"He is going to die a slow death! Tatama araw araw yung hinliliit niya sa kanto ng pinto! Makakatapak siya ng tae on his way to work! Babangga ang shin bone niya--"

Napatigil ako sa paglilitanya dahil sa halakhakan ng mga kaibigan ko. I threw them a sharp look as I took a seat in front of them in the cafeteria. Ibinaba ko ang tray ko ng pagkain nang hindi inaalis ang masamang tingin ko sa kanila. Tumatawa pa rin si Fort habang tumitig naman sa'kin si Mac na parang tinatantya kung seryoso ako sa sinasabi ko sabay subo ng isang french fry sa bibig. She shook her head and laughed alongside our other friend.

They have been my circle since college and up until now that we are working for an engineering firm, we are still inseparable.

Kaya hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit hindi nila ako magawang suportahan sa mga sinsabi ko.

I just found out that my boyfriend cheated on me. Nakita ko siyang may kahalikan sa isang bar. Kaya pala mas madalas na siyang maraming excuse twing naglalambing ako ng date. Lagi niyang sinasabi na kesyo pinag-oovertime daw ito ng Project Manager nila at kung anek anek pa. Samantalang iisang kumpanya lang naman ang pinagtatrabahuhan namin. Yun pala ibang babae ang inoovertime niya!

Gigil na tinusok ko ng tinidor ang longganisa sa harap ko.

"Una sa lahat, hindi naman makatotohanan ang mga gusto mo mangyari, Aub." initinutok ni MacKenzie ang tinidor niya sa akin. "Kung gusto mo talaga gantihan si Jasper sa ginawa niya, humiliate him. Humiliate his masculinity. For sure hindi niya malilimutan 'yon! Ma's importante sa mga lalaki ang ego nila. Above everything else. So, if there's anything you need to target, it's that. Wound his ego and get a move on."

"You know, you're starting to scare me." dramatikong hinawakan ni Fort ang dibdib niya habang nakatingin sa girl bestfriend ko. "Pakiramdam ko, may gagawin kayong masama sa akin sa oras na magkamali ako."

Gusto kong matawa sa kanya. Una, hindi kasi bagay dito ang inaarte nito. Malaking lalaki ito at maitsura pa.
"I will put a pillow on your face while you're sleeping." pagbabanta ko.

"I'll stab him right in the eye." dagdag naman ni Mac. Iminuwestras nito ang tinidor sa mata ng katabi. Nagkunwari naman na natatakot si Fort dito. Hindi ko napigilan ang ngiti sa labi ko. When are they going to admit that they like each other? Nagsimula nang magharutan ang dalawa sa harap ko na siya naman ikinainis ko.

"You guys are not helping!" I complained.

"Bakit kasi kailangan mo pang gantihan?" nakasimangot na tanong ni Fort.

"Lalaki ka kaya hindi mo naiintindihan kung ano yung feeling na natapakan ang pagkatao mo. Plus, you have never been cheated on!"

Fort rolled his eyes. "If I were you, I'll just move the fuck on. What's the use? Magiging masaya ka ba kung magagantihan mo si Jasper?"

"You don't get it, Fort. Just stop talking." MacKenzie dismissed him.

"And what kind of friend are you, anyway? You should be smashing his balls right now." nakangusong tanong ko. Dapat ay ito ang nagtatanggol sa aiming dalawa ni Mac. He's supposed to be our Knight in Shining Armor dahil siya ang boy best friend namin. But instead, he's telling me to just move the fuck on after being dumped by that man?!

"You think if Jasper is gonna walk right in this cafeteria I'm not gonna punch his face?" Fort pinned me a look.

"Are you?"

Tamang tama naman na bigla ngang pumasok ang hinayupak kong ex sa cafeteria. Why did I ever worked in the same firm as my ex-boyfriend?! Naalala na niya. Anak si Jasper ng bagong partner ng firm--well, not exactly anak. His stepfather is the new partner of the firm.

"Just say the word, Aubrey." I heard Fort said. I noticed him flexing his right fist.

"Oh, cmon!" MacKenzie rolled her eyes. "It's not as if kaya mong makipagsuntukan in the middle of the cafeteria. Nakalimutan mo na bang empleyado lang tayo dito? We are not in your father's turf, Fortunato!"

Natawa ako nang akmang sasakalin ni Fort si Mac dahil sa sinabi nito. He despised being called by his whole name. At totoong may sariling firm ang parents ni Fort. Pero dahil matigas ang ulo ng kaibigan namin ay ayaw nitong pumasok doon at piniling maging empleyado sa kakumpitensyang firm ng pamilya nila. Ang balita ko ay hindi pa rin on speaking terms ang mag-ama. Ilang beses na naming kinumbinsi si Fort na sa firm na lamang nila pumasok ngunit dahil may offer kami ni MacKenzie dito sa Sandejas-Valenciano ay mas pinili niyang sumama sa amin. He figured that his girls needed some looking after.

"Look at him go," MacKenzie eyed my ex with disgust. "he walks around here like he owns the place! Samantalang partner lang naman ang daddy niya dito."

And to think na he hates his stepfather's guts! Wala itong nasabi tungkol sa napangasawa ng nanay nito kundi mga hindi magandang bagay. Matagal nang hiwalay ang nanay niya sa lalaki ngunit hanggang ngayon, I think they are still leeching off him. Mas lalo akong nanggigil dahil gusto kong tirisin ang ulo ni Jasper.

He looked at our direction and I could swear I heard Fort growl under his breath when he grinned at us. Hinawakan ko ang kamay ng kaibigan ko upang pigilan siya sa iniisip niya. Tama si Mac, wala kami sa teritoryo ng ama ni Fort. We could be fired from this company kung gagawa kami ng gulo.

"I hate him!" Mac seethed as she faced me. "Ituloy mo na ang pagsumpa sa kanya! Maghahanap ako ng mangkukulam at ipapakulam ko ang hayop na yan! Ugh!"

Natawa ako. "See? Ang sarap niyang bayagan sa harap ng maraming tao!" To think that I used to love this guy. Halos isang taon din kaming nagging mag-on bago ko natuklasan ang kalokohan niya. Why did I ever ignored the signs? I should've known he was cheating. He doesn't exactly have the finest reputation during college, anyway. Nang mag-transfer kaming tatlo---yes, we all transferred to another university noong second year namin sa engineering. I refused to discuss the reasons with anyone. Minsan ay ayaw ko na nga ring pakaisipin ang ginawa ko noon but long story short, I transferred, MacKenzie cannot live without me so she followed me another university and Fort couldn't last a day without seeing Mac so he followed us, too.

Jasper already had a reputation in college as a playboy. We all hated him back then. But come our last year in college, he suddenly courted me. Lahat kami nagtaka sa ginawa niya. I'm pretty, yes, but we're both out of each other's leagues. We both run with different crowds, that's why it was a puzzle why I'm suddenly in his radar. That's also the exact reason why I agreed to dating him. I like puzzles and mysteries.

"I want to punch his face so bad!" gigil na bulong ni Fort.

Natahimik kami.

"I have an idea."

Our eyes went to MacKenzie.

"Didn't you mention before na hate na hate niya ang stepfather niya?"

"Yeah, he does. Wala nang ginawa yan nung minsan kaming magdate kundi mag rant tungkol sa stepfather niya."

My best friend's eyes twinkled. "Then date him!"

"Ha?"

"Date his stepfather!"

"What are you saying? How--"

Isang excited na ngiti ang sumilay sa labi ng kaibigan ko. "I heard the new partner will be coming back from the states. This is your chance, Aubrey! Seduce him! Date him! What's the best revenge other than dating the person he hated the most?"

"I don't know, Mac. Pero baka naman sobrang tanda na ng stepfather niya, may age limit naman ako sa pakikipag date."

"Ah talaga lang ha?" tumaas baba ang kilay ni Mac sa akin. Tila ba pinapaalala ang kahapon na matagal ko nang pilit binabaon sa limot.

"Let's not go there." babala ko.

"I agree," Fort muttered.

Hindi magandang memories ang ginawa ko noon nasa college pa kami. Up until now, I'm haunted by those bad memories and bad decisions.

"Okay, fine! I'm sorry!" itinaas ni Mac ang dalawang kamay tanda ng pagsuko. "But listen, I heard na hindi naman ganoon katanda yung stepfather niya. He's probably just in his mid thirties."

"How can someone in his mid thirties have a child who's in his twenties?"

"Mas matanda ng yung mom ni Jasper kaysa sa guy when they got married. I think she's five years older than him," inilapit niya ang daliri sa bibig niya. "Basta quiet lang kayo."

"Napaka-Marites mo!" itinulak nang pabiro ni Fort si MacKenzie.

"Lahat naman tayo nagbe-benefit sa pakikichismis ko, lalo ka na, Aub!" she rolled her eyes. "So, what do you say?"

"I don't know.."

"Oh, cmon! Akala ko ba gusto mo gantihan si Jasper? This is the perfect opportunity!"

"Pero paano kung hindi naman ako magustuhan ng tatay niya?"

"Hello?" MacKenzie smiled evilly. "When did that ever stopped you from getting what you want?"

She's right. If I set my mind on something, I will do everything in my power to get it. That was what Aubrey Lardizabal is known for. Muli kong iniangat ang mata ko kay Jasper. He's putting his arm over a woman's shoulder. Take note, hindi ito ang babaeng nahuli kong kahalikan niya sa bar. Mukhang ipinamumukha talaga niya sa akin na madali akong palitan.

Well, guess what? He's not that irreplaceable either.