Chapter 06

"Why are we here?" tanong ko nang bigla siyang huminto sa harap ng isang grocery store.

"To buy food."

"Why?" I asked, a bit confused. Nagsabi ako na pupunta kami. The place was stocked with food. We just needed to reheat them. We could also always call the on-call chef.

"Para hindi tayo magutom?"

"Do you think of me as a bad host?" I asked. "Of course there's food there. I even told them to prepare your favorite meal," I said as I explained to him na naka-handa na lahat ng pagkain namin doon. The wine cellar was even restocked dahil halos maubos iyong laman nun nung huling pumunta rito iyong mga pinsan ko. If ever there come a time na kukunin ng gobyerno ang ari-arian namin, siguro iyong Tagaytay rest house iyong pinaka-huling ibibigay namin. It just held a lot of memory for us. It's easy to go there, so whatever minor inconvenience we feel, that's our go-to place.

It just felt like us.

"Oh."

There was a look of disappointment on his face.

"Why?" I asked. This was the last kind of reaction I expected from him. I thought he'd be delighted since we'd have more time for the... fun things.

"Nothing," he said, shrugging, as he started the engine again.

"What?" I asked again. "Come on. Tell me," I urged him. "How will we fall in love if you won't tell me things?"

Umirap siya. "Stop telling me that we'll fall in love. Makes it feel ingenuine."

Umirap ako pabalik. "Fine," I said because I didn't want to argue about this. I was already feeling hungry. "But why do you look upset na may nakahanda ng pagkain?"

He shrugged. "Just thought cooking would be a nice bonding for the two of us," sabi niya.

"Really..." I said, looking at him. "Do you look cooking?"

"Sometimes," he replied. "It's a nice way to destress."

"Are you a good cook?" muling tanong ko sa kanya. Sure, sometimes naaabutan ko siya na nagluluto sa condo niya, but I never really tried whatever he was cooking. At first, he never really offered (which was rude of him) and then later on, tapos na akong kumain kapag pupunta ako sa condo niya, so I'd refuse (which was rude of me).

Together, we're just two rude people.

"I try," he replied.

"Fine," I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt.

"San ka pupunta?"

"Grocery."

"Akala ko may pagkain na don?"

"Yeah, but let's just buy food. We'll cook later or whatever," I said and then I saw his reflection on the rearview mirror. Napairap na lang ako nang makita ko siyang naka-ngisi.

He's annoying, sure, but he's also annoyingly easy to please.

We got inside and it looked like he knew what he was doing. He grabbed a basket tapos ay lumingon siya sa akin.

"What?" I asked.

"Hand."

"What?" I asked again, my forehead creased.

Instead of answering, lumapit siya sa akin at inabot iyong kamay ko at hinawakan. Bahagyang nanlaki iyong mga mata ko sa pagkagulat sa ginawa niya. He's being very weird today.

"What? Is it wrong to hold my girlfriend's hand?"

Umirap ako. "No," I replied, "But we don't have to hold hands."

"Why not? Feels good," he said as he intertwined our fingers together and then began to walk.

"Just not really a big fan of PDA."

"You're the one who said that we needed to prove people that we're together."

"We are together, Archie."

"I know but I'm a pretty passionate guy."

Umirap ako. "Yeah, I'm aware."

Humalakhak siya. "It's just hand holding, love."

"We're not teens."

"I can't imagine you as a teen. You must've been a nightmare," he said as we stopped in front of the pasta section. "You eat pasta, right?"

"Yes."

"Any preference?"

I shrugged. "As long as it's good," I replied. "Do your specialty."

"Alright," he said with smile that almost looked genuine. It's good that he's having fun. I mean, at least one of us should have fun. I'd have fun, but I was pretty sure that my idea of fun differs from his.

"Tell me stories when you were a teen," he said. "Did you get in a lot of trouble?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Just what kind of teen do you think I was?"

"Troubled."

My lips parted. "I was not," I said. "My cousins did stir trouble. If any, I was just the audience."

He arched a brow. "You narced on them, did you?"

"I did not," I said.

Humalakhak siya. "You little tattletale."

"I did not," I repeated, glaring at him. "I just wasn't interested in their usual idea of fun."

"Alright... Pero sumasama ka pa rin?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "Why not? They're my cousins," I replied. It wasn't as if I had choice. I couldn't be friends with other people, really. In my mind, there's always the lingering thought na kaibigan lang nila ako dahil may kailangan sila sa akin. I didn't need that in my life. I still kept them because I never knew when I'll need them, but they're always within arm's reach.

"So, you never got into any trouble as a teen?"

"Not really," I said. "If I did, everyone in our family knows na nadamay lang ako. I never really was the instigator."

"You never got grounded?"

"No," I said. "And my mom knows that if she did that, it'll be just another day for me."

Natawa siya. "So, what kind of 'punishment' did you get?"

"Going to church."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah... You do know that the biggest hypocrites are the ones who always frequent the church," I told him. They're the 'do as I say, not as I do' kind."

"I know that," he replied, "That's why I don't trust overly religious people."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "That's one thing we have in common then."

Napa-ngisi siya. "What? Our common distrust of religious people?"

I nodded. "One of the strongest bonds is the mutual hate of someone or something."

"Such a negative way to bond."

I shrugged. "I'll take it."

"We also love having sex with each other."

Napairap ako. "A conversation won't end without you making it sexual, will it?"

Muli siyang humalakhak.

* * *

Archie brought ingredients for his pasta, steak, salad, and mashed potato. Ang dami niyang lulutuin para sa aming dalawa, but I didn't want to tell him that. He looked like he had genuine fun habang nasa grocery kami, so I just let him buy whatever he wanted to buy.

"Nice place," he commented nang dumating kami sa may rest house.

"Thanks," I said.

"Sa family niyo 'to?"

"Yes," I replied. "Just put it there," muli kong sabi habang nakaturo sa may island sa may kitchen.

Kapag nandito kami, we usually just drink wine or sometimes kapag nasa mood iyong mga pinsan ko, they'll do barbeque or something. I couldn't remember them really utilizing the kitchen. Well, at least magagamit na siya ngayon.

I went to grab myself a bottle of water.

"You weren't kidding when you said that the place is stocked," he commented when he saw the inside of the fridge.

"Why would I kid about that?" I asked. "What a weird thing to kid about."

Humalakhak siya. He's having a lot of fun today.

Nakatayo lang ako roon at umiinom ng tubig nang bigla kong maramdaman iyong mga braso niya sa bewang ko. I felt him kissing the side of my neck.

"Later," I said. "I wanna shower first."

"Shower together?"

"No," I replied. "Tonight, maybe."

"Why not?"

"Just wanna shower alone."

He used his hand to hiked up my dress and began to caress and then squeeze my thigh. "Alright," he said. "What do you wanna eat now? I'll make the steak tonight for dinner."

"Whatever that's easy to make. I'm already hungry."

"Alright, love," he replied as he kissed my cheek. "Go take a shower," sabi niya tapos ay nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla niyang paluin iyong pwet ko.

"Archie!" I said in horror.

"What? Can't help it."

"God," I said. "At least never do it in public."

He laughed. "I know," he said. "I wouldn't dare. Not even in my wildest dream."

I straightened the imaginary crease on my dress. "Good."

"I know how much you care about your imagine," he said. "I wouldn't dare do anything to mess that up."

I gave him a slow nod. "That's good to hear," I replied. "And it's not just about me," I continued as I bridged the distance between us. I placed my hands on his shoulder and fixed his collar. He already began wearing his polo shirts. He looked so... relatable. Like a good guy who you can trust with your vote. I wondered how he'd look with glasses. I should make him try wearing one.

"We're a team," he said.

I nodded. "That's right. We are," I replied as I tiptoed and placed a kiss on the side of his lips. "I hope the food's ready when I get out of the shower. I'm hungry," I continued before I left him and walked towards the room.

* * *

I didn't take as long as I normally would. When my hair was half-dry, I went out of the room. I just wore my black negligee. Kitang-kita ko iyong pag-awang ng labi ni Archie nang mapatingin siya sa gawi ko.

"What?" I asked because his reaction was funny. He'd seen me naked, but for some reason, I felt more naked now dahil sa paraan ng pagtingin niya sa akin.

Instead of speaking, ibinaba niya iyong hawak niya at naglakad palapit sa akin. Muli ay inilagay niya iyong mga kamay niya sa magkabilang bewang ko.

"Are you really hungry?" he asked while his thumbs were tracing patterns against my skin. I could feel his touch kahit na may suot pa akong damit.

"Yes," I replied as I breathed deeply nang maramdaman ko iyong labi niya sa may leeg ko.

"Okay," he breathed against my skin.

"Let go, then."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder."

I felt him laughing. "Okay..."

We stood there for a whole minute that almost felt like forever dahil gutom na talaga ako.

"Okay, that's it," I said as I pushed him away. "What did you cook?" tanong ko dahil kanina ko pa naaamoy iyong niluto niya.

"Tomato pasta," he replied habang sumisilip ako.

"Naluto mo 'yan habang naliligo ako?" I asked because I couldn't have been gone for more than 30 minutes.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's quick to make," he replied. "Go sit down."

Naupo ako sa stool sa may island. Naglagay siya ng plato sa harapan ko. It actually looked really good... o baka naman gutom na lang ako?

"Thank you," I said.

"You're welcome," he replied with a smile on his face. "Hope it tastes good."

I began to eat. I ignored him watching me dahil gutom na talaga ako. Nakatingin lang siya sa bawat galaw ko. Nang maubos ko iyong unang subo ko ay tumingin ako sa kanya.

"What? Was it good?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Really? You're not lying?"

"When did I ever lie to you?"

Napahinto siya. "That's right... You're honest even when it's borderline rude."

Bahagya akong umirap at saka tumayo at kumuha ng glass ng wine. "Do you want some?" I asked.

"You'll drink wine now?"

I shrugged. "Why not?"

"Okay," he said.

I went to the cellar and grabbed a bottle of wine. We ate the pasta and had wine. Nang matapos kami ay lumipat kami sa couch. I sat down while he laid his head on my thighs. His eyes were closed. He's probably tired from the driving or the cooking or just a bit sleepy from the wine.

"I have a question," I said.

"Shoot."

"Remember the meeting with Preston?" I asked and I felt him tensing. "Just want to know why you acted so weird around him. Have you met him before? Did you owe him money?" dugtong na tanong ko dahil ang weird niya talaga.

I felt him sighing.

I waited for his response.

"I guess it's just a habit? Or something like that."

"A habit? To make an ass of yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Why would you do that?"

Muli siyang natahimik.

I looked at his face. He looked like a baby when he's like this. He looked so harmless, so serene.

"That's just how I saw my dad," sabi niya. I remained silent. "I wasn't born rich, you know?"

"I know," I replied. He's the typical rags to riches—one of the reasons why I chose him. It's such a relatable story.

"My dad had to do favors for different people. It's annoying to watch. I used to look up to him, but then I saw how these rich people treated him. Slowly, I lost respect for him. It's just... degrading, you know? The things he'll do, the words he'll accept from them. It's just horrible...

"But then I went to college... and then law school... I guess reality was shoved right at my face," he continued. "I thought our family's fine. At one point, I actually thought we're rich, you know?" sabi niya at saka natawa. "But try being a millionaire surrounded by literal billionaires and people so powerful you can literally disappear without a trace if you manage to piss them off. I felt so fucking poor and powerless."

I reached for his hair and slowly ran my fingers through them.

He's so... broken.

And jealous.

And bitter.

"I was so bitter about that for years... until one day, I decided there's nothing I can do. I figured that if I can't fight it, then at least I should join it," sabi niya.

"Is that why you joined the frat?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"So, you don't really like the people there?"

"Depends on the day," he said. "Sometimes they're fun to be around; oftentimes, they're not. It's just that these people are so incredibly privileged that privilege is what's normal for them."

Napahinto siya at napadilat ang mga mata.

"You won't understand—you're one of them."

"Perhaps," I said, slowly nodding, "But one day, you'll be one of us, too. You'll be the one of the people you despised and isn't that nice?" I continued as I gave him a small smile. 

**

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