The Trouble with the Twins

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The date and the argument

“Rovie.” The sound of her name rolling off his tongue sounded so right. He wanted to do nothing more than burst out laughing. He was too nervous to do anything but give a lift of the lips in acknowledgement of his foolishness.

Damn! Ni hindi niya nga napansin na may mga tao palang nakapaligid sa babaeng tinututukan ng kaniyang mata.

A few of her friends were scattered out the front. I noticed a man smiling at her. Then I felt an instant dislike to the guy who was trying to keep Rovie away from me for long.

Rovie is my woman—wait s**t! Saan mo naman nakuha ang ideyang iyon Chris?

You looked f****d up buddy.

But wait, Did she allow this man to pursue her? Had she opened up her heart and soul to him?

So many questions swirled around her head, threatening to unleash the ugly, jealous beast inside me.

He got out of my car and waited. Her friends stared at him a few minutes before Rovie walked out. The man grabbed her arm, twirling her around to face him. Fisting her hand at his side, he watched the other man talk to her.

He wished he could hear what the other guy was saying.

But he can't and it makes him frustrated.

Folding my arms over his chest, he observed them. She nodded her head but ducked away when he went to try to whisper something to her.

He couldn’t contain the smirk that came from him.

Fuck you. She's mine.

She walked over to him with her head bowed down. He opened the door, helping her inside.

“Can we leave, please?” she said. He shut the door, going round to his own side. The desire to give the man a finger was strong, but he kept the desire down.

“Doesn’t your boyfriend like you going on a dinner?” he asked wasn't sure if she's still single or not.

Pero kung alam lang ng dalaga na kulang na nga lang ay manggigil siya sa iniisip niya na baka nga boyfriend niya ang lalaking iyon.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” She stared out of the window at tila nakaramdam si Chris ng relief pero nang tingnan niya ito ay parang may iniisip ito at hindi lang masabi.

But hey! I am happy.

“Your sister won’t mind if I brought you to dinner right?” he can't contain his happiness and it's springing up inside him.

Andon ang saya na hanggang ngayon ay para bang tuluyan na iyong nadikit kay Chris.

She's something and he can't help himself but act like a stupid lovesick puppy.

“We had an argument and I don't want to talk about it right now.”

Chris had nothing to say in response.

Ramdam na ramdamn niya may bumabagabag rito at tila ba gusto niyang pasayahin ito ngayon.

He want her to smile, mas maganda rito ang nakangiti though looking at her right now ay hindi ko malarawan kung gaano ito kaganda.

She looked sensational with her raven hair curled around her shoulders. The length was something he always enjoyed gazing at. She wore a plain white summer dress that emphasised her large breasts and full hips. Her waist looked small but evenly proportioned with the rest of her body. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as the urge to touch her grew inside him.

Rovie never knew the power she held over him.

At kahit naman ako ay hindi ko maunawaan ang sarili ko. Gusto kong sapakin ang sarili kung bakit ganito na lang ako umakto sa harap nito.

Hindi naman ako ganito e'. Bakit sa kaniya ay iba ang epekto?

She stayed silent in the car, and Chris allowed his mind to drift and trying to calm himself.

Nagugulahan siya sa totoo lang.

Hindi niya maipaliwanag pero isa lang ang alam niya he wanted her close to him.

Ni hindi nga niya maipaliwanag kung paano siya magmukhang tanga kanina.

Habang nag-aayos at excited na excited

Sa date nila.

He stood at the mirror in his room gazing at his reflection. And damn he was acting like it will be his first date.

Though he wanted to know her more still, there's something within him that tells him that he wanted to wipe anything that can hurt her.

He even ignored the stares from his family as he walked downstairs in his finely pressed suit.

Chris knew he needed to f*****g make himself act normal but his stupid self makes him look like the latter.

Chris came out of his own deep thinking. He didn’t want to go deeper and search for answers.

Dagdag pa na ginugulo ng mabangong amoy nito ang kaniyang buong sistema.

She smell of sunshine and honey. At least, sunshine and honey were the scents he associated with her.

"You like it here?" She muttered almost breathless.

Kaya nagising ako sa aking iniisip and I smile dahil kita kasi kung paano magningning ang mga mata nito nang makita nito ang lugar.

"Yes, this place is perfect," he responded at mukhang nagustuhan rin nito ang napili niyang lugar.

He slowed the car down for a sharp corner. Gusto tuloy purihin ni Chris ang sarili for choosing the right place, the restaurant is gorgeous, it's little place situated in a secluded street.

So he parked the car before getting ‘round to her side of the car. Opening the door for her, he helped her out. But her hand inside his, sent a bolt of electricity through his body.

She went to pull her hand away, but he stopped her, keeping a firm hold on her. Kaya tila natigilan ito pero sa huli ay hindi na rin ito nagreklamo.

Chris opened the door. The maitre d’ stood waiting at the front and showed them to their seat in the back. Chris helped her into her chair, accepting the menu from the waiter.

He noticed his hands were shaking. Holding the menu firmly disguised any visible shaking. Being around Rovie made him nervous.

“Do you have anything in mind that you want for dinner or to drink?” He added the last when he realised he was holding the wine menu.

Lanya katangahan naman, damn it Chris.

“A milkshake and a burger,” she said na alam ko ay nagbibiro lang. s**t! Huwag lang sana na mapansin nito na iba ang epekto nito sa akin.

Licking his lips behind the menu, he gained control of himself before putting it down.

“You can order for both of us. Just impress me with your choice.”

Rovie stared at the man she’d been with para itong hindi mapakali pero kita pa rin ang gwapo nito sa suot nito.

Mukhang pinaghandaan nito ang gabing ito.

Naaaliw siya sa itsura at sa paraan ng paggalaw at pagsasalita nito.

“What do you want to eat?” he asked, picking up another menu. “A burger?”

“I don’t, suppose fried chicken and salad are on the menu?”

“They are.” tila napagtanto nito na nagkamali ito at nakita niya kung paano mamula ang tenga nito bago ito napatikhim at ibinaling sa iba ang tiingin.

He signalled the waiter.

“We’ll have five fried chicken breasts with salad and dressing. I’ll have steak with chips and all the side orders.”

Rovie waited until he disappeared before talking.

“Five pieces of fried chicken? That guy is going to think I’m a cow,” natatawang pahayag niya samantalang tila mauubusan ng hininga si Chris na napatingin sa kaniya.

“No, he won’t. I ordered some for myself, and if anything you’ve lost some weight rather than put any on.”

She blushed and took some more of her milkshake. Bakit parang ang sweet nito?

Dapat ba ganito ang aking iakto?

“So, that man awhile ago is not your boyfriend?” he asked para bang nanantiya pa at ninanamnam ang bawat salita na binigkas.

“He wanted to be. I think for a little while, but we rarely talk.” She twirled her fingers together while uttering her response pero 'yun naman ang totoo.

Hindi naman din niya alam kung seryoso si Ben sa panliligaw. Minsan lang naman ito magpakita o minsan lang siya kinakausap pero nagpapakita ito na konting motibo.

“Why asking? You act like a jealous boyfriend of mine.”

The glass of beer Chris was holding shattered. Rovie jumped, and the waiters surrounded him with clothes.

“I’m all right.” She saw the blood drip from a few cuts on Chris wrist at napatakip naman siya ng kaniyang bibig.

“Do we need to take you to the hospital?” she asked at andon ang pag-alala na bakas na bakas sa kaniyang boses.

“Hand me that bloody towel.” Chris moved away from the table while the waiters cleaned away all the mess. In no time at all they were seated again, and a first aider was checking his hand.

“I’m fine,” may ngiting saad nito pero mukhang hindi kapani-paniwala iyon.

“Sir, we would prefer for you to go to the hospital.” Chris shot the man a glare, and soon they were left alone. The towel was wrapped around his hand.

“Chris, if you need to go to the hospital then we need to go,” she said dahil hindi naman kasi biro ang sugat nito.

Mukhang dapat na nga talagang dalhin ito.

“It’s our date I won't ley this wounds ruin it.” He sounded angry kaya kahit gusto niya umimik ay hindi na lamang.

She raised her hands in surrender and he seems satisfied about that.

“If you die on our date then it would be horrific.”

He stared at her for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.

Para bang naiinis ito sa sarili sa hindi malamang dahilan.

“I’m not ending our night like this.”

Hindi ko alam pero natawa na lamang ako sa inaakto nito.

“Who says it has to end? We’ll get the food to go and then on to the hospital to make sure. Depending on what they say we can eat anywhere.” Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut? Chris must be some kind of magician with the power he held over her.

“You promise to stay with me at the hospital? Not leave me hanging around?” he asked na para bang nagnining ang mga mata nito thinking na makakasama pa siya ng matagal.

Kaya nawalan ng lakas si Rovie na humindi. Parang hindi rin naman niya mahapuhap ang hindi pagsang-ayon.

“I promise. You’re paying for dinner, sothe least I can do is stick around.” She smiled at him, feeling a happiness building inside her that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Give me a second,” he said.

Erica watched him walk away from the table and approach the bar where the waiter stood. She admired Chris’s fine ass from where she sat—wait where did it came from?

Feeling the heat of her blush staining her cheeks, she gazed down at her hands. Other men never made her feel like this, wild and uninhibited, free for the whole world to see. Chris gave her the safety net that she’d worked so hard to achieve. He left her feeling secure whereas other men was the total opposite. Could she live a life always feeling safe? The feelings evoked by other men were mediocre. How could she force to go into a relationship where she would feel no passion or love?

Since Chris had walked into her life, her whole world had become nothing but confusion. Her thoughts and feelings were all over the place. The levelheadedness was gone.

He came back minutes later looking pretty happy with himself. “They’re going to wrap our food up. I’ve gone for a couple of burgers instead of the steak.”

“How are you going to drive?” she asked, seeing his hand wrapped in the towel.

“No worries. It only hurts a little. I’m still good to drive.” parang hindi pa rin siya okay sa sinabi nito andon pa rin ang duda. Paano kung may manyari?

“What if they give you drugs or something to help with the pain?”

Chris reached over, touching her hand.

Isa iyong paraan upang sabihin sa kaniya na magiging okay lang ang lahat.

At kahit sabihin na sanay siya na makakita ng dugo at mga sugat ay andon ang kakaibang pakiramdam na hindi niya mapangalanan

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ve got this.” nang sabihin nito iyon ay bumuntonghininga na lamang siya and she didn’t bother to question him.

The waiter came out with their order wrapped in some fancy tubs. Rovie carried them out to the car while he fired everything up. His hand looked fine. There was no blood seeping out of the towel.

“Are you sure you’re not going to pass out on me?” pagbibiro niya rito pero nanlaki naman ang mga mata nito na para bang nakikita nitong tinubuan ako ng sampung ulo.

“Have a little faith. I’m only doing this as a precaution for your sake. Strap in.” She buckled her seat belt before he pulled out of the restaurant. This time she kept her focus on him instead of looking out of the car window.

“You look beautiful,” he said at hindi niya tuloy alam kung nagbibiro ito o ano.

Out of nowhere kasi ay bigla na lamang itong nagsasalita.

“Chris, you don’t have to say stuff like that to me.”

Para kasing mahirap idigest ang mga salita nito. Kung pagkain pa ay mahirap lunukin.

“I want to. You look amazing, and thank you for agreeing to go out with me tonight. I know it took a lot from you, and I appreciate it.”

What could she say to that?