Nalula ako sa ganda ng bahay nila. No, this is not even a house, this is a palace!
Siguro kahit pagpapatung-patungin ang lahat ng mga bahay sa aming baryo ay hindi pa rin matutumbasan ang taas at lawak ng residence ng mga Fulgencio. Well, hindi na 'yon nakapagtataka lalo na't sabi nga ng kasama ko na ang mgs Fulgencio ang pinakamayaman sa buong subdivision na 'to.
Kung titignan ay siguro kakasiya ang isang libong tao rito sa loob. 'Yong mismong mansiyon pa lang, masasabi kong hindi ko kayang kabisaduhin ang pasikot-sikot sa loob ng isang araw lang. Papaano pa kaya itong buong lugar na?
Derek walked with both of his hands inside his pocket. Pasipol-sipol pa siya as if he's used to seeing this kind of view.
Sa bagay, hindi naman na bago sa kanya ito dahil mayaman din siya. Rich people aren't really into appreciating small things. Their attention are always for the bigger things that are beneficial to them.
Kaya nga isang maliit na bagay ang napansin ng isang mahirap na kagaya ko. Bakit parang ang sama ng tingin ng mga guwardiya kay Derek?
Para bang binabantayan nila ang bawat kilos niya. He probably did something wrong. Loko-loko pa naman din ang matandang ito.
Pero nawala na sa isip ko ang bagay na 'yan nang makuha ang atensiyon ko ng kanilang fountain.
There's a huge elegant-looking fountain that kinda gives me a magical-ancient vibe. The details are a combination of baroque and renaissance style but the color combination made it magical.
The magic was given emphasis when my eyes got mesmerized how this huge diamond seems to float above the fountain water. Para bang itinutulak siya ng tubig upang lumipad.
The water is so clear that when the sun strikes, it seems like diamond dusts are coming out of the huge diamond.
Parang isang disenyo mula sa isang fairytale.
"May isda pa riyan."
"Huh?" tanong ko. Hindi ko gaanong naintindihan ang sinabi niya dahil masiyadong nakatuon sa fountain ang atensiyon ko.
"May isda riyan, pwede kang humuli kung gusto mo," he repeated while chuckling.
Nang ibaba ko ang tingin sa natipon na tubig ay nakita ko nga ang ilang isdang aktibong lumalangoy. Even their colors matches the fountain!
"Gusto sana kitang hayaang tumambay muna rito dahil mukhang natutuwa ka talaga sa nakikita mo pero magagalit ang dragon sa loob ng palasiyo kapag pinaghintay natin siya," Derek disturbed my amusement.
"May alaga silang dragon?"
I know that question is indeed laughable. Hindi mo aakalaing galing sa bunganga ng taong nasa twenty-one years old na eh.
Hindi naman niya ako masisisi. I'm too fascinated by how this place looks so damn magical. Malay ko ba kung ano pang mayroon sila sa loob ng napakalaking mansion nila.
"The dragon is the son of the owner, silly. Mag-amang dragon ang may-ari ng bahay na 'to and you're about to meet the son," natatawa-tawa pa niyang sabi.
He compared him to a dragon. Gano'n kaya kasungit 'yon?
"You'll see," tipid niyang sabi habang nakangiti.
Gusto ko pa sanang magtanong kaso naglakad na siya papunta sa loob kaya sumunod na lang ako.
"Are you ready to meet him?" he asked.
Siguro ay nararamdaman niya ang kaba ko. I mean, with trembling hands coupled with a sweaty forehead, he can easily tell my uneasiness.
"I have no other choice but to be ready. Narito na ako eh," pangangatwiran ko.
I gathered oxygen as much as my lungs could handle then eventually exhaled them all out. Ginawa ko ito para pakalmahin ang puso kong tila tinatambol sa lakas ng kabog.
How can't I feel nervous? I feel so out of place!
"Matututunan mo rin kung paano mag-adjust. He won't let you look like that forever."
Ayos na sana ang pagpapakalma niya kaso...
"Maaasiwa 'yon sa hitsura mo kaya paniguradong babaguhin ka niya."
"Bwisit."
He laughed at my curse.
Not long after, maids came running to go to their respective places. You can see fright dominating their faces.
I wonder why?
"He's here," Derek announced.
Oh, that's why.
"Get yourself together, lady. Your sponsor is about to come," he whispered and it made me to unconsciously fix myself.
Ilang sandali pa ay napansin ko ang pagyuko ng bawat katulong. This must be their way of respecting their master.
My eyes slowly traced the gold handrail of their grand stairway until my sight landed on a pair of the most elegant looking leather shoes I've ever seen.
"Behold, your sponsor!" Derek's deep voice intensified the intimidation that I feel. "This is Mr. Silverius William Fulgencio."
Nagsitindig ang mga balahibo ko sa pagbanggit ng pangalan niya. I don't know if it's just because or Derek's voice or is there really something in his name that brings me to shiver.
Pasimple akong siniko ni Derek kaya napabalik ako sa huwisiyo.
"He's looking at you. You should look at him in the eye," he whispered.
Kaya, kahit pa grabe ang kabang nararamdaman ko ay sinikap kong h'wag magpakita ng kahit ano mang reaksiyon. Unti-unti ay inangat ko ang tingin mula sa sapatos niya hanggang sa masuyod ko ang pormal niyang mga damit.
His mere appearance shouts power and fortune. It's too loud that it's deafening.
My body froze as soon as our gaze locked.
Ang gwapo niya pala...
His gaze kept me captivated. Parang may sumpa ang paraan ng pagtitig niya kaya hindi ko magawang maialis ang tingin ko.
Pati siya ay hindi binibitiwan ang titigan namin habang patuloy ang paghakbang niya pababa. It's amazing how he managed to stand straight with his hands inside his pocket as he make his way to where we are. The way he stepped down without even glancing at the stairs amused me.
Lalo akong nanigas sa kinatatayuan nang nakitang tumigil siya. He's three steps away from me but the tension brought by his presence already suffocates me.
"I wanna get closer but..." sabi niya na, halatang nambibitin.
Damn, even his voice gives me goosebumps.
"I'm frightened by the way you drool over me. I feel so harassed," he arrogantly said while flashing that annoying smirk on his face.
Nawala lahat ng tension na nararamdaman ko. Napalitan ito ng inis para sa lalaking ito.
He's so full of himself!
"Oh, what's with the sudden change of expression? From drooling to loathing. I wonder why?" pang-iinis pa niya.
"Careful, Tanso. You might trigger this angry bull. Red pa naman ang necktie mo."
Isa pa itong si Derek na pang-asar eh. Sino banaman ang hindi mag-aala toro kung puro ganito ang kasama mo?
Wait...
Tanso?
The name rings a bell...
Nakabalik lang ako sa huwisiyo nang maistorbo ako ng isang tikhim. Galing pala 'yon sa narcissistic dragon na na sa harapan ko.
"Oh, biglang natulala? H'wag mo ako masiyadong isipin. Your barriotic mind is not a place for me to stay in," pag-iinsulto niya.
Hindi naman pwedeng hahayaan ko na lang siyang insultuhin ako. Mahirap na at baka mamihasa.
"Don't worry, my barriotic mind is sane enough to not let a narcissistic jerk to come in. Baka kasi mailipad ang laman ng utak ko sa sobrang hangin na dulot mo," I fired back.
There, I caught him off guard. He did not expect an insult to come out of my mouth. Unlucky him, wala akong sinasanto.
He should get himself ready. There's more where that came from.