Desiring Mr. Carter (ONGOING)

Chapter Six: Nonsensical Argument

[Ivana's]

"Hey, are you alright?" salubong ni Gene sa akin no'ng lumabas ako mula sa bathroom. Noong isang araw pa ako nakakaramdam ng kakaiba sa katawan ko. I gained weight and I feel dizzy sometimes. "I'm fine, Gene. Ilapag mo na lang 'yang dala mong pagkain sa bedside table. Don't mind me and make yourself busy," ani ko habang hinihimas 'yung tiyan ko. My stomach looks like it's bloated but I don't really feel like I'm bloated and it's really wierd. Yeah, it's totally weird.

"No, Kate. I'll stay here and look after you," he insisted and I just rolled my eyes. "You can't stay here, Gene. Asikasuhin mo na lang 'yung mga dapat mong asikasuhin and leave me alone," pagmamatigas ko. Sumeryoso ang kaniyang mukha at tumingin sa akin nang masama. "I'LL STAY HERE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO," aniya gamit ang kaniyang nakakatakot na boses. He even emphasized every word just to make sure that I won't object anymore. "Fine! Stay if you want to stay but don't talk to me and don't bother me!" inis na bulyaw ko.

"Did you just yell on me?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at tumitig sa kaniya ng matagal. "Oo, sinigawan kita. May mali ba doon?" pagtataray ko. I saw him clenched his jaw as if he's trying hard not to lose his temper. "Don't provoke me, Kate. I know you don't like it when I'm mad," he warned me.

"Provoke my ass," I whispered. He leaned on the bathroom's door and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he looked at me with a warning look. "Next time when you whisper, make sure that I can't hear it clearly," he muttered. I rolled my eyes for the second time. "Kasalanan ko bang malakas 'yang pandinig mo? Lumayo ka na lang kung ayaw mong marinig kung ano 'yung binubulong ko," ani ko tsaka naglakad papunta sa kama para kumain.

"Anong klaseng pagkain 'to? Ayoko nito dahil gusto ko ng sinigang na manok tapos lagyan mo ng bacon 'yung sabaw niya. Ayoko rin ng plain na kanin, gusto ko ng fried rice na may halong maanghang na ketchup," saad ko bago itinabi 'yung tray na dinala niya kanina. I don't want to eat those dahil nasusuka ako. He looked at me with the weirdest stare as if I said something gross. "Damn it, Kate. Where can I find chicken sinigang with bacon on its soup and fried rice mixed with spicy ketchup? Have you gone nuts?"

"Oh, sige! Hindi na lang ako kakain. Mas mabuti pa sigurong mamatay na lang ako sa gutom kaysa naman sa makulong dito habang buhay! Kung hindi mo rin lang ibibigay sa'kin 'yung mga gusto kong pagkain then h'wag ka " nang magpakita pa sa'kin dahil naiinis akong pagmasdan 'yang pagmumukha mo!" I know I acted like a ten-year-old kid but I don't care. I want to eat what I want to eat, periodt!

"Hey, that's too much! You complained like a fvcking eight-year-old kid and you even talked ill about my face! What's wrong with you?" he said, impatient and confused.

"Can't you get it, Gene?! I want to eat those ones that I had mentioned awhile ago! I'm freaking craving for it that I don't want to eat anything aside from those!" I shouted, feeling frustrated over something I don't know. Ghad! What's happening to me? This isn't me! "Alright. Alright. I'll get those weird shits that you badly want to eat. What's with those shits that you even refused to eat PROPER food?" he asked me.

"I don't know, okay? I just have this strong feeling that I want to eat those!" I don't know why I'm shouting at the moment but all I know is that I'm mad because I can't get what I want. "Stop shouting, will you?! Umagang-umaga galit na galit ka. Just sit down and stop moving back and forth, you're making me dizzy. Calm down, geez!" inis na sambit niya. Nakaramdam ako ng pagod kaya umupo na lang ako sa kama habang nakatingin pa rin ng masama sa kaniya. "And stop staring at me like that. You're getting into my nerves, you little witch!" he added before grabbing his phone from his pocket.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm calling Steve and tell him to come over and cook the food you want to eat. Did it answer your question? Yes? Now, shut up before I'll kiss you roughly," he said before dialing Steve's number. Umismid na lang ako sa tabi niya. "Harsh," bulong ko pero nilingon niya ako at tinignan ng masama. "I heard that, Kate!"

"Whatever," ani ko bago siya inirapan.

"Hey, man. Can you come over to my house? I need you to cook some weird stuff. So, you coming? Yes? Alright, see you then." He hung up right after talking for less than a minute. Is that how he talk with his friend? How rude. "You're rude," I commented.

"There's nothing good in me, luv," he replied. Oo nga pala. Walang mabuti sa kaniya dahil masama siyang tao. "Thank you for reminding me," I told him with my sarcastic tone. Ngumisi muna siya bago sinabing, "Oh, luv. You're always welcome." He's good at teasing, alright! Nakakainis lang dahil palagi niya akong pinupuntahan dito sa kwarto ko para asarin ako o 'di kaya'y kausapin ako nang kung ano-ano gaya ng ano ang ginawa ko buong araw o anong kinain ko. He's weird and you know, cute but I still hate him.

Dalawang linggo na ang nakalipas simula noong gabing binigyan niya ako ng rosas at simula rin no'n ay medyo close na kaming dalawa. Mahirap magpanggap na okay lang ako na kausapin siya pero kailangan kong gawin 'yun para sa kalayaan ko. Sa napapansin ko ngayon ay nagiging open na siya sa'kin like he's baring himself to me and I like it because that's a sign that I'm actually winning against him. Naghahanap na lang ako ng magandang tiyempo para makaalis dito nang tuluyan.

"Stay here for a while. Be a good girl and wait for me, alright?" he muttered before going out of the room without waiting for my response. Bumuntong-hininga na lang ako bago humiga sa kama tsaka tumitig sa ceiling. Three weeks na akong nandito sa mansyon ng kidnapper na 'yon at siguradong stressed na si mommy dahil sa biglaang pagkawala ko. I miss my family so much that I would cry most of the time when I remember them. "Ghad! Why am I so emotional these days?" sambit ko sa kawalan bago pinunasan ang aking luha. Konting panahon pa ang kailangan ko upang paniwalain si Gene na wala akong balak na tumakas. I need him to think that way so that he won't even expect that I will escape from him. Dahil sa kakaisip ko ay hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog na pala ako. Nagising na lang ako noong may naramdaman akong humalik sa'king noo.

"Gene," tawag ko sa kaniya no'ong binuksan ko ang aking mga mata. Bakit ngayon ko lang napansin na ang bango pala niya. Gustong-gusto ko siyang amuyin. "Bakit ang bago mo naman yata ngayon?" tanong ko sa kaniya. He frowned and looked at me weirdly. "I always smell like that for a very long time now, Kate. Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi na mabango ako?" tanong niya.

"I don't know," I said and shrugged my shoulder.

"You're weird today. Are you unwell?" tanong ulit niya bago chineck kung mainit ang noo ko. Anong akala niya? May fever ako? "Stop it, Gene! Wala akong sakit, okay?" ani ko bago inilayo ang ulo ko mula sa palad niya. "Okay. Get up and eat. Steve cooked all the food you wanted to eat," aniya.

"Tinatamad akong bumangon," sumbat ko. Bigla akong tinamad na bumangon dito sa higaan. "What? How about eating, Kate? Late na pero hindi ka pa rin kumain ng agahan. Get the fvck up or I'll make you regret not getting your ass up from that freaking bed," he warned me but I didn't listen.

"Ayoko nga dahil tinatamad talaga ako," pagmamatigas ko. Huminga muna siya ng malalim bago ako binuhat mula sa kama at pinaupo sa sofa kaharap ng mga pagkain. "Ano ba?! Sabing ayokong kumain dahil tinatamad ako!" inis na sigaw ko sa kaniya.

"Kapag sinabi kong kumain ka, kumain ka. You can't skip a single meal, Kate. Not on my watch," seroyong saad niya. Nag-make face na lang ako bago nagsalita. "Kaya ako tumataba dahil hindi uso ang salitang diet sa'yo. Anong balak mo sa'kin? Papatabain mo ako hanggang sa magmukha akong inahing baboy? Gano'n ba 'yon?!"

"That's not the case, Kate. I just simply want you to eat the proper amount of food. Diet is a total bullshit, you know that? You look skinny and yet you still want to go on a diet? I don't care if you get fat like a pig, you're still gorgeous, luv." I almost choked myself because of his words. My body is my concern and he doesn't have the right to meddle with my food intake. Lahat ba naman ng bagay sa buhay ko ay kailangan involved pa siya? "My body, my say. PROPER diet is essential for me because that's what I want and you don't have to meddle with everything about me," I said.

"Do you think I don't have the right to do so?" he asked.

"Of course you don't have the right to meddle with my life because you're not my husband!" I yelled. Totoo naman 'di ba? Hindi ko siya asawa para pakialaman niya ang lahat ng mga bagay sa buhay ko. "So, I'm not your husband to begin with, huh?" he mumbled.

"Yes, Gene! Hindi kita asawa. HINDI TAYO MAG-ASAWA," ani ko.

"So, basically, you're saying that I don't have the right to meddle with your life because we're not married, right?" he asked me again. Ano bang problema niya at nagtatanong siya nang kung ano-ano? "You got it right, bro," I answered, lazily.

"Then let's get married so I have the right to meddle with your life," aniya. Gulat ko siyang nilingon at pinanlakihan ng mata. "Are you out of your mind, Gene?! You know what marriage means? Marriage is sacred and it should happen when a man and a woman love each other and agree to spend their life together. Unfortunately on our case, we don't love each other because I hate you to the moon and back!" I'm getting hysterical here because of his sudden proposal. Damn it! He's crazy!

"I love you too," he said with a sarcastic tone. I just rolled my eyes on him. "I won't marry you, Gene," I told him.

"You just gave me an idea, luv. Let's get married tomorrow," he said with a smug look on his face. Gusto ko siyang sabunutan dahil sa inis pero pinigilan ko lang 'yung sarili ko. Dang it! I jusy really hope he's just teasing me.

"You know what? Get out so I can hace my meal peacefully. Lumabas ka na bago dumilim ang paningin ko," giit ko.

"Am I that infuriating to you?" he asked.

"Goodness, Gene. Everything about you infuriates me!" I yelled. I saw him put both of his hand on his waist and stared at me. "But you do like my scent, right?" he asked again.

"Well.... I.... like it... a little bit.." I stammered and I saw him smirked. "But that's not the whole point!" I added.

"But my scent is a part of that "everything about me" that you hate," he murmured.

"Okay fine! I like your scent so I can exclude that from the things I hate about you," I babbled.

"You're being unreasonable, Kate," he said with a frustrated voice.

"Just get out so I can be at peace. Everything is at war when I'm stucked with you," I told him one more time.

"Oh god! I can't believe that I'm arguing with you over something pointless," he said before running his hands through his hair.

"Get out now, Gene. Umalis ka na kung gusto mo akong kumain ng agahan," ani ko. Umiling-iling lang siya sa tabi habang nakatitig sa'kin. "Alright, you won. Aalis na ako pero kailangan mong ubusin lahat 'yang mga pagkain na dinala ko," aniya bago naglalakad papunta sa pintuan.

"Bye!" pahabol ko bago niya sinara 'yung pinto.

Gosh! I can't believe that I get into a nonsensical argument with him! What was I thinking?