Gio

ATHENA

"Argh!!" kanina pa ako inis na inis. Hindi ko kasi maabot yung pagkain na gusto ko. We've been roaming in this grocery store for almost an hour. Hindi ko na nga alam kung nasaan ang mga yun. Pagpasok na pagpasok kasi namin ay iniwan na nila agad ako.

Ohhh and please!! Don't ever ask me where is Cyril!! Ewan ko sa lalaking yun! Bahala siya sa buhay niya!!!

"Geez! Wag na nga lang!" sukong sabi ko at balak na sanang iwan ang walang hiyang tsitsirya na yun ng may biglang umabot at kinuha yun.

I slowly turned around and my eyes meet a man who's so charming. Charcoal-colored eyes, perfect pointed nose, and that thin smiling reddish lips. He has a black hair that have blonde highlights at the end. It's messy yet still looks good on him. He also have that smile in his lips that is very contagious. And his dimples, that little but deep dimples.

He's like a freaking model.

"Hi!" his voice is lively. Full of energy and excitement. And his smile became brighter that even his eyes are almost closing. He's so hyper for a man. "H-Hello..." sagot ko. Hindi ko siya masungitan and I don't know why. He has this aura that can't be overpowered by my bitchiness.

"I saw you having a hard time getting this food so I want to help." he said.

Inabot niya sa akin ang tsitsirya. "Here." I awkwardly smiled and nod my head. "T-Thanks." why the hell did I stammer!?

Nagulat ako ng hawakan niya ang isa kung kamay at bigla nitong hinalikan ang likod ng palad ko. He even bow his head.

What the hell!!?

"It's my pleasure for helping a gorgeous lady like you." gulat kung hinila ang kamay ko sa kaniya. Oh gosh! What did just happened?!

Alanganin akong humakbang paatras and I'm still smiling like an idiot. So awkward! This is so awkward.

Nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya. "I'm sorry. Did I scared you?" naging malamlam ang mata niya and there's a worriedness in his voice. Nawala ang awkward kung ngiti tsaka iniling ko ang aking isang kamay. "No! No!" sagot ko.

Agad namang bumalik ang ngiti niya. Parang bigla siyang bumalik sa dati. The man whom I first met. Yung pagkabubbly niya ay bumalik na rin. "For a second, I thought I frightened you." natatawa niyang sabi.

I laughed awkwardly. "Haha. I-Its just awkward. I d-don't know yo-"

"Oh! Right! I still didn't introduce myself. I'm sorry." he said and again laughed. How can a small laugh can such be this charming? "Hi, gorgeous. My name is Gio." he said and bowed formally.

Natawa ako sa ginawa. "Oh! Drop down the formality, please! And by the way, I'm Jade Athena but you can simply call me Jade." ngayon, medyo naging mas komportable ako. He has this atmosphere that is easy to cope with. Maybe because masiyahin siya.

"I believe Athena is much better." medyo natigilan ako ng banggitin niya ang second name ko. Cyril immediately came to my mind. Teka! Asan na ba ang lalaking yun?

I already missed him...

"Su-Sure..." I want to refuse! I really want to but his smile is telling me not to. This is not happening!! No! It isn't!! "Great!!" he energetically said and snapped.

"Nice to meet you." halos bulong na sabi ko. "It's very nice meeting you too, my dear Athena." mahina pero mas malakas sa boses ko na sabi niya.

"What did you say?" a very cold and scary voice said. I suddenly trembled at that voice. But I absolutely know who's the owner of that firm and dread voice.

"Cyril..."

Lumingon sa likod niya si Gio at bumungad sa kaniya ang napakalamig pero may diin na titig nito. He's like killing Gio just by his stare. Siguro kung nakakapatay lang ang titig niya, baka kanina pa pinaglalamayan si Gio.

He slowly take steps forward. Parang ang bibigat ng hakbang niya. And as he's getting nearer, my heart is also beating quicker. Dahan dahan kung binaba sa basket ang tsitsiryang hawak ko ng maramdaman kong nanginig ang kamay ko. I'm trembling because of him.

Nakakatakot siya.

This is the first time that I saw him this furious. Parang kaya niyang pumatay ng tao- No! Of course not! Cyril can't do that! He may be bad but he will not get to the point that he will kill someone!

He can't, right?...

"What did you say?" ulit ni Cyril but this time mas nakakatakot na ang boses niya at tuluyan  na rin niyang nalapitan si Gio. He's even pulling his shirt habang nanlilisik ang matang nakatingin dito.

Gio raised his two hands, like he's surrendering and then he smirked. "Chill, man!" sabi ni Gio na ikinagulat ko. Hindi man lang ba siya natakot sa mga tingin ni Cyril?

Mas nag tangis ang bagang ni Cyril and even his fist are trembling because of so much anger. Titig na titig ako kay Cyril but my gaze changed to Gio when I heard him chuckled. "Oh! Is she your girlfriend? Can I borrow her?" ngising sabi ni Gio. This is not the Gio I met before.

"Fuck you!" nanggagalaiting sagot ni Cyril before his fist meets Gio's face. He punched Gio! Napahiga si Gio at pumutok ang gilid ng labi nito.

Nagmamadali akong lumapit kay Cyril ng plano niya na naman sanang suntukin ito. He might kill him pag hindi ko siya pinigilan! "Cyril, stop it!" sigaw ko sa kaniya.

I hugged him in the back and keep pulling him away from Gio. Baka ano pang magawa niya and I won't let him do that. "Please..." naramdaman kung natigilan siya. His breathing stopped for a second bago siya muling huminga. Malalalim ang hininga niya, he's like out of breath.

Yakap ko parin siya at nakasandal ako sa likod niya kaya ramdam na ramdam ko ang mabilis na tibok ng puso niya. Is he really this angry na pati puso niya ay ang lakas ng tibok?

Sinilip niya ako sa likod niya and slowly he's calming down. Buti naman.

Napasilip rin ako sa harapan and I saw Gio standing up. Pinunasan niya ng braso niya ang dugong lumabas sa pumutok niyang labi. His head is bowed and he is also breathing hard. The he suddenly raised his head and his eyes meet mine. Agad kong binalik ang pagkakasandal ko sa likod ni Cyril.

"Fuck off if you don't want to meet hell." napakalamig na sabi ni Cyril. Nakakuyom parin ang kamay niya at ngayon ko lang napansin na may dugo rin pala ang kamay niyang pinansuntok niya kay Gio kanina. "I've been in hell for so many years so I'm not scared of being there again. And if this gorgeous and hot woman is the reward, why not try, right?" may ngisi parin sa labi ni Gio. Shit! Gusto niya ba talagang mamatay!? Can't he just shut up?!

Cyril was about to answer when someone shouted his name. "Mark, what have you done!?" sigaw ni Michael ng makita ang dugo sa kamay ni Cyril at sa labi ni Gio. Cyril just tsked bago niya tinanggal ang kamay kong nakapulupot sa kaniya at tinalikuran kami.

Saglit ko silang tinignan lahat, pati si Gio. Bago ko siya sinundan. "Cyril, wait!" he didn't give any attention to me. Pinagtitinginan kami ng mga tao pero parang wala sa kaniya. Dire-diretso lang siyang naglalakad at dahil sa haba ng binti niya, kahit tumakbo pa ako, paniguradong hindi ko siya mahahabol. Hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang nakalabas ng mall ay nakasunod parin ako sa kaniya. Tumigil lang siya ng makarating kami sa harapan ng kotse niya sa parking lot.

Hinihingal akong tumakbo papalapit sa kaniya at hinila ang braso niya ng plano niya sanang pumasok na sa loob. "W-What the hell is w-wrong with you!?" hinihingal kung sabi habang nakakapit sa braso niya. He didn't answer me. Hindi niya rin tinanggal ang kamay kong nakahawak sa kaniya. Hinayaan niya lang akong mahabol muli ang hininga ko.

Ng maging normal na ang paghinga ko ay tinignan ko siya. Eye for an eye. Titig na titig din siya sa akin but his eyes is emotionless. "What's wrong with you?" ulit ko. He stared at me for a seconds before he anwered. "What's wrong with me? Why don't you ask yourself?! Huh, Athena?!" medyo malakas at may diin na sabi niya.

Napabitaw ako sa kaniya at napaatras ako pero walang kwenta yun dahil humakbang lang rin siya papalapit. "You are mine, Athena! And no one can touch or own you other than me." he emphasize every word that is coming out in his mouth.

"When did I become yours, Cyril?!" I answered.

Sumara ang kamay ni Cyril at nagtangis ang bagang niya. "The moment when our parents say that we're engaged, I already marked you as mine! And no one can change that!" tuluyan ng kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya.

No! No one owns me, not Gio nor Cyril. I own myself! Hindi nila ako pag-aari. No one can control me and dictate me other than myself.

"I'm not yours, Cyril! Let me remind you, we are not yet married so I'm not yours!" malakas ang boses na sagot ko. Wala na akong paki kung may makarinig man o makakita sa amin. Naiinis na ako sa kaniya. I really hate it when someone is owning me! No one can owns me unless I let them.

He takes another step forward. Napakalapit niya na. I was about to take a step backward when he possessively wrapped his arms around my waist and his other hand caresses my cheeks. His gestures are tender yet my body is still trembling because of his intense eyes. "Married or not, you are mine. So remember this..." he stopped and lowered his head into mine. Our nose is touching and our lips are just an inch away.

"Ang akin ay akin. And I don't share."