Dancing With Fire (Published Under Flutter Fic)
Kabanata 12
Kabanata 12
"SERA? MAY PASOK ka pa bukas, 'di ba?" Ma'am Asunta asked while I was busy serving the customers.
"Opo, Ma'am." I smiled.
"Uhm, wala ka bang exams?" aniya.
"Mayro'n po, pero kaya naman."
"Alam mo, ayos lang kung hindi ka muna mag-serve. Marami namang empleyado ngayon at kaunti lang ang customers kasi gabi na." She smiled gently. "You can study first if you like."
Agad akong umiling.
"Hindi na po," tanggi ko. "Duty ko ngayon. Nakakahiya nga po, minsan lang ako pumapasok tapos magpapahinga pa ako."
"You need it, hija," she said softly.
"Salamat po, Ma'am." I smiled. "You're so kind to me, even if I don't deserve it."
"Ano ka ba?" She pouted. "Everyone needs and deserves kindness and love, mga bagay na hindi nabibili ng pera."
I nodded, smiling.
"Tama po kayo. Salamat, Ma'am."
"I used to think money could give you everything, but I was wrong. It can give you what you want, but never what you truly need emotionally and mentally."
She smiled, stepped closer, and touched my arm.
"Napakabuti mong bata, Sera," she said tenderly.
I laughed and shook my head.
"Naku, Ma'am, hindi po. Siguro minsan, pero most of the time hindi. Masama po ang ugali ko," I admitted.
"People have a fair share of evil." She shrugged.
"I agree, kahit hindi tama, minsan 'di maiiwasan kung para sa mga taong mahal mo."
She continued looking at me fondly. "I wish you could meet my sister."
"P'wede naman po."
"Well, I wish she were still here." She smiled sadly. "Pakiramdam ko matutuwa siya sa 'yo. You've got a heart of an angel, Sera."
Oh, I don't think so.
"Hindi naman, Ma'am," tanggi ko kasi alam kong 'di naman talaga.
"I really wish she could see you."
"Tara na ba, Ma'am?" I joked. "P'wede naman natin bisitahin."
"Unfortunately, she's gone," she said lowly.
Naramdaman ko ang hapdi dibdib at inabot siya.
"S-Sorry, I didn't know..."
"It's alright," alo niya. "Matagal na 'yon, Sera."
"Pasensya na, Ma'am, akala ko talaga..."
"Ayos lang." She smiled again. "Pero samahan mo ako minsang bisitahin siya?"
"O-Opo!" I nodded quickly. "Oo naman po, sasamahan kita."
She nodded, then surprised me with a gentle hug. I hugged her back immediately.
"Salamat, Sera," she whispered.
"Walang anuman po."
I continued working through the night. When I finally got my thirty-minute break, I sat in the staff room, going over my notes for tomorrow's exam.
Mahirap man pagsabayin ang trabaho at pag-aaral, kailangan kong gawin. We had to hire a nanny to assist my brother—medyo kalakihan ang bayad, pero para kay Miggy, worth it 'yon. As for Tatay, ilang beses ko na siyang sinasabihang magpa-check-up na dahil nahuhuli ko siyang humahawak sa dibdib niya, pero lagi niyang sinasabi na ayos lang siya. When I save up enough money, I'll force him to see a doctor.
We couldn't ignore health scares like that. Prevention is better than cure, ika nga.
When my break ended, I stepped out—only to freeze when I saw Marco emerging from Ma'am Asunta's office. Nagkagulatan kami.
"Marco!"
"Sera!"
I laughed as I walked toward him. He grinned.
"Dito ka nga pala nagtatrabaho, 'no?"
"Oo. Paano mo nalaman?"
"Nakuwento mo."
Napaisip ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Baka nga nakuwento ko sa kanya.
I glanced at my boss's office, then looked back at him.
"Bakit ka nandito? Kilala mo si Ma'am?" I asked curiously.
"Oh, she's my mom."
My eyes widened. "Seryoso?!"
"Yep," he answered. Then it hit me—their surnames. Damn, bakit hindi ko naisip agad na pareho silang Flores?
"What a coincidence!" I chirped.
Medyo tumagal ang titig niya sa 'kin, bago siya ngumiti at tumango.
"Yeah, what a coincidence. Anyway, how's your internship application?"
"Hmm, I got offers from a few more firms. Nagkaroon din ako ng second chance sa Miranda—nag-apply kasi uli ako." I smiled. "Na-interview na ako sa lahat, naghihintay na lang ng email."
"Good luck! I hope we could be together sa Miranda."
"Sana!"
"Sera, pasuyo naman sa customer sa table five!" a waiter called.
I excused myself from Marco and rushed to the table.
"Hello po! Ano pong order nila?" sabi ko customer.
"Hmm, I'd like to order you."
My smile vanished. I quickly glanced at the customer and nearly stumbled when I saw who it was. His arm snaked around my waist immediately, steadying me as he stood.
"Rai!" I exclaimed.
He laughed, tilting his head, his intense eyes flickering under the lights.
"Can't I have a kiss, baby girl?" he teased with a smile.
He chuckled, gently caressing my waist before standing.
I almost felt dizzy. Kanina, I thought I was tall, but when he stood, that illusion disappeared!
"Sit," aniya, pinag-aangat pa ako ng upuan.
"Hindi." Umiling ako. "May trabaho ako, Rai."
"Kahit saglit?" he asked.
"Kaka-break ko lang kasi, kaya hindi pa p'wede," I explained.
He sighed and nodded, brushing my waist again. That's when I remembered—I was in uniform.
Suddenly, I felt self-conscious. He looked so polished, so handsome—probably fresh from a site inspection, smelling so good—while I was haggard and sweaty.
"Uhm..." I stepped back slightly. "Ano... 'yong suot ko."
He raised a brow.
"Why?"
"Ano, magtatrabaho na ako," I said.
"Alright," he said, staring at me. "You look beautiful, by the way."
I swallowed hard, staring at him. "Lies. H'wag mo 'kong bolahin. Alam kong haggard ako–"
"Shut up, Serafine," he hissed. "You look beautiful, like always. Kahit pasuotin pa kita ng sako."
I laughed, pinching his side. Umiling ako.
"Bolero. Gusto mo lang ng kiss."
"P'wede ba?" he asked innocently. I laughed and shook my head.
"Mamaya na, Engineer Miranda," I said. "Mag-order ka na dali."
He kissed my hair. I gently pushed him back into his seat. Ngumuso siya.
"'Lalambing lang, eh," reklamo niya. "Kumain ka na?"
"Tinapay lang," I said.
His forehead creased. "At nabusog ka ro'n?"
"Hindi, s'yempre." I laughed. "Mamaya na lang ako kakain ng madami."
He sighed, glanced at the menu, and then looked back at me.
"Just a cup of coffee," he said.
"Pagkain?"
"No." He shook his head, staring at me. "Magsasabay na lang tayo sa hapunan mamaya."
"Okay." I smiled brightly. "One cup of coffee for my daddy!"
I went to the counter and placed the order. When it was ready, I carried it back to Rai.
I noticed him talking to someone on the phone, so I slowed my steps.
"I know what I'm doing, Alice," he said coldly.
I pursed my lips, discreetly placed the cup in front of him, and watched him pause before ending the call.
"Kanina ka pa?" He glanced at me.
"Ngayon lang." I smiled. "Enjoy."
I returned to work, my mind spiraling about Alice. Is it true he's going to marry her? Is he just playing with me? Para saan? Mayaman si Rai—why would he want to waste his time with me?
I caught Rai watching me from afar as I worked.
May biglang humawak sa braso ko—it was Marco. "Sera, aalis na ako."
"Sige, ingat!" I said warmly.
I glanced at Rai and noticed his brows furrowed, his gaze fixed on us.
Marco noticed where I was looking, froze, and cleared his throat.
"Uh, una na ako, Sera," he said quickly before leaving.
Hinintay ni Rai hanggang matapos ang trabaho ko, at sabay kaming tahimik na papunta sa parking lot.
"Sera, what's the matter?" he suddenly asked.
I sighed and shook my head. "Wala naman."
"But something seemed to be bothering you," he said, reaching for my hand.
"Ayos lang ako..."
His forehead creased.
When we reached his car, he caught me and gently pressed against it. He placed my bag on the roof, leaning in slowly.
"Rai..." I whispered.
"Hmm?" he hummed.
"Why?"
He leaned closer. " Aren't you tired of hiding what you really feel?" he murmured, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
"Bakit? Ano naman ang itatago ko?"
"I know you, baby." He brushed his lips against mine, leaving me breathless.
"Rai..."
"What's wrong? Tell me, baby, please," he rasped, kissing me again.
My lips parted. I clutched his shoulder and kissed him back.
He groaned, gripping my waist as he deepened the kiss. Malamig ang hangin pero walang-wala iyon sa init na hatid ng kanyang katawan.
He pulled away, and my half-lidded eyes met his intense gaze—dark yet gentle.
"Why did you stop?" I whispered.
"No more kisses for my naughty baby," he teased, pinching my nose. "Tell me first— what you were thinking about earlier?"
I swallowed hard, biting my lip. "Si Alice Tan..."
He lowered his head to look at me. "What about her?"
Pinagmasdan ko siya, 'di muna nagsasalita, binabantayan ang iba sa reaksyon niya pero wala. He wasn't even fazed. He looked... neutral. Just genuinely curious about my question. I think.
"Who is she to you?"
Tumitig siya at umangat ang sulok ng labi.
"What?" I eyed him sharply.
"Jealous?" he teased.
"Rai!" I smacked his arm.
His laughter roared. Muli ko siyang pinalo sa balikat pero nahuli niya iyon.
"Baby..." Natatawa pa siya!
"Isa, Miranda!" I exclaimed.
"So that's why my baby's grumpy, huh?" he said, still smiling.
"Just tell me," mariin kong sabi. Alam niya ngayon na 'di na ako nakikipagbiruan.
"Alice is a friend and a colleague—she's an engineer in my firm."
"Eh, bakit nabalitaan kong nag-dinner kayo?"
"You've been reading articles about me, huh?" He was so amused by all of these!
I rolled my eyes and pushed him away, but he caught me.
Habang hawak ako'y nabuksan niya ang pintuan sa backseat. Nakapasok siya, hinila ako paupo paakyat sa hita niya. Then, he shifted me sideways like I weighed nothing and shut the door!
"Rai!" I groaned.
"We had dinner, yes, pero kasama ang mga kapwa namin engineers. We were having a meeting about a big project." His gaze was steady, his tone firm. "Her family's close to mine, but I don't have any personal connection with her. We just see each other occasionally."
When he saw me rolling my eyes, he relaxed, leaning his head back against the seat.
"How about that boy—Marco?" he suddenly asked. "Why was he at your work?"
"His mother's my boss."
"He knows the truth about you?"
"I didn't lie to my classmates. The only people who think I'm rich are my friends—sila Gino."
His jaw clenched.
"And here I am thinking I'm the only one who knows about you," aniya, tunog seloso pa.
I chuckled, cupped his cheek, and kissed the tip of his nose.
"Wow, ha? Privilege bang malaman na sinungaling ako?" I asked sarcastically.
He sighed in resignation.
"Let's eat na. I'm hungry, daddy ko."
He glanced at my stomach, pouted, and kissed my lips quickly.
"Ikaw na lang kaya kainin ko?" he teased.
"Bubukaka na ba ako?" Pumatol ako sa biro niya at humalakhak sa naging itsura niya.
We went to a restaurant. While eating, my phone buzzed because of an email. I opened it and gasped—it was from Rai's company!
"I got in," I murmured, amazed.
Sinulyapan ko si Rai, who was just staring at me as he chewed. "Hmm?"
"I got the internship in your company!"
He just smiled and nodded.
"I told you, you can do it," he said as if he never doubted me.
"May ginawa ka, 'no?" I narrowed my eyes at him.
He grabbed a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth.
"No," he said, shaking his head with his mouth full. "I'm just innocently eating here."
I wanted to press him further, but my excitement was too much.
Bakit pa ba ako magrereklamo eh, pangarap ko na 'to? I'm another step closer to my dreams!
Pagkatapos naming kumain ay nagtungo kami sa condo ni Rai at bigla kong naalala ang kontrata.
"I am not in a hurry, Serafine. This can wait," he said as I sat on his bed while he retrieved the contract. "I told you already, the investigation is ongoing. We've gathered the CCTV footage, and we have an idea of what happened to Akisha—but not entirely."
He sat in front of me and handed me the papers.
"But it's unfair, Rai. You've already given me money, but I haven't helped you yet."
He stared at me deeply. Seeing how serious I was, he nodded and closed his eyes tightly.
"Alright."
"You can show me the footage. The incident happened near me. I might be able to help identify the culprit, Rai."
He nodded again, though I noticed his hesitation.
I picked up a pen and began reading the contract. Humiga sa kama si Rai, inihihiga ang ulo sa hita ko. He wrapped his arms around my waist.
"I'm tired," aniya sabay baon ng mukha sa tiyan ko.
Napailing ako nang iangat pa niya ang shirt ko at walanghiya siyang humalik sa tiyan ko.
"Pawis ako, Rai." I stroked his hair and continued reading.
"Pawis din ako, kaya ano ngayon?"
After signing the papers, he sat up and looked at me, patiently waiting for me.
"You know, we don't have to rush," he suddenly said.
"Dapat maagang ma-solve ang kaso," I said. "Para hindi ka na mahirapan."
"If you tell me things, your life might be in danger. You'll need Lando more, and you'll have to be careful with the people around you."
I nodded.
"I understand."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure of your security," he said. "Lando will always be there. And when you're at the company, you'll stay close to me, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy," I smiled.
"I can lend you a condo unit—"
"Ayos lang ako sa bahay," I said.
"But that can give you extra security—"
"It's really okay, Rai. I can manage."
He sighed exasperatedly, staring at me before nodding.
"What did you see then?" he asked.
"Not much," I began. "That night, after coming from the bar, I was walking home. Then, in the dark near the ongoing construction site, I saw something strange..."
He listened intently.
"A man dressed in black, his face covered. He was quite tall, broad-shouldered—probably around five foot six or seven—and he had a scar. Mukhang lumang scar na. Nasa likod niya 'yon, sa ibaba ng balikat." I explained. "I saw him drag a large black body bag from a black van."
"Did you notice anything unique about the van?" he asked.
"It was just a normal van, but there was a weird sticker on the back—a dark red letter X with a skull," I said, recalling the image. "The plate number... I saw it, but it's unclear to me now. I can't recall the exact sequence."
He grabbed a paper and a pen. I gave him the few letters and numbers I remembered, and he scribbled them down.
"That's all I remember," I said. "Pero the man has a scar, Rai."
"Thank you. This is a big help." He lightly kissed my forehead. "Did you notice anything unusual around your house? Anyone acting weird... or covered in blood?"
"Mayro'n..." I murmured.
He straightened, his eyes fixed on me. "Who?"
I shook my head, smiling faintly. "Wala—si Tatay lang. Nasira kasi 'yong jeep niya, so he fixed it. Sumabit 'ata 'yong braso niya sa tools niya, kaya nasugatan siya," sabi ko. "That's all, Rai. Sorry if it's not very detailed. I hope it helps."
His gaze lingered on me, then he slowly nodded, taking my hand.
"It's alright. This is a big help for me."
"You can show me the footage. I might be able to help identify the culprit, Rai."
"Are you sure?" he asked, and I nodded.
He took out his laptop, sat beside me, and opened it. In the first footage he showed me, a woman leaving a bar, walking through the parking lot as if waiting for someone.
I gasped when a black van stopped in front of her, and masked men dragged her inside. I swallowed hard and glanced at Rai, who was watching my reaction closely.
The second footage showed the van stopping. Several masked men stepped out and walked toward an unknown destination.
The third footage was from a convenience store, probably taken before Akisha was abducted. Several men entered, all wearing hoodies and caps. Naghiwa-hiwalay sila, kumukuha ng kung anong puwedeng mabili.
However, nakuha ng pansin ko ang isang lalaki—he walked toward the water section and grabbed a bottle, he clutched his chest, as if struggling to breathe. I frowned, watching him hurriedly take a bottle of water, open it, and drink quickly. He unknowingly tilted his face upward, revealing a small part of his features on the CCTV.
I froze, my eyes widening as recognition hit me—hindi ako p'wedeng magkamali...
Si Tatay 'yon!
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