He is annoyed dahil yun pala ang boss dati ni Stacey. He needs to do one of his plans fast. Even if he is her devirginizer, he has no assurance that Stacey is all his. Napasimangot naman si Heather nang mapansin na kumunot ang noo ni Nick and he seems to be in deep thought. Hindi na nakatiis ito. Kailangan na siya na ang gumawa ng first move. Masyadong mailap talaga si Nick. She stood up then inilapit ang isa sa upuan near his seat. She touched his hand to get the glass of rhum from him. Inikot pa nito ang parte kung saan ito uminom . She drank from that side then she licked her lips after finishing the booze while looking at him seductively. Pinagapang nito ang kamay sa braso nito.
Nick frowned when he felt her hand on his arm going down to his six-pack.
"Stop that! " He said with a scowl.
"You said we're going out. When?" she asked while pouting her lips.
Nick narrowed his eyes. Maganda si Heather ,she has short hair. Like her sister, mestiza din ito . But she is too agressive for his taste. Besides, si Stacey ang gusto nito.
"I'll call you." he said tonelessly.
"How? You don't even have my number." maarteng sabi nito.
"I'll find a way. Sige na Heather. I'm going.See you around." he said bago tumayo. He is done questioning her about Stacey anyway.
Napahalukipkip si Heather and sumimangot ito. Tatakasan na naman siya ni Nick.
"Mate! Alis ka na?" takang tanong ni Billy He came near Nick.
" Palay na lumalapit sayo! Ang ganda mate! What's wrong with you?" He asked with a frown.
"Not interested. Happy birthday ulit." tinapik nito ang balikat ng kaibigan bago kumaway kay Jim then went out.
Stacey anak." her mother called her.
She looked up from what she's doing para sulyapan ang ina. Gumagawa siya ng sandwich niya. Halos kakauwi niya lang from Eve's place. Tinanghali sila ng gising. Isa yun sa naappreciate niya sa part-time job niya .She can afford to wake up late kasi sa gabi ang pasok niya.
"Ma. Want some?"she asked bago ibinalik ang tingin sa ginagawa.
"No. Thank you. Bakit ikaw ang gumagawa niyan? Si Amy?" tanong nito.
"Watering the plants." sagot niya. She sat down on the kitchen table to eat.
"What time ka umuwi?" her mother asked.
"Past 5, Ma."
"Anak galit ka pa ba?" tanong nito bago umupo sa tabi niya.
She put down her sandwich.Tumingin siya sa ina. "Ma,wala akong karapatang magalit. Tampo siguro meron konti. Pero okay lang. Sanay na ako. Lilipas din to." Nagsalin siya ng orange juice sa baso.
Hinawakan ng ina ang kamay niya. "Stacey anak, huwag mong iisipin na palagi ang kapatid mo ang kinakampihan ko. Mas nakakaintindi ka lang sa kanya kaya ikaw na ang magpapasensiya."
"Hindi naman pwedeng habang-buhay ko na lang hahayaan ang mga ginagawa niya sa akin, Ma. I had to quit my job para lang sa kanya. But as usual, walang kwenta sa kanya yun." she said bitterly.
Suko na talaga siya .Tama na yung ilang taon na siya na lang palagi ang umiintindi at napapahamak. "At least hindi naman kami nagbabangayan, Ma. Hayaan na lang natin na ganito." she said bago uminom ng juice. Inilayo niya sa kanya ang sandwich .Mukhang nawalan na siya ng gana. Ilang beses na silang nag-usap ng ganito ng ina pero wala din namang nabago.
Her mother sighed. "Palagi ka ng sobrang late umuwi lately. Last night, hindi ka pa dito natulog. Hindi ka na ba maghahanap ng ibang trabaho? Bakit hindi mo na lang tanggapin ang offer sayo na mag-modelo? Pwede namang hindi sa men's magazine anak."
She crossed her arms in front of her. "Ma, temporary lang naman ito. Don't worry may pera naman ako. I won't ask money from Uncle John and you."
"That's not what I meant anak." sabi ng mama niya. May lungkot sa mata nito.
"Look Ma, eventually aalis din ako dito. I know I don't have a place here. Tutal nasa tamang idad na ako .Pag nakahanap ako ng bagong trabaho, I'll move out. Excuse me, Ma." pigil ang luhang sabi niya. She stood up to put the sandwich in the fridge.
Tumayo din ang mama niya. Lumapit ito sa kanya as she goes to the sink to wash her glass.
"Anak, bahay mo din naman ito." malungkot na sabi ng ina.
"Ma, we both know na hindi totoo yan. Tanggap ko naman yun." she said.
"Ate gandaaaaaaa!!" tili ni Amy.
"Ano ba yang boses mo Amelia? Para kang naipitan ng kung ano!" saway ng ina ni Stacey.
"Naku mam! Kasi may saksakan ng guwapong naghahanap kay ate Stacey!" kumikislap ang matang sabi nito.
Tumaas ang kilay ni Stacey. "Si Tyler?"
"Ate, Sergio ang tawag ko kay sir Tyler. Iba to!" naiiling pa na sabi nito.
"Sigurado ka na ako ang hinahanap?" She had to be sure. Si Tyler lang naman kasi ang official na nanliligaw ngayon sa kanya. So sino naman ang maghahanap sa kanya?
"O my gas pulgas! Ate, mabuti pa puntahan mo na lang. Nahiya nga ako eh. Kita mo ang apron ko? Basang-basa! Ayaw ko munang bumalik dun! Ikaw na ang humarap! Magpapalit muna ako ng damit." sabi nito sa kanya na may malalim pang buntung-hininga.
Stacey rolled her eyes.
Then lumingon ito sa mama niya, "Mam, hold on to your utos okay? I have to freshen up bago ako magdala ng juice sa bisitang guwapo ni ate Stacey." sabi nito kay Mrs. Williams bago lumabas ng kusina.
Natutop ng ina ni Stacey ang noo. "Sige na anak. Tignan mo na kung sino ang bisita mo. I'll check kung ano ang ihahanda para sa hapunan habang wala pa ang kapatid mo."
Muntik na siyang mapaatras when she saw him. Nakatayo ito malapit sa sliding door of their veranda. Nakapamulsa ito while looking at the garden.
He is wearing a light blue long-sleeves shirt minus the tie and he has light brown pants on. Mukhang galing ito sa opisina. She has to admit na saksakan talaga ito ng guwapo. Sobrang lakas ng dating.
Nick felt her presence. He slowly looked at her from head to toe. Nakalugay ang buhok nito. She's wearing a white sleeveless body fit shirt and dark green shorts. She has silver flat sandals on na bagay na bagay sa maputi at makinis nitong mga binti at paa. She has cute toes with red polish. He looked at her body appreciatively as any normal male would. He can vividly remember how beautiful she looks without her clothes on. He felt his dick reacting.
"Nagkamali yata si Amy. She said that you were looking for me .Baka naman si Heather?Don't worry! She'll be here any minute now. Hintayin mo na lang." walang ganang sabi niya bago siya tumalikod to go to her room.
Wala siyang panahong makipag-usap sa boyfriend ng kapatid niya. Baka kung ano pa ang isipin ni Heather pag nadatnan sila. She'll just take a nap bago siya pumunta sa bar.
"I want you, not your sister." he suddenly said.
Kumunot ang noong lumingon si Stacey.
"Excuse me?" inis na tanong niya. Parang may ibang connotation ang sinabi nito.
Ngumisi ito and he moved closer to her. Hindi naman sobrang lapit. Tama lang . He crossed his arms on his chest.
She frowned. Nakipaglabanan siya ng tingin dito. Hindi porke napakaguwapo nito, magpapa-apekto siya.
"Don't get me wrong. Kahit gaano pa kaganda, hindi ako pumapatol sa may nobyo na." he said with a sneering smile.
Hinuhulini Nick ang dalaga. He wants to hear what she’ll say with what he said. He is curious kung ang former boss ba ni Stacey o ang kasama ng dalaga na lalake kagabi ang totoong nobyo nito? He saw her once with Blake in the bar and though he hasn't seen her yet with her former boss, according to Heather may relasyon si Stacey at ang gagong yun, whoever he is.
Stacey let out a smile which doesn't reach her eyes. "Hindi mo dapat sabihin yan because you are already involved with my sister. Besides, hindi din ako pumapatol sa may girlfriend na. Lalo at kapatid ko pa." she said coldly.
Ang kapal ng mukha ng lalaking ito! Bakit ba niya ito iniiisip dati? Now she really realized na hindi porke magandang lalake, maganda din ang ugali. Kaya nga hindi ganun ka-importane sa kanya ang hitsura eh. Kadalasan kapag guwapo masama ang ugali.
Nawala ang ngiti nito. One point for me! Pikon naman pala. She told herself .
Nick remembered that him as Derick doesn't count as her boyfriend. She said na wala lang ang itatawag sa arrangement nila. Pero hindi nito nagustuhan ang sagot ni Stacey. He was waiting for her to deny na may nobyo ito but she said nothing. He stopped himself from gritting his teeth. He should act unaffected.
Mind control Alcantara...mind control...Don't ruin everything! he told himself.
"I want you to work for me so I am offering you a job." he said without any emotions in his voice.
"A job? Okay ka lang?!" nalukot ang mukha niya.
Ano ba ang trip ng lalaking ito?
"Your sister said that you used to work for an ad company but you quit. And she sort of hinted that she's quite worried because you always come home late dahil sa bago mong trabaho."
She can't believe that Heather would say such a thing. Kailan pa ito naging concerned sa kanya?Not unless nagpapa -good shot sa bago nitong bf? Oo nga naman! Baka mawalan ito ng gana pag nalaman kung gaano kamaldita si Heather lalo sa half sister nito.
She smirked. Wala siyang balak sumakay sa drama ng kapatid niya. "No thanks." she said.
"Makinig ka muna. We are in need of a graphic designer. Mga ilang buwan lang muna. Pag okay ang gawa mo, we can hire you permanently. The pay is good and you have a lot of perks. And since kapatid ka ni Heather, you will have more days off." dagdag nito.
He had to add that last part to convince her that he's doing this for her sister. He can't afford to make her dubious about what he is offering. Gusto ni Nick na tumigil na ito sa pagkanta sa bar and to be away from the fucking bastard she was with last night. Ayaw na din nitong bumalik ang dalaga sa dati nitong kumpanya.
Without her knowing it, she had given him the right to keep an eye on her when she decided to agree to "Derick's proposal." Since he met her, he realized that he has no desire to share her with anyone.
Stacey is now Derick's woman. His woman. And Nicholas Derick Alcantara always protects what's his.