Gabie's POV
It's been two months since the last time I saw Mama. I admit I miss her presence, but I am still not yet ready to face and talk to her. It's been months since I stayed here in August. Since then, I haven't seen his sister yet. Most of the time, I was left alone because August was at work.
"It's Mom's birthday today. How is he doing? What's up, Jhay?What can mama prepare? Is he preparing? He is alone at home now. Is he mad at me because I left without saying goodbye? "are questions that keep troubling my mind, but I try to put them aside first.
I'm having a hard time leaving to take care of my ID's because August mentioned to me that Miggy allegedly gave a reward to whoever could teach me where I was. So I stocked up here at his house. In exchange for him keeping me here, even though he didn't ask me to, I volunteered to clean the house, cook, and do the laundry. Because it's embarrassing and then I don't do anything here, the thickness of my face if I let him cook when he comes home from work. Then when he is off, he will just rest instead of doing laundry.
At first he told me not to do it because I would be upset, but he didn't do anything because I didn't listen to him. It's up to him. He still doesn't want that when he comes home with his uniform ironed. And since I've already cleaned the house, I've moved to a room so that anytime her brother comes, it's clean. Moreover, he still has privacy.
Ever since I lived here I have seen August's inherent kindness and then his tenderness, especially when I hear him talking to his grandparents who are in the province. He often called me whenever he was at home, so I couldn't help but hear how he would talk to them.
He often greeted me when he was on duty. He actually bought me my own phone so that I could use it. Then he said, so that I don't get bored here at home, I can browse the internet. But I didn't go online because I didn't want them to see me online, so what I did was just download various online games so that when I got tired of reading my siblings' novels, I just played. His brother has many collections of various novels. He said that he really likes to read novels.
It is said that it is rare to read and buy since I was busy studying. He is a medical student, so he needs to prioritize his studies rather than read his favorite books. He said he lives in a dorm, so he rarely comes home here.
"Hi!" he greeted me when I opened the door for him, because I already memorized the time he came home from duty. Unless there are emergencies, so you can't expect him to be what he used to be once again the next day to be able to go home, eh?
"Hi! How was your day?" Bati ko!
"Nothing much."
"Are you going to eat and I'm going to serve?" I'm sure. Because sometimes he doesn't eat right away because he wants to lie on the sofa for a while and watch the news. But sometimes he would eat right away because he was hungry, so I got used to asking him before I served.
"What about you?" he asked me instead of answering my question. At first, I find it peculiar when your question is being answered by another question, but later on, I get used to it. But sometimes, I guess it was just me because I'm not used to it because mama or Jhay aren't like that, so I'm really innovating.
"I'm still full because I ate lunch late because I fell asleep after I did my laundry earlier."
"Oh, okay. Then, I have to watch the news first, "he once opened the big TV hanging on the wall and then he put his foot that was still in socks on the center table. At first I was surprised, but I noticed he really liked it when watching TV. He was more comfortable resting his feet on the center table. But once, he was an angel, sitting on the sofa while hugging a throw pillow and watching.
"But hey! I already told you not to skip a meal, it's not good for health, you know, "that's what he was so fond of preaching to me. It's like I had an instant big bro!
"Seriously Gabie? Are you an instant big bro? Eh, don't you really have an older brother? But because you were in-denial, you ran away! " I rebuke myself.
"Yes," I replied quickly. I don't want to rationalize with him because he's tired of debating. You won't win with him, you'll just dry up your brain. That's why sometimes I wonder why he didn't just take the law more for him than being a policeman. He is capable of winning any case that he handles with his skill in dealing.
"Good."
That's his answer. When he's satisfied with your answer, he'll nod at the same time. He just needed to put his hand on top of my head and then pat it gently, what we often do with toddlers, like that.
"Hey! Before I forgot, I'll be visiting my grandparents this coming week. Coz it's grandpa's birthday on Wednesday. Are you coming with me? I'll be spending a couple of days there, coz I don't like hearing from them that I don't have enough time for them, "he explained.
"It's embarrassing, because I don't belong to your family," I replied shyly. Because it's true, isn't who I am, maybe his grandparents will continue to scold him because he continued with someone he didn't even know.
"Nah! It's alright. Besides, I already told them that you'll be coming with me, "he said calmly.
"You said so, so now you're just going to ask me! You're too strong! " I almost had to say something, but I chose to keep my mouth shut.
"Huh? Did you tell them? "
"Yeah, why? Is there something wrong with that? "he asked in shock.
"W-Nothing. Aren't they angry? "
"Why would they?"
"C-Because of course you put me here because you don't know me then I'm a woman?"
"It doesn't matter to them," I couldn't say anything because I couldn't believe him.
"So, are you coming?"
"S-All right, if it's okay, even if it's embarrassing, I'd rather be left here alone. Maybe I'll lose something and then I'll be the one to blame," I said hesitantly.
"Seriously? Is overthinking your habit? I'm told that's not a good thing. "
"I'm just not really used to someone like you like that," I said softly.
"What do you mean?" he asked with a frown.
"Those who are easy to trust, you know that?"
"Well, you're wrong. I don't easily give my trust to strangers, but there's always an exception to every rule, as you know. "
"What's that exception you're saying?"
"It's about you. I mean, why would I doubt you, sweetheart, when I first read your profile and saw that you have no criminal records?So, why the hell would I doubt you, huh? Obviously, I'm a police officer. If it happens that you have records or you're acting suspicious, I can easily drag you to the police station at anytime. Bear that in mind, okay? Do you get me now? " He said sternly.
"You're really weird to explain I'm going to bleed out of nowhere," I joked.
"You're crazy!"
"Just a joke. You won't be joking anymore."
"Whatever!" he said, then stared at me.
"I wish you were handsome, in case you're just being naughty," I whispered to myself.
"What?"
"No, they said I'm going to sacrifice maybe because you're hungry because you're complaining again," I said together to escape. But before I finally got away,
"I heard what you said. I'm handsome but I'm rude!"
"Takte heard but was still asked! You're really embarrassed, Gabie! You're just whispering to yourself, you heard me! " I rebuke myself.
I stopped looking at him and then hurried to the kitchen to serve. Because of the intense nervousness, the spoons and forks fell. So instead of making my sacrifice easier, it took longer.
"Hey! Will you calm down sweetheart? " He said it calmly, but I don't know why what he said had such a strange effect on me. I didn't pay attention to him, I pretended to hear nothing. I showed her that I was busy with what I was doing.
I saw him standing and leaning against the kitchen counter and folding his arms while watching what was being done.
"Takte, I'm really going to do this! Fun, fun, ah! Endurance is like just watching a movie, he just needs to bring popcorn and drinks! Does it seem like he really needs to keep an eye on everything I do? " I whispered to myself.
"Stop blabbering! Did you really think I couldn't hear your sweetheart? FYI, I'm not deaf. I can hear you loud and clear! " He bellowed, which stunned me. Then I heard him chuckling.
Not to the added embarrassment of not being able to look at her. I felt like all the blood in my body was boiling up to my face, which is why I felt it was hot and made my face look like a bell pepper right now. I lose my appetite and I just want to collapse right in front of him to lessen the embarrassment for the second time around the same hour.
I prayed through my mind. "O sweet Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. I promise I'll be good from now on," I prayed through my mind.
Without a second thought, I walk faster out of the kitchen, not wanting to utter any words, then run upstairs and lock myself inside the room.
"Why are you blabbering on? How are you going to deal with him after that? You really influenced me so much to make me look like this! It's embarrassing! "I scolded myself once, slapping my own mouth while leaning against the door after I closed it. Then I rubbed my chest because of the excessive force of my heartbeat, as if I had run ten laps. I was feeling my chest explode with the intensity of the throb.
"If I hadn't been hit by a bullet, a heart attack might have been the cause of my death," he said. I said while my hand was still on my chest.
Later, I heard footsteps approaching the room where I was, so I was twice as nervous, so I ran and jumped at the same time and hurriedly covered my hands. You'd think he wouldn't see me when I was covered with a blanket. 'To.
"Tss, my idiot, I really should have just hid in the bathroom. Why did I even think of running here? Oh Gabie! You are so stupid and stupid! " I whispered to myself.
I gasped when I heard the door lock slowly turn and then open, then I heard the loud laughter of a voice.
"Lord, I know I'm a sinner, but don't send me to Lucifer first!" I muttered.
"What the hell are you doing?" his voice echoed throughout the room.
Now I just thought that what I saw in Hiraya Manawari would have been true, that the earth literally swallows man. Earth, can you swallow me even now like in the TV show, because I'm already covered in shame. I can't stand it if the embarrassment increases at this time... "I continued whispering. My whispering was interrupted as the blanket that covered my entire body was suddenly pulled. I couldn't do anything if I didn't just close my eyes and then I covered my face with both hands so I couldn't see him.
"What do you think you're doing?" I didn't answer him, then I heard him grumbling. He slowly removed my hands from covering my face, but I tightened my grip on my face so he could not remove them. But because of the size of his hand and his strength, he was able to remove it from the cover with both my hands by holding my two hands together.
Oh, c'mon, open your goddamn eyes and look at me! "Oh, c'mon, open your goddamn eyes and then look at me!" He said it calmly, but because of the strange sound of his voice, all the hairs on my body stood up.
"No," I said emphatically.
"Sweetheart, open your eyes and look at me, please." His voice is like under a spell, which makes me follow what he commands me to do. I aversely opened my eyes, then, with his index finger, he slowly lifted my face to look straight into his eyes. Just when I saw right through my very eyes, his pitch-black, impenetrable eyes stared at me intently. I gulp nervously upon seeing it. It's the first time I stare back at him.
"Why did you leave me there, hm?" He said, "It was almost a whisper in my ear." That made me quiver.
I tried to open my mouth but nothing came out and I felt my throat dry. That caused me to be speechless. I blink multiple times to stop the intensity of his gawking, but to no avail. His manly scent that goes through my nostrils and invades my entire being makes my mind go haywire.
"Hey! "Are you okay? "he asked.
"Y-yeah," I mumbled.
"Okay? I'll ask you again, why did you abruptly leave me there when we were about to eat dinner, hm? " Still, I wasn't able to answer his question because I didn't know what to say to say that I was so embarrassed about what happened earlier. He was still holding both of my wrists in his one hand. It was like he was holding a baby's cute tiny hands while he was holding mine.
"Did your tongue get tied?" I just shook my head.
"Then why can't you talk?" I shook my head again, feeling afraid that he might have bawled at me again.
"I, uhm…," I couldn't continue to say because honestly, I don't know how to tell her that I won't be embarrassed again.
"As for the skin, why does he have to follow me here? I'm an idiot. I could have gotten away from him, but I forgot to lock the door, so I got in! " complaining in my mind.
"What is it, sweetheart?" he asked softly.
"H-I'm not a-I'm-comfortable-being-called s-sweetheart k-because hi-I'm not your b-boy-boyfriend, that's disgusting," I stammered.
"Oh, so what do you want to be your boyfriend then?"
"Huh?" I was staggered with his question.
"Huh?" he mimicked me in a soft voice.
"You're really good!" My voice grew louder as I slapped his shoulder in annoyance. But you just laughed at me.
"I thought you were mute." Then he laughed again. Then he stood up slowly, but he still did not let go of my hands.
"C'mon, let's eat! I'm so famished, "he complained, then he gently pulled me out of bed. Gaga, on the other hand, just stared at her as if she didn't have a clear mind of her own. I do not know? I don't know why he can make me do what he wants me to do so easily.
I never heard him speak again as we went down. The two of us didn't say a word until we finished eating, but I couldn't eat well because I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was staring straight at me. I couldn't help but calm down when he told me that he would clean up and wash what we ate. I quietly left him there, then I went back to the room to lock up.
I don't know why we suddenly needed it. I've been feeling this for a few days, but I haven't asked anymore. I'm afraid I might be able to do this kind of character again and I'll be embarrassed in the end.
Tuesday night came, he just came home from duty. We still didn't talk much, unlike before, when we were comfortable talking and joking.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Ah, yes," I replied shyly.
"How about your things?"
"Okay, I only have a few clothes."
"Don't worry, we can buy some there. You can wear a face mask and shades to disguise if you want."
"It's not okay anymore, then I won't be able to get the equipment. I still don't have money because I can't go to the bank yet, can I? "
"Don't worry about the money, because I've got you covered."
"No, the size of my debt to you may not be able to pay it," I complained.
"Do you understand what you're saying, woman?"
"Huh? Why? What's the problem?"
"FYI, I didn't expect for you to pay me for those things I bought for you, okay? So, stop overthinking! " He said this in disgust.
"I'm not used to it and I have money because I really am, I'm just unlucky that I left my ATM and I can't withdraw," I said frowning.
Okay, I understand where you came from. That's why I got you covered without thinking that you were going to pay me. By the way, are you good to go? So, we can leave now, we'll just grab some food along the way, "then he picked up his duffle bag that lay on the sofa and I also picked up the small bag he lent me, to his brother it is said to have not been used for a long time.
We had a great trip to Laguna to the ancestral house of his grandmother and grandfather, and as he said, we just took a short drive through a fast food chain to eat dinner.
I felt a mixture of nervousness and embarrassment when he said that we were coming soon. The first time I went out of town with a man, and then I didn't know you that well, so he would take me to his grandparents. Strength, isn't it?
I took a deep breath and struggled in case the nervousness I was feeling was relieved.
"Chill! They won't bite. Just a heads up! Grandpa and Grandma are very kind and sweet, so you don't have to worry about them. Besides, as I've said, I've already told them about you. They knew you already as a matter of fact. "
"What did you tell them about me?"
"The truth? Why do you want me to tell them, huh? "
"Perhaps they'll think less of me because I'm a woman who lived in your house?"I was embarrassed to say.
"They understand coz I explained to them everything alright? I'm always been honest to them coz that's how we're raised by our parents and of course, by grandpa and grandma. "
"It's just embarrassing."
"Nah! I'm sure they'll like you. "