The Possessive Sociopath

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Lawyer

Reeve Lowel's Point of View

He's carrying me in a bridal style way! Parang mas naunahan ko pang ikasal si Erin. Sa sobrang hiya ko ay ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko at tinago ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya. Hanggang ngayon ay nakahawak pa rin ako ng mahigpit sa kanyang damit. I am supposed to cry! Dahil nakita ko si Erin at Stevan na magkasama pero heto ako ngayon nahihiya dahil sa estrangherong ito!

I can feel my co-employees staring at us even thought my eyes are closed. I can feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment. Why him?

Sabi ko sa sarili ko bago ako umalis sa kanyang condo ay hinding hindi ko na siya gusto pang makita. Let alone touch me anywhere.

Why is he here in the company I'm working at? And why did Erin called him Sir? And why is he walking with the famous Kalev Stanislaski?

"Pwede na ba kitang ibaba? Masyado kang mabigat." Walang buhay na sabi niya. Iminulat ko ang aking mata, just to see that we are already at the entrance of the company. He unkindly put me down and the moment I saw his handsome face, my face heated. Ramdam ko na umiinit ang pisnge ko. He's frowning and I know that he's not happy about the situation.

Parang gusto ko na lang kainin ng lupa. Colleen, this is all your fault!

"It's you." Napahawak ako sa aking noo. He remembered me! I don't want him to remember me.

"We meet again, Amanda." Hindi ako makatingin ng diretso sa kanyang mukha. I can feel him scrutinizing me with his beautiful eyes. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa lupa.

Oh right! He thought that my name is Amanda.

"Woah! You are working here? Small world, huh? You leveled up today, I thought you are only offering yourself by knocking at different doors but you're working at Stanislaski Enterprise. What a surprise." His voice is mocking. Pero hindi man lang ako nakaramdam ng kung ano. He can mock me all day but he can't hurt me with his words. Hindi niya alam ang pinagdaanan ko para humantong sa desisyon na 'yun.

"Silent treatment? Wow! I felt so molested. I gave you the best time in your life and this is all I can get from you?" This is my time to frown. Tumingin ako sa orasan ko, geez! I have lot of works to do. If my boss knew that I am not working at this time, he can fire me at any moment.

"Thank you." 'Yun na lang ang nasabi ko at akmang papasok ulit sa entrance ng kumpanya nang hawakan niya nag braso ko.

"That's it?" He asked. Napatingin ako sa kanya na naguguluhan.

"Ahmm, I have nothing left to say." I pulled my hand from his touch but he is just so strong. His hands are so warm and I can't help but to flinch from his touch. Nagbibigay kasi ito ng kakaibang pakiramdam sa akin.

"I need to work now." Which is true. I get it, ang laking tulong na ibinigay niya sa akin, he helped me get out from the awkward situation earlier but that's it. I already said thank you. And I mean it.

"Pwede mo na akong bitawan." Sabi ko naman. Hanggang ngayon ay mahigpit pa rin siyang nakahawak sa braso ko. Sa tuwing hinihila ko ang aking braso mula sa kanyang pagkahawak ay mas dinidiinan niya pa ito.

"Ayoko." Napatanga ako sa sinabi niya.

"Ayaw kitang bitawan." I face him. Wala na akong pakealam sa hitsura ko. I never cared about how I look, though.

"Are you flirting with me?"

"Is it working?" Binigyan niya ako ng ngiting nakakaloko. He's smirking from ear to ear and I hate it. I hate it when he flashed a smirk. He's enjoying the situation.

"No." I muttered. Tama na. Ayoko nang kumuha ng isa pang bato na ipupukpok ko sa aking ulo. Stevan is already a handful for me.

"In a count of three if you don't remove your hand, I will shout." He just shrugged his shoulders like saying go ahead.

"Hey, is there something wrong?" Narinig ko ang boses ni Stevan sa aking likuran. I froze from my place. I don't want to see them. I looked at my left, no escape. I looked at my right, no escape either.

"Are you acquainted with Miss Amanda here?" Nagtaasan ang balahibo ko dahil sa sinabi niya. The guy who got my virginity is still holding my arms while talking to Stevan. Erin is standing next to Stevan. Ang kapal talaga ng mga mukha nila, they can show their thick faces in front of me na para bang wala silang ginawang kagaguhan sa akin.

"What do you mean?" Singit na sabi ni Erin.

"Amanda?" Hindi ako makatingin ng diretso kay Erin and Stevan. I am only staring at the guy who is holding my hand. This is weird. Dahil sa tuwing tumitingin ako sa mukha niya ay para nagiging kalmado ako.

And it's scaring me since the security I felt when I'm with this man is dangerous. I don't even know his name. At wala akong balak malaman ito.

"Are you acquainted with her, Nikos?" Sabi naman ni Stevan. He knows him! Kilala ni Stevan ang lalaking nakahawak sa braso ko. This is embarrassing. Kapag nilaglag ako ng lalaking ito, at sinabing hindi ay magmumukha akong tanga sa harapan ni Stevan at Erin. They will think that I am pathetic. Well, I am really pathetic. Gusto ko na lang kainin ng lupa. Gusto kong ipikit ang mga mata ko at pagmulat ko sana ay panaginip na lang ang lahat.

"Of course. She's been in my bed last night." Tinapunan ako ng tingin ng lalaking nagngangalang Nikos at ngumiti nang pagkatamis tamis. No, I'm wrong. The way he smiled at me seems like he's teasing me. I don't know what he knows but I am sure that he's teasing me, he's teasing us.

"You are lying. I can't even touch her." Sabi naman ni Stevan sa aking likuran. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako tumitingin sa kanya. The guy named Nikos let out a chuckle.

"Oh really? Then there's must be wrong with your buddy, man. Poor you, you don't even know how badass she was last night." He mocked. Tinapunan niya ako ng nakakalokong tingin at kinindatan. He didn't even stop there, he even bite his lips while staring at me na para bang nanggigigil sa akin.

"Is that true?" Si Stevan na ang nag adjust at hinawakan ang braso ko at pinaharap ako sa kanya. Ngayon ay nakikita ko na ang mukha niya. Stevan is fuming mad, I can tell. Is this what Colleen is telling me?

"Stevan, let's go." Putol ni Erin. Hinawakan ni Erin ang kamay ni Stevan. Namumula na ang pisnge ko dahil sa kahihiyan. Ganito ba maging hot seat? Upang makaiwas sa sitwasyon ay ginawa ko kung ano ang unang pumasok sa isip ko. I just pushed myself to Nikos guy. I mean bigla na lang akong humawak sa leeg niya at buti naman at binuhat niya ako upang hindi ako mahulog. The three of them gasped from what I did. Ngayon ay parang naka bridal style carry ako ulit sa kanya.

"Just take me anywhere but here." I muttered at him. Away from Stevan. Away from Erin. Away from the two toxic people in my life.

"Gladly."

Ironic. I told myself that I don't want to cross path with him or know his name but look at the situation I am in right now. He helped me in more ways than one and if my memories serves me right, his name is Nikos. At ngayon nakikita ko ang sarili ko sa loob ng kotse niya. It just happened. Nang sabihin kong ilayo niya ako sa dalawang iyon ay naglakad siya sa parking lot at pinapasok niya ako sa loob ng kanyang kotse.

He started the car and all I can do is to stared at the window.

"My boss is gonna kill me." Sabi ko sa sarili ko. The manager will know that I am missing right now.

"That won't happen." Prenteng sabi naman nito.

"Paano ka nakakasigurado?" I asked and looked at him while driving his expensive car. He's just looking at the road kaya naman may kalayaan ako upang tingnan siya.

"Because I'm Nikos." Well, I know that your name is Nikos but I don't know how powerful that name is. Hindi ko na lang sinabi sa kanya 'yon at nanahimik na lang. I don't know where he's taking me. Wala rin sa akin ang purse ko, paano kaya ako makakabalik sa kumpanya? This what I get from not thinking properly.

"You don't know me?"

"Should I." Sabi ko naman. Required ba na malaman ko kung sino siya?

"That's new." Iling na pahayag nito. Namuo ang katamihikan sa aming dalawa.

"Are you usually this silent?" he asked out of the blue. Sa bintana lang ako tumitingin habang pinagmamasdan ang ibang mga sasakyan na dumadaan.

"Hindi. Wala lang akong sasabihin." I muttered. Malalim din ang iniisip ko ngayon. Tinatamad din akong magsalita. I don't really feel like talking today. I am questioning my worth inside my head. Hanggang ngayon ay iniisip ko pa rin kung bakit bigla na lang akong naiwan sa dilim. Is there something wrong with me? Bakit kung sino pa ang totoong nagmamahal, sila pa ang sobra masaktan? That is so unfair.

I just gave my all. Pero bakit ako pa ang talo?

"Your ex-boyfriend?" How did he know? I stayed silent.

"He cheated on you." He said again.

"With your friend."

"How did you know all of that?" I asked. But he just grins.

"I observe people. I can see how tensed you are earlier. I helped you because I pity you."

"I don't need your pity."

"I still pity you." Hindi ko kailangan ng kanyang awa.

"You can now drop me there." Turo ko sa bus station. Siguro ay lalakarin ko na lang pabalik sa kumpanya. Asking for his help is a wrong decision, ever.

"Ayoko." I frowned from his statement.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?" Why is he being like this? Ganito ba ang nangyayari sa tuwing ibibigay mo ang virginity mo sa taong di mo kilala?

"I am not hungry, you can drop me anywhere. I need to work." I said. I can't afford to lose my work now. Nawala na nga ang buhay ko pati ba naman trabaho ko ay mawawala din? Ito siguro ang sinasabi nilang huwag mong gawing mundo ang tao lang.

"Let's see about that?"

***

"I don't want to eat with you! I told you!" Sigaw ko habang pilit na humahawak sa seat belt. So after fifteen minutes he just stopped the car in front of a nice restaurant. He pulled over, he get out from the car, he opened my door despite of my protest and now he's pulling me out of the car.

"Get the f**k out or I'll make you." He's voice is stern, it's no longer jocular. Kung kanina ay para siyang maamo makipagusap, ngayon naman ay parang hindi na siya nakikipag biruan. I got scared for a moment.

Lumambot ang hawak ko sa seat belt. Tinanggal niya ang pagkalagay ng seat belt sa akin at siya na mismo ang gumawa ng paraan upang makalabas ako ng kanyang kotse.

"I can walk on my own, please." Bulong ko dahil ngayon ay buhat na naman niya ako. Nakakahiya sa mga taong nakakita sa amin.

"No. Baka bigla ka na lang tumakbo." Kaya naman hanggang sa pagpasok sa restaurant ay buhat na naman niya ako. What is wrong with this guy? He's...extraordinary.

He make me sit from the soft chair and umupo naman siya sa harapan ko. May iilang tumitingin sa pwesto namin kaya naman I put my hand on my face and cover it lightly. I don't want to be the center of their attention.

"So what do you want? My treat. You look so weak and in any moment baka bigla ka na lang tumumba sa kalsada." Kinuha ko ang menu at tinabon sa namumula kong pisngi. He's looking at me. I don't want him to look at me.

"Just a slice of basagna and apple juice." I said. He get the menu card that is covering my face.

"Perfect." He muttered. Tinawag niya ang isang waiter at sinabi ang oder naming dalawa. Hindi ako makatingin ng diretso sa kanya. He's just so handsome and cute and gorgeous. Ang liit nang tingin ko sa aking sarili sa tuwing kasama siya. He's like out of my league.

"Why can't you look at me? The first time I saw you was you're staring at me like crazy. You can't even keep your eyes away from me." Basag niya sa namumuong katahimikan.

"Nasapian lang ako ng mga araw na 'yun." I said. Parang nawala na ang lakas ng loob ko. Until the waiter gave us our order and we started eating our meal.

"So, why do you have blood on your skirt." Kahit siya ay napansin pala ito. Should I tell him that I saw him this morning?

"This is not my blood." I muttered.

"There was an accident twenty feet away from the company. I saw it. Some of his blood splattered on me." I said nonchalantly, like it's not a big deal. But what makes me frown is the way his mood changes. He is mad. I can tell.

"You saw that?" Tumango ako. Sasabihin ko ba talaga na nakita ko siya kanina?

Bigla na lang itong tumayo at dinukot ang kanyang wallet. He pulled out hard cash and put it in the table.

"I need to go." He just stormed in the restaurant. Naiwan akong nakatulala. What the heck did I do wrong? Biglang uminit ang ulo ko sa galit. I am really stupid. I shouldn't have asked for his help! Now what?!

***