My Untamed Princess

Chapter 16: The Date

Date.

Every girl dreamed of having a date with the guy she likes. It's like a walk in the clouds from beginning to the end and a walk in paradise even after it ends.

She had always dreamed of having a date with Will. She had mentally pictured it would be perfect-- the music, the flowers, and the food. Everything would be too perfect she won't be able to forget it. And call her stupid for expecting something from the Kapre when he told her that they would have a date.

Dahil sa oras na iyon, sa mismong oras na ‘yon kung saan sila naroon ni Will, gusto niyang isumpa kung sino man ang nag-mamagaling na umimbento ng salitang date na yan.

The perfect date was set inside a wet market. The perfect food were all raw and butchered animals with innards displayed all over the place. The bulaklak ng kalabasa was the closest perfect flower she ever got. And people chanting "Murang-mura, sariwa, siksik at masustansya" to the tune of Despacito- a hit Latin dance song, was the music looping in her ears while they were making its way inside the noisy palengke.

And to top it all off, the air was so thick and congested. Her lungs almost filed oxygen bankruptcy.

It was not a date. It was torture.

But she never said a word. Nag-tiis siya. Baka kasi bigla siyang iwan ni Will doon kapag nainis ito sa kanya. Plus, she’s enjoying the way he held her hand.

Kahit nakakasalubong siya ng mga lalaking pawisan at kaamoy ni kamatayan, hindi siya umiimik. Pinipigil na lang niya ang paghinga, at saka lang siya ulit hihinga kapag may dalang pag-asa na ulit ang hangin. It was a feat.

Saka lang ulit naging maayos ang sirkulasyon ng hangin sa katawan niya nang hilahin siya ni Will patungo sa labasan matapos nilang magpaikot-ikot sa loob ng talipapa.

She quickly wiped off the sweat from on her forehead with the back of her hand before giving out a sigh of relief. She had never been that relieved all her life.

"Well, well, you survived mangku," komento ni Will, nakangisi.

She rolled eyes and lifted head a fraction. "Why wouldn't I be?"

 Alam niya sinasadya ng kapre na pahirapan siya. But she would’nt give him the satisfaction to see her suffer.

Magtataray pa sana siya kaso mabilis nitong ibinaba ang hawak nitong bayong sa paanan nit. Naglabas din ito ng panyo sa bulsa at bigla iyong ipinunas sa noo niya. Inayos din nito ang ilang hibla ng buhok niya na kumawala sa messy head bun niya.

Her heart quickly raced inside her chest. She knew baseless assumptions are not always good. But she can’t help it. Will is gravity and all her being is instantly drawn to him. And her lungs... Oh God! Wala na atang balak magsupply ng oxygen sa buo niyang katawan!

Nang matapos ang milagrosong pagpupunas sa kanya ng kapre, ngumiti ito at tumitig sa kanya. Kapag kuwan ay ngumisi.  "Ayan, tao ka na ulit, mangku. Puwede ka na ulit maghasik ng lagim.

She scoffed and unbelievably gaped at him.  She slapped his chest in an effort to get back at him but the kapre just laughed.

Arrghhh!

She’s so pissed. But knowing she can’t ever win to the overbearing Kapre, she planned on just walking away.

Pero bago niya nagawa ‘yon, mabilis na sumampay sa balikat niya ang braso nito at hinigit siya palapit dito.

"I-I don't like our distance, l-let me go," she protested while trying to push him a little.

"But I like us this close, mangku. Kunwari ka pa alam ko namang gustong-gusto mo.

Lalong tumindi ang inis sa dibdib niya. She mustered all her strength and pushed him with all her might. Napaatras ito nang ilang hakbang. She then began to walk away. Kaso mabilis itong humabol sa kanya.

"C'mon mangku, don't be such a baby. San ka pupunta? Dito ka lang sa tabi ko. I like you close, you know. Ganon naman dapat ang mag-asawa ‘di ba? Laging nakadikit sa isa't-isa."

She stopped walking to face him. She laughed sarcastically bago ipinitik ang kanyang daliri sa mismong harap nito.

"Newsflash, Kapre! Mag-asawa lang tayo sa ilusyon mo. Don't use your lies to make a pass on me! ‘Cause if you’d try, I'd gladly crush your balls!" she warned in greeted teeth.

Nang hindi agad ito sumagot, she took the time to walk away from. Subalit hindi pa man siya nakakalayo nang husto, sumigaw ang sumpa ng mga malign.

"Baby, 'pag ginawa mo ‘yon, pa'no ang kaligayahan mo? H’wag ka nang magtampo. Pagdating natin sa bahay limang rounds tayo. Promise!"

Shame instantly crept in her skin. The damn jerk just won’t stop!

Pasimple niyang tinignan ang mga tao sa paligid niya. Lahat nakatingin sa kanya habang nagbubulong-bulongan.

Wala siyang choice kundi ang tumungo dahil sa kahihiyan. Gigil niyang nilingon ang kapre. He was grinning from ear to ear and walking towards her. Masarap sakalin, naisip niya.

"Tisoy, kasal ka na pala?" anang driver ng traysikel na nakapila sa sakayan sa may malapit.

Mabilisna umakyat si Will nang makalapit ito sa kanya.  "Oo,patay na patay 'to sa akin e. ‘Di na ko nakatanggi," pagmamayabang pa nito bago siya binalingan ng ngisi.

Inirapan niya ito. She wanted to punch him right there and then!

"'Yan talaga kapalaran nating magagandang lalaki, pikutin talaga tayo,” said the tricycle driver who’s missing two of his front teeth.

Nagtawanan ang mga kasama nitong drivers bago nag-apir sa isa't-isa.

Nanirik na nang tuluyan ang mga mata niya.

 Why do these men think they are God's gift to women? And this repulsive kapre is the one leading them!

"Sige na umuwi na kayo nang makarami kayo. Maganda pihado ang lahi ninyong dalawa. 'Pag nakabuo, ninong ako ha?" anang driver ulit.

"Oo ba! Makaasa ka repa, Tikboy!" mabilis na sagot ng kapre na nakipag fist bump pa sa tinawag nitong Tikboy.

Hindi na siya nakatiis pa, pasimple niyang siniko ang kapre sa sikmura pero hindi nito iyon ininda. Bagkus ay inilipat ang kamay nito sa bewang niya at doon siya lalong hinigit papalapit dito. She wanted to break free from his hold pero hinid niya magawa.

Frustrated and utterly annoyed, tahimik siyang nagpatangay dito pabalik sa tenement. Mamaya, iisipin niya kung paano siya makakaganti sa mayabang na kapre!

Nang tuluyan silang makauwi agad niyang tinulak ang kapre at mabilis itong nilayuan. Tapos na ang palabas. Hindi na nila kailangang maglapit pa.

Dumiretso siya sa lababo at naghugas ng kamay. She wanted to keep their distance. Because distancing from Will and hating him is the only way she can get of that 90-day deal unscathed!  

Kaya lang mukhang mahihirapan siya. Kahit na nakalayo na siya kasi rito, her heart keeps on beating loudly insider her chest. Her logic still clouded. Her senses still tangled.

Lihim niyang pinagalitan ang sarili. She's not supposed to feel that way anymore. She's supposed to forget Will. She's supposed to hate him.

She's supposed to--

"Water is a luxury here princess," pukaw nito sa kanya. Agad niyang pinatay ang gripo at hinarap ito. "Hindi kagaya sa mansiyon ninyo na unlimited ang tubig, dito, masuwerte na ang mga tao kung nakakaligo sila ng limang beses isang linggo. Kaya hanggang may tubig sa gripo na yan, h’wag mong aksayahin," pangangaral nito, nag-angat ito ng tingin at hinuli ang kanyang mga mata. "Naiintindihan mo?"

Napakurap siya. She wanted to speak but the words were lodged inside her throat.

He was just staring at her with the normal smug in his face but it made her heart race even faster.

What was he doing to her?

Nangyari na sa kanya ‘yon noon e. That night when he grabbed her by the waist and saved her from raining bullets.

Did he got her with "Are you okay?" Or was it with "Are you not hurt?" How about the way he spoke, "Grab my arm miss, and I'll walk you out from here."

She's not sure.

All she knew was that at that very moment, when chaos and death were all around her, Will was there and took her to safety. That very moment, her heart began pounding the same way as it does now. That moment she was smitten by him.

That moment she fell.

"Earth to Cassie!" malakas na sabi nito, pinitik pa ang mga daliri nito sa harap mismo ng mukha niya.

Agad na naputol ang pagre-replay ng mga isinumpang eksena sa isip niya.

“Y-yeah,” naguguluhang sagot niya.

Will tsked and slowly shook his head. "You keep on spacing out, Mangku. I know you like me that much but you have to restrain yourself from time to time."

Now she’s annoyed. Good.

"Oh, shut the hell up, Kapre!" pairap niyang sagot bago siya pumasok sa CR. May talsik kasi ng putik ang mga daliri niya sa paa. She needs to clean those.

Paglabas niya ng banyo, wala na ang kapre. Nag-iwan lang ito ng note sa fridge kung saan nakalista ang mga iuutos nito sa kanya. Patamad niyang inayos ang mga pinamili nila-- sa crisper ang mga gulay at sa freezer naman ang mga karne at isda. Maliban na lamang sa boneless bangus na iniutos nitong iprito niya.

Umirap pa siya nang makita ang PS note nito. "Don't go out without me, Mangku. Dito ka lang sa bahay. Babalik ako kagaad."

"Mangku, mangku, mangku," she mumbled and rolled her eyes. "Annoying, Kapre. Just wait till I get back at you, jerk!"

Pumihit siya paharap sa mesa. Pinakatitigan ang supot ng boneless bangus na inutos ni Will na iluto niya. She sighed, closed her eyes and prayed hard for those poor deboned and marinated fish whose fate is up to her unhoned, probably missing, cooking skills.

Nagmulat siya ng mata at kinagat-kagat niya ang pang-ibabang labi niya,hindi talaga siya sigurado kung ano ang gagawin niya. Kahit pa may iniwan na instruction ang mayabang na kapre sa note nito. She know she's relatively smart. But having good grades from grade school to high school does not come with a set of good cooking skills she desperately needed now!

Kung hindi naman niya ito susundin, sigurado, mag-aaway na naman sila pagbalik nito. At aminin man niya o hindi, nagsasawa na siyang talaga sa pakikipag-away dito.

Inis siyang napabuga ng hininga bago kinuha ang frying pan sa cupboard at isinalang iyon sa stove. Naglagay din siya ng mantika, at base sa instruction ni Will, kailangan painitin muna ng mabuti ang mantika bago niya ilagay sa pan ang isda. So, she waited until the pan emitted white smokes that mimic the threat of an impending disaster. She grabbed the fish by its tail and carefully placed it inside the pan.

Not even a second later, she heard the roars of Armageddon coming straight from the pan.