"I don't want to work for you." Stacey said.
A muscle jerked in Nick's jaw. He is trying hard not to show his annoyance. "Why not?" malamig na tanong nito.
She also crossed her arms in front of her chest. She looks defiant. "I have my reasons." sabi niya.
She looks even prettier when she in a fight mode which made Nick frown.
SHIT! Brace yourself Alcantara...she will not make this easy. He told himself.
"I want to hear your reasons." he said sa mas malamig na boses. He came closer to her.
Stacey wants to step back a little but baka isipin nito that she is intimidated by him. Their faces are probably just more or less twelve inches apart. Nakatungo ito and she has her head raised to look into his eyes. She is not short pero the top of her head reaches only Nick's lower lip.
"Sa akin na lang yun." sabi niya habang nakatingin dito ng matalim.
Daig pa ng lalaking ito ang naka-hard bound na libro sa sobrang kapal! Bulong ni Stacey sa sarili.
"Ahhh...alam ko na kung bakit ayaw mong sabihin why you don't want to work for me. "he said and flashed a knowing smile habang tumatango-tango pa ito.
Ibinaba ni Stacey ang mga kamay para ilagay sa magkabilang bewang niya. She stepped back a little then tilted her head to her right as she looks at him with eyes like daggers. "Well, Mr. know-it-all, sabihin mo nga bakit ayaw kong magtrabaho sayo?" she challenged him.
Lumapit ulit ito sa kanya. Lalong tumalim ang tingin ni Stacey.
"Cause you are a coward." he said .
Napanganga siya sa gulat but she quickly closed her mouth again. Kumunot ang noo niya."Coward?" she asked.
"Yes. You find me very attractive but you won't admit it. Kaya gusto mo akong iwasan .If you work for me nga naman..you'll see me every day baka hindi mo na mapigilan na hindi ma-in love sa akin." Nakangising sabi nito habang nakatitig sa mga labi niya.
Nick wants to provoke her. Tignan lang she won’t say yes after he said that.
"Of all the nerve! Masyado kang bilib sa sarili mo!" gigil na sabi ni Stacry.
"Nick!" called a female voice.
They both turned to look at Heather.
Lumayo si Stacey from him. Kilala niya ang kapatid niya. She knows na pag-alis ni Nick aawayin na naman siya .Masyadong selosa ito. Kahit sa atensiyon ng mama nila at daddy nito. Lalo na ngayon for sure sa atensiyon ni nobyo nito.
Palipat-lipat ang tingin nito sa kanya at kay Nick .Nagtatanong ang mata nito. Kung wala lang ang binata malamang tinarayan na naman siya nito.
Heather wants to show Stacey that Nick is hers. She put down her books on the table.
Nick frowned slightly when he saw her coming towards him. He almost pushed her away when she tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek.
" Kanina ka pa lovey?" she asked.
Lalong kumunot ang noo ni Nick. "Hindi naman masyado." he retorted. He then looked at Stacey na mukhang aalis na.
"I offered your sister a job since sabi mo nag-aalala ka sa kanya but she refused.." he said which made Stacey stop in her tracks and turned to them. Hindi napansin ni Nick na umasim ang mukha ni Heather but Stacey saw her.
"How sweet naman of you lovey. But I am sure mas gusto na ng kapatid ko sa trabaho niya ngayon. She gets to meet a lot of men." Heather said her tone sugary bago pinulupot ang mga braso around Nick's arm. She is smiling sweetly but her eyes remained hard as she looks at Stacey.
Nick's back straightened sa narinig.
Stacey wants to erase Heather's fake sweet smile off her face. She flashed a smile too. And in a honeyed tone, she said, "Actually..I think Nick's offer is good. I'm having a change of heart."
She almost sneered when she saw Heather's expression. Napanganga ito sa gulat. Nick on the other hand let out a grin.
He nodded in satisfaction. "So you accept?" he asked her.
Tumingin siya ng derecho sa mata ng binata. "I want to know more about the perks you mentioned." she said.
Lalong lumapad ang ngiti ni Nick. "No problem." he said na nakangiti pa din.
"Wait!" Heather interrupted. "Are you accepting Nick's offer?" She tried to keep her voice calm kahit deep inside gusto na nitong sigawan si Stacey.
Parang gustong palakpakan ni Stacey ang kapatid. She knows that Heather is fuming inside .Pero in fairness, ang galing nitong magpigil ng galit .Nahawaan na yata siya nito ng kamalditahan cause right now, she just wants to piss her off. Wala na siyang pakialam if awayin siya nito later or mag-away silang mag-nobyo.
Alam din niya na pagsisihan niya ang pagtanggap niya sa job offer ng mayabang na lalaking ito pero mamaya na niya problemahin yun. Masubukan din nga niyang umarte.
"It's a very tempting offer." she said huskily as she smiles seductively at Nick.
SHIT! She is giving me a hard on! Nick told himself.
"We can talk about the details over dinner or coffee." He said na cool na cool kahit sa loob-loob nito gusto na nitong hapitin ang dalaga and kiss her torridly.
Nakita ni Stacey na lalong dumilim ang mukha ni Heather. "Sa opisina mo na lang niyo pag-usapan lovey tutal about work naman." nakasimangot na sabi nito.
Nick was about to say something pero biglang pumasok si Amy. "Excuse me po everybody!" napalingon silang lahat dito.
May dala itong juice sa tray. Naka-lipstick pa ito na kulay pink at meron pang headband na may malaking pink na puso .
"Amy!" biglang sigaw ni Heater.
Nalipat dito ang mata ng tatlo. Bigla niyang binabaan ang boses. She almost forgot na nandito nga pala si Nick.
"Bakit naman juice lang ang dala mo?" sabi nito sa mababang boses bago lumapit kay Amy to get the glass . She wants to give it to Nick herself.
Napaawang naman ang bibig ni Amy. Sa unang pagkakataon malumanay sitong kinausap ni Heather.
"Mam Heater," sabi nito abay layo ng tray kay Heater. (Ayaw ni Heather na ate lang ang tawag sa kanya nito unlike Stacey. Hindi naman daw siya nito kamag-anak. Amo siya kaya dapat mam.), "Bisita po ni ate Stacey si sir pogi kaya siya dapat ang mag-abot. Pangit ang sulutan ng bisita." nakataas pa ang kilay na sabi nito.
Pinigilan ni Stacey na tumawa. Minsan pala may pakinabang din ang pagiging taklesa ng kasambahay nila. Si Amy ang tipong magaling pa sa amo. Nick also hid a smile.
Dahil sa hindi naman nakikita ni Nick ang mukha, pinandilatan ni Heather ng mata si Amy.
Sabay abot naman nito ng baso kay Heather. "Sabi ko nga po mam Heather iabot niyo na baka mawala na ang lamig." pilit ang ngiting sabi nito.
Pagkabigay nito si Stacey naman ang hinarap ni Amy. "Ate ganda, naiwan mo nga pala ang cp mo sa kusina. May tumatawag kaya sinagot ko na. Si Blake daw siya, ang ganda ng boses ate! Yun ba yung naghatid sayo kanina?" kilig na tanong nito.
"Amy! Bakit hindi mo ibinigay sa akin?Bakit mo sinagot?” Kunot ang noong tanong ni Stacey.
Bumuntunghininga pa ito bago sumagot, "Kasi ate busy kayong nag-uusap ni sir pogi. Ayaw ko naman kayong istorbohin. Sabi nung Blake tawagan mo daw siya agad agad!" Sabay abot ng telepono ni Stacey na nasa bulsa ng apron nito.
Nailing na lang si Stacey bago kinuha ang telepono. "Amy hindi ka dapat sumasagot ng cellphone ng ibang tao." sabi niya.
Tumalikod na siya para umalis when she heard Nick called her. Lumingon siya."What?" she asked a bit annoyed.
"I'll see you in my office at 8:00 AM sharp on Monday." he said tonelessly.
Tumango lang siya without looking at Heather bago tumalikod.
She's getting ready to go dahil sabi ni Blake nakikipalit ng shift ang isa pang banda sa kanila nila Eve. May emergency yata ang isa kaya late na makakarating so mas maaga silang isasalang. She was putting on her cardigan ng bigla-bigla na lang pumasok si Heather.
Stacey just sighed. She knows it's war.
Mas matangkad siya kay Heather so alam naman niya takot din naman ito na saktan siya physically. Tutal sa talim pa lang ng dila nito daig pa ang mag-asawang sampal pag tinamaan ka.
"CHUBI! (bitch)" tawag nito sa kanya.
She pretended to be busy checking her fingernails with black polish. "What is it now Heather? Can't you see that I'm busy? Paalis na ako." malumanay na sabi niya.
"And why did you accept Nick's offer? He just said that to show me that he'll do anything for my family. Masyado ka na bang desperada at tinanggap mo?" galit na tanong nito.
Nilingon ito ni Stacey. "In the first place my dear half sister, hindi ka dapat nagpapanggap that you care for me .Hindi kasi bagay sayo. Besides, sooner or later lalabas din naman ang totoong kulay mo so might as well stop pretending to be nice. It's so un-you." she said.
Halos umusok ang bumbunan ni Heather. "I don't want you flirting with Nick if you'll work for him! If you do..I will do worst things to you!" sabi nito. Her face is flushed from anger.
Stacey's eyes narrowed. "So lumabas din ang totoo! You are intentionally getting me in trouble! Well for your piece of mind.. I don't flirt with men! That's more like your style! Isa pa ,wala akong gusto sa saksakan ng yabang na nobyo mo! You two deserve each other! Get out now!" sabi niya sa galit na din na boses.
Napaupo siya sa gilid ng kama when Heather left her room. Kahit na galit siya sa kapatid, hindi pa din niya gawain ang mang-away. Pero if hindi naman siya magiging matigas, palagi na lang siyang tatapak-tapakan nito. Kailangan niyang lumaban dahil wala naman siyang ibang maasahan kundi ang sarili niya.
"Ate gandaaaaa!!" tili ni Amy. Pumasok ito na may dalang maliit na kahon.
Naka-gift wrap ito na puti.
"May nagpapabigay sayo ate. May inuutos si Mam Sofia sandali pero babalikan kita mamaya! Pasilip ng gift mo ha?" sabi nito bago inabot sa kanya ang kahon then left her room.
She frowned. Kanino galing ito? Tanong niya sa sarili.
She unwrapped it. It's a black sleeping mask na may lace sa gilid. May maliit na papel sa ilalim ng kahon.
I'll see you tonight after your work honey...D