CHAPTER 8

"How are you dude?", Dan asked him while handing a bottle of beer to him.

It has been weeks since he first met Sandy in that same bar but that has been also the last.

HE seemed to be pathetic in going back to that place every week and asking his friend to contact him the moment she shows up in his bar. Like all the other night he spent their, he stayed in the VIP room, exploring his eyes on all the people outside the room, hoping that he might see Sandy again.

Ibang klase ng putahe ang pinalasap sa kaniya ng babae at hindi na siya magtataka kung bakit hinahanap-hanap ito ng katawan niya.

"Tsk..Tskk..Tsk.. don't bother answering it 'cause you look like hell, Nik!", he teasingly told him.

"Ganyan ba kasarap ang babaeng yun para mabaliw ka ng ganyan sa isang gabi sa piling niya?"

"It was very different Dan. She was innocent and wild, seductive and sweet and that night was the best night of my life", at inisang lagok ang kaniyang beer.

"Tutal ay tumikim ka nan g ibang ulam, bat di ka nalang maghanap ng iba? Just one-night stand, no strings attached and all that. Kriza wouldn't know and besides siya ang nakipaghiwalay sa'yo di ba?"

"What Sandy and I shared that night was something special Dan and I honestly don't give a damn with Kriza", he clinched his fist above the table upon remembering his ex.

"How about that girl in Stellar you told me days ago? The one who obviously has a crush on you?", maya-maya ay tanong nito.

"Come on dude! KC is like a little girl who is very innocent from all the kind of pollution this world has. Besides, she isn't is my type so take her off the list", sagot niya dito.

Matagal na niyang napapansin ang mga tingin ng babae sa kaniya, pero natutuwa lang siya sa babae. She's an intelligent young cute woman ad she is definitely way beyond his league. Baka mapagkamalan pa siyang isang cradle snatcher kapag nakita sila ng ibang tao na kasama ito.

"Ba't di mo nalang ipahanap sa isang private investigator?", Dan suggested

"Do you think I didn't tried that? But the investigators I've spoken to said that there's only 1% of finding her since all I know is her name and her face", he sighed at the thought.

Baka naman nakulam ako ng babaeng yun kaya nagkakaganito ako sa kaniya?, naitanong niya sa sarili.

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Abala si Nikolai sa picture-taking at pagbibigay ng autograph sa mga fans niya na dumalo sa kaniyang mall tour para sab ago niyang album ng makatanggap siyas ng text kay KRiza na makipagkita sa kaniya sa condo nito.

Napangisi siya ng sarkasmo ng maisip na hindi rin nakatiis ang babae, ito na mismo ang kumontak sa kaniya. KAhit naman kasi pareho silang nasa Stellar ay madalas lamang silang magkita dahil pareho silang abala sa kani-kailang trabaho.

Go to hell Kriz, I'm done with all your bitchiness!

Ngayon niya lang na-realize na mmasyado pala siyang nagpadala sa nararamdaman niya kay Kriza kaya ni hindi na siya nito nagawang irespeto maging ang kaniyang mga plano at desison ay pinakialaman nito at ng daddy nito.

I've made up my mind and that is to change my manager Kriz, goodbye to you and your dad!

Nagulat pa siya ng marinig niyang tumunog ang kaniyang telepono at makitang nagtext sa kaniya ay isang unknown number. Mabuti nalang at tapos na ang kaniyang show at nasa dressing room na siya para magpalit ng damit.

I am really grateful for what you did to me, can I invite you for a dinner to say my heartfelt thanks?-KC

Napangiti siya sa nakitang mensahe ng cute na cute na dalaga na kung umayos ay isang nerd na koreana.

I wonder what she will wear if we really do have a dinner together

Wala naman sigurong masama kung pauunlakan ko ang pasasalamat niya, napangiti siya sa isipin.

"So, nag-aral ka sa Campbridge for 5 years?", tango lang ang isinagot ni KC sa binata. "I am still in awe knowing that you finish your studies for the span of 5 years, I mean how did you do it?",namamngha nitong tanong habang kumakain sila. Kung ang binata ay shock pa rin sa achievements niya, siya naman ay

shock pa rin sa kagwapuhan nito. Wala itong pakialam sa suot niya, napaka-cute pa nga daw niya. Pero ng mabistahan niya itong mabuti ay nanliit siya sa sarili dahil napaka-gorgeous nito sa suot nitong itim na tux, hindi din niya mapigilan ang sariling singhot-singhotin ito ng alalayan siya nito kanina papasok sa restaurant. His aftershave cologne was breath-taking!

"Kaz?", tawag nito sa kanya ng hindi agad siya makasagot.

"Ahm.. the usual stuff na ginagawa ng mga estudyante; reading, studying, and more.. ahm.. reading?", nahihiya niyang sagot ditto.

He laughed at her na lalong nagpatunaw sa puso niya. Pati tawa nito ay napaka-sexy at nakakabighani; nakakahawa din ang tawa nito kaya nawawala ang tensiyon at kaba niya.

"Isn't that a little boring?"

"No, not at all. A lot of people say it's kinda boring but for someone like me na nakasanayan na ang ganoon, mas boring pag hindi ko ginawa iyon", kibit-balikat niyang sagot dito.

"Oh, I see. And how about your lovelife then? Nagkaroon ka ba ng boyfriend or rather boyfriends? Kung naging ganyan ka-hectic ang schedule mo, nagkaroon k aba ng panahon sa pakikipagrelasyon? Or just even fling kung lahat ng oras mo ay naubos sa pagbabasa at pag-study?"

"I'm not a man-hater like what my classmate and schoolmates had presume dahil lang sa wala akong naging karelasyon o nakaka-date before. I just want to focus on my studies that time, besides I don't think nakilala ko na ang lalakeng para sa akin", at yumuko siya sa hiya.

Ngayon ka lang kasi nagpakita, saad ng isang bahagi ng isip niya na ikinapula ng mga pisngi niya.

Mahabang katahimikan ang namagitan sa kanila, maya-maya ay pumailanlang ang malamyos na awitin. Nik stood up at inaya siyang magsayaw.

It was so magical for her that she felt that the only person inside that room was her and Nik. The were so close to each other that she cannot help herself from hoping that her feelings for him can be reciprocated.

It's like catching lightning

A chances of feeling

The way we do.. ..

And with every step together

We just keep on getting better

He was holding her close to him—so close that she can hear his hearbeat and even feel in her cheeks the air that he's breathing. She just hope and pray that he cannot hear how erratic her hearbeat is.

So can I have this dance?

Can I have this dance.. ..

Pinaikot niya ang kamay sa leeg ng binata at humilig sa dibdib nito.

I hope everything is not just a dream…, she whole-heartedly pray.

Alas diyes y medya na ng gabi nakauwi si Nik sa condo unit na tinutuluyan niya. Ginusto niyang ihatid ang dalaga sa bahay nito pero nagpumilit itong susunduin diumano ito ng kanyang tito at tita. She is really a mystery to her: manang na matalino, no super-talino, malakas sa mga bosses nila sa Stellar at ng paimbestigahan nila ito ay wala silang makitang kahit anong record nito; It was like she came from nowhere.

Pagkahubad niya sa kanyang tux ay agad siyang pumasok ng banyo at naligo, he felt so hot and doesn't know why. It's not as if he felt aroused with her, the woman isn't even attractive, for goodness sake! Pinigil niya ang sariling mapasimangot kanina ng Makita ang hitsura nito; inis na inis siya sa isiping magmumukha siyang cradle-snatcher kapag itinabi sa babae.

Nagmadali siyang maligo at pinalis sa isip ang babae dahil unti-unti na namang nag-iinit ang kayang pakiramdam. Isang galong pagtitimpi ang isinaksak niya sa utak niya kanina habang nagsasayaw sila ng dalaga, her smell and even the touch of her skin is awakening some wild things inside him.

Jerk! Stop thinking dirty things about that innocent girl!

Nahiga na siya sa kaniyang kama at nag-isip.

I wonder why KC and Sandy has same effect on me..

And he received a text from KC: Thank you for the wonderful night. I was hoping I'll be able to pay you for taking me to the hospital before but instead, you gave me another reason to have a debt to you by making me the happiest girl on earth!"

"The pleasure is mine", he replied.

"I hope I can add you on my lists of friends?", she asked.

"It would be an honor KC. You should sleep now sweetie, you have a long day tomorrow. Goodnight!"

"Night!"

Napangiti siya sa reply nito. Talagang may pagkaisip-bata pa ito, but it makes her so refreshing for him.

Nakatulog siya ng may ngiti sa mga labi.