"Cuddle?!" bulyaw ni Tanya matapos marinig ang mahabang kwento ko. "Ew?!"

Tumango ako bilang tugon. Kumuha ako ng isang stick ng marlboro sa packet na nasa center table. Isinubo ko ang dulo nito saka sinindihan. Habang nag-aamok sa gilid ko si Tanya, kitang-kita ko naman ang panonood sa akin ni Daisy; nag-o-observe sa akin, sigurado.

Nandito kami ngayon sa shared condo ni Tanya at ng kuya niya. Sabi niya kasi, dito na lang daw kami mag-catch up dahil tinatamad siyang gumayak para sa club. Sakto rin na maraming stock ng alak ang kapatid.

"I mean, I know wala kang problema sa cuddles and shits pero what the fuck? You were talking about those kind of things while cuddling? Oh my god, Areeya! Nilalagnat ka ba?!"

Tumawa ako dahil doon. Muli akong humithit sa sigarilyo bago ibinuga ang usok nito makalipas ang ilang segundo.

"Hindi ko rin alam paano kami umabot sa gano'ng punto. It was him who asked me first about this thing I'm worried about. Hanggang sa nagkaroon ng biruan. I don't know what's gotten into him. Nagbago siya simula nang nagkaroon siya ng business trip overseas."

Bayolente siyang nagbuntonghininga bago nagsalin sa sariling shot glass. Ininomniya 'yon nang mabilis bago tumitig sa akin.

"Are you falling?"

Mabilis akong napakunot-noo. "Nahihibang ka ba? Gano'n kababaw ang tingin mo sa akin para mahulog sa kan'ya?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

Tumawa si Daisy bago kinuha ang sigarilyo sa daliri ko saka siya humithit dito. Makalipas ang ilang segundo, binuga niya ang usok nito saka ngumiti at nagsalita.

"It was the other way around. Feeling ko lang, Areeya's far from falling from that guy. Based lang sa kwento at facial expressions niya, ang tingin niya lang kay Sir Hunter ay isang sex partner who made her satisfied more than what she wanted."

Napanguso ako bago nagkibit-balikat. "I hate to admit this one but he's that good. He definitely knows where he'll satisfy me the best. He knows my body too well that not having sex with him makes me feel lonely."

"And?" Tanya asked.

"And what?"

"What did you feel about him from the day after you had sex?"

I chuckled. "The usual."

"So, what kind of usual?"

I shrugged. "Someone I am obligated to pleasure. Someone who's obligated to pleasure me."

Napanguso si Daisy sa sinabi ko. "But there's one thing I want to know."

I didn't talk. Tanya and I just stared at her.

"Kung tama ang pagkakaintindi ko kanina sa kwento mo, you and Sir Hunter didn't have sex for a whole week? And he called you to his office only to cuddle you? Hug you? Kiss you?"

I nodded in response. She smiled widely.

"You are not obligated to pleasure him."

I chucked. "The fuck you mean?"

She chuckled. "He's falling for you "

Humagalpak ako ng tawa dahil do'n. "Tama na pagbabasa ng aklat ni Colleen Hoover, Daisy! Hindi na funny!"

Umiling-iling si Daisy. "I'm just telling what I've observed. That guy can fuck you in every corner of his oh-so big office and no one would know. But he made you sit on his lap and embrace you in his arms, rather, because your presence is enough pleasure for him!"

Tumayo si Tanya at nagtitili saka tumalon habang hawak-hawak ang bote ng Chivas Regal. Para siyang ewan! Para bang tuwang-tuwa siya sa realization nilang dalawa ni Daisy dahil lang sa kaunting kwento na sinabi ko!

Hindi ako makapaniwala. Nagawaan kaagad nila 'yon ng conclusion! Ano na lang ang reaksiyon niya kapag sinabi kong binigyan ng one-week off ni Hunter ang mga empleyado ng RES Telecommunications para lang hindi mahalata ng mga 'yon na magkasama kami sa buong linggo na 'yon?!

"Oh my god, I wanna meet him! I wanna meet him! Introduce him to us soon, please! Gusto ko nang malaman kung boto ba ako sa kan'ya para sa 'yo o hindi! Please! Please!" sabi ni Tanya matapos bumalik ulit sa pagkakaupo sa tabi ko.

Umiling ako nang umiling bago kinuha ang bote ng alak sa kan'ya saka sinalinan ang shot glass ko.

"Wala namang nakaka-amaze sa kan'ya. He's just like what I tell in my stories."

Ngumuso si Tanya. "But I still want to know kung boto ako sa kan'ya o hindi. Hindi kasi sapat sa akin ang kwento mo para malaman kung deserved ka ba niya o hindi. I mean, I have to see it with my two eyes!"

Tumawa ako. "Huwag kayong maging boto sa kan'ya dahil wala namang mangyayari."

Ngumuso si Tanya bago umayos sa pagkakaupo. Nagsindi ulit siya ng panibagong sigarilyo saka hinithit ang usok nito. Ilang sandali pa, narinig namin ang pagbukas ng pinto ng unit. Lalong napabuntonghininga si Tanya.

"The ugly king is here!" iritang sabi niya bago uminom ng alak.

Magsasalita na sana ako nang mapansin ang titig ni Daisy sa gawi ng pinto, parang naghihintay ng taong lalabas mula rito. Naghintay rin ako nang naghintay hanggang sa bahagyang lumaki ang mga mata niya oras na makita si Toby na lumabas mula ro'n. Mabilis siyang nag-iwas ng tingin kasabay ng pag-ayos ng upo.

Napangisi ako. Hindi ko alam kung malisyosa ba ako. May gusto kaya si Daisy kay Toby? Wow, what a nice combo if ever maging sila! Isang demonyo at isang anghel!

Tumikhim ako bago lumingon sa lalaki. "Hi, Toby!"

Ngumiti ang lalaki sa akin bago lumingon kay Daisy. Walang reaksiyon sa mukha niya, pero may kakaiba akong nararamdaman.

"Hey," he greeted me back.

"Upo ka, sumali ka na rito," I said.

Lumingon sa akin ang dalawang babae pero si Tanya lang ang nilingon ko pabalik.

"Girl?! Who are you to invite him? Ayaw ko! KJ 'yang pangit na 'yan! Ayaw ng nauutusan, pakukuhanin lang ng pulutan, eh!" bulyaw ni Tanya sa akin bago lumingon sa kapatid. "Doon ka na sa k'warto mo! Leave us alone!"

Humalakhak si Toby. "I'll be back, Aree. Magbibihis lang ako," he told me before glancing at Daisy.

Kitang-kita naman sa kaibigan ko ang pagka-tense kahit na normal naman ang facial expression niya ngayon. Baka malisyosa lang talaga ako kasi kung hindi observant ang kasama ni Daisy, hindi mapapansin. But my girl's hand is slightly shaking right now while holding her shot glass!

Ang cute. Ano kaya magiging reaksiyon ni Tanya if ever totoo ang nasa isip kong may something sa dalawang 'yon?

Lumingon sa akin si Tanya. "I hate you," she said.

Tumawa ako bago siya sinubuan ng crab stick. "Hayaan mo na, sa kan'ya naman galing ang alak natin."

Nagbuntonghininga si Daisy. "It's not girl's talk anymore."

Tumawa ako. "Ano ba kayo? Madaling-araw na! Kita mo nga si Tanya, lasing na! Kaninang-kanina pa naman tayong tatlo magkakasama. At isa pa, minsan lang natin makita si Toby. It's not bad to ask him to join us, you know."

Umiling nang umiling si Tanya. "I just hate that man, you know? Ang malas ng magiging asawa niya."

I observed Dausy's reaction but she didn't have any. Hindi man lang naapektuhan sa sinabi ni Tanya.

"Bakit naman?" I asked, slightly chuckling.

Kinuha niya ang sigarilyo sa ash tray saka humithit ng usok dito. Pagkabuga niya nito, saka siya nagsalita.

"Because he's a fucking bossy who doesn't want to do anything that was asked of him! God, I hate that guy so much! Sana maging alipin siya ng kung sino mang babae ang mamahalin niya, if ever na meron man!"

I stopped myself from smiling when I caught a glimpse of Daisy's right lip rose for a second. Siguro, natatawa rin sa pinagsasabi ni Tanya ngayong lasing na siya.

We were in the middle of our small talk when Toby came back, wearing a white V-neck shirt and a boxer shorts. Naupo siya sa bakante sa tabi ni Daisy. Hindi man halata but I saw how stiff she is now.

"So, what's your plan this Christmas and New Year?" Toby asked us. "Tanya and I will stay here. We won't travel abroad just to celebrate that."

Nagkibit-balikat ako bago lumingon kay Daisy. "Ikaw?"

Ngumuso siya bago sinalinan ang shot glass na sarili. "I'll be away on Christmas. Hindi ako makakasama sa plan nating mag-club by that time. Sa New Year na lang ako."

Lumingon ako kay Tanya. "Will you go there with your boytoy?"

Tumawa siya. "I'll go if you'll go with me tapos sama mo si Sir Hunter!"

Napairap ako bago ibinalik ang tingin kay Toby. "I'm going abroad by Christmas and New Year."

Tila nawala ang kalasingan ng katabi ko nang umayos siya ng upo ay pilit akong hinarap sa kan'ya.

"Mag-a-out of the country kayo?!" gulat na gulat na tanong ni Tanya. "You're spending your holidays with him?! Abroad?!"

Tumawa ako bago tumango. "Oo nga."

"Wow, that's a first!" Daisy chuckled. "What's the deal? Paano ka napapayag? Both important holidays pa, huh?"

Nagbuntonghininga ako bago uminom ng alak mula sa shot glass saka ikinwento sa kanila ang kalokohan ni Hunter sa kompanya. If I were his father, baka pinababa ko na ulit siya mula sa posisyon niya!

"Napakagago, gusto ko rin ng gan'yang boss!" Tanya laughed louder. "I mean, he'll be spending so much, paying his employees na hindi naman sigurado papasok, just to be with his fuck buddy freely?! Wow!"

Daisy was laughing too because of Tanya. Pare-pareho kaming tuwang-tuwa sa kan'ya dahil super lasing na siya. Sa amin talagang tatlo, si Tanya ang pinakamabilis malasing! Ang likot-likot kasi ng katawan kapag umiinom!

"Hindi lang 'yon! Kapag pumasok ang co-employees ko, double pay pa! Gaano talaga siya kagago no'n?" I added, laughing heartily.

After Toby calmed from laughing, he drank his shot before he told us his opinion.

"You're in danger at this point, Aree."

Napakunot-noo ako. "And why, though?"

He smiled. "Men wouldn't spend so much on things like that just for a woman he was fucking on his bed. Considering he went to those great lengths just to be with you without anyone having doubts with you, man is clearly smitten and falling in love."

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. Ramdam ko ang mga titig ni Daisy sa akin, pati ni Tanya. Kung kanina, tawang-tawa kami pare-pareho, ngayon naman ay naging seryoso.

I mean, the opinion came from a guy now. Some men's mind think alike. And hearing it now from Toby, na isa ring gago tulad ni Hunter, I know that the possibility of this, being real, is starting to get higher.

"You're not dumb, Areeya. You know that he's starting to fall for you," Daissy said after a few minutes of silence.

Nagbuntonghininga ako bago nag-angat ng tingin sa kan'ya. "I know. At kokomprontahin ko na siya this coming holidays. And if ever what you all said was true, everything that binds us will be stopped."

Nagbuntonghininga si Tanya bago isinubsob ang mukha sa center table. Toby chuckled but ignored his sister rather.

"So, tatapusin mo na yung contract ninyong dalawa kung totoong nahuhulog na siya sa 'yo?" Daisy asked.

Kita ko ang lito sa mukha ni Toby pero hindi naman nagtatanong. Nakikinig siya nang tahimik sa pinagkukwentuhan namin ni Daisy.

"Oo. It's part of our terms and conditions. We shouldn't fall for each other."

Ngumuso si Daisy bago nagsakin ng alak sa shot glass saka iniangat ito. Tumitig ulit siya sa akin bago muling nagtanong.

"Will you be okay? Will you be fine, not having sex with him?"

I chucked, couldn't believe what she said. "Of course! Ano ako? Hindi mabubuhay nang walang sex with him?"

Daisy just stared at me blankly for ten whole seconds, drank her shot, before answering me.

"Based on what I've observed, oo. You are. Maybe, the months that Hunter was away made him realize that he wants to be with you, with or without having sex. But you . . . having sex with him is all you could ever think about when you're with him, I bet. The distance you and him had before made you crave for his touch even more."

Umiling ako. "I might be, yes, pero sigurado naman akong siya rin. We signed up in this kind of agreement for a reason. Sex. And if the both of us are not doing that core responsibility for each other, ano pang sense ng contract na 'to?"

Daisy smiled. "To keep you by his side."

Kumabog ang dibdib ko. Nag-iwas ako ng tingin oras na mapagtanto ko, I've heard those same words before. I just couldn't remember the exact sentence but I've heard it all . . . from him.

"Hunter has already been falling in love with you, from the moment he was trying to win your approval for a second-night stand. I was quiet this whole time but I think, the purpose of this contract he proposed to you is to not have sex with you. It's to keep you by his side. Always."

For some reasons, the side of my eyes are starting to heat. I kinda felt betrayed because all along, our smartest best friend, Daisy, has this conclusion in her head long ago but decided to keep her mouth shut. I understand her, though, because it wasn't her who's making the decision. It was me.

And for Hunter . . . I felt betrayed because if it's true, na hindi nga sex ang habol niya sa akin, anong klase ng tao naman ako lumalabas nito?

Malinaw ang intensiyon ko sa kan'ya. Sex. Sex lang. Wala nang iba.

Now, how could he have sex with me multiple times, knowing that he has romantic feelings for me and I don't? Isn't it being too opportunistic? He's taking advantage of the contract!

"Now, what are you going to do?" Daisy asked before glancing at Toby. "Kumuha ka nga ng unan at ihiga na nang maayos si Tanya."

If this is a normal night of us, drinking, I'd be in awe to see how Toby stood up so fast upon hearing Daisy's command. Pinanood ko ang lalaki na kumuha ng throw pillow at binuhat si Tanya para ihiga nang maayos sa long couch. Nang bumalik ang lalaki sa pwesto, tumikhim ako bago sinagot ang tanong ni Daisy.

"I'lll continue the contract. We will still have sex like the usual. But I will torment him for fucking me while he's in love with me."

Daisy grinned before drinking her shots. Toby was chuckling beside her.

It wasn't the best thing to do . . . pero doon man lang, makaganti ako kay Hunter.