GOSH! Patay talaga ako! Stacey cried to herself.
Parang nagka-buhol-buhol na sa utak niya ang gusto niyang sabihin.
Nick raised his left brow . "You became quiet all of a sudden honey." he commented.
"W-Why do you want to see the video?" nerbiyos na tanong niya.
He shrugged his shoulders. Kinuha nito ang alak and gulped some of it. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he continues to look at her.
" You seem to be keeping something from me. You are nervous as a cat honey. If you don't want me to see the recording then maybe you can tell me what exactly happened." pigil ang galit na suhestiyon niya.
He knows damn well na may tinatago ito sa kanya .He feels that he is really going to be hopping mad.
"S-Sabihin ko naman talaga." she said Her voice sounds so small.
Nagulat siya when Nick put down the bottle with a thud.
"I asked you if there is still something I should know but you said wala na!" malamig na sabi nito. His eyes are like slits.
She nervously ran the tip of her tongue on her lips.
"H-Honey, sorry. Please don't be angry. I was just thinking how I'll tell you." sabi niya. She is playing with her fingers to ease her nervousness.
He leaned forward from his seat. "How many times have I told you that I don't want that fucking asshole near you? Ilang beses?!" he asked. Nakakatakot ang boses nito kahit hindi sumisigaw.
Yumuko siya to look at her hands which are on her lap. "Wala naman kami kasing plano ni Eve na kitain siya. He just asked Eve to buy stuff for him."
He let out a sarcastic laugh. "But when the fucking asshole learned that you were with his cousin, he suddenly wanted to see you." he said through gritted teeth.
"Magkaibigan lang talaga kami ni Blake. He has a girlfriend and a son." Sabi niya. She feels she really needs to reassure Nick na wala itong dapat ipag-alala.
"What if he doesn't have a girlfriend and a son? May pag-asa ba siya sayo if liligawan ka niya?" he asked unexpectedly.
Natigilan siya sa tanong nito. Meron pa nga ba? Tanong niya sa sarili.
The past few days, she had contemplated on the thought of maybe if Blake is unattached, she will probably like him. Hindi ba nga tipo na niya ang mga kagaya nito? Just like Nick too..
Nick clenched his fists as he waits for her answer.
I swear that I will injure that fucking asshole if she will say yes! He promised himself.
Muntik na niyang upakan ito last time kung hindi lang bumusina si Stacey. He can still remember their heated conversation.
"Stay away from Stacey." he told him menacingly.
"Sino ka para pagsabihan ako ng ganyan? I have known her longer." Blake said tersely.
"She is mine."
"You don't own her. Even if you do, I don't fucking care. I will see her if I want to." sagot ni Blake.
"You don't wanna know what I can do to you." Nick said through gritted teeth.
Narinig nila ang busina ng sasakyan.
"Hindi ako natatakot sayo." Blake retorted as he glanced at the car.
"Huwag mo akong subukan." Nick threatened before he went back to his car.
Naisip ni Stacey that maybe she should tell him what she really feels about him para hindi na ito magselos kay Blake.
"H-Honey..please..believe me. Don't worry about Blake. Magkaibigan lang talaga kami." pakiusap niya.
"You didn't answer my question." malamig na sabi nito.
She bit the inside of her lower lip.
Realization struck her. Si Nick na ang mahal niya. Kung dati hati ang nararamdaman niya for him and Derick, now si Nick na talaga. So even being attracted to Blake again is out of the question.
She is willing to face the consequences of being Nick Alcantara's woman. Gagawin niya lahat yun kasi mahal niya ito.
She finally shook her head.
She still can't read his expression. His eyes have a certain glint.
Nick almost gave out a sigh of relief. He knows that he will go ballistic if she said yes. He leaned on the couch. He grabbed the bottle of booze then tumungga ito. He's drinking it like water. He sensed that he needs to drink to calm himself. May pakiramdam talaga ito na meron itong hindi magandang maririnig from her.
"So ano ang nangyari sa restaurant? Give me all the details. Whether you like it or not, I can have the access to the recording. Narinig mo si Sonny di ba?" he asked.
She nodded. Inayos niya muna ang pagkakaupo niya bago inumpisahang magsalita.
"W-Whatever you'll hear..please huwag kang magalit..." she began.
"SHIT! Why are you stalling?! Why not just directly answer my fucking question?!" galit na tanong ni Nick. Hindi na nito napigilan ang sarili. He is like a kettle with boiling water. Sasabog na talaga siya.
Stacey’s heart almost stopped beating. Kung sakali ngayon lang sobrang magagalit si Nick sa kanya and she's really scared.
"O baka naman mas maganda siguro huwag mo ng sagutin. Papanuorin ko na lang ang video." he grated.
"S-Sasabihin ko na."
Binagsak ni Nick sa lamesa ang bote ng alak bago nagmura na naman.
"H-He sat next to me." mahinang sabi niya as she looks at him with her eyes wide.
She saw him grit his teeth.
GOSH! I hope he won't get angrier sa susunod na sasabihin ko! Takot na sabi niya sa sarili.
Alam niya suntok sa buwan ang inaasam niya na huwag sanang lalong magalit si Nick sa malalaman pa nito.
"And...??" he asked in a frightening tone.
"He peeled shrimps for me..." her voice almost faded at the middle of her sentence.
This time yumuko na talaga siya. She cringed after she said that. It's like she's waiting for something to explode.
She didn't hear him react pero hindi pa din siya tumingin dito. She has her head down.
Nick closed his eyes for several seconds then pagmulat niya he cursed. Malutong na malutong na-- Son of a bitch! ang narinig ni Stacey.
"H-Honey..." she was about to say something but narinig niyang tumayo ito so she looked up.
He angrily took his phone from his pocket again then naglakad ito papunta sa kusina.
Tumayo na din si Stacey para sundan ito.
He has his back on her while he has his phone on his right ear.
"Cruz! ..Nick Alcantara here.." he said in a clipped tone.
Bumalik na lang siya sa sala where she will wait for him. She doesn't want to eavesdrop kahit na curious siya kung sino ang kausap nito.
She stood by the window to look at the passing traffic below as she waits for him.
I do love him! Sabi niya sa sarili.
Bukas na sila dapat magmi-meet ulit ni Derick but she's not even excited to be with him unlike before. Sa maiksing pagsasama nila ni Nick sa unit nito, her love for him has really increased.
Ngayon niya naisip na lolokohin lang niya ang sarili niya and Derick if sasagutin niya ito.
Maybe this time, she should really start to think about her own happiness. Hindi naman krimen ang unahin ang kaligayahan niya ngayon. She will just explain everything to Derick pag nakausap niya ito. She did try very hard to avoid Nick and to stop herself from falling for him pero since tao lang siya ,hindi naman niya maiwasan na hindi matutunang mahalin ito. Who wouldn't like or love him? He is almost perfect. He has mixed personalities which somehow adds to his appeal.
He is thoughtful and caring too. Super bonus na ang guwapo-guwapo nito. So adding all those up, paano niya mapaglalabanan ang damdamin niya?
She is really hoping that Derick will understand and eventually accept everything. She sensed his presence kahit hindi niya ito nakikita. Nilingon niya ito. He has a grim expression habang nakatingin ito sa kanya.
Pinilit niyang pigilan ang sarili to look down at his bare upper body. Lalo lang siyang mawawala sa sarili if she will run her eyes on his broad chest and oh-so yummy six pack.
Tigilan mo yan Stacey! You have to talk to him ,hindi maglaway sa kanya! Pinagalitan niya ang sarili.
"H-Honey..I'm sorry." she said sincerely.
He leaned his left shoulder on the kitchen's door frame. Pinag-krus nito ang mga braso sa dibdib.
His expression didn't change but he narrowed his eyes. Para bang sinasabi na..go on... talk...
That encouraged her a little. She will do everything and say anything para lang malaman nito that he shouldn't be threatened with Blake or with any other man.
He is PNMK for crying out loud . Although mas mabuti na din na hindi nito pansin ang ganung bagay. He doesn't even care if women go gaga over him. At least ang kailangan na lang niyang pagpraktisan is how to shoo women who want him. Importante siya lang ang gusto nito.
"Honey.." she began again while she hugs herself.
Nilalamig na siya sa nerbiyos and hiya. What she was about to say should mean a lot to him dahil hindi biro ang lakas ng loob na kakailanganin niya para ituloy ang gusto niyang sabihin.
He raised his left brow pero hindi pa din ito nagsalita.
Huminga muna ng malalim si Stacey.
"H-hindi ka dapat magselos kay Blake ...dahil ikaw lang ang gusto ko. Honey… I love you..." she said huskily na halos pabulong.