CHAPTER 10

"I assume you don't like the name?"

Napatingin ako sakanya at kumunot ang noo ko. "No, no, it's not that," sabi ko. "But you know? I suddenly feel sad... Lost and angry at the same time. I don't know, ang weird lang 'di ba?"

Kanina pa kami tahimik sa sasakyan niya. I was thinking about the name the whole time. It sounded familiar but I couldn't remember. Sumasakit nanaman ang ulo ko.

"Why would you feel that way?" tanong niya.

I crossed my legs then smiled at him. "I don't know? Baka James ang pangalan ng soulmate ko sa last life ko at hindi kami nagkatuluyan kasi namatay siya," I laughed.

But he didn't smile? Tumahimik siya lalo at pakiramdam ko mas nainis siya sa sinabi ko. I pouted my lips and just stay quiet for a moment.

Nang huminto siya sa isang malaking bahay. Dumeretso ako ng labas, I'm not expecting him to open a door for me. No man ever did that to me.

Napanganga ako sa laki ng bahay. Holyshiz. Mukhang tiba-tiba ako sa lalaking sinamahan ko ngayon.

"This is my house and you stayed here before." binuksan niya 'yong gate at sumunod naman ako papasok sa loob.

"Tumira na ako dito?" naguguluhan na tanong ko. "Bakit ako titira dito na kasama ka?"

"Because I wanted to, simple as that."

Napakunot ang noo ko "You wanted to, it means you wanted me?"

"I always do. But you have such a stubborn personality, something happened."

"Well, I don't want to know that something. I'll just enjoy the moment," sabi ko.

Hindi mapakali ang mga mata ko. Nae-excite lalo ang katawan ko sa mga nakikita ko. Pagkapasok namin ng bahay niya mas lalo akong napanganga. It was design like the old time; wooden and unique.

Napalunok ako. Dito ba talaga ako matutulog? Holyshiz! Mukhang malambot ang kama dito hindi katulad sa bahay namin na sa karton lang ako pinapatulog. Not that I wanted it but I didn't have any choice. It was my Tiya Judith's house so I follow the rules.

"Sino 'yan? Anak mo?" tanong ko sa isang malaking picture na nakasabit sa dingding.

Napatingin siya sakin at hindi makapaniwala sa tanong ko.

"What? Did I say something wrong? I'm just curious, Mr. James,"

"Okay first, don't call me James."

"Medyo magulo ka kausap," irap ko sakanya. "But okay, sige, I'm impressed how huge your house is, sige pagbibigyan kita mamili ng bagong pangalan."

"Ekar," maikling sagot niya at kumuha ng alak sa ilalim ng cabinet.

Tiningnan ko siya ng masama. Kapag may alak may balak. "So Ekar, sino 'yan bata na 'yan? Anak mo? Shit. May asawa kana ba? Mamaya kabi mo ako. Well, not that I care, pero mas okay na 'yong alam ko."

Pinanood ko siya isalin ang alak sa baso at ibigay sakin ang isa saka niya ininom 'yong hawak niya.

"She's our daughter,"

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. "Wow," namamanghang sabi ko. "Really? I'm capable of conceiving that? The last time I check, ayoko sa bata."

"Long story," sagot niya sakin tila pagod na. "But to make it short and just to answer your next questions. Yes, she came from you. Yes, we had sex and yes, she looks like you."

"Very much," pag-sangayon ko sakanya. Nakangiti ako at tinungga ng isahan ang alak na hawak ko. Ramdam ko ang pagguhit non sa lalamunan ko. "What's her name?"

"Rebecka."

Na-consious ako bigla dahil parang pinapanood niya ang bawat galaw ko pati narin ang magiging reaksyon ko.

"Nice name, huh? Very very captivating," sabi ko. But I couldn't feel anything about here? It didn't feel right to call her my daughter. Huminga ako ng malalim at lumakad papunta sa sofa at umupo, isinampa ko ang dalawang paa rito. "So what's our story then? How do we met?"

"I'll answer your question one of these days. I need you to take a rest first dahil may pupuntahan pa tayo bukas."

Tumayo ako at dahan-dahan hinubad 'yong damit na suot ko. I saw him watching me.

"Okay, saan ba kwarto mo? Doon na lang tayo magkwentuhan," kinindatan ko siya sabay hagis ng damit.

"Nope. We're not sleeping together," may tinuro si Ekar na kwarto. "That's your old room. Dyan ka parin ngayon,"

"Hey, I'm having a show here? Deadma ka lang?"

He just raised his glass at naglakad na pataas. I was left speechless.

Dahil ano ako? Grade one? He just what? Turn down my almost naked body? What an asshole. The last time I know, I never let someone rejected me in anyway.

Ilan oras na ang nakakaraan. I still couldn't freaking sleep. It's passed two a.m in the morning but I haven't sleep a wink. Lumabas ako para uminom ng tubig pero nagulat ako ng madatnan ko si Ekar sa kitchen, umiinom nanaman siya.

"Sleep problem?" tanong ko.

Napatingin siya agad sakin. Pero bago 'yon nakita ko siyang napalunok at sabay nag-iwas ng tingin.

I just smirked at him. I was only wearing a huge t-shirt.

"I'm still having a nightmare every now and then," sabi niya. Kumuha naman ako ng tubig at umupo sa harap niya.

"Monsters? Paranomal activity or ghost?"

He chuckled a little. "None of the above." Uminom ulit siya. "Ikaw bakit hindi ka pa tulog?"

"Hindi ako makatulog. Naninibago ako." napakalumbaba ako sa harap niya. "You know, the last time I remember, kapag ganitong oras nagtatrabaho parin ako o may tinatrabaho ako."

Napahinto si Ekar sa pag-inom. Natawa ako sa reaksyon niya.

"Come on, as if you're a virgin and as if I am a virgin. May anak tayo pero hindi ko maalala kung paano natin ginawa at magkasama tayo na hindi ko alam kung paano. But anyway, I don't care."

Napakunot ang noo niya. "Why you don't care?" tanong niya at ibinaba ang baso. "Aren't you curious of what happened?"

"Somehow," I told him honestly. "But I think curiousity will only kill the cat. Curiousity is a freaking trap. Baka bukas makalawa magising ako at wala na ako dito. That someone is trying to set me up again, you know? Ngayon lang ako nakaramdam mabuhayan ng ganito."

"Then what do you exactly feel?" he asked.

"Oh, holyshit. I feel free and happy somehow, so. . ." tumayo ako para lumapit sa kanya. I raised my glass to touch his face. He didn't flinch a bit. "No stress means no conflict. And I don't want any conflict dahil kung meron man na dumating, I'll resolve it right away." kinidatan ko siya.

"Ericka. . ." tinulak niya ako ng marahan.

"It's Mae," I whispered. Nilapit ko sa kanya at mukha ko.

Ramdam ko ang pagbabaho ng paghinga niya. I kept swallowing the whole damn time. Bigla niya ako hinawakan sa bewang, napangiti ako.

"If you keep doing this I won't promise you  I can't stop myself," he said while brushing his thumb against my cheek.

"Then don't, I'm old enough... And I've lots of experience. I won't let you down. Susulitin ko ang lahat ng pera na nagastos mo sakin."

Bigla siyang lumayo. "What?"

"What?" tanong ko rin.

Umiling siya sakin at tumayo na. "I think we should go to sleep. The last time we did it, you suddenly turned into a seventeen year old girl who thought I'm a dirty old man that would screw her over and over."

"Hindi naman sa ina-accuse kita na pedo. But you are a freaking hot sugar daddy."

Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi ko. "I'm not your fucking sugar daddy and you're not seventeen. Matulog na tayo bago pa ako tuluyan mainis sayo," sabit niya at dumeretso na ito paakyat ng kwarto.

And for the fucking second time as of tonight he rejected me again. Seriously? Paano ko siya nagustuhan? Sobrang ikli ng pasensya ko sa mga tao pero bakit sa kanya nagbabago bigla ang ugali ko? What was this?

I walked up with a disturbing headache. Idagdag mo pa ang itsura ko pagkatingin sa salamin. God, para akong tumanda ng kaunti. I couldn't let stress get in my way.

Kaya naligo na agad ako at nagbihis. I wore the most sexy outfit that I found in the cabinet. I looked so freaking stunning, kita ang tiyan ko at nagmukha na akong bata.

Sinuot ko narin ang mga bling-bling na nakita ko sa cabinet. Hindi nga nagsisinungaling si Ekar, it was my old room.

Pagkalabas ko, umikot halos ang mata ko sa nakitang kong tao nakaupo sa sala. She was well dress like me. And alive, of course.

Sinamaan niya agad ako ng tingin.

"Oh, hi there!" sigaw ko. "You look actually familiar? Have we met before?" tanong ko at umupo sa sofa malayo sakanya.

She crossed her legs. Parang nagpipigil ito ng galit. "Ah no, I don't let myself meet a pathetic human being like you."

I laughed sardonically. "Aw, we met before, remember? In hell, right? Pinadala karin ba na Lucifer para manggulo sa mundong ito?"

Tumayo ito at nilapitan ako. I just raised my eyebrow too, mimicking her move. "Pasalamat ka at kinausap ako ni Rake na h'wag kang patulan dahil kung hindi, gagawin ko rin 'yong ginawa mo sakin."

I stood up infront of her, not breaking my eye contact. I cocked my head. "Really, dear? Watch out for me. Dahil baka isang araw magising ka nalang na inaatenan ang funeral mo."

"Bitch," nanlaki ang mata niya. "I'll just wait for you to turn back your oldself so I can beat the shit out of you."

"Well, well, what do I expect? A weak move from a loser like you."

Tumaas ang kamay niyo tila sasampalin ako pero nahawakan ko agad 'yon ng madiin at sinubukan baliin sa harap niya.

"Ladies," napabitaw ako sa boses ni Ekar.

"Oh, bihis kana rin pala," sabi ko ar lumapit sakanya.

"Rake, she's trying to hurt me." sumbong agad ng babae sa harap ko.

Hinawakan ko si Ekar sa braso. "As if I'm scared, right?"

"No fighting, ladies." napapagod na suway ni Rake. "Jessica, kung ayaw mo sumama pwede ka maghintay nalang dito."

Oh. Jessica is the name.

"Bumyahe ako all the way there to here para lang samahan kita. Tapos tatanungin mo ako niyan?"

"I'm just concerned. Knowing how annoyed you are to her."

"I can handle that. Basta andyan ka," sagot ni Jessica.

"I'm not your referee, ladies. Better behave."

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "Well, ayokong sumama kung sasama siya," I said.

"What?! Who do you think you---"

"You decide," putol ko sa kanya. "Me or her?"

"Rake! You can't do this!" napatingin lang ako sa seryosong mukha niya.

"Come on, tell me. Para alam ko na kung kailangan ko umalis o hindi," I said.

Huminga ng malalim si Ekae at tumingin kay Jessica sa likod ko. Mas lalo tuloy ako kumapit sakanya.

"Just stay here, Jess, I'll text you the result," Rake finally said.

"Rake! What the fuck?!"

Ngumiti ako at sinilip ang hindi mapakali na si Jessica. Kinindatan ko siya dahil wala siyang magawa. She just stood there like a fucking useless human being.

"Bye, Jess. See yah!"  pang-aasar ko bago pa kami tuluyan makalabas ng bahay.

Pumasok na kami sa sasakyan ni Ekar. He didn't say anything again after all, tahimik nanaman siya. Oh this man, was playing mind game to me.

"Where are we going?" I asked my face was resting to my hand.

Tumingin muna siya sakin. He was watching again my reaction for the nth time already.

"Para maintinidihan natin ang nangyayari sayo. We'll go to a psychiatrist, Ericka."

Nanigas ako sa kinauupuan ko. Parang nawala lahat ng dugo ko sa mukha. Hell. This couldn't be. Hindi ako papayag.