Dangerous Addiction (BxB, 2022 COMPLETED)

Kabanata 6

KABANATA 6

HOW frustrating and unfortunate it is to be unable to identify what you truly wanted to do and achieve. How bitter it is to sit in a corner and feel your shoulders carry a load of bullshit: dissatisfaction. To taste that sour and acidic flavor at the back of your throat then painfully swallowing whatever that is.

+639 35 *** **** (Keith):
Hey, Leon? It's Keith. I texted you to inform you that I already chose an engineer. Thank you. Are you free this weekend? I want to take you out for a drink. This is the kind of thanks I wanted to offer.

Ilang beses nang binasa ni Leon ang mensaheng natanggap mula kay Keith pero habang paulit-ulit niyang binabasa iyon, mas lalong lumalala ang kapaitang nalalasahan at nararamdaman niya.

Gabi na noon at halos kauuwi niya lang sa trabaho. Katatapos niya lang magpahinga, maligo para mai-relax ang sarili, at ang magbihis ng pambahay noong maisip niya na i-check ang cellphone niya. At ang pinakaunang bumungad sa kanya? Walang iba kung hindi itong text ni Keith.

For unknown reasons, Leon cannot find it to himself to be glad upon receiving the message—relieved because finally! His brother wouldn't nag him about that fucking clinic and because he won't see Keith anymore. Instead, all of these makes him frustrated.

It could be because of his hatred for Keith, but something at the back of his mind kept on muttering that it is not due to that. It could be because of something else.

In any case, this is not even his ideal initial reaction. Noong magkita sila ni Keith at hingin nito ang final three, iniisip niya na sa wakas, mababawasan ang mga pasanin niya. However, that was not the reaction he ended up having. If anything, he feels that he was given more loads to carry.

'Bakit niya ba 'ko ina-update? Pakialam ko ba sa kanya? 'Di ko naman siya ni-require na balitaan ako!' Even though that was what is running inside his head, Leon knew deep inside his heart that he really needed to hear this. After all, he was sort of involved.

Hindi na napansin ni Leon na humihigpit ang pagkakahawak niya ng cellphone niya. Kaunti pang pressure at lakas, siguradong masisira niya ang gamit niya. Ngunit mabuti na lang at nakabalik siya sa huwisyo nang mapansing nagwawala na ang volume keys ng cellphone niya. Tapos patay sindi ang screen ng cellphone niya't nagva-vibrate na, hindi niri-register ang finger print niya.

Moreover, he won't drink with Keith. Yikes.

Leon tsk-ed. His eyebrows crossed that it almost met while his eyes squinted. He could not help it but to grit his teeth. His blood rushed as he fixated his gaze unto Keith's message.

Tang ina talaga.

In the end, Leon dismissed Keith's message. Kung mag-iinom siya, mas gugustuhin niyang gawin mag-isa! King ina ni Keith Gaviola.

**

"Good morning, Engineer Leon!"

Natigilan si Leon sa paglalakad nang marinig ang isang hindi pamilyar na boses. Papasok na sana siya noon sa building nila matapos na i-park ang sasakyan sa parking lot. Nagtataka dahil hindi naman siya madalas na binabati ng mga kasamahan, hindi niya napigilan na lingunin ang nangahas na kapalan ang mukha nila.

Then he discerned a woman, around the same age as him, standing just behind him with a huge and bright smile on her face. Medyo nakaabante ang pang-itaas nitong katawan sa kanya.

She's pretty and all, he'll give her that. Nice boobs, by the way. But Leon could only give no shit, man. Wala siya sa mood!

"Good morning?" patanong na bati niya, hindi sigurado kung bakit siya nilapitan at iniisip kung may kailangan ba ito sa kanya.