Against All Odds

Chapter Seven

K’s POV

Papauwi na kami ni Raphael. Ihahatid niya ako sa bahay. Tahimik lang kami sa loob ng sasakyan.

I looked outside the window. The streets are empty. It is so quiet. Naalala ko ang mukha ng mga pinsan ko. Some were angry. Others are disappointed. Oh, I'm such a disappointment.

I did not know na napalakas ang buntong hininga ko. Nabigla ako ng magsalita si Raph. "K, what happened?" Maingat na tanong niya.

Natigilan ako. I don't know how to answer that question. I do know what really happened. I just can't say that I ruined the plan just for some fun. Just for lust. They would hate me more.

Naramadaman kong namumuo ang luha sa mga mata ko but I just shook my head as an answer. I can’t answer that question. I can never admit that I failed just because I was horny.

I can't blame them if they are angry at me. Especially Kuya Raymund and Kuya Kurt. We have planned this for a long time and I just ruined it. I just ruined everything.

Napahikbi ako. I don't even know how to stop myself from crying. I feel so pathetic. No, I’m really pathetic. I am crying because of my own fault. Natawa ako sa sarili ko.

Naramadaman kong tinigil ni Raphael ang sasakyan. Hinigit niya ang kamay ko at niyakap ako.

Mas lalo lang akong naiyak. "I'm so sorry." Hikbi ko.

"It's okay, K. It's fine." Pag-aalo naman niya.

But I know it is far from okay.

I calmed myself at kumalas sa yakap. Ngumiti ako kay Raph. “I know.”

"Cheer up. I'm sure it will all be okay. Just talk to Raymund and Kurt if they have cooled down already." Ngumiti siya at kinurot ang pisngi ko.

"Raph, can you just drop me to my condo? I don't feel like going home." Sabi ko sa kanya.

Tumango siya then he started driving again. Tumingin na lang ako sa labas ng bintana hanggang sa makarating kami sa tower ko.

"Thank you." Mahinang sabi ko kay Raphael. Tumango naman siya at ngumiti sa akin. "Take care." I said.

"You, too." Sabi niya.

Bumaba na ako ng sasakyan at pumasok na sa loob. I stopped in front of the elevator.

I was about to press the button when someone pushed it first. Napatingin ako sa katabi ko.

Nakatingin lang siya ng diretso sa elevator. "What happened?" Tanong niya.

Nagtubig agad ang mata ko at napaiwas ng tingin sa kanya. Siya naman ang napatingin sa akin. I just shook my head.

Napabuntong hininga siya. Bumukas ang elevator at pumasok ako. Sumunod din naman siya.

He then pressed our floor number. Naka diretso lang ang tingin naming sa harap. Hindi kami nag-uusap. Walang ni isang gustong magsalita.

Bumukas ang elevator at nauna akong lumabas. Sumunod naman siya. Tumigil ako sa unit ko. I was about to open the door nang magsalita siya.

"I won't force you to tell me what's wrong. I also won't ask kung bakit bigla ka na lang umalis kanina. If what happened between us have offended you, I'm so sorry. I’m really sorry. It won’t happen again.” He sighed. “But if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. You can talk to me." He then kissed my cheek. Hindi ako nagsalita. "Good night, Kara." Mahinang sabi niya.

Hindi na niya ako hinintay na magsalita. He walked to his unit habang ako ay hindi pa din pumapasok. I don't know what got into me nang tawagin ko siya. "Jake." mahinang tawag ko sa kanya.

Napatigil naman siya sa pagbukas ng pinto niya. Humarap siya sa akin. "Can you spend the night with me?"

Jazee's POV

Nakauwi na kami ng bahay. Si kuya, hindi namin makausap ng maayos.

Dumiretso siya sa bar counter. Nagkatinginan kami Shan at sumunod sa kanya. Kumuha siya ng bote ng Black Label, binuksan at diretsong ininom 'yon.

Nilapag niya ang bote pagkatapos. "Kuya, tama na." Sabi ni Shan.

Nakatingin lang ako kay Kuya. I can't say na galit talaga siya kay K. He’s a little mad but more disappointed, I guess, not to K, but to how the night ended.

He continued drinking. Umupo kami ni Shan sa magkabilang gilid niya. “Kuya.” Tawag ko sa kanya pero hindi niya ako pinansin. Tumayo siya, at nabigla kami he punched the bar counter. “f**k! f**k! f**k!” he shouted whie continued punching. Napapitlag ako. Si Shan ay napatayo at hinawakan ang kamay ni Kuya.

Napaupo si Kuya at napainom ulit ng bote niya. "You know why is this so important to me?" Mahinang tanong niya sa amin ni Shan.

Napatikhim ako. "Because you want to capture those bastards?" I guessed.

Napailing siya.

"You want to know everything about the underground businesses of the Amatos?" Sabi ni Shan.

Napailing ulit si kuya at napatawa habang umiiyak.

"It's because I want to protect Kara." Mahinang sabi niya. "I want this to be the only mission she has to go through! She had been through so much because of this. I wanted this night to be their first and last attempt on her!" Sigaw niya at uminom ulit sa bote. Pagkatapos ay nagsalita ulit siya. "If we had capture just a single man from them, kahit na hindi ko na malaman ang tungkol sa putanginang illegel na gawain ng Amato na 'yon, Mandy will think na it will be difficult to kidnap Kara. She would think na kapag inulit niya pa 'yon, malalagay sa panganib ang sekreto ng pamilya nila. She would stop coming for Kara." Napaiyak na siya ng tuluyan.

Napiling siya. "She will be safe. She would be free from all of this." Humihikbing sabi niya.

Lumapit kami ni Shan sa kanya at niyakap siya. "I just want to protect all of you." Sabi niya at niyakap din kami.

“You are no superman Kuya.” Shan said while rubbing Kuya’s back. “You can’t control everything.” Dugtong pa niya.

Napabuntong hininga ako. "Just talk to him, kuya." Bulong ko sa kanya. "Alam ko na may rason kung bakit nangyari 'yung nangyari kanina."

Napailing siya. "Hindi muna. I'm just so disappointed sa nangyari. I just wanted this night to end the way we planned. Dahil ayaw ko nang malagay ulit sa panganib si K. Lalo na pag hindi natin alam kung kailan ulit sila aatake." Paliwanag niya. He patted our backs at kumalas ng yakap. "You two should sleep. We had a long night." Sabi niya at tumayo na at naglakad paakyat.

Sumunod kami ni Shan. Do you have any idea abou what happened with K?” tanong ni Shan na inilingan ko lang. I really have no idea.

Napaisip ako pero wala talagang idea na pumapasok sa isip ko. Knowing K, there would be no invalid reason for her to mess this all up.

I kept on thinking kung anong nangyari kay K hanggang sa nakapasok na ako ng kwarto ko. Hindi ako mapakali. Hindi naman siya 'yung taong magpapabaya lalo na sa ganoon ka importanteng bagay.

I texted her to ask how she is. I reminded her to sleep because tomorrow, everything will be alright. I also told her that I love her. I didn't ask about what happened because I know hindi siya magsasalita hanggang hindi pa siya handa.

I lied down my bed after taking a half bath. I’m thinking of everything that has happened tonight. Oh gosh. My head hurts just by thinking of how did all we had planned resulted into nothing.

After hearing what Kuya Kurt said earlier, I realized that Kuya Kurt, and maybe Kuya Raymund, is more hurt than mad and disappointed. They are hurting more for Kara. The plan should give Kara her freedom. For Kuya Kurt and Kuya Raymund, ang mission na ‘yon ang mgliligtas kay K sa kung ano mang gustong gawin ni Mandy sa kanya.

They are hurting for K because it was their entire plan. It was their plan to involve Kara with Liam because they knew that Liam was in love with K and that Mandy was in love with Liam.

All they had studied about Manuel Amato was all rumors. There were no concrete evidences about anything illegal that he do with his businesses. That is why they had targeted Mandy Amato. They triggered her insecurity. Her only love is in love with someone else. Who will not get insecure with that?

K had gone through so much. She fell in love with Liam eventhough she knew the entire plan. She got her heart broken. She sacrificed her love for this, and now that Mandy’s insecurity did not fade even after Liam chose her over K, her life is now in danger.

They are guilty. All of them. All of us. Even our own fathers are guilty. Even me brcause I did not do anything for K.

My mind was full of what ifs na nakatulugan ko na ang pag-iisip.

K’s POV

I was done taking a bath. Hinihintay ko lang si Jake na matapos din. Kumuha siya nang pampalit niya sa sariling unit para dito na maligo.

I was blow drying my hair nang tumunog ang phone ko. I saw a text message fro Jaja. I read the text message and smiled.

I replied.

To: Jaja

I’m fine, Ja. Thank you and I love you, too.

I sent it and put my phone back in my vanity table. I continued blow drying my hair. When I was done, saktong bumukas ang pinto ng bathroom ko. I unplugged my blow drier then I walked to my bed at umupo.

Lumabas ng bathroom si Jake ng nakabihis na. He is wearing a black sweatshorts and a white shirt. Pinupunasan niya ng towel ang buhok niya. Pagkatapos niyang magpunas ay umupo siya sa couch.

“Want me do blow dry your hair?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure.” He replied. Tumayo siya at naglakad papalapit sa akin.

Tumayo din ako at pumunta sa harap ng vanity mirror. Sumunod naman siya. I plugged the blow dryer and made him sit on my vanity chair. I laughed a little. He looked so big sitting in there. And he looked awkward, too. My vanity is too girly for him.

“Why are you laughing?’ he asked.

Napailing ako at nawala ang tawa. “Nothing.” I said.

He tilted his head, not buying what I said pero wala na lang siyang sinabi. I turned the dryer on and started drying his hair.

Napapikit siya pag tumatama ang hangin sa mata niya. I smiled a little. Cute.

Nang matapos ay niligpit ko ulit ang dryer. He stood up and said “Thank you.”

I smiled at him, “You’re welcome.”

I walked back to my bed at naupo. Siya naman ay tumayo mula vanity chair at dumiretsong sofa.

“What are you doing in there?” I asked him.

“Do you have an extra pillow?” he asked, insteading of answering me.

“Why?” tanong ko naman.

“I’ll sleep here on your couch.” he said.

“Wow. I didn’t know you were conservative.” I teased. Natawa ako. “You can sleep beside me.” I said, still chuckling.

Pero siya, ni hindi man lang ngumiti. “No. I’ll sleep on the couch.” he pressed.

Napatayo ako sa kama. “Why?” tanong ko habang naglalakad palapit sa kanya.

Napaiwas naman siya ng tingin. Tumayo ako sa harap niya pero ni hindi niya ako matingnan.

Nairita ako. Parang kanina lang sa loob ng club, ayaw niya akong pakawalan tapos ditto, ni hindi niya ako matingnan.

“What the hell is your problem?” iritadong tanong ko sa kanya.

Bigla naman siyang napatingin sa akin dahil sa tanong ko pero iniwas niya din agad ang tingin niya.

“What?” I pushed his shoulder. Pero hindi pa din niya ako pinansin. I rolled my eyes at umupo sa tabi niya. “We won’t sleep unless you tell me what the hell is your problem.” I said and crossed my arms to my chest.

“You are really asking me that?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. Humarap siya sa akin. “One moment you can’t let me go inside the club’s bathroom then the next thing I know, umalis ka na lang bigla.” Sabi niya. “I have no idea where did it all go wrong. Because I was so sure that what happened earlier was our mutal choice. You kissed me back, remember? Pero you just stormed out. You didn’t even say anything.”

Napabuntong hininga siya at napahilamos sa mukha. “I was left there thinking if I have offended you because of what happened, or are you drunk and you regretted what we did. But then you asked me to be here. To stay with you.” Napailing siya at diretsong tumingin sa mga mata ko. “Ikaw? What do you really want?” galit na tanong niya.

My eyes watered while looking at him. Naalala ko na naman ang maling nagawa ko. “It’s not that. I have something to do bago mo ako hinigit papuntang bathroom. I forgot about it because of what we did. Then I remembered about it kaya umalis ako agad. I’m sorry if iniwan na lang kita bigla.” Paliwanag ko.

“I just really need someone right now.” I said. His eyes softened.

Hinigit niya ako at niyakap. He wrapped his fingers on my waist habang nakatalikod ako sa kanya. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I had to drag you inside that bathroom.” He said sincerely. “I was just excited to see you. And... I really want to kiss you.” He continued.

I laughed. “You really can’t get enough of me, huh?” I teased still inside his arms.

“Yeah.” He laughed. “It was your fault, though. It was you who kissed me first the first time we met.” He said.

We were silent for a moment. “Can I have an extra pillow now?” he suddenly said.

I removed his hands on my waist. “Oh, you don’t need that. Just sleep beside me.” I said. Tumayo ako at kinuha ang kamay niya. Tumayo din siya.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Of course.” I said. “We have done more than just kissing. I think we can handle being in bed together. Isa pa, matutulog lang tayo.”

“Tulog lang talaga, ha?” natatawang sabi niya.

“Maybe a little kissing, but aside from that, tulog lang.” I replied, chuckling.