LUSCIOUS POISON

Chapter 35

"What are you doing here?" Tanong ng binata sa kanya.

"I should be the one asking," ani Calla at saka iginala ang paningin sa buonh paligi.

Hinihintay nila ang kanilang driver na nag-park ng kanilang sasakyan. Simula noong araw na magkita silang muli ay madalas na s'yang puntahan ng binata.

"We had a business transaction in here," sagot ni Arthus sa kaniya.

Calla scanned her eyes and looked at his back but seeing nobody. Wala itong kasama.

"Arthus...." Pagkuha ni Natasha sa atensyon ng binata. Nginitian ni Arthus ang dalaga at tumango ito.

"How are you, Natasha, Irene?" Pagbaati naman pabalik ng binata.

"We've seen each other yesterday." Pairap na sagot ni Irene kaya natawa ang binata.

Kahapon lang ay nagpunta ang binata sa kanilang hotel room kaya hindi na nagugulat ang dalawa na kilala ni Calla ang binata. Although Calla is not telling them anything, Calla knew that her friends are no dumb. They knew what was going on.

She tried to push Arthus away but the man is not buying it. Baliw s'ya kung itatanggi n'yang masaya s'ya sa presensya ng binata. She never felt this feeling before. It was the very first time she had this burden in her mind.

"Who are you with?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Calla sa binata.

Sumilay ang ngiti sa mukha ni Arthus at nanlaki ang mga mata ni Calla nang walang pasabi s'ya nitong hinwakan sa kamay at hinila. "Hey!"

Tiningnan ni Calla ng masama ang mga kaibigan nang marinig ang mga itong tumawa ng mahina. Magsasalita na sana ang mga ito ng dumating ang kanilang driver.

"Ma'am Calla, pupunta na po ba tayo?"

Naglaho bigla ang ngiti ni Arthus sa mukha nang makalapit na sa kanila ang driver. Bata pa ito at sa tingin n'ya ay mas bata ito sa kaniya ng ilang taon. Pero sa tingin din naman n'ya ay mas matanda ito kay Calla.

"Yes, please." Tumatangong sagot ng dalaga.

Akmang hahakbang na s'ya nang pigilan s'ya ng binata kaya napatingin s'ya rito. Tinaasan n'ya ng kilay ang binata kaya nag-iwas ito ng tingin.

"Where are you going?" Dinig n'yang tanong ng binata sa seryosong boses.

"We will be visiting her relatives." Si Irene ang sumagot kaya napatingin si Calla sa kaibigan bago ibinalik ang tingin sa binata.

"We have no idea who they are that is why we asked our driver to come with us," dagdag naman ni Natasha.

Umawang ang bibig ng binata na nakatingin kay Calla. Malamlam ang mga mata nito na tila ba sinusubukan nitong basahin ang kung ano ang nasa isip ng dalaga.

Si Calla naman ay seryosong tinitingnan ang binata. Sa klase ng tingin nito sa kaniya ay mukhang alam n'ya na may hindi sinasabi ang binata sa kaniya. Pakiramdam n'ya ay may ginagawa itong bagay na may kinalaman sa kaniya.

"Natasha, Irene," tawag n'ya sa mga kaibigan. "Can you go first? I will follow you real quick. I just need to talk to him."

Both Natasha and Irene noticed how serious Calla's tone is. They nodded in unison and turned to see the driver.

"Let's go," sambit ni Irene sa driver.

Hinarap ni Calla ang binata at seryoso rin itong nakatingin sa kaniya. Bago s'ya nagsalita ay inilibot ng dalaga ang paningin sa paligid.

"Now....." panimula ni Calla. "What business do you have here?" Seryosong tanong ni Calla rito.

Arthus was looking straight to Calla's eyes very intently. He sighed in defeat. He indeed know that the certain Calla Vazquez is so hard to fool. She is not a princess and the richest royal member for nothing. She got everything under her sweater and she got the power but Calla's not using neither of that.

She established her multi-million dollar company with her own sweat and mind.

"I told you once that I made a research about you, didn't I?" Hindi sumagot ang dalaga. Nakatingin lamang s'ya sa binata at hinihintay ang sunod nitong sasabihin.

"I had a glimpse of the fact that you are a half Filipino. When I found it out, I tried to know about it further. I discovered this place," pag-amin n'ya ng katotohanan.

Calla's not taking her eyes off him. She was trying to know what else he was hiding at her. They've just met not so long ago and now he was able to know some issues about her that was never discussed in the internet.

Her mother was so careful about talking her native relatives.

"So...you've met them?" Pagtatanong ni Calla sa binata. Alam nito kung ano at sino ang tinutukot n'ya.

"I am sorry if I did this alone." Hinawakan ng binata ang kaniyang kamay at bahagya itong pinisil. "I didn't mean to invade your personal life and personal information. I just want to know you more. I just want to surprise you when time comes that you will mention them." Mahinang saad ng binata.

Nagsusumamo ang mga mata nito habang nakatingin sa kaniya. Calla was wearing the look and the expression she always wear that would make other poeple take a step back and do what she says.

Huminga ng malalim ang dalaga at saka bumuntong hininga. "We will talk about it when I get back to the City. I have to go after my friends and do the reason why I came here."

Akmang tatalikuran n'ya ang binata nang hawakan nito ang kaniyang braso,

"Who is that boy with your friends?" Kunot-noong ni Arthus sa kaniya.

"Our driver." Walang pagdadalawang-isip na sagot ni Calla.

Napansin n'ya ang pagbabago ng expression sa mukha ng binata nang banggitin ang kanilang driver. Pero hindi n'ya ito binigyan ng pansin .

"I will go with you." Napatigil si Calla sa sinabi nito at saka napatingin kay Arthus.

Ang mga mata nito na nakatingin sa kaniya na para bang sinasabi nito na *I am not taking no and I am not asking your permission.*

Hindi na kumuntra pa si Calla at hinayaan na lang ang binata. Magkahawak kamay silang naglalakad papasok sa maliit na eskeneta. She was wearing a mask and a cap to make sure that nobody would recpgnize her.

"They will be so happy to see you." Nakangiting sabi ni Arthus sa kaniya habang naglalakad.

Bigla na lang nabuhay ang kaba sa dibdib ni Calla dahil sa sinabi ni Arthus. Growing up, she only have the thought in her mind that her mother's relative would never like her. Despite of the thoughts, she still would want to meet them.

She never heard a thing from her mother about their family. She was just reminded to never ask anything about them. That is why what she just heard from Arthus made her nervous.