Chapter Twenty Six

Cali was in the shower when she heard the doorbell. She turned off the shower upang mapakinggang mabuti kung doorbell nga ba niya ang tumutunog? She's not expecting any guest at this time, ganoon pa man ay nagtuwalya na siya at isinuot ang roba.

She glanced at the clock on the wall: Alas Otso ng gabi. Nasisiguro niyang si Matt ang nasa pinto, malamang ay mayroon na naman itong nakalimutang papeles.

Patuloy ang pagdiin ni Matt sa doorbell.

"Coming," she shouted in response. Kinuha niya ang nakasabit na tuwalya at pinunasan ang basang buhok habang papunta sa pinto.

She unlocked the door. "What is it this time that you forgot? Palagi ka na lang may nakakalimu-" she stopped mid-sentence nang mapagtantong hindi si Matt ang nakatayo sa entrada ng kaniyang unit.

"D-Drake! I- I mean, Mr. L-Lustre!" She stammered, ang mga mata ay namilog sa gulat.

What the hell is he doing here? And at this time?!

Mabilis niyang hinawakan ang pinto at tangkang muli iyong isasara ngunit agad iyong naharanangan ng kamay ng binata.

"That's kind of rude, Cali, " his head tilted sideways a bit, hinagod siya ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. "Hindi mo man lang ba ako patutuluyun?," tanong nito hawak pa rin sa isang kamay ang pintuang gusto sana niyang ipinid.

"I-I don't have any business with you, Mr. Lustre! Gabi na, so if you could please leave!"

"Oh but I do have some business with you, Calista. If I remember correctly, I'm your boss, remember?" He retorted, amusement in his voice.

"Kung ano man ang kailangan mo sa akin, bukas na lang at sa opisina natin pag usapan. It's late and I don't entertain guests at this time," mariin niyang sagot as she tried to yank the door away from him.

Nakaabot sa kanyang pandinig ang mahinang tawa ni Drake. "Scared?" tila naghahamon ang tinig at mata nito.

Cali laughed nervously, "Scared?! Ha! Sino ka sa tingin mo para matakot ako?!" Matapang niyang sagot, she only wished he didn't notice the panic in her voice.

"If that's the case then..." he stepped closer to her, habang ang mga mata ay nanatiling nakapako sa kanyang mga mata.

Bahagyang napaurong si Cali upang lumayo sa lalaki. He stepped so close to her she could almost smell his breath on her face.

Drake chuckled and paused a bit before letting himself in. Walang nagawa si Cali kundi ang sundan ito ng tingin. Her stupid heart was racing in her chest that she feels almost suffocated.

She gritted her teeth.

Damn you, Drake Lustre!

"You've got a nice place here," he commented as he freely surveyed the living room, before sitting himself comfortably on the couch.

"Ano ba talaga ang kailangan mo?" Mataray na tanong ni Cali, sinundan ang binata sa sala. She crossed her arms on her chest and impatiently waited for his reply.

Drake looked at her, amusemet in his eyes. "Hindi ka man lamang ba muna magbibihis? Are you trying to seduce me?" tumayo ito sa kinauupuan at humakbang palapit sa kanya.

Biglang nag panic si Cali. Sa pinaghalong iritasyon at galit niya sa lalaki ay hindi na niya napunang bukod sa robang tumatakip sa katawan ay wala pa siya ni anong suot na saplot!

"D-don't come near me!" bulalas niya sabay taas nang isang kamay to signal him to stop. Hindi ito nakinig at patuloy sa paglapit sa kanya.

Cali backed up upang iwasan ang pagkakalapit nila. Sa kanyang pag-urong ay hindi niya napuna ang lamesita sa kanyang likod, nawalan siya ng panimbang at tiyak na maututumba kung hindi lamang mabilis na sinikmat ni Drake ng isang braso ang kanyang baywang, preventing her from totally falling over that small glass table.

Kung mayroon lamang ibang makakakita sa kanila ay aakalaing romantiko ang kanilang ayos sa oras na iyon, o di kaya naman ay parte ng isang romantic dance kung saan sadyang tila magpapatumba ang babae habang hawak ng lalaki ang baywang.

Drake was still holding her waist, his eyes were glued on hers, bago naglakbay sa kanyang mukha.

Cali, on the other hand, was temporarily paralyzed. For the love of God! Hindi niya magawang tuminag! Ang tanging rumehistro lamang sa kanyang utak ay ang pagkakalapit nilang dalawa. Those strong arms that used to hold her...those eyes that used to only look at her....

Hindi na niya alam kung ilang minuto silang nasa ganoong posisyon, tila yata tumigil ang pag-ikot ng mundo. She wanted to slap herself so hard to wake up from this trance, but instead, she feels like drowning in his stare. Parang may pang hipnotismo ang mga mata nitong hindi niya magawang magbawi ng paningin.

Nakita niya ang paglamlam ng mga mga mata ng binata. He slowly lowered his head, palapit sa kanyang mukha. Cali could smell his breath fanning her face, she was well aware of his presence so very near her right at this moment. Ilang pulgada na lamang ang layo ng mukha nito sa kanya, and Cali was sure he is going to kiss her.

She should run... She really should run away from him, but instead, her eyes closed on their own. She revered the smell of his breath, the smell of his cologne mixed with his own masuline scent.

How long has it been since she's been held by a man? How long has it been since she last felt this heart-pounding moment? Right now her heart was beating too wildly she won't be suprised if it pops out of her chest.

"Does your boyfriend know you still want me like this?"

Tila natauhan si Calista sa nairinig. Agad siyang nagmulat ng mga mata, only to see Drake's face an inch away from hers. Nasa mga mata nito ang hindi niya mailarawang damdamin.

There was longing in those eyes for sure, but there was also something else... tila may sakit na nakiraan sa mga mata nito.

Napahiyang itinulak ni Calista ang binata, bago inayos ang sarili at hinigpitan ang hawak sa robang suot.

"M-magbibihis lang ako..." she said, without looking at him. She didn't wait for his response and quickly walked to her room.

Sumandal siya sa pinto ng silid ng maisara iyon.

Shit! What was she thinking? Kung ginusto ni Drake kanina ay malaya siyang mahahalikan nito, and for heaven's sake! Wala siyang ginawa upang pigilan ito!

Shame on you, Cali! Shame on you!

Ilang sandali siyang nanatili lamang nakasandal sa pinto, ang mga tuhod niya ay tila nanginginig, bigla ay parang nahapo siya.

She clutched her chest.

Quiet, you stupid heart!