…" she added and struggled on his grip.

"No, I won't let you go," he suddenly uttered that made Leah stopped. Akala niya tapos na ang lalaki pero hindi pa pala. Pakiramdam ni Leah ay tumigil ang pag-ikot ng kaniyang mundo dahil sa sunod na sinabi ni Raziel.

"Why are you pushing me away? Was it because of what happened that night?" he asked, pertaining to that night where both of them shared a very intimate s****l intercourse.