Chapter 26

"Don't you think it's weird?" tanong ko sa kanya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa elevator. The party was a success. The anniv issue was a success. I thought it was going to be a bit awkward dahil nagkita sina Paul at Pablo, but Paul was mature enough (surprisingly) na tumalikod lang siya nang makita kami. I mean, how affected could he really be kung may kasama siyang sikat na model?

"What's with?" he asked.

"That... we're here now."

"In the parking?"

"No," I said. "That we're here. Together-ish?"

"Together-ish?"

I shrugged. "I mean, are we together?"

Smooth ba iyong pagkakatanong ko? Kanina ko pa 'to iniisip habang nagdadrive siya pabalik sa condo ko. Sa condo niya sana kaya lang wala naman doon iyong makeup remover ko and kung anu-ano pang gamit ko. For a change, sa condo ko kami magssleepover.

"Like literally?" he asked and I frowned at him dahil obvious naman na alam niya kung ano ang ibig kong sabihin. Humalakhak lang siya.

"Never mind," sabi ko.

"Yes, we're together," he said. "I mean, if we're not together after everything we've done, then this must be some very special friendship."

"Do you have special friends?"

"Like best friends?"

I rolled my eyes again. "You know what I mean."

Natawa siya. "No, not really," he said. "I don't like my friends that way."

"As in never?"

"Never."

"Fuck buddy? College? Wala talaga?"

"Oh," he said. "Do you really want to talk about that?"

"So, meron nga?"

Natawa siya. "You're already mad."

"I'm not mad."

"Then why are your brows furrowed?" sabi niya tapos tinuro niya iyong mga kilay ko. Napahawak din tuloy ako. Bakit ba? I mean, past is past! At least sa akin na siya ngayon—right? Sa akin na siya ngayon, 'di ba? Shet, kailangan ko ata ng isa pang confirmation!

"Just to clarify, we're together now, right?"

"Yes."

"So... you're my boyfriend?"

He shrugged. "I guess."

"Anong I guess?"

Natawa siya. "I misspoke," he said. "I am your boyfriend."

Umirap ako. "Parang napilitan pa."

He laughed. "Of course not," he replied. "You're very much my type. That's the reason why I agreed to your ridiculous offer when we first met."

"Right... It was ridiculous, right?"

"It was," he said. "Never had I been propositioned to attend a wedding and to pretend to be someone's boyfriend," he continued. Now that he's saying it, mas lalong mukhang weird nga. Ano kaya nainom ko nung gabi na 'yon para magkaroon ng lakas ng loob na tanungin siya? Kasi nakakahiya pala talaga ngayon na sinasabi niya!

"What made you say yes?"

"I just told you—you're my type."

"Paano mo nasabi na type mo ako?"

"I like the confidence," he said. "I like go-getters."

"You met me once. Paano mo nasabi na confident ako?"

"I just know."

"So, ayaw mo sa mga damsel in distress?"

"I'm a busy person—I have no time to play knight-in-shining-armor," he replied like it was such a chore.

I pouted. "But what if I need rescuing?"

"I mean, once in a while is fine, but I don't want to be constantly rescuing anyone. That's draining. I like someone who's independent—someone who's a whole person," he said. "Am I making sense?"

"I guess."

"I also don't understand the concept of one person completing you. I feel like I am a complete person on my own. I'll be fine on my own. I just really prefer to have you in my life. It's more fun, you know?"

My eyes widened a bit. "I know!"

Ang weird.

For a long time, I thought na baka mag-end up ako na walang kasama. I mean, okay lang naman. Contrary sa sinasabi ng mga kamaganak ko na kailangan ko ng asawa at anak dahil sino ang magaalaga sa akin pagtanda ko, I felt like I would be really fine on my own. Of course meeting the love of my life would be really nice, but kung hindi, ano ang magagawa ko? I would rather enjoy being single than to settle for some guy na hindi ko naman ganoon kagusto. I'd seen marriages where people just settled. They don't make it look too enticing. They just look miserable. I don't want that for myself.

But then here came Pablo.

We just... click.

Dadating pala talaga 'yon.

Iyong tao na effortlessly lang na magugustuhan mo kasama. Hindi mo kailangan mag-effort. Hindi mo kailangan mag-adjust nang grabe. Kasi match kayo. Kasi ganon talaga.

Weird but wow.

"You know what?" he asked. "That my life is more fun with you?"

My eyes widened and I felt my cheeks heating up. "No," I said. "I mean—" Napatigil ako kasi humalakhak siya. Tsk. Tinutukso na naman ako nito!

Pagdating namin sa condo, Pablo said to go ahead and remove my makeup. Medyo magulo kasi dahil hindi namin naayos iyong kalat kanina nung nandito pa iyong glam team ko.

"Do you need help?" he asked.

"For?"

"Getting out of that dress," he said.

I frowned at him. "This is barely a dress," sabi ko dahil kakarampot na tela na nga lang 'to dahil walang likod, e.

Tumawa siya. "Big fan of the dress."

"Obviously," sabi ko dahil laging nasa likod ko nga lang talaga iyong kamay niya tuwing magkasama kami. He wasn't clingy, though. He was with me, but he also knew na kahit party 'yon, it was still work for me. Hindi siya nagreklamo kapag iniiwan ko siya sa table to mingle with people. He told me he'd be fine and that I should go do my thing. After all, sa party ka makakakuha ng connections and connections are very important sa industry na ginagalawan ko. Pero hindi ko naman siya iniwan totally. I still introduced him sa ibang ka-trabaho ko (they all gave thumbs up nung tumalikod si Pablo) (that spoke volumes because we work with really beautiful models).

Nagtanggal ako ng makeup habang nagaayos siya sa labas. This felt... nice. Domesticated, perhaps, but very nice. I could live like this.

"Do you want to order food?" rinig kong tanong niya.

"Not really. Are you hungry?"

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Do you want anything?"

"You."

"I'll get burger, I guess," sabi niya. Tapos biglang tumahimik. Akala ko ay may ginagawa siya sa phone or whatever kaya medyo nabigla ako nang bumukas iyong pinto sa CR. He was standing by the doorframe and looking at my through my reflection at the mirror. "Did you mean you want me?"

I arched my brow. "Maybe."

My lips parted as he loosened up his tie.

God, everything about him was just hot it's ridiculous.

"I thought you're hungry?" I asked as he was walking until he was right behind me. He was standing behind me, his hands on my waist. Nakatingin siya sa repleksyon naming dalawa sa salamin. God, we look hot.

"Well, I think I can eat something else," he said to my ears as I felt him hiking up my gown up to my waist and before I knew it, he was fucking me against the sink, in front of the mirror, while we both were watching the expression on our faces.

* * *

It started out as a good day.

Pablo went to some business trip for almost a week and ngayon siya uuwi. I felt cheesy by saying this, but I really did miss him. I missed his company. I missed his touch. I missed looking at his pretty face. Magkausap lang kami sa phone. It was torture! He was making me feel hot through the phone! Hindi ko alam na possible pala iyon? Na kahit salita lang parang gusto ko na lang pumasok sa cellphone tapos hilahin siya palabas doon?

God, I couldn't wait to see him!

I was not that good of a cook, but I thought that I might actually try to make us dinner—try being the operative word. Kailangan kong magluto nang maaga para kapag palpak, may time pa ako para umorder.

For a change, umalis ako on time sa office. Usually kasi talaga ako ang last na tao roon. Dumiretso ako sa grocery. I decided to just cook tomato and garlic pasta. It looked easy nang panoorin ko sa Youtube. I mean, kaya ko naman sigurong lutuin as long as I would stick to the recipe.

"What—" I said nang sagutin ko iyong tawag ni Vie. She rarely calls me. She's the closest cousin I have. I mean, slim pickings naman din kasi halos lahat sila ayaw sa akin or what. Wala na akong pakielam at this point.

"Uwi ka," she said, cutting me off.

"Di na nga ako babalik d'yan," I replied while I was looking at the tomato. Hindi ko alam kung alin dito ang bibilhin ko. They all looked nice.

"Nasa hospital si Tito," she said.

"Sinong Tito?"

"Papa mo."

Parang huminto iyong mundo ko.

Parang literal na hindi ako makahinga.

Ang dami kong gustong itanong sa kanya pero hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula.

"Uwi ka dito," she said. "Ay, shet. Kaya mo ba mag-drive? Delikado. May pwede ba maghatid sa 'yo? If hindi, pwede naman sunduin kita kaya lang baka matagalan."

Hindi ako makapagsalita.

Sumisikip iyong dibdib ko.

"Rise, nandyan ka pa ba?"

Gusto kong itanong sa kanya kung ano ang nangyari, kung nasaan si Papa, kung okay lang ba siya. Kung bakit siya ang nagsasabi sa akin nito at hindi si Mama o ang kapatid ko. Na alam ko na galit sila sa akin pero bakit hindi nila naisip na deserve kong marinig mula sa kanila 'to at hindi mula sa pinsan ko? Na kung hindi pa ako naalala ni Vie, wala akong alam?

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang una kong mararamdaman.

"Si—" Huminga ako nang malalim. "Okay lang ba si Papa?"

Hindi agad siya nakasagot.

Ito ba 'yung dahilan kung bakit nagkikita kami lagi ni Papa? Premonition ba 'yon? Kaya ba gusto niya akong makita kasi alam niya na—

Marahas akong umiling.

No.

I shouldn't go there.

I shouldn't even think about that.

"Sasabihin ko agad sa 'yo kapag lumabas iyong doctor," sabi niya.

Pilit akong huminga nang malalim. "Okay..."

"Paano ka pupunta rito?"

"I... I will ask Jana kung pwede siya," sabi ko. Wala rin akong tiwala sa sarili ko. Wala ako sa tamang pagiisip para mag-drive papunta roon. Kailangan ko rin si Jana para samahan ako. Hindi ko kaya ngayon na pagtulungan ng pamilya ko. Hindi ngayon na hindi okay si Papa.

"Okay... Message mo ako kapag malapit ka na."

"Salamat," sabi ko. "Ano'ng nangyari?"

Hindi siya nakasagot.

Bigla akong kinabahan.

"Vie, anong nangyari?"

Sa bawat segundo na lumilipas na wala siyang sinasabi ay mas lalong bumibilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko.

"Kapag pumunta ka na lang dito," sabi niya.

"Anong nangyari?"

Rinig ko iyong paghinga niy nang malalim. "Di ko rin alam pa kung san nanggaling, Cerise... Late ko lang din nalaman after ko marinig na inatake sa puso si Tito... Pero ang narinig ko lang may video niyo raw ni Pablo na nasa GC ng pamilya? Wala naman atang nag-send sa labas kasi inatake nga si Tito nung malaman. Hindi ko rin alam kung saan nila nakuha—"

Para akong tinakasahan ng hininga.

"Cerise? Nandyan ka pa ba?"

Anong video?

Bakit may video?

Bakit inatake si Papa dahil sa video?

Ang dami kong tanong... pero hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit parang ang hirap na maging masaya lang. 

**

This story is already completed on beeyotch.ph. Subscription starts at 100php per month for all stories. You can email [email protected] for assistance if you want to pay via GCASH. As of the moment, credit and debit cards can be used directly when paying in the site :) Thank you!