Feeling author's note:

I'm so sorry for updating soooo late huhuhuhu. Stay well and happy. ♡♡♡

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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Sigmund and his crazy antics

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Satan had several dating experiences under her belt, but with only one person. After Ulysses, she neither dated nor entertained. She felt afraid to put herself out there as though her grieving was a contagious disease that could be transmitted through casual contact. As if she'd be bad news to people. Like Ulysses was the only one in a trillion who could love her with eyes closed and heart wide open. As though he was the only person capable of parading her in public, whose capacity to accept heterosexual love ratchets down for same-sex relationships. Thus, she knew she was a novice to it all and that under no circumstances should she idealize her second experience tomorrow because it likely wouldn't be as ideal as her first.

Having known that, she couldn't help but hold herself in deep thought. Especially that she knew for a fact that Sigmund naturally diverges from what she was accustomed to and what for her was a beau ideal of something. She was curious as to how he'd be breaking through the standard, just again.

"I think he wouldn't branch out from what is typical this time, Sasa," Lucifer said. They were all on their bedroom's terrace, laying on their backs with a blanket underneath them. All faces turned skyward. "So I bet he's going to bring you to an 'it' place. Somewhere high-end where he could impress you with the money he had withdrawn from his huge savings. You know what I mean. That's very typical of a move to sway women these days."

"Why do you think so?" Satan rolled her head to the left to look at her. She was in the middle of the two.

"Because he knows Ulysses had already set the bar sky-high. So why will he even try?"

"Becaut he might tet another ttandard by taking Tata to a low-pressure version of a date but will ttill tertainly put a tmile on her fate," Hudas quipped. "Ang mahal kaya ni Chuckie kati regittered siya ta Philippine Canine Club. Tapot binilhan niya na pa ng mga pagkain. To I'm sure he'll tighten hit belt tomorrow."

A fit of laughter jolted through Satan and Lucifer. 

"Wala ka talagang kwentang kausap!" the youngest piped out. 

"Walang kwenta pala, ha?" He sprang up from the ground. "Nataan na ba 'yang ti Chuckie? Nandito tayong lahat, dapat katama natin--"

"Hindi na! I'll stop na! I'll stop na!" Lucifer snuggled closer to Satan and hugged her so tight. 

The terrace was noised by their sniggers akin to those of theater-grubbers watching a blockbuster comedy film. Satan suddenly remembered how Lucifer was so above herself when she said nothing scares her anymore, but in the following days she'd be found on chairs, benches, or on any elevated forms the little Chuckie couldn't possibly reach her. At night, she'd be lounging in the restroom only to wait for her bladder to squeeze so she could pee before Satan would set free the lovely creature. In the morning she'd be hollering at Hudas or Satan to hold the puppy so as for her to accept nature's call. 

"Tige. Pero itang pang-aatar mo pa ta 'kin, kukunin ko na talaga ti Chuckie." He laid back down on the floor. "Let't continue where we left off. Taan na ba tayo natapot?"

Satan's voice was bubbly as she replied, "Sa sinabi mo na magtitipid si Sigmund bukas sa date namin."

"Ah, oo." He chuckled. "Puttahan ulit tayo, Lulu, oh? One day allowant ulit. Putta ko hindi tila pupunta ta mamahaling lugar bukat. Ano, g ka?"

"Duh! Of course, g ako! What do you think of me? A scaredy-cat who hadn't dated anyone yet for her not to be so sure of her bet?! Lahat naman halos gano'n na para magpa-impress!"

"We'll tee." He smirked. "Ikaw naman, Tata." He turned to her. "Ta tingin mo taan ka dadalhin ni Tigmund bukat?" 

She shrugged. "I'm curious, too, but I don't know. He's always unpredictable kaya wala rin akong idea o hula kung saan."

"Oh, by the way, by the way!" Excitement was in Lucifer's voice. "Have you decided what to wear?" Her eyes sparkled. She oh so fancy dressing people up like she would with herself. "What will be your hairstyle? Do you want it free falling with moderate curls on ends or just relaxed? Or do you want me to braid it like a crown with ringlets dangling on the sides? Or you want a simple messy bun?"

"Bakit? Aayusan mo ba 'ko?"

"Duh! I won't ask if I won't!" She rolled her eyes skyward. "People talaga! Ginagawang playground ang katangahan then they'll wonder why I'm pouring scorn over them!"

She pinched her cheek, chuckling. "I was asking because I am going out on a date with Sigmund. Sa pagkakatanda ko, na kay Kean ang boto mo, 'di ba?"

"But Datdat said I should be fair no matter who I am in favor with, so, let's get back to business!" She giggled. "What kind of style do you want to slay tomorrow?!"

"Frankly, I don't think I need to doll up, Lulu. He said I can wear anything I please."

"Exactly!" She hastened to sit. "He said you can wear anything you please! That means you do you, girl! Kaya, follow me! Datdat, hawakan mo muna si Chuckie hanggang makarating kami sa walk-in closet. Let's go, Sasa. Mamimili tayo ng susuotin mo. Tapos kung ano'ng mapipili mo, I'll base on it the kind of hairstyle you'll don tomorrow."

"Tige! Tige! Gutto ko 'yan!" Hudas got up on his feet and sprinted inside their room. Seconds later, he yelled. "Hawak ko na ti Chuckie! Pwede na kayong pumatok!"

Lucifer forcefully grabbed Satan's wrist, missing the chance for the latter to protest. Her siblings stood in the middle of the closet, holding dresses in their hands. 

She was instructed to stay put in the middle, raise her thumbs if she liked the outfit, and shake her head if not. At first, it was totally fine, until her limbs were fatigued and her neck strained from shaking her head. Out of the many clothes  her youngest sibling pulled from the racks and shelves, none struck her taste thus far. The two grew impatient and weary; all the rejected clothes were cluttered on the floor, hangers broken into pieces.

"Por favor, Sasa!" Lucifer groaned, throwing another turned-down dress on the floor. "We've been doing this for ages now! Better yet, just pull a fucking curtain from a window of your choice tomorrow and wrap it around your body! I'm tired!" 

"Me too!" Hudas dumped one more rejected outfit on the floor.

"Sorry!" She placed her palms together under her chin, pulling on a puppy face. "Last five na, please? If I'll end up not liking anything from those again, I'll go with the last one." She raised her right pinky finger, adding, "Promise!"

"Fine!" Lucifer rummaged inside the cabinet again. She faced her with a black slip dress with deep decollete back and front. "Like or dislike?"

"Kita na kaluluwa ko r'yan, Lulu, eh...Sorry..." Satan replied.

"Hijo de puta! At least hindi si jun-jun!" 

"Lulu..."

For the second pick, Hudas chose an indigo relaxed romper shorts, its mid-thigh length and scooped neckline so ideal for movement.

"Binigay ko na 'yan kay Lulu, remember? Kasi hindi ko nasukat, sobrang ikli pala sa 'kin...Sorry..."

"Eh, 'di don't!"

Third was a tight-fitting sweater dress that solidifies all the body curves. 

"Ang init sa labas, Lulu...Sorry..."

"Tropical country, duh! What do you expect?!"

Fourth was a black camisole dress with gray shirt underneath, its cottony fabric could allow heat to escape the body. 

"You know how uncomfortable it is for me to wear an outfit layered with another, 'di ba, Datdat? Sorry..."

"Ba't mo binili?!"

And as what was dealt, she wore the last pick for her Saturdate. It was an orange sleeveless shirring dress. Its ankle length and fitted square neckline lent her a comfortable fit plus a kind of glow that accentuated her elegance. Adding up the last touch of beauty was her hair tied into a low bun with a few loose strands in the back and on the sides to avoid looking overdone. 

Her family couldn't stop admiring her style. She looked like a fairy tale princess lost in the non-fiction world, Hudas had gushed, everyone else seconding with appreciative eyes. They wore awed and perplexed faces similar to the kind Sigmund put on by the time he picked her up with his Vespa scooter, up to the time they wheeled the road going somewhere he said was a place so perfect for her outfit:

Paintball arena. 

She couldn't make out what to feel. Laughter bubbled inside her, at the same time, she was peeved because she couldn't imagine herself playing paintball shooting while wearing an outfit that conflicts with it.

"Ok, let's go! Excited ka na ba? Ako kasi sobra!" He grinned like a Cheshire cat. He was wearing a black shirt layered underneath a half-buttoned charcoal dress shirt tucked in black shorts, paired with two-strap belt sandals.

A hush fell between them. Until they caught each other's eyes and a bubble of unhinged laughter rose from the pit of Satan's stomach. She attempted to swallow it down. But the corners of Sigmund's eyes started to crinkle, so did hers. They burst out giggling. 

"Nakakainis ka talaga!" She pinched his tummy. He flinched. "You said you're taking me to a place so fitting for my outfit, then you took me here?! Not that I'm being fussy, but you could have told me ahead of time! Para hindi ito 'yong sinuot ko!"

Her heart ached for the time and effort Lucifer alloted to doll her up, only for everything to be ruined by paints to be fired hot against her.

"Ang astig kayang tignan nang naka-dress ka tapos maglalaro tayo ng paintball!" he gushed, even gesturing hand guns at her. "Basta gagalingan natin, ha? Kami nina Kuya at Mamu laging nanalo–"

"Dinadala niyo si Mamu rito?! Ano'ng naisip ninyo ni Architect Sergio?! Ikaw maiintindihan ko pa, pero si Kuya mo–"

"Grabe ka naman sa 'kin!" he piped out. "My heart is bloodings everywhere!" Satan's jaw ached from too much laughing. "Pero totoo. Gusto kasi ni Mamu lagi siyang involved, eh. Kaya dinadamay na namin. Nagustuhan naman niya. Minsan nga siya na rin nag-aaya sa 'min ni Kuya na pumunta rito, kami na lang din nagsasabi na taym pers muna."

"You and your crazy antics." She laughingly shook her head. "Tara na nga." She pushed him on the shoulder and started walking to the field. "Where do we go from here? Saan 'yong main entrance?"

"Doon." He pursed his lips at the left side, where a rusty gate was wide open. 

He offered his hand to guide her as they padded the stone-strewn path going to the main entrance. The arena was mobbed with trees, with their foliage forming a rather leafy canopy for the paintball shooting players. A handful of players were on the field, wearing very militaristic protective gears from head to toe. A triumphant smile flickered across her lips at the thought that she could enjoy the game without worrying about her outfit.

There were sixteen people in the paintball range. Including Satan and Sigmund, twelve were players, by all gestures and closeness the rest were couples of different and same sexes. Three were game moderators and one was the game master who, once certain that every player was in the field, explained the mechanics of the game and instructed all to divide themselves into three groups with four members each. 

Two women, a femme whose name was Silo and a butch whose name was Sadie, approached Sigmund and Satan to propose a team-up, to which they supplied a favorable response to. The other players had themselves belonged in their designated groups, too; one consisted of two gay men couples, the other with two heterosexual couples.

The game began.

"Sigmund! What are you doing?!" Satan yelled. She pulled Sigmund's finger off the trigger. "Why are you aiming at the game master?!" 

They were hiding behind one of the giant rocks cluttered around as hiding spots for players. She was slumping on the green field with back against the rock, whilst Sigmund was on his knee with his gun atop the rock. 

"Kanina pa 'yan, eh!" he replied angrily. "Dapat dino-double check din niya o kaya ng mga moderators 'pag nagsasabi ng game on 'yong kalaban natin kung may nagpapa-paint check. Ilang beses ko na natatamaan 'yong isang lalaki, laging sinasabing hindi counted as hit. Nasa dead area na dapat 'yan kasama ng jowa niya kanina pa, eh."

"It's just a game, Sigmund. Win or lose, at least we enjoyed," she replied, still as alert as a military as she kept her eyes peeled for whoever would dare shoot them. Sigmund took care of the front range. "Besides, not all hits are considered death talaga. So let go of the trigger and stop aiming at him. Tayo ang mapupunta sa dead area n'yan, eh. Nasa'n na ba sina Sad--" 

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sigmund shouted at the top of his throat, throwing punches in the air. "Subukan mong sumigaw ulit ng paint check, suntukin ko ulo mo!"

Satan scrambled on her feet to peer over the rock and catch a glimpse of what happened. The man Sigmund was referring to was bullseyed by him on the vest. Red ink splattered all over his shoulders and mask. He didn't, for a second, make an obvious attempt to ask for a paint check. He rather raised his gun above his head and shouted that he was hit. The game resumed when he was nowhere within the proximity of the battlefield. 

"Dalawang players na lang from blue team at isa na lang from yellow team, Sigmund, panalo na tayo! Ang galing-galing niyo ni Sadie!" Satan happily announced, suddenly hugging him from the side. "S-sorry…M-my emotions got the better of me…"

"Sus! Wala 'yon!" He gestured his hand dismissively. "Hindi naman ako malisyosong tao." 

Her smile was like a sealed envelope, biding its time to break into a toothed one. "Sorry uli--"

"Crush mo ba 'ko?" 

She nearly rolled over the green as she cracked up. "So that's what you call 'hindi malisyoso'?" 

"Exclusive lang naman 'yon sa 'yo." He winked. 

She jabbed her fist on his thigh and shifted the topic to, "Nasa'n na ba pala si Sadie? Wala pa namang nababawas sa 'tin, 'di ba? Silo's still in our base to take guard of our flag the last time we checked." 

"Wala pa." He shook his head. "Sadie's up to steal the blue flag. Ours will be the yellow flag in case we fail to shoot these three remaining players." 

One of the remaining players of the blue team was hiding behind a tree across from them. The other two couldn't be sighted. 

"Ako na lang bahala sa yellow flag." She checked on her gun barrel, smiled when it was still half-filled of red paint, enough to shoot one or two. "Ikaw na bahal--"

"No!" He held her arm, one hand still holding his gun. Eyes still fixed on the player hiding behind the tree. "I told you to stay close to me, didn't I?"

"Sigmund..." She laughingly removed his hand off her arm. He glanced at her for a second. "This isn't supposed to be romantic, okay? Let's temporarily draw the line here. Mamaya mo na ulit pairalin pagiging manliligaw mo pagkatapos ng game. Gusto kong mag-enjoy nang walang restrictions mo kasi gan'to gan'yan."

"Sige, erp, sabi mo, eh." He laughingly dodged from her punch. "Galingan mo, erp, ha? 'Pag 'di mo nakuha 'yong flag ng yellow team, pektus ka bente sa 'kin." 

"My siblings and I used to play games like this on wii. So, if I successfully did, who you ten times ka sa 'kin."  

"Linya ko 'yon, eh!" He pouted.

"Not anymore!" She tucked her tongue out at him and sprinted behind the closest tree. 

She hopped from one tree to another until she reached the ones adjacent to the base of the yellow team. The only remaining player of the team was there, guarding their flag, but was undoubtedly out of the state of alertness because he rather didn't sense Satan's presence. She then, with all caution, aimed her gun at the man, counting off from one to three before she fired hot; hitting him solidly on the knee. The moment he yelled, "I'm hit!" with his gun raised head high, was the same moment Satan ran towards their base and took the yellow flag. 

A one man cheer erupted from afar. She swept her eyes on the arena to search for the owner of the voice. It was Sadie, and she was waving a blue flag at her

Needless to say, they won. 

And it was hard for her to keep a straight face whilst Sigmund begged for her attention, hence her remark: My siblings and I used to play games like this on wii. So, if I successfully did, who you ten times ka sa 'kin.

"Sasa. Hoy." He lightly elbowed him. "Pansinin mo na 'ko. Who you ten times lang 'yon, ha? Parang sumosobra ka naman na yata sa sampu."

They were driving out of the arena to grab a bite. Since Silo and Sadie have their own itineraries for their first ever date in Manila as an offical couple, right after the game ended, they separated ways.

"Sasa!" He shouted loud enough for every motorist to hear as well.

Some turned their heads to look at them. The rest cared not to nose out.

All the sniggers she tried to curb escaped her lips. "Papansinin na kita! 'Wag ka nang maingay! Pinagtitinginan na tayo, oh."

"Promise?" he baby talked.

"Promise."

"Good. Kasi babawi ako sa 'yo rito sa kakainan natin." His voice reeked of confidence. "This time, totoo na. Bagay na rito 'yang suot mo. Bagay na bagay ka na rito."

Just then, they pulled over at a paved walk lounging a row of high-end eateries; a staple go-to for men who either have a seven figure salary to prove that they are at the top of the pack or have misjudged women for being high maintenanced. To put it simply, none from the choices of restaurants was right up her alley.

"I hope the place won't disappoint, Sasa" said Sigmund, offering a hand as they mounted up the stairs going to the entrance.

"You didn't actually have to bring me to such a place, Sigmund." She took her hand in his. "But thanks. I appreciate the effort."

He scratched his nape, by all appearances shying away, probably from the kind of place he chose for her.

A number of chandeliers were suspended from the restaurant's ceiling, with their dangling diamond-shaped crystals bestowing a glassy awning for customers. Their moon-like beams kissed Satan's form as she sat on a two-seater table adjacent to several couples cladded with outright formal attires, setting the two of them apart with their casual wears. A piece of slow instrumental music was serenading in courtesy of the men in maroon suits at the center, taking her partiality over old songs to the maximum when she figured they were playing 'Knocks me off my feet'.

"Sorry..." he whispered, just enough for her to hear. "I simply didn't want to bring you to just any place. I want it to be somewhere nice...and modest...and somewhere you're accustomed to."

"Believe it or not, I am not used to this kind of a resto." She chuckled. "Hindi kami pinalaki nina Mama at Papa na magarbo. They'd rather be spending the money for our necessities. Kung kakain man kami sa mga gan'tong lugar, it would only be for special occassions. Besides...mas masarap sa mga lowkey food chains. El Pastas and Greenwich for an instance."

He scratched his nape once again. "Sorry tala--"

"You don't have to be sorry, Sigmund, really."

"At least now I know where to take you next." He chuckled. "Anyhow, shall I order for you or you want to take your pick? Dito kasi namin madalas dalhin ni Kuya si Mamu pagkatapos ng paintball shooting, kaya kabisado ko na kung ano 'yong pinakamasarap."

Having heard that, she allowed him to choose her meal, from appetizer to main course to desserts to drinks. Their orders arrived after a  full fifteen minutes of waiting time. He ordered egg salad for their appetizers, chili-garlic beef with stir fry noodles for main courses, blueberry cheesecake for desserts, and cranberry smoothies for drinks.

Her suitor was silent through out as though he wanted to speak but was too shy. He instead settled himself with stealing glances at her from time to time.

"Do you have something to say?" She couldn't control to ask. "If you do, feel free. You know I don't bite."

"But you know I prefer that you do."

They laughed.

"But seriously, Sasa," he cut all the joking short, with his eyes staring her on the face. "I hope, somehow, I lessened the weight of the baggage you carry."

"Actually, if I am to rate my happiness right now from one to ten, with ten being the highest. It would be ten." An upturned curve flickered on her lips. "Thank you so much, Sigmund."

"I know after this those baggages will still weigh you down at whiles, so..." He reciprocated her smile. "I'd like you to know that I ain't just for the good times."

"I know...You've proven that for a number of times already, Sigmund..."

"But I just don't want you to know. I don't want you to think that I was just trying to prove something." He reached for her hand on the table. "I want you to see and feel it deeply, intense, and often. So please, don't startle when I double down on my efforts..."