"It's uncle Nick! " tarantang sabi ni Hope na sumulpot bigla.
Nagmura na naman nang mahina si Brad bago siya pakawalan.
"Hide somewhere! Bahala ka na!" Her cousin said before pulling her hand.
Napatingin siya sa IBBf niya when he grabbed her hand which halted her. Tinapunan ito ng matalim na titig ng pinsan niya pero bago ito makareklamo nagsalita si Brad.
" I'll call you later babe." Sabi nito bago siya hinalikan ng mariin sa labi ng ilang segundo.
"AMARA!" dinig nilang galit na tawag ng daddy niya.
Mas malakas ang boses nito dahil mukhang palapit na ito sa kanila.
"Uncle! We're here! " kaway ni Hope dito nang sakto silang makaupo sa sofa sa verandah.
***
Brad was just quiet after the incident when they were almost seen by her dad while making out. Galit na galit ang ama niya dahil wala sila paglabas ng mga ito ng study. Mabuti na lang may presence of mind ang pinsan niya kaya nalusutan nila lahat. She can't imagine kung ano ang posibleng nangyari if her father caught her and Brad kissing.
Akala niya hindi na hihirit ang IBBf niya but before they left he said to her daddy, " I give you my word, sir. Hindi ko papabayan si Amara. I will protect your daughter if you will give me a chance. I will prove to you that I am the right man for her."
***
They are in the living room upstairs. May ilang minuto nang nakaalis ang mga Lopez. Ang mga tirang pagkain, as usual pinadala ng daddy niya sa mga pamilya ng mga kasambahay at bodyguards nila, just like what her grandparents do.
Nakaupo ang mommy niya sa sofa kung saan andun din si Hope. Siya naman nasa kabilang upuan. Nakatayo naman ang daddy niya habang nakatingin sa kanya.
"I don't like him for you! He seems to be too aggressive and I had a glimpse of his neck and hands! It seems like he has a lot of tattoos! You know well how I feel about men with them right?! And now I don't know why of all people yung ayaw ko pa ang...!" hindi na itinuloy ng ama ang sasabihin.
He just cursed under his breath as he angrily brushed his hair with his hand.
Dun naman tumayo ang mommy niya.
"Honey, I know you are just being yourself and you want to protect Amara. I know you. Pero hindi tama na dahil lang may tattoo siya iisipin mo na masama na siyang tao. You should know na hindi basehan ang nakikita ng mata para husgahan mo ang kahit na sino. Hindi ka pa ba nadala dati?" tanong nito sa asawa na tila may ibig ipahiwatig.
Nick shot his wife a glance. His eyes narrowed before releasing a heavy sigh. Alam nila pareho kung ano ang ibig sabihin nito. He raped her before because he had a very bad impression of her. Napamura na naman ito ng mahina bago tumalikod sa kanila to look out the window. He sighed heavily when he felt his wife's hand on his arm but he didn't take his eyes off the view outside the window.
"Honey. I'm sorry sa sinabi ko. Ang gusto ko lang naman kasi intindihin na lang natin ang lahat. These things are inevitable. Our daughter is very beautiful and she is an adult. Alam naman natin na darating talaga ang araw na may pursigidong lalake na liligawan siya. Wala akong kinakampihan. I am just trying to be sensible. Let's give Brad the benefit of the doubt. Mukha naman siyang seryoso. Bigyan muna nating ng chance. His family seems nice at sa palagay ko naman if may balak lang lokohin ng batang yun ang anak natin, hindi na susuporta ang magulang niya." malumanay na sabi ni Stacey.
Nakagat ni Amara ang ibabang labi sa sinabi ng mommy niya. She doesn't have any comment about that.
Finally, humarap ang daddy niya sa kanila.
"Whatever you say, wala pa din talaga akong tiwala sa lalaking yun! From now on, whether you like it or not palagi kang may bodyguard. " he told her.
Tumango na lang siya. Somehow she felt a little better and safer with what her daddy said. Hindi na siya kokontra kagaya dati.
***
"What do you have on babe?" Brad asked huskily while on the phone.
She just chewed the inside of her bottom lip and looked at Hope who has a heavy frown while she taps her phone. Nag-uusap kasi silang mag-pinsan about her situation when Brad called. Takot naman siyang hindi sagutin ang tawag nito dahil baka sumulpot na naman mamaya sa kwarto niya.
"The usual." sabi na lang niya.
Ayaw niyang malaman ni Hope ang takbo ng usapan nila. She heard him cursed as if in agony. Naimagine na sigurado ng manyak na IBBf niya ang suot niya. She is in a lacy sleepwear which goes a little above her thighs.
"I want to hold and kiss you right now babe but I promised myself that I will try to control my desire for you. Ayaw kong ma-bad shot sa daddy mo. Pero hindi bale. Konting tiis na lang dahil bukas susunduin kita.. "
"You can't! Ihahatid ako ng driver and I will be with my bodyguard!" sabi niya.
"Anong hindi pwede? I don't fucking care kahit kasama mo sila ! Pupunta ako kahit buong army pa ang maghatid sayo! Mag-convoy na lang tayo. " He said with a hint of finality sa tono nito.
Napahawak siya sa noo niya. Wala talagang pinapakinggan ito once his mind is set on something. She heard him sighed heavily when she heard someone knock on his door.
"I will call you back babe! I am touching myself as I talk to you. Hearing your voice even just on the phone is giving me a boner.. fuck! What have you done to me? " he asked in a throaty voice.
"Sorry babe mukhang mapapaaga ang next time natin. I will definitely have you again before the week ends! Promise.. I will pleasure you..." nagmura ito ng mas lumakas pa ang mga katok.
" Hold on babe! I will call you back!" sabi nito sa kanya bago ibinaba ang telepono.
Napaawang ang bibig niya sa sinabi nito na gagawin sa kanya bago matapos ang linggo . Eksakto namang napatingin sa kanya ang pinsan na nakakunot ang noo. Nagbaba na lang siya ng tingin. She feels uncomfortable talking to Brad about such kind of topic lalo na katabi ang pinsan . Kahit nakuha na nito ang pagkababae niya hindi pa din talaga siya komportable kapag related na sa sex ang usapan. Pagkababa niya ng cp niya, tumabi sa kanya si Hope na kanina nasa paanan ng kama.
Nakataas ang isang kilay nito ng sinabing, " I knew it! That lunatic boyfriend of yours is definitely a liar! Look!"
Ipinasa nito sa kanya ang telepono nito.
While I take my selfie.. my baby is working out. I want those strong arms around me. I miss you already baby BradTLopez ;-) Thanks for the ride… xoxo
Yun ang nakasulat sa ibaba ng mga litrato ng babae at nasa likod nito si Brad na nasa power rack machine. She felt her hand holding the phone shake a little. May tila gumuhit sa dibdib niya.
"That's Althea Vergara! Kaibigan ni Arnie yung production assistant sa new commercial ko. I saw this woman once before I went to Spain. What a coincidence that your badass bf is actually her man too! Well I am not surprised! I wonder how many women he is screwing! What is super surprising is him telling your mom and dad that he will woo you though he had been up here in your room already without anyone knowing about it! I bet that you two did a lot of things already! Now tell me the truth Ara! Did you do it with him?"
Napapikit na lang siya matapos ibalik ang cp nito .
"Please Hope.. bukas na lang tayo mag-usap."
Bigla talagang sumama ang pakiramdam niya matapos makita ang mga litrato. Madami siyang tanong sa isip niya but she doesn't want to entertain them right now. Too many things happened again tonight. She feels that she can't handle something such as this at the moment.
"Ara.. that kind of man is not good for you. Kung ano man ang nangyari sa inyo, don't let that stop you from leaving him. I am not only talking about these photos. I have seem him only for three times and what I saw, I don't like. He’s not right for you. He will just hurt you."
"He won't hurt me. He may scare me but I won't let him hurt me." she suddenly said.
Alam naman niya na una pa na hindi makakabuti sa kanya si Brad pero dahil sa takot niya dito, hinayaan niya na manipulahin siya nito.
Hindi na ngayon.
"He is a beast and a monster. Lalo lang niyang pinatunayan yun sa mga kuha nila ng babae niya, I mean girlfriend pala. What does that make me then? The forced, terrorized and devirginized girlfriend number two, three, four? Wow! I don't even know what number! " she laughed a little with bitterness.
Hope enveloped her in her arms and she just rested the side of her face on shoulder. She is gently rubbing her back.
"You will be fine." sabi nito.
Tumuwid siya ng tayo at lumayo siya ng bahagya dito nang mag-ring ang telepono niya.
"Of course I will be fine. Thank you and don't you worry, finally, I have the reason to break up with him." she said in a calm voice.
She raised her phone to her right ear. At bago pa makapagsalita si Brad, inunahan na niya.
" You got what you wanted from me so go back to your girlfiend and leave me alone. Don’t dare come in my room because I am staying in my parents’ room. ." sabi niya in case may balak na naman itong akyatin siya.
Narinig niya ang galit na mura nito but she hang up. Ini-off niya ang cp niya bago tumango sa pinsan.
" I will sleep in the guest room with you. Let’s go." Aya niya kay Hope.
“You did the right thing. At last! You are free from him!” sabi nito.
***
Wala na silang oras makapag-usap ulit ni Hope kinabukasan. Medyo late siyang nagising. Napuyat siya sa kwentuhan nilang dalawa. Babalik na kasi ito sa bahay ng mga ito dahil pauwi na ang mga tita Heather niya .
She went out of their garage in a hurry. Her car is parked outside. A white car stopped behind her father's vehicle. Kunot noo, ipinasa niya sa driver ang gamit niya dahil nasa loob pa si yaya Amy kaya siya na ang nagdala. Pagkakuha ng driver, sakto naman na lumabas ang sakay ng puting kotse.
" Good morning Ara!" masiglang bati ng matangkad na lalaki na bumaba.
"Kuya Kurt!" masayang tawag niya.
Anak-anakan ito ng tito Blake niya na noong una pinaako ng ex-gf nito. Pero kahit nalaman ng papa ni Hope na hindi ito tunay na anak walang nagbago . Anak na ang turing nito at totoong kapatid ang turingan nito at mga pinsan niya. Mas naging malapit ito sa pamilya nila nang mamatay ang mama nito . Para na din niyang pinsan ito dahil lumaki siya na palaging nakikita ito. Naka-base sa Davao ito pero malamang lumuwas ito dahil ngayon ang balik ng pamilya Acosta.
Itinaas nito ng isang kamay ang mga dalang pasalubong para sa kanila with a wide smile. He opened his arms to her and yumakap siya dito for several seconds. He kissed her on her left cheek.
"Wow! Mas lalo ka yatang gumaganda." sabi nito as he looks at her fondly after his light.
Natawa siya ng bahagya.
"Are you here to pick up Hope? " nakangiting tanong niya.
Kurt tucked a tendril of her hair behind her left ear before saying " Yes. Susunduin namin sila papa but guess hindi pa siya ready knowing her. Sana hindi naman kami ma-late. " he said with a chuckle.
“Hmm.. sana naman hindi kuya. Pero pumasok ka muna sa loob. May breakfast sa dining. Kumain ka muna. Thank you sa mga dala mo. Ang dami!” nakangiting sabi niya.
“Alam ko ang mga paborito niyo ni tita.” He said before pinching her cheek playfully like he used to when she was a kid.
Natatawang hinawakan niya ang kamay nito para alisin nang magulat silang pareho. Niyakap siya ng kuya Kurt niya to protect her dahil may itim na sasakyan na biglang nagpreno at muntik na silang mahagip.
They didn't have much time to react when a furious Brad came out at mabilis na sinugod si Kurt.
"You fucking asshole! " galit na galit na sigaw nito matapos silang paghiwalayin.
"Huwag!!" sigaw niya ng tamaan si Kurt sa panga ng malakas na suntok nito.