When Blue Descends

CHAPTER 21

"This month's rough, huh?"

Zeke commented as he's gently tearing through his wagyu listening to what happened to me this month.

"Right? It's not even the end of the month!" I responded as I then look at the block of brie beside my dish and cut through it and spread it on my toasted garlic bread.

"How's your food? Is it good? It is my first time cooking wagyu though..." He asked as he raises his gaze and look at me.

"It's good. You know you don't need to make fancy food for me though. It is your birthday, not mine," I said as smiled at him and look at the paper bag behind my chair and reach for it.

"Anyway, here's your gift," I said and handed it to him.

He then smiled widely as if he is excited to see his gift making me smile too. I know he will like my gift because he's been looking for it for a while now according to my secretary, Kimberly. 

He opened the paper bag and look inside it making his eyes grow big with the parting of his lips forming a rubescent halo running along his cheeks. His eyes started looking luminous with a teary-eyed he had become by the surprise.

"Oh, my fudge, Khatalina..." He uttered almost whispering still staring at his gift.

It is a self-portrait painting of an infamous criminal looking so awful in the painting who committed suic*de when he was haunted by his conscience with everything he had done. Zeke has this fascination with weird stuff like this, kind of my vibe too as I am hooked with stories like that so when Kimberly told me that he has been looking at this specific painting around 5 inches by 5 inches, I hurriedly asked her to look for it and buy it for him.

I mean, of course, people like them don't deserve to be known but the excitement that the stories of true crime just lit fires inside us makes us curious about what's going on in their minds.

"You know, to be honest, I thought makakalimutan mong birthday ko ngayon," saad niya na nangingiti lang na nakatingin sa akin.

Hindi ko naman maiwasang makaramdam ng guilt dahil nalimutan ko naman talaga at ipinaalala lang sa akin ni Kimberly. Mabuti na lamang din at sinabihan siya ni Kimberly na may play ako ngayon kaya napapunta na siya sa school ko kanina para sunduin ako. Kung hindi pa siya tumawag ay paniguradong tuluyan kong malilimutan na mag-celebrate kasama siya.

"Alright, I am right here in the parking lot of your university. Do you want me to go there? Actually, no, punta nako riyan sa room mo"

"N-nako, huwag na! Pababa naman na ako!" Gulat na saad ko sa kaniya saka ibinaba na ang tawag ko sa kaniya at nagmamadaling kinuha ang bag ko at maglakakad na sana ako palayo sa upuan ko pero napahinto ako dahil hinawakan ni Jaxen iyong bag ko kaya naman napalingon ako sa kaniya.

"Where are you going?" Tanong niya.

"Someone's birthday," maikling sagot ko at tinalikuran na siya pero pinahinto niya akong muli at hinawakan sa aking palapulsuhan kaya naman sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay nilingon ko siya.

Guhit na guhit naman ang pagtatakha sa kaniyang mukha at itinuro pa iyong mga kaklase namin.

"They are planning to celebrate later. Hindi ka sasama?" Tanong niya.

"Good afternoon, is Khatalina Maia here?"

Para naman akong naging marmol sa aking kinatatayuan namg marinig ko na ang boses ni Zeke na nagmumula sa pintuan. Kahit papaano ay na-manage ko parin namang lingunin siya at sakto namang napadako rin ang tongin niya sa akin na parang ikinagulat pa niya at agad ding ikinapula ng kaniyang mga pisngi.

"Hello, yeah, she's here. Pasok po kayo, wala naman po kaming class today," nati at aya sa kaniya ni Fritzylle na mukhang kinikilig kay Zeke.

"Oh, no, it is fine. Aalis narin naman kami," pagtanggi naman ni Zeke saka muli akong tinignan.

"Oh... Khatalina, hindi ka makakasama mamaya?" Baling naman sa akin ni Fritzylle kaya naman naglakad na ako palapit sa kanila ni Zeke habang nakangiting umiiling.

"Nope, we have to go somewhere. Ipag-celebrate ninyo nalang ako," saad ko sa kaniya.

Napatawa naman si Fritzylle saka tumango-tango na.

“Oh, siya. Ingat po kayo!” sagot naman niya kahit nakatingin lang siya kay Zeke.

“Khat, send number later ha,” bulong ni Fritz nang madaanan ko siya kaya naman napahalakhak na ako.

“Nanood ako ng play ninyo kanina,” nangingiti-ngiting saad niya sa akin nang makalapit ako sa kaniya dahilan para mag-init iyong mga pisngi ko sa hiya kaya naman napalingon lang ako sa classroom namin at napatingin kay Jaxen na nakatingin lang sa amin ni Zeke habang nakakunot ang kaniyang noo.

“Is he the one you kissed?” tanong naman niya kaya naman napatango ako bilang sagot nang hindi binibitawan ang tingin ko kay Jaxen.

“Was he… a good kisser?”

Napalingon naman ako nang marahas kay Zeke at lalong nagulat sa lapit ng mukha niya sa akin kaya naman agad kong itinulak palayo iyong mukha niya gamit iyong hintuturo ko. Hindi ko alam kung bakit bigla nalang nagwala iyong t***k ng puso ko sa sinabi ni Zeke pero parang pilit namang sumasang-ayon sa sinabi niya iyong puso ko.

“Pinagsasabi mo riyan?” tanong ko nalang.

Itinaas naman niya ang kaniyang kamay saka inabot iyong buhok ko.

“You look gorgeous in every hairstyle,” he complimented.

“Thanks… Anyway, happy birthday!” I said as I feel a little tension from him and tried to change the topic.

It seems like he noticed what I did and just laughs it off as he pinches mg cheeks, holds my hand and drags me away from my classroom.

“Oo naman, ano? Bakit ko naman makakalimutan?” saad ko saka napasubo ng pagkain.

“I mean, you’re busy so, it is fine that you’ll forget,” saad niya saka nainom sa kaniyang beer.

Napadako rin naman ang tingin ko sa champagne ko at pinag-iisipan kung iinom ba ako dahil kailangan ko mag-drive pauwi mamaya at hindi naman na niya ako pwede ihatid dahil nakainom na itong si Zeke.

“Just drink, sinabihan ko na si Kimberly na iinom tayo ngayon kaya sure na pupuntahan ka niya mamaya,” sabi niya saka ngumiti sa akin kaya naman napangiti narin ako at wala nang pagtitimping inabot iyong champagne flute.

“Happy birthday,” I uttered before I bring the rim of the glass to my lips and tasted almost an almond taste with a little hint of orange zest sending relaxation all over my tense body.

I then lean on the chair and take a deep breath. I let my eyes dart on him. He is drinking his beer while his eyes are glued on me as well.

I can't help but feel a little uncomfortable with the way he stares at me especially that we're alone in his house right now.

I genuinely thought that there would be other people in here and he decided to just celebrate his birthday in his mansion as he said that he wanted to make it simple but I didn't think that he would enjoy his birthday with only the two of us.

"So... why didn't you invite your other friends?" I asked trying to push back the awkwardness between us.

"You're my friend," he answered shortly still staring at me as he takes a sip of his beer again. His face is starting to get red making me reach out for my champagne and drink too.

"I mean, the other friends?" I asked again.

"They're not available unless I invite girls," he said which was then followed by his laugh.

"Wow, himala, hindi ka nag-invite nga ng babae?" tanong ko saka napatawa pa dahil normally nga ay nag-iimbita siya ng mga babae.

"Nandito kana eh," sagot naman niya na seryoso paring nakatingin sa akin.

“Sorry, I’m not interested,” I said smiling at him making him shut his eyes close, and laugh.

“You seem drunk already, aba, paano pa tayo mag-golf niyan?” I uttered as I took a bite of the last bite of my wagyu.

He then stands smiling while still holding his beer. I then stand and walk closer to him.

“I am just waiting for to finish your food,” dahilan pa niya saka inaya na akong pumunta sa mini golf field niya sa may bandang bakuran ng kaniyang mansion.

Dinala ko naman iyong champagne ko papunta roon na ikinatawa lang din ni Zeke dahil gaya niya ay hindi ko mabitawan iyong champagne ko. Alam niya kasing champagne lang talaga iniinom ko.

Napaawang naman ang labi ko nang makarating na kami doon sa sinasabi niyang “mini golf field” na sobrang lawak sa likod ng bahay niya.

Inilapag naman namin iyong mga alak namin doon sa table sa gilid saka kumuha ng golf club.

“Here,” saad niya saka iniabot sa akin iyong flat cap na kulay puti kaya naman nginitian ko siya saka ito isinuot at hindi na inintindi na magulo iyong kulot kong buhok.

Kumuha naman siya ng kaniya saka isinuot din na ikinatawa ko naman dahil nakasuot pa siya kanina pa simula noong pumunta siya sa school ng full-on suit and tie and ngayon ay tinanggal niya lang iyong suit niya.

“Okay, how do we do this?” tanong ko sa kaniya nang lumapit ako sa may isang butas na nakita ko.

Narinig ko naman siyang tumawa sa likod ko saka ko naramdaman iyong malamig niyang kamay na humawak sa kamay ko saka mahinahon akong hinila isang milya palayo doon sa butas. Hindi naman niya binitawan ang kamay ko saka itinuro iyong butas.

“Try swinging your arms muna and huwag mong tamaan iyong lupa,” saad niya saka binitawan na ako at namewang na nakatingin sa akin.

Pumwesto naman ako saka yumuko nang kaunti saka ni-practice iyong braso ko na mag-swing hanggang sa parang hiindi naman na nakatiis si Zeke sa likod ko nang marinig ko iyong palatak niya at naglakad siya patabi sa akin saka pumusisyon para gayahin ko. Natawa naman ako saka ginaya ko siya at naglagay na siya ng golf ball sa lupa.

I then exhaled through my lips as I gently swing the golf club I am holding trying not to hit the golf ball.

“Square your feet, align your shoulders… and grip your club correctly…” Zeke said as he touches both of my shoulders aligning them to the position of my feet then slowly stroking my arms down to my hands.

He then holds my hands firmly into the club making me nervous as I felt his body against my back with his slow breathing to my neck sending cold electric feeling through my nerves. I can faintly smell the stout on him sending a different sensation in my stomach—an unflattering one.

“Slightly bend your knees, look at the ball while keeping your arms straight, and swing,” he added making me nod and clear my throat.

I followed his instructions and try to swing as I then successfully hit the ball releasing a huge smile from my lips even though the ball didn’t come close to the hole. He then snickers as he walks closer again to me making me stand straight. I don’t want him to be that close again almost me feeling his firm thing in his pants that I don’t want to think about why is it hard at this moment.

My cheeks then started becoming warm with what I am thinking as I aggressively shook my head.

“What’s wrong?”

Nagulat naman ako sa tanong niya at nakitang nakalapit na naman siya sa akin na ngayon ay hindi niya na suot iyong sumbrero niya. inabot naman niya iyong akin saka marahang hinawakan iyong buhok ko at muli niya itong tinignan.

“Curly hair looks good in you,” muli niyang saad.

“Everything looks good in you…” he added as he slowly lowered his gaze darting straight into mine.

“Thank you…” I said trying not to stutter.

I really don’t want to ruin his birthday that is why I am not talking about his touches but if things get a little heated, I might blurt out.

His eyes then changed into almost as if he’s hurting which then throws me off.

“You’re uncomfortable, aren’t you?” he asked with his eyes starting to get red.

Is he about to cry?

“W-what? No, I’m fine—”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence as I felt his warm lips mine pressing them to mine really hard making me not move out of shock with his hands starting to get moving…