Caleb

I nervously watched Natzkie as she navigated her way towards the table of Heather and Axel. Binayaran namin ang  isang waiter na niyakag kunware ang ex nya para pumirma sa isang non existent raffle coupons habang si Heather ay nagpaalam na pupunta sa restroom.

She sneaked towards their table and took out the small bottle of laxative from the pocket of her cut off jeans. Pasimpleng luminga siya bago binuksan ang botelya at ibinuhos ang laman niyon sa inumin ni Heather.

I gotta hand it to her, this woman is devious.

Ang dami niyang alam na pakulo. Hindi ko alam kung saan niya natutunan ang mga kalokohan na sinabi niya sa’kin kanina lamang. Pero isa lang ang masasabi ko, she's pure evil.

You wouldn't wanna mess with this woman. Magiging impyerno ang buhay mo kung nagkataon.

Patakbong bumalik siya sa pinagtataguan namin matapos gawin ang binabalak. Nakangisi pa siya sakin na tila isang demonyitang bata. Sarap tuloy niyang paluin sa puwit! Pilya! She was doing a happy dance when she got back to me.

"Did anyone see me?"

"Bakit sa inumin lang ni Heather mo nilagay yung gamot?" sita ko sa kanya.

Tiningnan nya 'ko na parang nahihibang ako. "Alangan lagyan ko din yung kay Axel? Para 'tong timang."

I scoffed. "Sus!" yun lang ang nasabi ko. I was pissed off a little. Halata naman na pinoprotektahan niya si Axel. At bakit naman kase hindi? He was still after all, the love of her life. I scowled. What in the name of all that's holy did she see in that guy? Psh. He's not at all good looking! Mukhang lalampa lampa pa! I mentally punched myself.

I have been doing a lot of camparing lately. Bakit ba kailangan kong ikumpara ‘yung sarili ko sa lalaking 'yon? Yeah, I 'm buffer, I'm richer, I'm better looking! But there shouldn't be a fucking competition! Kaya lang bakit habang tumatagal na nagkakasama kami ni Natalie, I have this growing feeling that I wanted to be noticed by her. I want her to like me! For Christ's sake! 

I get that Axel's the love of her life. Heck! He was her best friend and her first fucking love! Pero hindi ba sumagi sa isipan niya, kahit minsan lang, that she could have someone better? That she deserves someone better. Someone who's a better lover. Someone who could protect her. Someone who won't fall for another woman who just got trapped with him in a freakin' hotel room! Someone who won't hurt her! Someone like.. me..

Oh God. I'm screwed.

Dito naguumpisa 'yun eh. Sa mga selos selos na 'yan. Then, you'd start comparing. Then, you talk to yourself that you're better and that you won't even try to hurt her. Next thing you know, you were already fantasizing about having a relationship with that woman!

Hell and damnation. I'm already seeing it in fucking action!

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Sa susunod nito, magiisip na 'ko tungkol sa pagibig na 'yan. Diyos ko pong mahabagin. 'Wag naman sana! I would have to soon get out of this shithole I'm in. Bago pa lumala kung ano mang sumpa ang dumapo sakin. Ganito din ba ang nararamdaman ni Zeve sa ex nya? This sure is scary!

“Hey, ayos ka lang d’yan, Caleb? Parang namumutla ka?”

“No, I’m not.” I said through gritted teeth. “Sa ginawa mo parang ang dating sa’kin, hindi mo naman talaga sila balak paghiwalayin. Gusto mo lang gantihan si Heather.”

“Ano ngayon sa’yo kung gusto ko nga siyang gantihan? Naaawa ka sa Ex mo?” nakaismid na sabi niya.

“No!” I answered incredulously. Natahimik ako saglit. “Okay, a little.”

“Well, tell you what, Caleb Damien Yung. Walang lugar ang awa sa misyon natin. If you’re in this, you better put your game face on. Coz I’m going to destroy Heather ruthlessly.” She grinned like an evil kid. “Galing ko mag-english ‘no?”

Napailing na lang ako sa ginawa niya. See? She really is a nut case. Maya maya ay napapitlag ako nang bigla na lang impit na tumili si Natalie sa tabi ko. Napatingin ako sa kanya. She had her fists under her chin and she was bouncing with joy. Nilingon ko sila Heather at Axel sa di kalayuan. Heather's taking a long sip from her juice.

I saw her scrunch up her nose and say something to her boyfriend. Axel said something back and Heather just shrugged. Ipinagpatuloy niya ang pagsimsim ng juice.

Maya maya ay kapansin pansin ang pagiiba ng timplada niya. Namutla siya at tila pinagpapawisan. She looked at Axel with panic written all over her face.

Nagaalalang tumingin ako kay Natalie.

"How much did you put on her drink?"

"All of it."

Bigla akong kinabahan. All of it? I gulped. "Don't you think that's too much? Will she get killed?"

Nagtawa si Natzkie. "Oh, don't be silly!" tinapik niya 'ko sa braso. "Hindi naman niya naubos ang juice niya eh. Tama lang 'yung naconsume niya para masira ang bakasyon nila. At ang poise niya."

"If you say so." nakangiwing binalikan ko ng tingin ang dalawa. Natakot na 'kong kontrahin si Natalie. Who knows what else she got in her purse? She might have some potent poison of some sort and spike my drink with it just like what she did with Heather. I don't wanna die just yet.

We watched as Heather stood up clutching her tummy. Napatayo na rin si Axel upang alalayan ang nobya. Oh crap, here it goes. Nagmamadali silang umalis sa restau but I doubt kung aabot pa sa hotel si Heather. Napapalatak ako.

"What?" Natalie asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"You are so mean." I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I know, right?"

---

"Ako na! Ako na talaga!" Natalie exclaimed.

We high fived each other as we watched the love birds in their hotel room. Ngumisi siya sakin matapos ibaba ang binoculars sa coffee table. Nakakahawa talaga ang lukaret na 'to. Pati tuloy ako napangisi dahil nagtagumpay kame sa kalokohang ginawa namin. Nahahawa na 'ko sa kasamaan niya!

I latched beside her on the couch. Ipinatong ko ang braso ko sa sandalan niyon saka siya binalingan. "So, what's next?" I asked. "You already ruined their vacation. Heather's so pissed with Axel right now. She's like that when things get out of her hand. Lahat, pinagbubuntunan niya ng galit."

"Marerealize din ni Axel na hindi 'yang mga ganyang klase ng babae ang dapat na minamahal niya." she said bitterly. "She's shallow, bitchy, and a spoiled brat. One day, he's gonna get tired of her. Babalik siya sakin."

I just hope that when that time comes, you'll realize, Axel doesn't have a backbone and you'll choose me over him. ‘Yun sana ang sasabihin ko pero pinili kong manahimik na lang. 

I smiled at her when she gave me a fleeting look. Sumandal siya sa backrest ng sofa at idinantay ang ulo sa braso ko. That gave me a chance to have a better access to her face. Natalie may not be conventionally beautiful, admit it, she's not beauty queen material. She's not like Heather who's face landed on several magazines worldwide. Natalie's face had character, though. She had large eyes, na bumagay naman sa hugis ng mukha niya. She sometimes looked slightly disheveled but that only made her look even more natural. She may be quite innocent looking, angelic with those cupid bow lips, but she's feisty. Siya yung tipong kahit ilagay mo sa isla na kasama ang mga leon, magsusurvive.

Character wise, I wholly prefer women like her. Hindi high maintenance. Although, she can be pretty silly at times, with all this shits we've been involving ourselves in. Medyo may sayad ng konti ang babaeng 'to. But I think, once she've learn her lesson.. Matatauhan din siya.

I'm not giving up on her. She may be pretty hung up on that stupid ex of hers but I know she'll get over it somehow. Sooner rather than later, hopefully.

Tinutulungan ko siya hindi para mabawi niya yung bugok na payatot na 'yon. I wanted her to realize what really is good for her. I want her to want what she deserve not someone she thinks she deserve.

"So, on to the next plan.." pinaglaruan niya sa kamay niya ang mga litrato nila ni Axel.

"You know, you still haven't told me what are these for," inagaw ko yung litrato sa kanya. "And please refrain from touching them." kinuha ko ang tissue sa coffee table at pinunasan ang mga litrato. "Baka makakuha pa ng finger prints dito."

Humagikgik si Natalie. "You're smart."

I rolled my eyes at her. "You're not the only devious one here."

---

I nervously tapped my foot on the tiled floor of our suite as I watched Natalie on the other wing of the Hotel. She was looking stupid, whistling while she's walking towards Axel and Heather's room. Nakakainis lang dahil kahit pa mukha siyang tanga sa ginagawa niya, nacu-cute-an parin ako sa kanya.

Ibinaba ko nang kaunti ang binoculars para makita ko naman ang lovebirds na naglalampungan sa swimming pool. Mukhang maigi igi na ang kalagayan ni Heather dahil nakakapagswimming na ito.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko kay Natalie. She's still wearing that swimsuit we bought earlier. Damn those tits are so gorgeous, it's a sin not to look at them! Why on earth does those tits belong to someone as skinny as her? Although hindi naman panget tingnan, they actually look perfect. Grabe lang.

And for someone who has seen enough boobs in his lifetime, that would be saying a lot.

And to think those are real? F-uck.

I shook my head and decided it's best to concentrate on the matters at hand. Mahigpit na bilin ni Natalie na bantayan ko ang dalawang nasa ibaba para hindi siya mahuli sa tangkang pagpasok nya sa suite ng mga ito.

Again, courtesy of my endless supply of money—Natalie's words, not mine—Sinuhulan namin ang staff ng hotel para magkaron kami ng access sa kwarto ng dalawa.

Remind me to take a thorough investigation regarding my hotel's staff. Ayokong may isa sa mga 'yon ang nagpapabayad para sa mga kung anu anong pabor. Talk about double standards. Tsk.

I saw Natzkie putting the pictures in Axel's open baggage. Inayos niya iyon sa parang nakasilip nang bahagya ang isang sulok nito para madaling makita. Napailing ako. Diabolical.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang magikot ikot pa siya sa loob ng kwarto. What the hell is she doing? Baka maabutan pa siya nung dalawa dun. Nalintikan na. She opened some cabinets and was bending over something. Sa puntong ito ay napako ang mata ko sa pangupo niya.

Sh-it. She doesn't only have a beautiful rack but some ass to match, too. I'd definitely tap that! Napapalatak ako. Masyadong inagaw ng tanawin na 'yon ang paningin ko kaya hindi ko napansin na palabas na ng elevator sina Axel at Heather.

Mother of all f-ucks!

Siguradong maabutan nila si Natzkie at pag nangyare 'yon, masisira na ang lahat ng pinaghirapan namin! 

I dashed out of our suite and went towards Natalie's direction. I don't know what's taking her so long in there. Shit, shit, shit!

Tamang tama naman na may nakasalubong akong bell boy at humahangos ko siyang inapproach. "Hey, I saw a couple over the elevator, they asked me if I saw a bellboy. They looked like they could use some help." humahangos na sabi ko sa lalaki.

Tumango siya. But then he asked, "Okay lang ho ba kayo, sir?"

Pinahid ko ang pawis na naglandas sa sentido ko dahil sa pagtakbo. "Yeah, I'm fine.. I just.. I need to use the rest room." tumakbo na 'ko ulit. "Hurry up, those two need you." I called over shoulder.

Nasa kabilang wing na 'ko ng hotel, hindi ko sigurado kung sinong mauuna sa’min nila Heather na makaabot kay Natalie. Binilisan ko ang takbo ko. Just when I was about to take the turn, nakita kong paliko na rin ang dalawa. Putsa! Magkakasalubong kami!

"Ma'am, Sir!" narinig kong sigaw nang bellboy na nakausap ko kanina.

Heather and Axel turned and walked back and disappeared. Sakto namang palabas na si Natalie ng hotel room ng dalawa. I took the run and picked her up like a sack of rice saka tumakbo muling palayo.

Pagliko namin kung saan siguradong di na kami makikita ng dalawa ay saka ko lamang binitiwan si Natzkie at sabay kaming napaupo at napsandal sa ding ding ng hotel.

"What the hell was that?"

"Did you manage to shut their door?" I asked breathlessly.

"Yes." Oh thank fuck!

Humihingal na tumingin ako sa kan’ya. "Muntik ka na nilang makita."

"What?! Sabi ko sa’yo bantayan mo sila!"

"It's your fault, dahil nagtagal ka pa dun!" and you distracted me with your ass!

Instead of arguing with me she grinned at me. "Buti na lang, di nila ko nahuli."

"Magpasalamat ka sa’kin." inirapan ko sya at pinahid ang pawis sa noo ko. Hindi siya agad sumagot kaya naman tiningnan ko siya.

Her smile broadened. "You really are my hero."