༻✦༺

▪ALEXIA▪

"Mr. Black Guy?!"

I unbelievably said.

Out of all the people in this world, bakit siya pa?!

"I'm not wearing black anymore though," He said. "I'm at my white hoodie today so does that make me Mr. White Guy now?" He teased.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance as he chuckled.

"Argh! Buwisit ka!" I shouted and he continued to laugh.

No one has ever made fun of me like this, ever, until his ass came!

Katulad nung kahapon ganoon pa din ang buhok niya, wearing a white hoodie and a pair of denim shorts jeans. Kung kahapon ay mukha siyang mysterious ngayon ay mukha na siyang turista sa suot niya.

"Akala mo ako lang nasiraan sa'ting dalawa? Ngayon mo buksan yang kotse mong kupal ka!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya. He smirked.

"You owe me once this car starts." He tested. I smirked too.

"And if it didn't, you will pay for my damaged car. Deal or nah?"

He just confidently grinned.

Tss. Don't be so cocky. Alam kong ako ang mananalo sa deal natin, Mr. Black Guy. He glanced at his driving wheel saka dahan dahan niyang binuksan ang engine ng kotse niya.

My jaw dropped in shock when his car started. 

What? How on Earth did it start?! It's just the same car brand as mine! What kind of sorcery is this?!

It's now his time to smirk. "Got anything to say, Miss Alexia?"

He said unbothered. And how did he know my name?!

"Hoy! Paano mo--" 

"Don't be so dumb. You had your annoying ass boyfriend last night calling your name endlessly." He answered.

"Fuck you. Kita mo 'to? Ha?" I showed him my middle finger. "You're a motherfucker." I cussed again.

"Pretty girls shouldn't have foul mouths." He teased. Putangina talaga neto!

I was about to hit his car again nang maalala ko ang purse ko at 'yong magnanakaw na 'yon. My credit cards have fat ass money inside them! Am I fine losing all of it? Course not.

Shit. I'm too late! Baka hindi ko na siya maabutan pa.

Bumalikwas ako ng takbo papunta sa dalawang daan na halos lumipad na ko sa sobrang madali ko. At saka ako kumaliwa.

I'm pretty sure this was the road that the criminal took. I unconsciously left my damaged car and the situation with Adrian in the process.

"Hey! Come back here. You still owe me!" I heard Mr. Black Guy shout from his car.

Lumingon naman ako sa kaniya mula sa malayo. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Manigas ka!" I shouted back.

Pinagpatuloy ko na ang pagtakbo. Hindi ko na pinansin at pinatulan pa ang pang-aasar ni Mr. Black Guy dahil dagdag lang siya sa mga problema ko.

That first-timer criminal deserves to be sentenced to death dahil sa pagpapahirap niya saakin nang ganito! Yes, I will catch that criminal kahit tumatakbo nalang ako!

I ran very fast. So fast to the point that I feel like I'm literally flying in the air.

My feet also hurt because I'm not wearing any shoes kaya ramdam na ramdam ko ang gaspang at init ng daan. Damn this shit.

Habang patagal nang patagal, I slowly felt my whole body numbing in a weird way. I'm so exhausted from running, my head hurts like hell and my feet are swelling like crazy. I feel like any time, I might collapse.

Hindi. Never! I'm not giving up 'til I have my purse back! I will continue to run kahit ramdam kong namumutla na ang bibig ko.

But my body seemed to not cooperate with me.

Any second that is passing, every part of my body is beginning to weaken. Isabay mo pa yung buto ko sa likod na masakit pa din.

Come on, Alexia! You're stronger than this. Did something happened in my body or what? Bakit humihina ang katawan ko bigla? Shit...

I stopped running for a while then I tried to catch my breath.

Why do I feel dizzy? Bakit ang sama nang pakiramdam ko bigla? 

"Ahh... help..." I looked everywhere around me pero wala akong nakitang kahit isang tao sa paligid. Dahil sa layo nang tinakbo ko hindi ko na din matanaw si Mr. Black Guy.

Wala 'ding dumadaang kotse and I'm in the middle of the road right now, letting my body absorb and stand the extreme heat from the sun.

Bumagsak na ko sa aking mga tuhod dahil hindi na kinakaya nang katawan ko ang matinding hilo.

"Help, please--"

I didn't get to continue what I said dahil tuluyan na kong bumagsak sa sahig.

I felt the warm and rough road on my back. Then I slowly felt my eyes closing.

Pero bago pa ko mawalan nang malay, I saw a guy walking in my direction.

I didn't get to see his face clearly because my vision is already blurry. He then went near me.

But I already collapsed.

■ ■ ■ ■

Unti unting bumukas ang aking mga mata.

Malabo ang nakikita ko but I managed to see a glimpse of what is going on.

It's very dark in here, wala akong makita sa paligid. Tanging ang liwanag lang nang buwan galing sa bintana ang nagsisilbing ilaw. I felt a big comfy bed on my back.

But a question immediately entered my mind...

Where the hell am I?

I was about to get up when I already felt it.

The pain.

"A-ahh..."

My head hurts like hell.

Shit, and even my throat is dry.

Sobrang sakit nang ulo ko ngayon and my body feels very drained. I can't explain it but I know something is up.

What really happened to me? Where am I? Where's my phone? Who brought me here? Who's place is this? Where's my damn purse? Darn it. These questions are making my head dizzy.

Dinahan dahan ko ang pagtayo ko. As I open my eyes even more, I saw myself being covered with a blanket. It's actually very cold in here.

Ito pa din ang suot kong white cocktail dress kanina sa event ng Sniper brothers. But as soon as I remember what happened earlier, I was shocked...

My purse! Ninakawan ako. That damn criminal! And I also remembered that I met Mr. Black Guy nung hinabol ko yung van ng kumuha sa purse ko.

Where's my phone?

Agad akong tumingin sa buong paligid. A big ass bed, a tall window on my right side, and a nightstand on my left. Everywhere else is very dark.

But out of nowhere, I saw a phone at the top of the nightstand.

I fastly reached for that phone.

When I flipped it around, I saw my unicorn phone case.

Wait, is this my phone?!

My smile immediately vanished when I opened it and the battery is dead. Shit. Anong kamalasan nanaman ba 'to?

I tried opening it again pero ayaw na talaga. Argh! Ano may naghihintay nanaman bang kamalasan diyan?! 

My purse got stolen, my body hurts, this phone has no power and God knows where am I right now. What could possibly go wrong? But I can't deny that I'm a nervous wreck right now.

Malay mo kinidnap ako para ibenta sa iba't ibang lalaki. Or katayin nila ang katawan ko para maging isang burger patty sa Mcdonalds! Shit! That's hella scary.

"Did you had a good sleep--"

Napabalikwas ako sa gulat nang may lalaking nagsalita sa pinto.

Because of overthinking a lot, hindi ko napansing may pumasok na sa kuwarto. Agad ako naalarma.

"H-huwag kang lalapit! Layuan mo ko kung sino ka man!"

I shouted as I panicked. Umatras ako nang umatras nang makita kong palapit ito nang palapit saakin. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa din ito nakikita.

Bakit ba kasi walang ilaw dito?!

"Sabing 'wag kang lalapit! Magkakamatayan tayo!"

Someone help the hell out of me!

He then stopped walking and remained at a distance from me.

Shit, hindi ko pa din siya nakikita. Baka mamaya multo 'to ah!

"S-sino ka? Bakit mo ko dinala dito--"

Hindi ko na natuloy ang sinasabi ko dahil malakas itong humalakhak.

It was a loud but manly laugh. At anong tinatawa tawa niya?! 

But then, I stopped in my tracks when I began to sense familiarity with that laugh...

I don't know but I think I already heard it somewhere. Who could it be? Who's voice is this? Think, Alexia. Think...

He continued to laugh.

Sino nga 'to ulit? Shit. I know that voice. Bakit hindi ko siya maalala?

"Earth to your dumb ass, Alexia."

Mr. Black Guy?!

"Hayup ka! Anong balak mo sa'kin ha? Bakit ako nandito? Why did you kidnapped me?!" I shouted at him.

He turned the lampshade on and that's how I already saw the whole room.

There is a console table, wide flat TV, a mini leather couch, and an open closet that have men's suits inside.

This room looks simple and only has neutral colors but it's obvious that this is a bedroom of a man.

I quickly glanced at this douchebag.

He is still wearing that same white hoodie and jean shorts from the last time I met him.

At ngayon ko lang din napansin ang hawak niyang tray na may laman nang mga pagkain. It has a soup, fruits and a glass of water.

"Here, eat all of this. I know you were dizzy."

He ordered as he put the tray in front of me. He smiled innocently.

"I'm not joking anymore." I seriously said to him.

He chuckled. "Oh, you mean how'd you get in here?"

He knew I needed answers, so, I nodded for him to proceed to talk.

"Bigla ka nalang tumakbo  kaya umalis ako sa kotse ko at sinundan lang kita. But then I saw you having difficulty of breathing in the middle of the road. Kaya nung nahimatay ka na, I quickly saved you." He explained.

My suspicion of him slowly disappears.

Woah, what the hell? Why am I blushing like an ass?

"It's already 9 o'clock, you better eat your dinner now." He added.

"Huwag mo nga kong pangunahan. Makaasta 'to parang boyfriend."

"What did you say?"

"Wala ang sabi ko pakicharge nalang ng cellphone ko, siguro naman meron ka dito?" Tanong ko sa kaniya.

He chuckled.

"In your dreams, missy."

He rolled his eyes and stood up beside me.

"Hoy, I'm literally dead-batt so hand me your charger!" I said to him.

"Don't care."

Ang huli niyang sinabi bago siya naglakad papunta sa pinto at binuksan iyon, senyales na paalis na siya. 

"'Wag kang umalis! Akin na ang charg--"

Hindi ko na natuloy ang sinabi ko at sinarado niya nalang ang pinto.

Umalis ang gago at iniwan ako nang hindi pa ko pinapatapos. Aba't siga 'yon ah!

Paano ko maco-contact sina Lily to fetch me here?

Kumalam bigla ang sikmura ko sa gutom. Kaya binalingan ko ang tray ng pagkain sa tabi ko.

Palibhasa, ang sweet naman pala ni Mr. Black Guy. Niligtas niya ko, pinatuloy sa bahay niya tapos binigyan pa ko ng pagkain.

Pero nabi-buwisit pa din talaga ako dahil nanakaw ang purse ko.

Come on, I'm stronger than that! Walang ni isang tao ang nagnakaw saakin my whole life 'cuz they knew I'm not one to be messed with. Hindi ako makapaniwalang nanakaw lang yung purse ko nang ganun ganon lang.

My purse contains credit cards that have all of my loans and savings inside them. It's unbelievable that it's all vanished now.

Ang mas nakakapag-taka pa, I suddenly became dizzy nung tumatakbo ako sa daan. I knew something was up in my body that moment, hindi naman ako mabilis mahimatay dahil lang sa kakatakbo.

Posible kayang nakalanghap ako nang pampahilo nung kriminal na 'yon?

Kinuha ko ang isang banana at binalatan iyon at saka kinagatan. That's most likely the reason. Kriminal eh. So kahit first timer lang yung magnanakaw, he still succeeded because he has poison in him.

Huh, edi mas lalo kong dadagdagan yung kaso niya! Pero paano ko naman siya mahuhuli ngayong hindi ko na alam kung saan siya nagpunta? Tanginang buhay nga naman!

Tumayo na ko at tinanggal ang kumot na nakabalot saakin.

Pagkatapak ko sa sahig, napabalikwas ako agad dahil sobrang lamig nito. Ganito ba talaga kalamig sa kuwarto ng mga lalaki?

Nilagay ko nalang ulit ang mga paa ko sa sahig kahit labag sa kalooban ko. Di bale nang malamig basta gusto kong makalabas sa kuwartong ito.

Hindi naman siguro ako kinidnap nung lalaking 'yon dahil hindi niya naman nilock ang pinto. It looks like he really just helped me. Sana.

Naglakad ako papunta sa mini couch na kaharap ng flat screen TV. Pagkaupo ko sa couch ay naramdaman ko nanaman ang lamig sa couch.

Grabe, sa North Pole ata nakatira si Mr. Black Guy!

Wala naman ako sa mood para manood ng TV ngayon kaya tumayo nalang ulit ako sa pagkakaupo ko. Ang sunod kong pinuntahan ay ang bintana. Oo nga pala. I need to see where I am dahil hindi ko pa naman masyadong kilala si Mr. Black Guy kaya hindi dapat ako makampante.

And besides, it's really quiet in here. It's like this house is in the middle of a province dahil sobrang tahimik talaga. I'm definitely not in a city right now.

Nakarating na ko sa malaking bintana and yes. I'm right, wala nga ko sa city ngayon.

This house or more like a cabin is basically in the middle of the woods. Tall trees are all over the area and it looked like it just rained dahil sa splash marks sa bintana. Meron ding mga kaunting bahay sa malayo while the rest of this area is already filled with nature.

It looks vibe-y? I guess. But I can't appreciate it now dahil marami pa kong problemang aasikasuhin.

Naglakad na ko ulit at pumunta sa pinto palabas ng kuwarto. Huhu, halos manginig na ko dito sa lamig.

I still feel a bit of doubt kay Mr. Black Guy kahit papaano 'no. I'm literally at a stranger's place! Hell, I don't even know his damn name. Yeah right, yung pangalan niya pa pala.

Everything is so overwhelming right now na hindi ko na natanong sa kaniya kung anong pangalan niya.

Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang pinto, taking a peak from the outside in the process. All of the walls are made out of shiny mahogany wood while there are few doors in this hallway.

Tuluyan akong lumabas nang kuwarto.

The dimness of the lights gives this place some romantic vibes or is it just me? There are three big doors in this hallway. One on the left side and two in front of me.

Tumingin naman ako sa kanan and there I saw a staircase papunta sa baba at may triangle-shaped na bintana sa ceiling. This place is the definition of a style - simple but professional.

Hindi na ko nag-paligoy ligoy pa at agad akong pumunta sa staircase.

As usual, it is made out of wood. Cabin nga eh, duh! Tiningnan ko ang baba at ganoon din ang style niya, the lights are dim and there is not a single noise kaya hindi ko alam ang ginagawa ni Mr. Black Guy at kung nasaan siya. Nagsimula na kong bumaba nang hagdan.

I reached the ground floor and there I saw a kitchen area and a big living area on the right. Windows are everywhere as well and the entrance door is in the middle.

He hired a good architect, that's for sure.

"Hey, Mr. Black Guy. Nasaan ka?"

I asked out of the silence.

This time, I'm really going to ask him his name at nang hindi na ko nagmumukhang tangang kung ano ano ang pinapangalan sa kaniya.

And besides, I don't want to call him 'that' anymore dahil hindi na nga naman siya nakasuot nang black diba?

"May kailangan ka?"

I suddenly heard a guy sa taas.

Agad akong tumingala sa taas. Then I saw him standing there while staring back at me.

I took a step on the staircase. "Nandiyan ka lang pala sa taas." I said habang nakakibit balikat.

"What do you want?" He asked. "You need the bathroom? Just go there on left--"

"Anong pangalan mong kupal ka?"

Walang pag-aalinlangan kong tanong sa kaniya.

Then it's now his turn to raise his brow. Bumaba siya nang hagdan papunta saakin, never leaving his gaze at me. His face seemed annoyed actually.

"Hindi ba't kailangan mo kong pasalamatan sa pagpapatuloy ko sayo sa bahay ko? You'd be dead as a meat if I left you out there and you can't even thank me?"

Saad niya nang magtapat kaming dalawa.

I smirked. "Sorry ka nalang but I never thank anybody. I'm not gonna change who I am para lang sa taong tulad mo kaya manigas ka diyan."

He scoffed. "I'm not talking about who you are. Konsensya. Makonsensya ka sa taong nagligtas sayo at bigyan mo din nang respeto." He said. In fairness, totoo nga naman yung sinabi niya.

"Oo na. Edi thank you! Thank you sa ginawa mo saakin. Oh happy ka na?" Saad ko.

He then sarcastically laughed.

"Woah! You don't know how much you're annoying me right now. Ganiyan ba ang pasasalamat sayo? Simple manners, Alexia. Simple damned manners." Halata ang inis sa tono niya.

"Nagpasalamat na nga eh! Ano pa bang gusto mo?" Tanong ko sa kaniya. Simple manners? Tsk!

"You're not sincere, get it? And worse nakakairita pa yung tono nang boses mong parang walang kinikilala." He explained. Mas lalo pa siyang lumapit saakin as he closed the remaining gap between us.

"If that's who you are, then you better change that attitude of yours."

I was speechless.

Huh! Kung naiinis siya saakin, puwes ako din 'no! Nagpasalamat na nga eh. Ano pang pinuputok ng butas ng puwet niya?

Sabay kaming nagputol ng titigan at naglayo.

Napa-kibit balikat ako. Now what?

"Sorry and, thank you."

I don't have a choice but to say it.

Tsk. I'm not the type of person to do shit like this and I can't believe I'm doing it right now. Apologizing and thanking someone? Huh. If it was another person he would've thanked the heavens to find someone as gorgeous as me.

Talk about narcissism.

"Sayo 'to diba?"

I saw in my peripheral vision that he took something from his pockets.

Seconds later, he then threw a black shining purse right in front of me. It literally landed directly in my face together with the heavy gold chains of the purse. Agad ko namang nasalo ito.

"Napakabastos naman neto! Nakakatawa 'yon ha?!" I raged in anger while looking at him.

He remained unbothered by my rage. Buwisit, humanda siya!

Pero bago ko pa siya mabanatan, I took a glimpse of... my black purse?!

Is this for real?! Oh my gosh.

This is my Saint Laurent purse! Nalaman ko agad na saakin 'to dahil may nakalagay na unicorn keychain, it is the same unicorn design as my phonecase. 

Agad kong binuksan ang purse ko and I checked my wallet. I still have all of the cash and my credit cards in there. Kinalikot ko pa nang todo ang purse ko nang ilang minuto baka sakaling may nawala or something.

All of my things are still here. Yes!

Kahit papaano ay nabawasan ang mga problema ko. Relief is evident on my expression.

"Thank you for this, dude. I really appreciate your effort in finding this." I exclaimed to the guy beside me. 

He suddenly widened his eyes in shock. Pfft.

Pero hindi din nagtagal ang saya ko nang may sumagi sa isip ko.

"Wait, paano mo 'to nakuha sa magnanakaw?" I unconsciously asked. 

Paano 'to napunta sa lalaking kaharap ko ngayon...?

Mabilis akong tumingin sa binata.

"Tsk. Can't you just be happy na nandiyan na 'yang mga abubot mo?" He said annoyed.

I realized the bigger picture. "Mr. Black Guy, don't tell me kasabwat mo yung nagnakaw saakin?! Or were you the one who stole it?!"

"Can't you see it's already 10? I'm gonna sleep, bahala ka na diyan." Tumalikod na ang kupal. Mabilis itong umakyat ito sa hagdanan.

"You filthy criminal! Come back here! Wait, your name-- argh!"

I shouted at him as I ran to the stairs para sundan siya.

Umaakyat kaming dalawa papunta sa taas habang sinusundan ko ang gago. "Why do you have my purse, damn it!"

Sinundan ko pa din siya hanggang sa napunta na kaming dalawa sa taas. Lumingon na ang lalaki saakin while a grumpy expression is plastered on his face. "Can you stop?"

"Anong