LAURA

I know she couldn't believe that I'm infront of her. The wicked smile was playing on my lips while eyeing her. Halos mamutla na ang mukha nito sa sinabi ko. It's payback time, Laura. Sinubukan mong burahin ang ngiti sa mukha ko two years ago pero hindi ka nagtagumpay.

Now it's your turn to taste your own medicine.

"Come on, little shit. Wala kabang nasabi sa welcome speech ko? Oh, my goodnes. You look pale, na para bang nakakita ka ng multo."

Pilit hinila ni Rake ang kamay ni Laura para lumabas na sa kwarto. "Rake, don't touch her. Nagseselos ako. . ." I said, then put my hand on his shoulder.

Tinanggal agad iyon ni Rake. Napataas ako ng kilay. Dahil wala parin masagot si Laura sa mga sinasabi ko ngayon. She's right, I was way different when she first met me two years ago. I was vulnerable and weak that time.

Pero ang hindi ko makakalimutan, ang mukha niya na mapanlinlang. It looked so innocent but deep inside, she was an evil too like me. Hindi nga lang kami magkasing height dahil mas matangkad ako sakanya.

"Ericka, fuck off. This is not the right time of your bitchy attitude," sabi ni Rake sa'kin. I crossed my arms. Nang lumingon ito kay Laura na tila napipe na sa nangyayari.

"Honey, I got this under control. I know her, please trust me on this one."

Pinaglalaruan ko ang aking buhok habang nakangiti kay Laura. Ooh, I see, she was observing how I dressed. Well, I looked like her tonight. Dapat nga magpasalamat pa siya dahil nag-level up ang beauty niya.

"Nah, darling. You know, you can't control me. How about you leave us alone?" tanong ko.

Tumitig naman si Rake na para bang ito ang pinakanakakatawang binanggit ko. "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

"Ericka, your soon to be bitchy wife. Don't you remember?" napakunot ako ng noo at humawak kay Rake pero tinanggal nito iyon.

"No!" sigaw ni Laura. "He'll marry me not you, E-ericka," nabubulol na sabi nito sa pangalan ko.

I faced her. "Then. . .may the best woman win."

It fucking scared her. Ayaw na ayaw ni Laura na mawala si Rake sakanya, she loved him so much that she would do anything bad just to have Rake. Kahit na may pagkakamali si Rake dalawang taon na nakakalipas, pinatawad ni Laura ito, for the sake of fucking love. Gusto kong masuka.

"Honey, don't listen to her. I promise you, didn't I?" hinawakan ni Rake ang pisngi ni Laura na nanginginig na ngayon."Now, we must go. Away from her."

Humakbang ako at pumagitna sa kanila. "Where do you think you're going? I need to talk to her first."

"Wala na tayong dapat pagusapan pa," sagot ni Laura. "Ayokong makita ka. Hindi ko alam kung paano ka nakapasok dito, but this is trespassing. I'll sue you."

"Go on, para ma-throwback natin ang lahat ng nangyari two years ago." Sumeryoso ang mukha ko. "Don't tell me, you're scared already? Laura dear, give me a good fight this time."

"Ericka, back off. You're crossing the line," banta ni Rake sa'kin. "Don't you dare hurt her. Sinabi ko na sa'yo tapos na tayo."

"I won't, not unless you let me talk to her." I crossed my arms again. "At hindi pa tayo tapos, Rake. Lahat tayo may unfinished business dito."

Napatingin si Rake sa'kin tila may hindi naintindihan sa laman ng sinabi ko. Go on, think, Alicante. Para malaman mo kung gaano kademonyo ang babaeng pakakasalan mo.

"Rake, let's go. I don't want to be here. Ilayo mo siya sa'kin." Hinawakan ni Laura ang braso ni Rake at hinila.

"Aww, poor you. . .Takot na takot?" I asked. "Give me two seconds, Laura. Two seconds, at makikita mo kung anong klaseng relasyon ang meron  kami ni Rake dati."

"Rake! Please! She's torturing me. Ayoko na rito, umalis na tayo!"

Huminga ng malalim si Rake. "Do you trust me, hon? I have something in my mind. Kailangan ko siyang patigilin."

I laughed. "Ha, I told you, bitch. You better watch and learn."

"Honey, I got this." Rake caressed Laura's face. "Susunod ako. Hintayin mo nalang ako sa labas."

Nanginginig na ang tuhod ni Laura, hinila agad ito ni Rake palabas. While waiting for him, I walked to the bed and sat like a behave woman.

After one minute, Rake entered the room again. His face was so serious while walking towards me.

"One second, tik tok," pang-aasar ko.

Nagulat ako nang hilahin ni Rake ang kamay ko patayo, malapit sa bintana. It was so fast that I didn't notice he grabbed something on his pocked. The next thing I knew, there was a handcuff in my hand, ang isang pares nito'y nakakabit na sa bintana.

Hindi ko pinahalata ang pag-panic ko. "Ooh, right. That was fast. Mukhang nakapag-exercise kana, oldman. Atleast you made it in two seconds."

Hindi pinansin ni Rake ang sinabi ko at tatalikod pero bago niya magawa 'yon, agad kong hinila ang kurbata ng suot niya. Para mapalapit sa'king ng tuluyan. Binigyan ko siya ng nakakalokong ngisi.

I tilted my head. "You will leave me again?" Nang-aakit na tanong ko habang ipinupulupot ko ang kurbata sa kamay ko. "You know, I'll always come back, Rake. Kahit saan ka pa magpunta, at kahit sino ang kasama mo. Babalik at babalik ka sa buhay ko. . .No one can keep us part."

Umiling si Rake at tinanggal ang pagkakahawa ko sakanya. "Bumalik ka man pero hinding hindi mo makukuha ang puso ko. Because you're nothing but a toy in my life. You're just a piece of shit, Ericka."

"Ouch?" I said. Hinila ko ang handcuff ang umupo sa lamesa na katabi ng bintana. "Rake, you know you'll always belong to me, no matter what you believe in. You love me and I love you, isn't that enough?"

"The dark one, indeed, Ericka. I met the dark version of you," sagot ni Rake. "But selfish people don't know how to love. They only think of themselves, they don't know how to ask forgiveness or show some mercy."

"Oh, God. Are you describing your fiancee, Rake? Magingat ka sa mga sinasabi mo kung hindi mo kilala ang babaeng kinakasama mo ngayon. She's a bitch."

Biglang humakbang si Rake papalapit sakanya at hinawakan siya ng maghigpit sa leeg. "Leave her alone, Ericka.  She has nothing to do with this. You don't know her."

Tumawa ako ng malakas. "You're fucking kidding, Rake Alicante. Hindi mo nga talaga alam ang ginagawa mo. Sige, diinan mo na lang ang pagkakasakal sa'kin hanggang sa hindi ako makahinga."

Nagtititigan sila ni Rake. Walang sumusuko sa kanilang dalawa. I'm so use to this treatment. Kaya hindi ko na nagagawang manlumo o umiyak. I made a choking sound.

"Kill me now, if you don't want this anymore. Come on, I dare you."

Mas diniinan ni Rake ang pagkakahawak sa leeg ko. Ipinatong ko ang isang kamay ko sa mukha niya. Bumitaw si Rake at lumayo. He was walking back and forth, not knowing what to do.

I knew he was fighting for something. Between hating me and caring for me.

"Hindi mo kaya? Because deep down your heart, you still care for me."

"Fuck your existence," bulong ni Rake.

Lumakad na si Rake papuntang pinto bago pa siya makaalis nagsalita ako ulit.

"Hindi ako titgil, hanggang walang nanalo o natatalo sa laro ko. No one can say no. And tell Laura, iisa-isahin ko ang mga tao na nasa paligid niya hanggang sa wala nang matira sakanya. Gaya ng ginawa niya sa'kin at sa kapatid ko."

Napahinto ito. Pero hindi nagawang lumingon sa'kin. "I'm sure, Rake, wala kang alam sa mga nangyari. But do you want to know what this mean? It means, let's start this game so I can fuck everyone's life again this time."