Invisible Strings

2

Chapter 2: Dandelion

When life fucks you hard, just moan.

I remember shouting this at my friend to pull her back into reality. The thing with CHIAYI is that.. just like her, they're like my immediate family. Hindi naman sa hindi ako mahal ng mga magulang ko pero gusto kong isipin minsan na sana ganon nalang nga.

But nah, I was grown to be Barbie and what I'm about to do now isn't one of the learned values Barbie portrays.

But who knows, maybe Barbie was also a bitch.

"Babe, what's taking you so long? Come out now" Utos ng mayabang na doktor sa loob ng kwarto ko. I stared at my reflection for the nth time in the vanity mirror in my bathroom suite. Why didn't you kick him out Ziyah?

"Just wait you shithole!" Inis na sagot ko. I sighed. How can I kick him out now? At paano niya akong napapayag na magbihis ng pantulog? Why was I mesmerised by his melting stare?

Tangina, nakuha na naman ako sa mata.

It's just.. he looked at me like I'm a trophy or something that he's so happy to have. Is that even possible? It hasn't been a day since we met, plus it's a total disaster. Pakshit. Is he even real?

Pinilig ko ang ulo ko. This is just a one time transaction. Foreigners do this shit and maybe he's done a lot of shit in his life too and maybe this is shit too. And Shit! I am a shit for letting this shit to happen. Shit.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mouthwash kong kakabili ko lang at nakalahati kona ang laman. Why am I even preparing? I tucked my hair in for a low ponytail again.

"Architect, I'm cold. Come out now please." And now he's attacking me mentally! Kinokonsensya niya ako para makuha ang gusto niya.

Cuddle? Okay. Cuddle lang.

Good heavens, that just means I could be in his arms and I can feel his lips again.

Pinagpagan ko ang pares kong pantulog bago lumabas. I'm wearing a blue cotton pajama set with a duck design in the middle. Inalis ko na ang pagkakatali ng mahabang buhok kong nagtatago sa halos kalahati ng likod ko.

Pagkalabas ko ay sumalubong agad sa akin ang magnanakaw na prenteng nakahiga sa kama ko at tamad na naghihintay.

"You done counting sheeps?" Tanong ko.

"You done..getting dolled up?" Ang mga huling salita niya ay halos hindi na marinig sa pagkakatameme. I know. Even in my sleep, I'm a goddess.

"You're covering your body and yet I find you sexy." Di makapaniwalang sabi niya. Nakatulala lang siya sa mukha ko.

"Hello? I can hear you.." Paalala ko, in case na thinking out loud lang ang peg niya.

"Can I introduce you to my mother?" Wala sa sariling tanong niya.

"Wait, what?"

"Huh?"

"What did you say?"

"Huh?"

"Lord, kelan po titino tong lalaking to?"

He chuckled at that. "You just sounded like our Nana" he teased as he opened his arms widely, asking for a hug. Wala parin siyang suot na pang-itaas. "Qofte, don't just stand in there.. come closer"

"No." Hindi ko alam kung bakit natatameme ako sakaniya ngayon. Nababalot ng kumot ang kalahati ng katawan niya at ang hitsura niya sa kama ay sobrang... ugh inviting.

"Come on now. Don't you trust me?"

"I don't."

"I swear to my license that I won't do anything you don't like.. so just come here now. Don't be pacute there"