Chapter 3 Tita Valencia

Stella's POV

I looked at the small wound on my elbow. Paano ako uuwi nito nang hindi napapansin ni mama ang sugat ko? Sigurado akong magtatanong yun. Ayokong bad impression agad si Sevi sa kanya dahil dito.

I stooped to walk on the side of the road. Sa kabilang kanto nahagip ng mga mata ko ang grupo ng isang lalaki na pinagtutulongan ang isang lalaki.

Wait. That's Sevi!

"Ang kapal ng mukha mong bakla ka. Ipagpapalit talaga ako ng girlfriend ko sa baklang katulad mo?!"

Three mens. Medyo kinakalawang pa naman ang fighting skills ko at medyo masakit pa katawan ko. Dehado ako sa laban.

"Ano?! Lalaban kang bakla ka?!"

"Pare, wag masyadong malapit baka magkagusto yan sayo mahirap na." Nagtawanan ang tatlong lalaki.

"Disgusting! Tumataas ang balahibo ko sa sinasabi mo."

They were about to kick Sevi in the stomach so I immediately ran towards them. Bahala na.

"Hoy! Ano sa tingin niyo ang ginagawa niyo?! Bitawan niyo si Sevi."

They all turned to me. On that side of the street there weren't many people passing by. I saw Sevi's eyes widen when she saw me.

"Aba! May tagapagtanggol kana ngayon, Sebastian. Kung sinusuwerte ka nga naman sa magandang dilag pa." he smirked.

Nandidiri ako sa mga tingin nila. I clenched my fist.

"Stella, get out of here now! Tumakbo ka na!" nagpupumiglas na sabi ni Sevi.

One man held his by the collar while the other held his hair tightly. He moaned in pain. I can't believe what they're doing to him.

"Wag kang mag-alala, Sevi. I won't let them hurt you again." tipid akong ngumiti sa kanya pero patuloy pa rin siya sa pag-iling.

"Wow! Palaban, I like that."

"Who wants to be first?" I devilishly smile at them.

Naiinis ako sa sarili ko. Ano ba itong pinasok ko? Bahala na si Batman.

Naunang sumugod ang lider nila sakin.

Third Person's POV

Stella's aura changed. The moment this guy's hand lands on her shoulder, mabilis na hinila niya ang kamay nito sa balikat niya. She applied and placed her other hand on his arm and then without difficulty inverted his body.

"Oh! Talagang kinakalawang na katawan ko sa pakikipaglaban." Stella struggled with the pain of the wound on her elbow.

They were all surprised at what Stella did. Lalong-lalo na si Sevi na halos akala nito ay namamalik-mata lang siya sa kanyang nakikita.

Iniinda ng lider ng grupo ang sakit nito sa likod at katawan niya. The two men were also shocked at the outcome of their leader today. The two men let go of Sevi and they both ran to rush to Stella.

Hinila ni Stella ang neck tie ng naunang lalaki at sinampal ito gamit ang kanang kamay niya bago ito malakas na binatukan. With the force of her resistance to it, it immediately fell to the ground. The next man who attacked her was about to punch her but she just avoided her face on the other side and then quickly knelt on his stomach. A few grains of the man's spilled blood spat out on his cheek with the force of its impact.

Gusto pa nitong lumaban pero agad na umikot si Stella at binigyan ito ng isang malakas na sipa sa mukha.

"Hindi pa kami tapos! We'll get back to you and you'll pay for what you did to us."

The three of them ran while supporting their leader. Stella stretched her arms and body.

"Aray! My body hurts. Looks like I need to go back to training and I can't barely move my body in that simple fight."

She can feel her body aching all over. Tila nabigla ito sa lahat ng galaw na ginamit niya sa pakikipaglaban kani-kanina lang. He turned to Sevi who was still sitting on the ground and still seemed stunned by what had happened. She immediately approached it.

"Are you okay, Sevi? May masakit ba sayo?

"M-may dugo s-sa pisngi m-mo..." nauutal na sabi ni Sevi.

Stella, on the other hand, wiped the blood on her cheek as if nothing had happened. Agad na inalalayan niya si Sevi sa pagtayo.

"Are you really okay? Are you in pain? Any wounds?"

Stella went around to Sevi to check if there was a wound on the rest of his body. She was surprised when Sevi suddenly pulled her arm and faced her.

"Are you st*pid?! Sino bang nagsabi sayong makisali ka at ipagtanggol ako ha?!"

"But I just want to help you-"

"Help? I don't need your help! What if those men beat you up? Kargo de kosensya ko pa?"

"A-aray! Yung sugat ko." Daing niya.

Sevi immediately let go of her arm and tweaked his own hair out of frustration. He started walking in the other direction. Nalungkot naman si Stella at inayos ang bondage sa sugat niya. It bled again because of her previous fight.

"Tsk! Follow me, Stella!"

Stella thought that Sevi had left her but she was surprised when he came back and took her bag. He slung it over his shoulder and he carried it.

"What? Tutunganga ka lang ba diyan?"

Natauhan naman si Stella at agad na sumunod sa likuran ni Sevi. Hindi nito alam kung saan sila pupunta at nanatiling nakasunod sa likuran habang pinipigilan ang mas lalong pagdurugo ng sugat niya sa siko.

Sevi entered through a gate. Stella looked at it and was amazed at how beautiful this house was.

"Papasok ka ba?! O aantayin mong mahimatay ka diyan dahil sa dugong lumalabas sa sugat mo?"

Nakapamewang nitong sabi at nakataas na kilay na tinatarayan si Stella.

"Oo na. Ito na papasok na."

Stella immediately hurried inside.

"Good afternoon, Sir Sevi—"

"Hala! Anong nangyari? Bakit dumudugo ang siko ng kasama mo?"

"Please clean her wounds and change the bondage, manang. I'll just go up and get dressed." utos ni Sevi.

Tuluyan na itong pumasok at hindi sila nilingon.

Stella bowed slightly to pay her respects to the elderly maid.

"Magandang hapon po."

"Ayos ka lang po ba, Ma'am. Masakit ba? Halika, tuloy ka at umupo."

Tipid na ngumiti si Stella sa katulong at maingat na inalalayan naman siya nito sa loob.

After a few minutes the bleeding of Stella's wound stopped and a new bondage replaced her wound.

"Tapos na po ba, manang?"

They both turned to the source of the voice. A walking perfect prince. That’s what Stella had in mind. Nakabihis na ito ng pangbahay at bagong ligo. Napakagwapo.

"Opo, Sir Sevi tapos na po."

"Thank you, manang. Please leave us for a while."

The maid bowed and left quickly. Sevi went downstairs and approached Stella's seat.

"Shut that mouth of yours and a fly might enter."

Stella closed her mouth. She didn't notice that her mouth was already pitying as she watched Sevi's good looks. Ngayon lang niya nakitang nakapambihis ng pangbahay at higit sa lahat ay bagong ligo.

Sevi sat in the front seat facing where Stella is sitting as of the moment.

"Pagkatapos mong kumain ay puwede ka ng umalis—"

"Sebastian, anak! I'm home." sigaw ng isang ginang. "Oh my gosh! Who's this pretty young lady?"

Napasapo si Sevi sa noo niya. He did not expect his mommy to arrive early at their house. Mabilis itong lumapit sa kinaauupuan nila.

"Good afternoon po." bati ni Stella rito.

Hindi ito kilala ni Stella pero pakiramdam niya ito ang nanay ni Sevi. Sevi's eyes and lips looked exactly like the lady's.

"Tapos ka na di ba? Alis ka na—" ani ni Sevi kay Stella.

"Wait, honey. Why are you pushing her away?"

"Mom, she has to leave. Maybe her parents are already looking for her and–"

"No. Hindi pwedeng palampasin ko ito. Iha, you're the first ever person that my son brought here in our house. What he told me was he's really a gay but I don't believe it and now, I'm seeing you here. I'm so glad—"

"Mom, stop it. She's—"

"Just a friend? I don't think so."

"No, she's not a friend—"

"She's not a friend so your my son's girlfriend?"

Nagkukumislap ang mga mata ng mommy ni Sevi na nakatingin kay Stella.

"Mom, she's not my girlfriend? Aalis na rin siya ngayon."

"Hindi! Hindi ako papayag. I will cook today for our dinner and she will join us." for a moment she stopped speaking.

"What is your name, iha?"

"Mom, hindi siya sasabay satin—"

"Shut up, Sebastian!" saway niya sa anak.

"Stella Revihera po ang pangalan ko Ma'am."

"Ano ka ba? Don't call me Ma'am, call me Tita Valencia."

Awkward na tumango na lang si Stella sa kanya. Natuwa naman ito at mabilis na dumiritso sa kusina.

"Anong nginingiti mo dyan? Are you having fun?" inis na sambit ni Sevi. He rolled his eyes.

Stella's smile quickly faded.

"Because–"

"Don't wait for me to run out of patience with you. Leave while I'm still holding back."

"Sevi! Naririnig kita. She is my visitor. Please be good to her!"

He also couldn’t resist his mommy for the reason that she was more stubborn than him. Kapag gusto nito, iyon ang dapat mangyari.

A few minutes later, the three of them were at the dinner table. Sevi and Stella face each other. While his mom was at the other end of the long table.

"So how's the food, Stella? Is it delicious? Did you like what I cooked?"

"Sobrang sarap po Tita Valencia."

Tumatangong sabi ni Stella. Sevi is irritated by her presence but he still tries to eat his food in front of her mom.

"Matagal na ba kayong magkakilala ng anak ko?"

"Hindi po. Recently lang."

"Mom, enough with that. Hindi ko nga siya kaano-ano. I'm done eating. Thanks for the dinner."

Sevi got up and quickly went to the living room of their house.

"Tita, totoo po ang sabi ni Sevi. We're not that kind of thing. We are just schoolmates. Salamat po sa dinner."

Stella bowed slightly in gratitude at tumayo na rin inilagay ang pinggan niya sa sink.

"Stella."

"Po?"

"I know my son. He maybe not yet interested in you right now. But I know you'll end up together. Huwag mo lang siyang sukuan dahil alam ko na magugustuhan ka din niya, hmm. Not now but soon."