Between Two Hearts [to be published under Bookware]

Chapter 25

Loud music filled my ear as we entered the bistro bar. Hindi naman nakakagulat na kahit maaga pa ay madami nang tao dito sa Bistro, dahil ito ay sikat sa Paniqui. Dinadayo pa 'to minsan ng mga galing Gerona,Moncada,Anao, Nampicuan, Ramos, at iba pa.

I noticed some men staring at me, as we walked towards my friends. He hold my waist, and pulled it more closer to him.  Nag-iwas ng tingin ang mga 'to dahil sa ginawa niya.

"Possessive, Rogelio," I jokingly whispered. His jaw tightened as he roamed around his eyes, to look for my friends.

"You're showing too much skin," pagrereklamo nito na ikinatawa ko.  I am wearing my usual bistro outfit; a white deep plunge neck crop top, a black leather bodycon skirt for my lower, paired with a black ankled boots.

"What do you expect me to wear, baro at saya? Wag kang killjoy, okay? This is what you call F-A-S-H-I-O-N, incase you don't know."

Umuwi muna ako kanina para magbihis. Good thing na nasa Manila ang parents ko for some errands, kaya malakas ang loob ko ngayong gabi.

"Atleast a decent one, Tatiana," he damanded. Mas lalong humigpit ang hawak nito sa akin ng marating namin ang gitna.

"Atleast a decent one, Tatiana," panggagaya ko sakanya. Sinamaan ako nito nang tingin dahil sa pang-aasar ko.

Naiinis ako minsan kapag pinupuna nang ibang tao ang suot ko. I mean, can't they mind their own business? Masyado silang pakialamera at judgemental. They love to judge and discriminate others. Minsan kapag nagsuot ng maikli, sexy, o kapag naka bikini, ibig sabihin pokpok na. Kapag revealing, ibig sabihin malandi na o nang-aakit ng lalaki.

Ew! Hindi kami ganoong magkakaibigan. Uhaw lang kami sa alak, hindi sa lalaki.

"I'm serious here, Tat." okay lolo

"I'm sorry," I apologized while laughing.

"Next time wear something sexy, yet decent. C'mon, darling, I can almost see your little ponkan."

"Dugyot!" Pinalo ko 'to at bahagyang siniko ang kanyang kamay sa aking bewang. "Anong little ponkan, 32-B ako FYI lang."

He chuckled and scanned his eyes in my body.

"Hindi halata," tumawa 'to ngunit mabilis ding bumalik sa pagiging seryoso. "But, by the way, next time wear something sexy, yet decent." Pag-uulit nito na ikinairap ko lalo.

"Look at them," he pointed some dudes na pasulyap sulyap sa amin. "Halos hubaran ka na nila sa isip nila. Damn!"

"Rogelio," pagtatatag ko sa atensiyon niya. "What would you do?"

"What?" He answered.

"Anong gagawin mo kapag naghubad ako sa harap mo?" Panunukso ko sakanya.

He was stunned for a while, at maging ang kanyang tainga ay namula.

"Be careful for what you ask, woman." Pagpa-paalala sa akin nito. I was just teasing him. Kanina pa kami paikot ikot, but my friends are nowhere to be found.

"Ano nga gagawin mo? C'mon, I was just a bit curious and confused."

"Magdadalsal," he calmly replied. Agad naman akong napangiti dahil sa sagot niyan 'yon. Atleast, ngayon alam ko nang nirerespeto ako ng lalaking 'to.