Chapter 15: Target

"Are you mad at me, Mom? Can I call you Mom? Please, Mom?" Hindi ko maiwasang mapangiti sa inaakto ngayon ni Cerix. I seriously don't expect him to act like this to me. The first time we met, he was... aloof. Sinusungitan pa ako nito habang kinakausap ako e, pero naging mas mabait naman ng gawin ko ang gusto niyang paupuin siya sa lap ko at subuan.

That feeling... was indeed strange for me. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba dapat ang maramdaman ko habang sinusubuan ko itong nakaupo sa aking mga hita. Halo halo ang nararamdaman ko ng araw na 'yon. It was strange, but I was.... happy. Yes, Hindi ko maipagkakailang masaya ako habang ginagawa 'yon. It was like I was given a chance to be... a mother. Not by blood, but with bond?

Hinaplos ko ang medyo kulot nitong buhok bago hinalikan ang kaniyang noo. "No, I'm not mad. I'm... happy."

Bumaling ito sa akin at kaagad akong binigyan ng isang masayang ngiti. "I am too! I am happy too that you are here, Mom! I want you to be my Mom... wether you like it or not, you are going to be my Mom from now on." I bit my lower lip bago tiningnan si... Chaos na nakasandal lang sa hamba ng pintuan nitong kwarto ni Cerix.

Chaos. I still felt strange everytime I speak his name. It was unfamiliar to me at para bang hindi ako sanay doon. Galit siguro ang Mommy niya noong ipinanganak siya? May pinanghuhugutan ang pangalan e.

"Okay... you can make me your Mom for as long as you want." marahang ani ko dahilan para mapapalakpak ito sa tuwa.

"Thank you, Mom... I'll be sleeping with a very good night tonight because my Mom is here,"

"Goodnight baby..." Hinalikan ko ang noo niya bago inayos ang kumot nito.

Ilang sandali lang ay nakatulog din ito kaya dahan dahang kong inalis ang pagkakayapos nito sa aking baywang. Cerix groaned in protest pero natahimik din ng halikan ko ang pisngi nito. Hindi ko maiwasang maluha habang tinitingnan ang mukha nito. I never... I never wished myself to experience this. To experience being a mother for just a little while. I felt warm. Parang... gusto ko na rin tuloy magkaanak. I want to experience how to raise a small baby too. But I know that it's impossible.

Nang maalis ko ang pagkakayakap nito sa akin ay kaagad akong tumayo. Nandoon pa rin si Chaos sa hamba ng pintuan at alam kong kanina pa siya nagmamasid sa akin.

Hinarap ko ito at alam kong kitang kita niya ngayon ang kaseryosohan sa aking mukha.

"Can we talk?" mahinang tanong ko para hindi magising si Cerix. Tumango lang ito at nauna ng naglakad. Isinara ko muna ang pintuan ng kwarto ng bata bago sumunod rito. Naabutan ko siya sa bar area ng bahay... more like... a mansion to me though.

Naupo ako sa tabi nito at ngumuso. "I said I want to talk to you..."

Lumingon ito sa akin bago ako tinaasan ng kilay. "That's why I'm here and you're here too.."

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa kaniyang kamay na may baso ng wine. "Pero ayokong makipag-usap sa lasing."

Ngumisi ito bago inabot ang aking pisngi at marahang humaplos doon ang kaniyang kamay. "I'm not yet drunk, baby."

Sinamaan ko ito ng tingin bago tinampal ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa aking pisngi. "What's with you and your endearment for me? Are we close enough for you to call me that way? Feeling ka."

He just let out a low chuckle. "We can... get close to each other for as long as you want though. Do you want that?" Napalunok ako bago ito irapan. I'm scared of the thing that I am feeling for him! I am really scared for this one. He is getting... naughtier. But the weirdest is... I actually feel happy that he is only showing his naughty sides to me. Wait, how can I be so sure that he is only showing that to me?!

"Pervert." bulong ko. Wala itong isinagot, bagkus ay tumawa lang ng marahan. I can't help but to look at him as he laugh. He is really handsome, alright. But he is extremely mysterious too. Even his laughs are calculated. Para bang nag-rehearse na siya sa kung ano ang dapat na maging aksyon niya. Is he some... Royalty?

"I know that you probably have a lot of questions in your mind right now. Ask away. I will answer whatever that is."

"Nasaan ang Mama ni Cerix?" hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa na itanong 'yon sa kaniya.

Ngumuso ito bago ako tiningnan sa mata. Gustohin ko mang umiwas pero parang napako na ang mga mata ko sa asul niyang mga mata. It really is enchanting.

"She's..." Napalunok ito bago nag-iwas ng tingin. Kahit na dim light lang ang paligid ay nakita ko pa rin kung paano namula ang tainga niya. "She's beside me."

Napanguso ako at hindi napigilan ang hampasin siya sa braso. "Seryoso kasi!"

"She's somewhere, baby." Aniya bago nilagok ang isang baso ng wine. Pinaharap ko ito sa akin at tinitigan ang mukha nito. Hindi ko maiwasang mapabuga ng hangin ng makita ang blangko nitong mukha. Damn, damn this man. Even his emotions are calculated too.

"She... not dead?" alinlangan kong tanong dito. Mas lalo akong napanguso. What if they are married too? And they also have the same situation as me and Ansel.

Umiling ito bago hinawakan ang aking kamay. "I'm not married if that's what you are thinking."

Kunot noo kong tingnan ang lalaki. Then how did he impregnated the woman if they are not married? I mean, alam kong uso na 'yon, but still.

"I don't love her, you see. She's just my... type. Yeah, a thing like that. We ended up in bed, but I didn't even thought that she'll bear my child, because I was wearing..." Inilapit nito ang kaniyang upuan sa akin na para bang hindi siya nakontento sa lapit naming dalawa. Napakunot ang noo ko pero hindi ko na ito pinigilan. "I was protected that time. I don't know how did it happened but it did. I was just glad that she don't want my son and she doesn't cling to me like a monkey. She thought of getting rid of the baby, but I don't want to. After giving birth, she give Cerix to me and flew away. It was a big pleasure to me to see her leaving though. I don't like her."

Napaawang ang labi ko sa mga narinig. Hindi ko lubos akalain na meron pa talagang mga babaeng ayaw sa mga biyaya habang ang mga katulad ko ay umaasa pa rin na sana isang araw ay magkaroon kami ng bagay na isinasantabi lang ng iba.

"W-why did she do that?" mahinang tanong ko.

"Well, it's because of her career. I don't care about her anyway. My real target is already here with me..."