Dangerous Love

CHAPTER 16

(FLASHBACK…)



SA MGA SUMUNOD na araw, mas lalong naging malapit si Blythe sa pamilya ni Evron. Lagi kasi siyang inaasahan ng ina ni Evron. Binigyan na nga siya ng isang kwarto na kung saan ito na mismo ang nag-ayos para daw hindi siya mapagod at hindi na niya kailangang umuwi sa apartment niya lalo na kapag pagod siya galing sa trabaho.

She can tell that Evron’s mother was doting on her like a real daughter.

At siyempre, kapag nasa mansyon siya, sila ng ina ni Evron at Neriah ang magkakatabing matutulog.

Both the father and son duo disagreed with the decision, but they could only raise their hands to surrender, making Blythe smile in secret.

One weekend, Evron’s mother invited her to have a barbecue party at the spacious pavilion of the mansion

Pumunta naman siya. She can’t turn down such a good offer, lalo na at mabait sa kaniya ang ina ni Evron.

And Neriah refuses to leave her alone even for a second. Lagi itong nasa tabi niya kapag pumupunta siya sa mansyon ng mga ito, which Evron always complained about.

“She is my girlfriend.” Giit ni Evron.

“And she is now my best friend,” sabi naman ni Neriah.

Napailing na lamang si Blythe sa magkapatid.

Ayon kay Evron, pupunta ang mga kaibigan nito at gusto siyang ipakilala.

“Love, I’m your boyfriend. You should stick to me.” Pinagsiklop ni Evron ang kamay nilang dalawa, saka siya'y hinila palayo kay Neriah.

Neriah pouted. “You’re so bad, Kuya.”

Evron just rolled his eyes.

Before Blythe could say something, voices echoed in the pavilion.

“We’re here!”

Napatingin si Blythe sa mga bagong dating. She blinked in surprise as she saw her best friend, Aira, enter together with a tall man wearing a black polo and an easy-going expression.

So, this is her lover. Blythe thought.

Hindi pa niya nakikilala ang boyfriend ni Aira kahit magkaibigan silang dalawa at ngayon pa lang niya siguro makikilala.

Behind Aira and her lover was another couple.

The man looked calm but intimidating in a quiet way, while the woman beside him carried herself with effortless elegance.

Nang makita naman ni Aira si Blythe, nasurpresa rin ito. “You’re here?!”

Mabilis na lumapit si Aira kay Blythe at hinawakan ang dalawang kamay nito. “Girl,” she whispered loudly, “why are you inside a mansion that looks richer than a government building?”

Blythe deadpanned. “I’m asking myself the same thing.”

“So,” Aira’s boyfriend started, “care to introduce us to your girl?” he said to Evron.

Ngumiti naman si Evron saka inakbayan si Blythe. “Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Blythe Romero.”

Ngumiti si Blythe.

“Pero kayo na ang magpakilala sa mga sarili niyo. I don’t want to waste my breath introducing you,” sabi ni Evron saka umupo sa wooden bench na nasa kanilang likuran.

“Ang sabihin mo, tinatamad ka lang,” sabi ng boyfriend ni Aira, saka tumingin kay Blythe. Inilahad niya ang kamay. “Gavin Villamor.”

“No touching,” Evron said in a cold voice as he looked at Gavin.

Gavin let out a small sigh, shaking his head, and put down his hand.

Ngumiti na lamang si Blythe. Pasimple niyang tiningnan ang boyfriend ni Aira. He looked composed, mature, and observant—the type of man who spoke less but noticed everything.

Bagay nga ang personality ni Aira sa kaniya. Sabi ni Blythe sa kaniyang isipan.

“Aira talks about you a lot,” Gavin added.

“Mostly complaints,” Blythe guessed.

“Mostly,” pag-amin ni Gavin.

“Hoy! Grabe ka sa akin,” sabi ni Aira at hinampas ang braso ng kasintahan.

“Finally, someone can match my best friend,” pagpaparinig ni Blythe.

Nagtawanan ang lahat.

Then another man approached—tall, handsome, and relaxed-looking.

“Good evening,” he greeted casually. “I’m Maurice Molina.”

Blythe nodded politely. “Nice to meet you.”

Malalim na napabuntong-hininga si Maurice. “And before you ask—yes, I’m a man.”

Napakurap si Blythe. “Hindi ko naman tinatanong?” patanong niyang sabi.

Nagkibit ng balikat si Maurice. “You’re Evron’s girlfriend. He’s introducing you to us, which means he wants to spend his life with you,” he said casually. “So, I’ll explain, so you think I’m not a man because my name is for a girl.”

Sinulyapan ni Blythe si Evron.

Evron just winked at her.

Ibinalik ni Blythe ang tingin kay Maurice.

“My mother thought I was going to be a girl,” Maurice explained with deep suffering in his voice. “She already prepared the name Maurice before I was born. And yes, walang nagawa ang tatay ko dahil mahal niya ang nanay ko. He let her name me Maurice.”

Neriah burst into laughter immediately. “She still complains about it hanggang ngayon,” she added.

“And because of that, pinagkakamalan siyang transgender dahil sa pangalan niya,” natatawang sabi naman ni Gavin.

Maurice crossed his arms. “Do you know how hard it is growing up looking like this with the name Maurice?”

“Mukhang okay ka naman,” matapat na sabi ni Blythe.

“That’s what makes it worse,” Maurice muttered.

The woman beside him lightly elbowed his side. “You’re being dramatic again.”

Agad namang lumambot ang mukha ni Maurice. “Yes, baby.”

Blythe noticed the instant difference in him and almost smiled.

Sumabad naman si Gavin. “You’re an attorney. You know that law. You can change your name.”

“But my mother will disown me if that happens.”

“That’s why I love you,” sabi ng babaeng nasa tabi ni Maurice.

The woman turned toward Blythe with a gentle expression. “I’m Noreen Rios.”

“She’s my cousin,” sabi ni Evron na nakaupo pa rin sa likuran ni Blythe.

Maya-maya pa, may mga dumating pa sa pavilion, kasama naman ngayon ang magulang ni Evron.

Nylah immediately introduced her to them.

Nakilala niyang ito ang mga magulang nina Gavin at Maurice na parehong kaibigan ng magulang ni Evron. She also gets to know Noreen’s parents.

Later, the oldies have their own world.

At nagkaroon rin naman sila ng sariling mundo sa may parte ng pavilion habang kumakain ng barbecue.

Meanwhile, Maurice leaned slightly toward Blythe.

“You know, this is the first time Evron brought someone here… and it’s a woman.”

Kumurap si Blythe. “Talaga?”

Tumango si Maurice. “Yep,” he said proudly. “Usually, he’s allergic to people.”

“I can hear you,” Evron said flatly.

Ngumisi lang naman si Maurice saka sinubuan ng barbecue si Noreen.

“You want more, Love?” malambing na tanong ni Evron kay Blythe.

Blythe smiled and nodded.

Kumuha naman si Evron ng ilang stick ng barbecue sa grilled pan at inilagay sa pinggan ni Blythe.

“Thanks.”

Evron just leaned down and kissed Blythe on the forehead.

Nagkatinginan naman ang mga kasama nila.

“I never imagined that I would see Evron in this scenario,” Gavin said.

“Never imagined too,” sabi naman ni Maurice. “But it was happening right now,” he added.

Napailing si Gavin.

Blythe looked at Evron, who was sitting beside her, and saw him looking at her intensely, as if he wanted to do something.

“Bakit?”

Umiling si Evron saka nag-iwas ng tingin.

Later that night, after everyone left, Evron pulled Blythe into his room and locked it.

“Evron—”

Blythe’s words were cut off when Evron crushed his lips against her.

Mabilis na gumalaw ang kamay ni Evron. He pinned Blythe into his bed and kept on kissing her.

Blythe closed her eyes.

Her lips parted, and her body arched the moment Evron’s lips traveled to her jaw, down to her neck.

And Evron suddenly stopped.

“Puwede bang dito ka matulog, Love?” naglalambing nitong sabi habang nanatiling nakakubabaw kay Blythe.

Iminulat ni Blythe ang mata. Sobrang bilis ng t***k ng kaniyang puso. And all she could do was nod.

Ngumiti si Evron. “I’ll just take a shower.”

And with that, Evron got off from Blythe and walked to the bathroom.

Bumangon naman si Blythe saka napatingin na lamang sa nakasarang pinto ng banyo.

“Did I see it? His eyes were full of lust and desire.” Blythe muttered.

And her cheeks reddened because a wild thought came into her mind.