Rugged Men Series 4: Wyatt Hernandez (TAGALOG)

Chapter 16

BAKAS ang sobrang pagtataka sa mukha ni Wyatt nang marinig niya ang mga kataga na binitawan ni Madison para sa sekretarya. Madison can be straightforward sometimes and she knows what is bad deeds or not. What Annie did to him is bad and she literally played on him. However, he understands where Annie's anger is coming from. So, he would let it pass. He may have a problem with direction but he can surely always ask someone. He's in the middle of the city he's never been to before. And there's a possibility that once people recognized him, a commotion will occur.

Inilayo niya ang cell phone sa tainga at tiningnan ang caller ID. Gaya ng laging gawain ni Madison ay nakakalimutan na naman nitong patayin ang tawag. Napangiti si Wyatt bago niya ibinalik ang cell phone sa tainga. He heard her sigh and that made him smile even more. Madison's never change. She still overreact with small things. Treating him like a child and talk with him like she's older than him... which is never a bad thing because that's how Madison is.

“You must have been one of my cousin's friend?” tanong ng babae na huminto sa kanyang tapat.

Tiningnan niya lamang ito bilang tugon.

“Silence means yes. So, that means you are one of the jerks who plays with women's heart,” wika ng dalaga para mapaismid na lamang siya dahil kahit papaano ay hindi ito nagkakamali. “When I say jerks, I mean you and my cousin's friend. Must have been so good to break some heart, isn’t it?”

Kumunot ang noo ni Wyatt at nanatili siyang nakatitig sa dalaga. Alejandro's cousin is a beauty and certainly off-limits. The moment he saw her, he knew that the woman in front of her is different. In a way that he can't compare to other women who want nothing but s*x and pleasure. She felt genuine somehow. A person who is worth keeping.

Hindi sumagot si Wyatt at nagdekuwatro lamang siya sa pagka-upo. At nagulat na lamang nang tumabi ito sa kanya. His eyebrows furrowed.

“You're so snob, I want you to be my friend,” wika ng dalaga para mas lalong magpakunot sa kanyang noo.

“Friend?” tanong niya dito.

“Yes. Friends. Don’t you want to be my friend?” tanong nito.

Hindi pa man bumubuka ang bibig ay kinuha ni Madison ang kanyang kamay at nakipagkamay sa kanya.

“Okay, we’re friends now,” wika nito para tumaas ang kanyang mga kilay.

“I don’t recall saying yes,” supladong wika ni Wyatt.

“I mean, you could have withdraw your hands if you don't want,” nakangising wika nito para mapatingin siya sa kamay nilang magkahawak-kamay. “Right? You didn't, so you want me to be my friend.”

At sa hindi alam na kadahilanan ay hindi niya binawi ang kamay kagaya ng sinisigaw ng utak niya. He let her keep holding his hands like they knew each other for a very long time. Weird to say but he likes the feelings of her hands on him.

“I always see you wondering in the oval, getting lost every morning after you practice archery. I am always there to study because it’s peaceful and quiet. But I can't help but notice something about you. You may have a keen eyes but you don't have any sense of direction,” saad nito para matigilan siya. “But fear not. I am here to guide you now because I am now your friend. I’m Madison by the way.”

“W-Wyatt...” sagot niya sa dalaga. “Wyatt Hernandez.”

“I know,” ani Madison at ngumiti. “You are popular in school. Even my jerk cousin and all your friends are famous even though you guys doesn't deserve the attention.”

“Why do you want me to be your friend?” tanong niya dito para tingnan siya ni Madison na diretso sa mga mata.

“Why not?” sagot-tanong nito para matigilan siyang muli. “Having friends is like having a second family. Not necessary for us people but it’s good for the heart, don’t you think so?”

Nag-iwas ng tingin si Wyatt upang ikubli ang pag-ismid. “I don't think I deserve to be your friend. I’m a jerk.”

“Nobody’s perfect, I think you’re going to be a great friend,” ani Madison para mapangiti na lamang siya kalaunan. “Though, I got worried when someone is playing archery because it is somehow dangerous. But I always have a first aid kit in my bag so I think we are going to be fine. I am your friend now, so from now on rest assured that you’re not going to be lost.”

Napangiti si Wyatt at napailing-iling. “O-Okay, you are basically my map now.”

Kung hindi niya ito nakilala noong kolehiyo sa pamamagitan ng kaibigan niyang si Alejandro ay tiyak na hindi naging maaliwalas ang kanyang buhay. Sa tuwing umaalis ang kanyang mga kaibigan upang gumimik, sa halip na sumama ay si Madison ang lagi niyang sinasamahan sa kung saan nito gusto. They became closer as years have passed. And he’s grateful for Madison for making him her friend. He will always be grateful. Everybody arrounds him knows that. If it weren't for Madison then he wouldn't be where he is right now. Madison became her strength and at the same time his weakness. She was his map. With Madison on his side, she keeps him sane and always made him take the right path.

“Stay where you are, Wyatt. Wait for me, I’m coming...” ani Madison na tiyak niyang nagmamaneho patungo sa kanyang kinauukulan. “Your map is coming.”

At ang plano na pag-subok na umuwi na mag-isa ay nawala na sa isip ni Wyatt at nanatili na lamang siya sa Suite na iyon ni Hernandez na may malaking ngiti sa mga labi. Pahirapan na natunton niya ang lugar na iyon at hindi siya sigurado na hindi siya mawawala pauwi. Web mapping platforms are helpful but with someone who is not good with direction, it’s useless.

Umupo si Wyatt sa pinakamalapit na upuan at naghintay. Just like in his training to have patience, he counted people who will passed him. Forty-five. Fifty. Sa dami ng tao na bumibisita sa magandang establisyemento na iyon ay para na itong naging mall sa rami ng tao. He counted a hundred-fifty and more. Parami na nang parami ang kanyang nabibiling hanggang si Madison na ang kanyang nabiling sa numero na pang tatlong daan.

Takbo-lakad ang ginawa nito hanggang sa sinalubong siya nito nang mahigpit na yakap. “Thank God.”

“Madison...” wika ni Wyatt at hinigpitan ang kanyang pagyakap sa dalaga. “For a hundred times, thank you so much for being there for me. Thank you for coming at me.”

Tumingala si Madison at nakangiting sinalubong ang kanyang mga mata. “And for a hundred times, you’re welcome, Wy. You are always welcome. I am your map, remember?”

Wyatt stared at her smiling face and his heart suddenly thumped. His heart beats faster than usual and it's absurd. It never beat like this before for his best friend. For Madison whom he never has a plan on pursuing. Not until now that she’s in front of him with kissable lips.

Napalunok si Wyatt habang nakatingin sa napakaamong mukha nito. Her cheeks were burning and her smile is contagious. It's making his heartbeat more erratic. Wilder than it used to beat. A beat that he doesn't experience before until now that Madison is smiling at him.

She’s a goddess. He never thought that Madison is so beautiful now that she is smiling sweetly towards him. Her straight and white teeth are showing. As well as her cute dimples that he knew that was there but he just appreciate it now. Her eyes screams glee and that made him incredibly happy. Madison is now a woman.

Now he knows why Zacharias likes her so much.

Nang mapawi ang mga ngiti ni Madison ay agad na napapilig si Wyatt at pinawi ang mga naisip. He couldn't feel that. He couldn't like Madison. It would only wreck their friensship and having benefits with her is all he could offer other than being a friend. Kailangan niyang tumupad ng usapan. Isa pa, hindi na siya nito gusto kaya wala na siyang aasahan. Hindi puwedeng bumaliktad ang sitwasyon nila ni Madison. Hindi puwede magustuhan niya ang kaibigan.

“M-May dumi ba sa mukha ko?” tanong ni Madison at itinuro ang mukha.

And when did she become so cute and beautiful at the same time? When did she have a pair of eyes that is so amorous and is capable of drowning him because it is so... deep? And when did she have those long lashes? He never knew that it was long before. Her nose wasn’t even that attractive to him the last time he saw her. But why does he likes to stare at it now? And her smell... Damn, he knew he smells good but why does he appreciate it more now, when he could appreciate it before?

A smile couldn’t make someone fall, doesn't it?

“W-Wala. Wala naman. I just notice you have a new perfume,” wika ni Wyatt para kumunot ang noo nito. “Its fragrance. It suits you.”

“I didn't get a new perfume. I’ve been using this for almost ten years now,” ani Madison para mapalunok siya nang malalim. “It's the same as usual. Do I smell new?”

Wala nasagot si Wyatt. She didn't change her perfume yet it is tickling her nostrils like it was his first time smelling it. Oh, god... what is happening to him? He notices every little thing that Madison has that he has never noticed before.

Is he really falling?

Well, he’ll be damn if he is, because as her best friend he should be not.

WYATT is acting weird.

Iyon ang unang pumasok sa isip niya nang mapansin na palagi itong nakatitig sa kanyang mukha. She should get used to it because they are friends but Wyatt is giving her the sign that she once did when she start falling with him, it’s weird.

Or she could be assuming. She does that all the time.

Wyatt couldn't possibly like her. Kagaya ng sabi nito ay pagkakaibigan lang ang tanging maibibigay nito kahit pa man hindi siya sang-ayon sa bagay na iyon. But seeing him now always straing at her like she's the most beautiful woman in the world keeps her hopes up.

Why does he need to do that?

When Wyatt cleared his throat, she glanced at him. Nagulat na lamang siya nang ipinagsiklop nito ang kanilang mga kamay. Her heart is beating so fast, anytime it could burst now. Kahit pa man siya ay kinikilig ay hindi niya iyon puwede ihayag sa kaibigan. She said she doesn't like him anymore, so she must stay with the act. Hindi niya alam kung saan siya dadalhin ng kanyang pagpapanggap pero batid niya na paunti-unti na siyang bumibigay.

“Your hands are cold, are you okay?” tanong ni Wyatt para mapatingin siya dito at mag-iwas ng tingin para ibalik ang mga mata sa kalsada.

“Yeah, I am,” sagot ni Madison at pinanatili ang mga mata sa kalsada. “Are you?”

”I am now,” sagot nito para mas lalong manlamig ang kanyang mga kamay. “Thanks to you.”

Wyatt always holds her hands but this is the first time it felt like they can be more something. Something than a close friend that is having benefits by sating each other’s craving. And she couldn't let herself believe what her heart would say. Wyatt is a sweet person. He always holds his hands all the time. Stare at her. Say assuring words like a best friend would say. And that is why she fell for him before. But now she is falling even deeper. Harder than she already was. Bumabalik sa kanya ang kanyang mga pagpapanggap na hindi na niya na nagugustuhan. God knew how much he likes Wyatt and him acting like he finally reciprocated her feelings will ruin her plans.

“Are you going back to the clinic now?” tanong ni Wyatt para mapatingin siya dito ng saglit.

Of course, she should go back to the clinic. That was her job. But then... Wyatt is giving her a sign that he doesn't want her to go yet. That he wants her to be his side for the time being.

“Do you want me to go back?” tanong ni Madison kahit pa man na sigurado na niya ang isasagot nito. Kahit pa man mapapabayaan niya muna ang trabaho.

“I don't want you to go back, Madi,” sagot ni Wyatt at pinisil ang kanyang kamay. “I want you here with me.”