FAMILY DINNER
"Hey, are you alright?" The soft worried voice of the woman he gripped tightly came, her feminine scent filled his nostrils but the scent from her wasn't what Toro was worried about. The fact that this memory kept tormenting him whenever he seemed to grab a woman close to him. His heavy breathing seemed to reduce and his thumping heart slowed down a bit but he still held on to that woman like it was the only way for him to shun the memory.
His arms wrapped around her tiny waist, he remained in that position for some couple of minutes. His breath falling in sync with his heartbeat, the bloody hands memory already vanished.
"Hey, you okay?" She asked again although her hand was patting his back and that little act from her seemed to comfort him a little.
"Yes," he responded and pulled away immediately from her when it dawned on him at what he just did. "I'm fine."
When he lifted his gaze to her, he saw a startled glint in her eyes and he welcomed her to think whatever might be the reason for him grabbing and holding on to her. But questions also lingered in those dark pupils.
"You look sick—--" She peered closely at his face. "You are sweating..." She reached out to wipe off some beats of sweat on his forehead. He grabbed her hand, halting her.
"I'm fine." He shifted a little away from her, creating an amount of space between them. He threw her a feeble smile and let go of her hand.
Toro knew she must've had a lot of questions on how he grabbed her in such a manner but he hoped she never read meanings to it.
"You sure that you're fine?"
"I'm fine," he sighed. Hoping she would stop asking. This was something that had been attached to him from high school and he had been battling it for years.
"Alright, if you insist," she smiled but that worried look was still etched across her face. "Also, thank you for saving me, I'd have fallen into the pool if you hadn't held me from falling."
The way she put the last lines was sort of speaking something and inasmuch as he knew what might be going on in her mind at that, he refused to entertain that thought. What he did was only humanistic and when she lowered her gaze to the ground, a streak of redness appeared on her cheeks.
Was she blushing?
The way she raised the tip of her right shoe like she was standing before someone she admired. Well, he was at fault on his part, if he hadn't held her in that manner, she wouldn't take into consideration the thought that was making her smile like that.
She chewed on her lower lip and raised her gaze to meet him, smiling and eyes twinkling under the moonlit. "Thank you, I really appreciate what you did."
"I would've looked like a drenched cat when it didn't rain." She let out a soft laugh, drifting off in the silent night.
A small wry smile lit up Toro's face. He had replaced his hands in his pants pockets. "You should be careful while walking and pointy heels like this...." He gestured to her heels.
"It could really be bad for your ankle….."
She beamed and nodded. "Thanks.. I will put that into thought." Silence drifted off between them into the night. Toro pulled his gaze from her to the pool, the pool lit up by the moonlight, shimmering and sparkling in sync with the gentle breeze sweeping across.
"Also, I want to let you know I'm a huge fan of your movies," she broke the silence, following the trail of his eyes to the pool. "It's a huge honor to finally meet you in person."
"My pleasure." He smiled lightly.
Another silence fell between them, making Toro wonder when she would leave or did she really follow him out? Certainly, she did. She wouldn't have given him that piece of paper if that wasn't the reason she came out here.
"So beautiful….." Her voice sounded dreamy as she shifted her eyes to the pool. "And the night is calm, don't you think so?"
Toro nodded. Not meeting her gaze.
"I mean except for the noise booming inside, outside is calm and peaceful."
Toro nodded again.
You seem different unlike on screens," she stated, returning her eyes to him.
"What do you mean?" He inquired. Shifting his gaze back to her.
"I mean you on screens and you in real life are different. You are most chatty in your movies and dramas but it looks like you aren't like that in person."
Her words almost brought a smile to his face. Of course, they are two different beings. His characters in movies don't depict him. They are all characters played by him, he was only doing his job.
"Like you said, those are characters I played...."
"Is there any new movie you are going to star in, when is the premiere?"
His mind drifted off to the historical drama he was supposed to star in. For some weird reason, he just wanted to give acting a break and recollect himself and deal with these demons inside of him.
He parted his lips to respond when Darrell's vibrant voice spoke from behind them. He approached them and across his face, he harbored a smug smile and his eyes gleamed with mischief under the night sky. It almost seemed like his eyes were teasing him when he neared them.
"There you are," he said, having a smug smile across his face. "I have been looking everywhere for you, didn't know you were out here with this beautiful lady...." He channeled his gaze to the woman beside Toro.
Darrell was very good at sweet talking.
Smiling, he asked. "Hello, pretty lady, hope I didn't interrupt you guys?"
"Nope, not at all. You didn't." She smiled. "You can have him now."
"I don't mind leaving if you still have unfinished business with him."
"No, I'm fine." She turned away from them and left. Her figure disappeared into the house.
Darrell nudged his arm, "what were you discussing before I arrived?" His eyes twinkled with mischief, that goading smile still plastered on his face.
"It was nothing," Toro drew in a deep breath. His hands still trapped in his pockets, he gaped at the calm pool glistening under the moonlight.
"Nothing and she left immediately I arrived? Did she ask you out?"
"That's not it..." Toro trailed off, saving himself the energy to explain himself. He let him assume whatever he wanted to assume. "Also, why are you here? I came out here because of you. You are like a leech, you know that?"
Darrell gasped, faking hurt by his words as he placed a hand on his chest. "Can't you stop being blunt for a moment, that hurts. Your words hurt. I wonder at this point if you'll keep a woman with how straightforward and blunt you are."
Toro was compelled to roll his eyes but he didn't instead he let out an exasperated sigh.
"What's this?" Darrell bent to pick something up from the ground. It was the piece of paper the woman from earlier gave him. Must have slipped out of his hand while trying to save her. Darrel straightened and unfolded the crumpled piece of paper.
Toro slightly darted his eyes to it, and what was written there left him a bit startled.
"Your eyes are really pretty."
Really? That's what she wanted to say to him? Why didn't she say that in his presence?
"Wow, this is...." Darrell looked at him. "She gave you this and you tossed it aside. How much more cold can you be around women? She's pretty and nice. It's high time you let go of Jane now, I bet wherever she is. She would want you to move on."
"Easier said than done." Toro whirled away from him and made his way into the house.
●●●●●●●●●●●
It was 9:45 pm, he was seated in the dinner area along with his father, Darrell and some relatives he hadn't met until today. Relatives he wasn't aware of. And most importantly, with them across the table was that woman from earlier and that guy who hugged him when he showed up in his father's house and two other figures. A man and a woman dressed up in rich linens.
Looking at the woman and the guy from earlier, they had some resemblance and it didn't take him long enough to realize they were brother and sister. The guy's eyes were on him while the girl's eyes were lowered on her dish. She was busy twirling her food around her fork. He knew she was sort of avoiding his gaze.
The family dinner went on for some minutes, his father and the man present at the table were engaged in a conversation, he seemed like a business associate.
"Toro, are you seeing anyone right now?"
The elderly woman beside the man, furrowed her gaze to him. Looks to him the elderly man and woman including the guy and girl from earlier were a family.
He shook his head. "Why?" He sipped his drink.
"What do you think of my Mirabel here?" The elderly woman gestured at the woman from earlier. "I bet you two already bumped into each other."
The old woman beamed. It took Toro a couple of minutes to understand what was going on. This was his father's doing, he invited him over to meet his business partners. To strengthen the bond between him and his business associates and also make him meet this woman across him.
A dark glint appeared in his eyes and he was instantly irritated.