Caleb

The plan was a huge success. Axel and Heather had a really huge fight after Natalie's stunt and it seems like they were about to break up. Although sa tingin ko ay wala naman talagang kinalaman sa ginawa ni Natalie ang pagaaway nila ay hindi na lang ako kumibo. Hindi  ngayon maipinta ang mukha ni Natzkie sa sobrang kagalakan. Pagkalapad lapad ng ngiti niya. Kala mo wala nang bukas.

Pinipilit ko rin namang maging masaya para sa kan’ya. After all, partners kami dito hindi ba? So instead of acting surly, I tried to fake enthusiasm. I even suggested that we party tonight as a celebration of her job well done. Only I was feeling devastated inside.

I struggled to keep the feigned grin on my face as she looked back at me. Nais kong mambasag ng mukha nang ngumiti siya sakin ng pagkatamis tamis, so sweet her eyes seemed to twinkle. Naglalakad siya sa buhanginan at kulang na lang kumandirit siya sa sobrang saya nya. Argh! Nakakainis 'tong nararamdaman ko. Why am I feeling this?

She already took off running to a nearby bar when I came into a realization. Naiinis ako, hindi dahil basta ayoko lang sila magkabalikan ni Axel. Hindi lang dahil undeserving ang lokong 'yon sa pagmamahal at loyalty ni Natzkie. But because, I wanted her for myself! I want her to be mine! Malinaw na ngayon iyon sa’kin.

Gusto kong magwala. Gusto kong tadyakan ang buhangin na nilalakaran ko. Pero ayokong madisappoint sa’kin si Natalie. She's too happy. Too elated. I don't wanna ruin this for her.

Oh God. Nasapo ko ang noo ko. This can't be happening to me! Not now! I have so many things ahead of me. I have an empire to run. Walang lulugaran ang ganitong feelings sa buhay ko. This will only ruin me. At lalong hindi dapat kay Natalie! Hindi dahil sa hindi siya maganda o hindi siya mayaman.. But because..

"Huy, okay ka lang?" 

Napaatras ako nang biglang pumitik si Natalie sa tapat ng mukha ko. "You're spacing out." nakangusong sabi niya.

I tried faking another smile. Pero alam kong ngiwi ang kinalabasan nu’n. "I'm just.." paano ko ba sasabihin sa kan’yang hindi ako natutuwa na nagtagumpay kami? Hindi ako natutuwang may pag asa nang magkabalikan sila ni Axel? Paano ko sasabihin na nagkakagusto na ‘ko sa kaniya? Anak ng pating naman! "May iniisip lang ako." sabi ko na lang.

"Naman naman, Caleb Damien Yung, akala ko ba magse-celebrate tayo? Eh mukha kang namatayan diyan?" humalukipkip pa siya.

Pakiramdam ko nga naghihingalo ang puso ko dahil sa’yo. Where in hell did that come from, Caleb? Ang corny mo, gago.

I sucked in a deep breath before grabbing her hand. Gusto niyang magcelebrate, fine! I'll humor her. Alam kong wala sa plano ang magkagusto ako sa babaeng 'to, but what the heck? It feels so fucking good having her with me and it felt like it just rained chocolates having her hand in mine. Screw this. If I'm going down the drains after this, I might as well enjoy the ride.

Pumasok kami sa loob ng madilim na bar. It was crowded and full of dancing and drunk people. Binitawan ko ang kamay ni Natzkie para ipulupot ang braso ko sa bewang niya. I held her close to my body. Mahirap na, baka mawala pa 'tong babaing 'to. She doesn't seem to mind that I was almost hugging her, though. In fact, her right hand was nesting on my chest and she snuggled closer.

Naupo kami sa bar kung saan wala gaanong tao. "One tequila on the rocks please," wika ko sa bartender. "Ano’ng sayo?"

"Uhm?" pinanlakihan lang niya ko ng mata.

"Ah!" bigla akong natawa. Naalala kong hindi nga pala sanay uminom 'tong babaeng 'to. "Punch na lang sa kaniya." baling kong muli sa waiter pagkatapos ay tumalilis na ito.

"Remember the first time we met, Natzkie?" I teased.

Even under the dim lights of the bar, I saw her blush scarlet. "Ano ba? 'Wag mo na nga 'yon ipaalala!"

I laughed. "I have never met any woman who could capture my attention that way." pailing iling na sabi ko. It's true. Unang pagkakakilala naming dalawa, Dianne o Ana pa ata ang pakilala niya n'on, I knew already she's unique.

Walang tatalo sa linya nyang, "Rape me! Rape me please!"

Sure I was pissed that time, but dang if it doesn't amuse me everytime I remember that! 

"Bwiset ka talaga!" she pouted.

Inihain ng bartender ang inumin sa harap namin na kaagad naman naming sinimsim. "Seriously, I have never seen Heather as mad as that," I stated. "It's like, all hell broke loose."

"Yeahhhh.." aniya na nakangisi. "I was not expecting her to see those pictures just yet. Mabuti na lang pala at may sa pakialamera ang ex fiancee mo ano?"

"And it was a genius move on your side, placing our engagement ring in the bathroom. Mabuti rin at may pagka-vain ang ex mo. He easily found the ring on the sink." I ordered for another shot of tequila.

"Matanong ko lang.. Bakit 'di mo binawi yung singsing?" hinarap niya 'ko. "Nagulat ako nu’ng makita ko ‘yun sa drawer ni Heather."

I shrugged. "Hindi man lang ba dumapo sa isip mo na baka hindi 'yun ang engagement ring namin? Na baka plano na ni Axel magpropose sa kan’ya?" nakangising tanong ko.

"I'm not dumb." she picked up her glass, but instead of taking a swig, pinaglaruan lamang niya iyon sa kamay niya. "It's a huge diamond right there, there's no way Axel could afford that."

"Well.." muli akong nagkibit balikat.

"But why though?"

"Why what?"

"Bakit di mo nga binawi?" impatient na tanong niya.

I smirked. "She didn't gave it back, napaka ungentleman ko naman if I demand it back, diba?"

Natawa siya. "Wow ah? May pa-gentleman gentleman pang nalalaman? Big word!" she drank the rest of her punch then shoved the empty glass away from her. "Curious lang ako, bakit ayaw mo magpakasal kay Heather?"

It was my turn to laugh. "I don't love her. Why would I marry her?"

Parang nabigla pa siya sa sinabi ko. She looked pointedly at me as if trying to figure me out. Nailang na lang ako sa paraan niya ng pagtitig at kusa nang nagbaba ng tingin. God! What the hell is happening to me? Hindi naman ako dating ganito ah? The old Caleb Damien Yung will never be caught flustered by a woman. Pero sabi nga nila, makakahanap ka din ng katapat mo.

Is it really Natalie for me? Siya ba talaga ‘yung katapat ko?

Pailalim na sinulyapan ko siya. She's not looking at me anymore. Nilalaro na niyang muli ang basong ininuman niya kanina. Damn it. Why do I have this sudden ache to touch her? I mean, ilang araw ko narin namang nararamdaman 'to. It was only intensified by that—shit, this is so fucking gay—magical moment when she told me I was her hero.

Simula nun, pakiramdam ko na ako si Batman. Not superman or Spiderman coz I don't have super powers like that, but you know, I'm insanely rich. Like Bruce Wayne. So, Batman, it is. Parang gusto ko na talagang panindigan ang pagiging hero ko sa kan’ya. Putres na 'yan, pusong puso ka Caleb Yung! Shit ka!

I can be Natalie's hero. I wanted to be. I wanted to protect her, to shield her from pain..

As if on cue, biglang tumigil ang techo music sa bar at napalitan ng kantang Hero ni Enrique Iglesias.

Hey, God, are you taunting me? Gusto kong mapatingala.

"You wanna dance?" I asked her.

She stared at me like I lost my mind or something.

"Ano?" untag ko. Hindi ko na inintay ang sagot niya. Basta ko na lang kinuha ang kamay niya at hinila siya patayo. "Cmon, Natzkie, akala ko ba magcecelebrate tayo?"

"H-hindi ako marunong sumayaw, Caleb!" there was a tinge of panic on her voice.

Hindi ko siya pinansin, bagkus tuluyan ko na siyang hinila sa gitna ng bar na 'yon. We stopped on the middle of the dancefloor and I pulled her close to me. Inilagay ko ang kamay niya sa balikat ko pagkatapos ay inilagay ko naman ang akin sa bewang niya. I almost sighed. She fits me perfectly. God damn it. Walang ibang babae ang nagkaroon ng ganitong epekto sa’kin noon. It's like, finding my other half.

"I'll teach you." I whispered to her ear. 

"I might step on your toes, I might..fall."

I held on her waist tighter and stared intently  into her beautiful eyes. "Don't worry I got you.."

Sumayaw lamang kami doon sa saliw ng musika. Parang nanunudyo talaga na tugmang tugma ang lyrics ng kanta sa nararamdaman ko. Nakakainis!

Am I into deep? Have I lost my mind? I don't care.. You're here, tonight..

Natalie cleared her throat. Na awkward-an siguro dahil masyado kaming tahimik. Paano naman kase masyado kong ninanamnam ‘yung moment. Bihira ko naman kase siyang mahawakan ng ganito. When I'm holding her near like this, it felt like she belonged to me. Like she's mine and mine alone.

"Tell me something about yourself." she whispered. Hindi niya makuhang tumingin sa mukha ko. Wala tuloy akong matitigan kundi ang bumbunan niya. Ano ba naman 'tong babaeng 'to?

"What do you wanna know?"

"Where are your parents?"

Bahagya akong natigilan sa tanong niya, pero agad din naman akong nakabawi. I sucked in a deep breath. This is one topic I tried so hard to avoid. I don't even discuss this with my friends. "My mother died when I was a kid. 'Yung tatay ko, hindi ko nakilala."

Noon siya napatingin sakin. "Weh?"

Natawa ko sa reaksyon niya. Kahit kelan talaga!  She always had a way to break tensions like this. "Yeah. My lolo never talked about it. He rarely talks about my mother as well. Sa mga katulong lang sa bahay ko nalaman ang mga impormasyon na 'yun about my parents."

"That must have.."

"Sucked? Yeah. Big time." tumango tango ako.

"Hindi kayo close ng lolo mo?" usisa pa niya.

"Nope."

"Eh sino lang close mo sa kamag anak mo?" usisa niya.

I shrugged. "Well, I have a cousin, her name's Ava. Anak siya ng pinsan ni mom. I have alot of second degree cousins. Nagiisang anak kasi si mom, pero marami siyang pinsan, hence all those cousins. I think there are at least thirty of them? Dami ‘no? Sa lahat sa kanila, kay Ava lang ako naging malapit. She taught me all the.. Ah, what do you call that? Kabalahuraan? Siya ang nagturo sa’kin ng kalokohan." I chuckled remembering that witch.

"That explains kung bakit kakaiba ka minsan magsalita!" she exclaimed. "I wanna meet this Ava. She seems cool."

"Ava studied in a public school, unlike most of us." sagot ko. Pero wala akong balak na ipakilala si Natalie sa pinsan ko. Like I said, she's a witch. A mad scheming bitch. Kasundo ko siya, oo. But I don't want her filthy claws near my Natalie. "Your turn."

She smiled at me. "I was born in the states. My father's a foreigner, inanakan si mama. Umuwi kami dito sa pinas, tapos dito, nakilala niya yung napangasawa niya. I have a step brother and a twin half brother, and sister. That's it."

"Where are they? Kasama mo ba sila?"

Umiling siya. "Nagsarili na 'ko. Matagal na panahon na. May pamilya na kase silang sarili, ayokong makigulo sa kanila. Besides, kaya ko naman na eh."

"Don't you get lonely? Being alone?" sinuri ko ang mukha niya. Hindi naman 'yon kababakasan ng anumang emosyon. She's too guarded.

"Hindi no? Saya nga eh!" tumawa siya ng pagak.

Kumunot ang noo ko. I know, kahit di niya sabihin, she's sad. Malungkot siya na mag-isa. That's why she's holding on to Axel for her dear life. Like he's her life line. Like she wouldn't survive without him.

But she doesn't need him anymore. Now that she's got me. Hindi ko hahayaan na makaramdam pa sya ng kalungkutan. Hindi na siya nag-iisa. As cheesy as it sounds, I will always be here for her no matter what. I can be her anchor. She has me now.

"Natzkie.." I called.

"Hmm.."

"Kung nakilala mo 'ko bago si Axel.. Would you like me?" 

Nanlalaki ang mata na tumingin siya sakin. "Ha?!"

"You heard me." I said, rolling my eyes.

"I-I.."

"You..?" I prodded.

"H-Hindi ko alam.." napayuko siya.

"Bakit ‘di mo alam?"

Muli siyang tumingin saakin. Matalim na ang mata niya, this time. Nakabawi na siya sa pagkahiya niya kanina. "Eh sa hindi ko nga alam eh, anong magagawa ko? Saka hello? I've known him since forever! Ibig sabihin bata pa ko nun-"

I silenced her by planting my forefinger on her soft lips. Lips I'm dying to kiss right now. "Eto na lang.. What if I tell you.. I like you?"

Matagal siyang nakatitig sakin na tila hindi humihinga. I looked expectantly at her. Ang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko. Sa sobrang lakas, malamang ramdam na din niya ‘yun dahil sa nakalapat ang dibdib n’ya sa dibdib ko.

"Natalie?"

Nagulat na lang ako ng bigla niyang tanggalin ang daliri ko sa labi niya. Sukat ay niyakap niya ko ng pagkahigpit higpit at isinubsob ang ulo niya sa dibdib ko. The next thing I knew, she was giggling there non stop. Shit, is she drunk or what? Pero nakaisang baso lang naman siya ng punch?!

God, what am I gonna do with this woman?