Chapter 3- Strawberry Scent

"Mahirap talagang magpatawad sa taong nakasakit at nakadurog sayo ng sobra," aniya ni Hedera sa akin.

Napangalumbaba na lamang ako sa lamesa. "Napatawad ko na siya sadyang masakit pa rin pala talaga pag nagkatagpo kayo mauli sa 'di malamang sitwasyon,"

Isang linggo na simula ang kaganapang iyon pero 'di pa rin maalis-alis sa aking isipan. Isang linggo na ring 'di umuuwi si Ate Iris at ni tumawag sa akin hindi niya ginawa. At 'yon ang kinababahala ko.

Napasabunot na lamang ako sa aking buhok dahil sa nararamdamang irritasyon.

"Halika, alis tayo. Gusto ko uminom ngayon," pag-aaya ko sa kaniya at tumayo sa pagkakaupo.

Tumayo na rin siya ng may ngiti sa labi. "Gusto ko iyan," makikita ang galak sa kaniyang mukhang aniya sa akin. "May bagong bar ngayon Extreme Bar 'yong pangalan. Doon tayo. Dahil pangalan palang nakakapang-init na," tumayo na siya habang ako ay nanatiling nakaupo pa rin.

Extreme Bar?

Pangalan palang nakakakilabot na ano pa kaya kung nasa loob kana di'ba?

Napahinto siya sa pag-alis at tumingin sa akin ng nagtatanong. "Ano pang tinutunganga mo diyan. Tara na!"

Parang bigla akong nagdalawang-isip dahil sa sinabi niyang iyon.

I sighed. "I don't know if I should come with you in that bar. I have a lot of things to do and also I feel unsecured in that place," mahinahong aniya ko sa kaniya.

Ayaw ko man na masaktan ang damdamin niya ngunit kailangan kong maging tapat sa kaniya kahit na masaktan pa siya sa aking mga sasabihin.

"What?" She said in disbelief. "Ikaw ang nag-aya tapos ikaw din pala ang mang-iiwan. Tyaka huwag kang mag-aalala I bring guards to guard us. Don't you worry, honey, you are safe with me."

Napahingang malalim na lamang ako. "Fine. Do i have a choice? Let's go. Make sure that I will be safe. I want to get married with my v-card or else I'll disappoint my future husband,"

She roll her eyes. "Whatever!"

We ride in her car and go with the said bar. When we arrive at the location I felt something weird inside my chest.

"Xtreme Bar," wala sa sariling basa ko sa nakasulat sa itaas ng Bar.

Purong ginto ang design sa labas. Di mo aakalaing bar ito kung walang nakasulat na Bar sa itaas.

"Let's go!" Excited na lintanya niya sa akin.

Huminga muna ako ng malalim bago sumunod sa kaniya.

Habang papalapit kami sa bar unti-unti kong nararamdaman ang kakaibang awra na siyang dahilan ng pagtindig ng mga balahibo ko.

I want to stop myself grom entering this bar but I don't want to left Hedera alone. After all, i am the one who insist to go to a bar. She just suggested it to me.

"Ang bagal mo maglakad talaga, Z!" Asik nito sa akin na nakahawak pa sa bewang nito ang dalawang kamay. "Pwede bang bilis-bilisan mo ang paglalakad mo? Para naman makarami tayo,"

Napataas na lamang ako ng kilay sa sinabi nito. "Nang alak o baka may iba ka pangbinabalak!?"

She just smile at me flirtly. "You really know me will, Z. Of course I am here for Dange, okay? I will tell you later about him. Let's go na," aniya nito at hinila na ako papasok sa bar.

Nang makapasok kami ng tuluyan halos malula ako sa laki ng Bar. It's not just a simple bar. The name itself really suit the place. It's really Extreme because the people inside it was really Extremely dangerous and powerful.

"Owemjieee. He is really here," she said out of nowhere.

At nakatingin lang siya sa isang direction. Kaya naman ay sinundan ko ang mga tingin niya at nakita ko ang gwapong lalaki.

Nakasout ito ng red shirt, black panther pants and red leather jacket and he match it with a pair of red army booths and his hair was really red like fire.

His cool and handsome but it doesn't hide the aura he was giving. I don't know but I am not attractive to him in fact the one that caught my attention was the man that wearing a gold mask.

Kaya 'di ko naiwasang itanong sa kaibigan kong si Hedera kung sino ang lalaking iyon."

"Z, who's that man? The one wearing a golden mask?"

She look at me and ngumit ng nakakaloko. "Everyone called him Mr. Hux. No one knows his real name. Even his identity. He hides everything in his mask. No one sees it face. Mr. Hux said it in the interview that if he gets married and have a wife he won't and never wore the golden mask again. For him, his golden mask symbolizes shadow and darkness," mahabang aniya nito. "Also, haka-haka lang naman ito 'no. If the mask symbolizes shadow and darkness maybe the wife was the light and colors."

Maybe, the mask represent his past life while the wife represent his future life. That the thing that I am sure with.

His wife maybe will be lucky to have him.

Napangiti ako sa aking naiisip. Imahinasyon na naman.

"I want to write his future life when he will meet his wife," napatakip na lamang ako ng bibig ko.

Isil ko lang naman iyon. Bakit naibulalas ko pa? Ay nako naman talaga.

"Ayieee. Someone caught my friend attention and it's for the first time after how many year of heart break. You can make a book about him naman, Z,"aniya nito sa akin na may nakakalokong ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi. "I know. When you write a story and it's more on a real life I know. That person not just caught your attention but give you inspiration and courage to write.

Natawa na lamang ako ng peke sa kaniya. I don't know why. He just caught my interested.

"What do you think if I will interview him?" I ask, out of nowhere.

Curiosity really kills a cat all the time.

"Mukhang iba ang tama mo kay Mr. Hux. Pero pwede naman. Baka sumabog ang article mo pag naipalabas mo. But the question is papayag kaya siya? Ayaw niya nga na may lumalapit sa kaniya na kahit na sino lalong lalo na ang babae. Maarte? Hindi. He just respect his fiance,"

Napatingin ako sa kaniya na nagtatakang mga mata. "Fiance?"

Tumango lang ito at umorder ng alak namin. " Isang margarita sa kaniya at vodka sa akin,"aniya nito sa waiter bago tumingin sa akin muli. "Oo, Z. May fiance na iyang the one that caught your attention but no one knows who's the lucky girl is."

Napaisip naman ako agad. At tumingin kay Mr. Hux at sa 'di sinasadyang pagkakataon ang mga mata namin ay nagtagpo. Hindi ko maintindihan ang aking tiyan para bang may kung ano sa loob nito. Ito ba yong sinasabi nilang butterfly in he stomach?

Sh*t! Nahuli niya akong nakatingin sa kaniya pero bakit 'di ko maiwasan ang malalalim na mga titig niya na para bang hinihigop ako papalapit sa kaniya.

"Hey, Z! Ano ba kanina pa ako dito putak ng putak ikaw natulala lang diyan. Ano ba tinitingnan mo ha? Si Mr. Hux ba?"

Bumalik na lamang ako sa aking katinuan dahil sa malakas na boses ni Hedera.

"Nothing. Just wanna go to the bathroom. Excuse me," paalam ko sa kaniya.

Tumayo na ako sa aking pagkaka-upo at nagtanong sa isang waiter kung saan ang cr nila dito.

Isinawalang bahala ko na muna ang titig na iyon. Grabe. Parang naging magnet ako sa titig niya. Ang mga mata niya? 'Di malinaw pero talagang nakaka-adik tingnan.

Parang gusto ko siyang makita ng malapitan.

"Excuse me. Where is the rest room here?"

"Doon po, Ma'am. Diretso lang po kayo tapos mayroon po doon na daan may nakasulat na Xtremely chills liko po kayo at makikita niyo po doon ang aming rest room."

Tumango ako dito at nagpasalamat bago tinungo ang hallway papuntang rest room nila.

Xtreme chills?

It's really weird. Also the please.

Nang makita ko na ang Xtreme Chills ay lumiko ako at halos malula ako at gusto ko nalang bumalik sa kinauupuan ko kanina.

"Hi, Miss. Wanna ride?"

"Miss, wanna explore some world?"

"Miss Beautiful, wanna see the paradise with me?"

F*ck ano 'tong napasok ko. Rest room hinahanap ko pero bakit ganito ang nakita ko? Rest room ba 'to.

"Do we have a problem here, Boys?"

Nagulat na lamang ako ng may marinig ako baritonong boses na nagmumula sa akong likuran.

"And it's a rest room not a motel room. So, f*ck off and get some room! And stop messing around with this young girl. She was already has it's owner and you'll regret touching his woman," he said coldy.

Sa sobrang lamig ng boses niya ay para akong binuhusan ng tubig na may yelo. His voice was hella ice as a winter snow.

Gusto ko mang lumingon at magpasalamat ay 'di ko magawa-gawa. Something was stoping me. I don't know why.

"You can go now into the rest room, Milady."

Milady?

Nilingon ko siya ngunit wala na siya sa aking likuran. Hindi ko man lamang narinig ang kaniyang yapak.

Dumiretso na lamang ako sa banyo at naghilamos ng aking mukha ng biglang mamatay ang ilaw.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Malakas na sigaw ko.

Kinapa ko ang bulsa ko at halos manlamig ako sa aking kinatatayuan ng may kamay na huwak sa bewang ko.

"Sino ka? Bitawan mo ako!" Galit na ani ko sa estrangherong nakahawak sa bewang ko.

"It's me, Darling. I am your future husband. And be ready to meet me soonest," he said sweetly.

Sh*t. I can't deny that his touch gives Shivers into my spines. And my cupcake becomes wet just by his touch that no one even my ex can't give me by just a touch. Ni dumampi ang mga balat namin hindi ko naramdaman ang nararamdaman ko sa taong nakahawak sa akin ngayon.

"What do you want from? And how do you know where I am?" mahinang tanong ko.

I felt safe with his arms. Like, I don't want him to let go.

"I want to mark what's mine and I am always there at your back when you need me, my love. When I found out that you we're my soon to be wife I investigate everything about you and it's make me smile that you are a good cook, a loving child and a brave but kindest person. I know that I am in the safe hands. I just wish. I won't scared you when you saw me and won't run away and declined me to be your husband just because of my two identity. I wish you will fall for me like I did to you. I am so lucky and blessed that your sister was not my bride. I can't wait to marry you, my love. I will wait you at the altar and I am so sorry. I can't make it to our engagement party," He whispered into my ear.

"Before I leave I want to mark you first."

It was too late when his lips touch mine. I want to push him away but deep inside I want his kiss. I want his touch. I want his strawberry scent. I want everything about him.

He move his lips and and all I can do is sumabagay sa sayaw ng aming mga labi. He kissed me deeper and deeper. He just let go of my lips when we both can't breathe.

"When I can see you again? Well, I see you? Please, tell me? When? I wanna see and feel you again. Can I hug you?"

He touched my face. "I will contact you, my love. I will be on your room every night. I will come to you." He said softly to my ears and hug me tight.

I hug her tight too. "We just meet but why I felt like I know you for a long time now? I want to see your face and I can't wait to serve you. Sana sa susunod na linggo na ang kasal. Excited na akong makasama ka." bulong ko.

Gusto ko ang Strawberry Scent na perfume mo at lahat lahat sa iyo. Tatanggapin kita ng buong-buo dahil alam ko, una palang ay mayroon sa sarili kong kakaiba at yon ang gusto kong malaman. Gusto ko mabuo ako na kasama kita.