beauty series: Not Beauty's Type

31 Ryom Alforque

31

RYOM ALFORQUE 

Pinaikot-ikot ko ang ice sa loob ng aking baso habang may hinihintay sa harap ng TV. I smirked as I took a sip of my bourbon. 

"Anak ni PNP chief Esperas, arestado!" 

I smirked once again. Some of the details were broadcast live on national television.

Trust me, I'm not really the type of person you want to mess up. I don't fucking care who you are or who your parents are. Mess with me, and you'll welcome hell with your forcefully opened arms.

Inilabas ang video ng pag-aresto ni Henry sa loob mismo ng bahay nila sa Quezon. Mrs. Esperas was there, questioning the authorities and being hysterical.

One last sip of my Bourbon, and I turn the TV off. Tumayo na rin ako at naghanda nang umuwi.

Kakapasok ko pa lang sa elevator, tumunog na ang cellphone ko. Sinagot ko agad nang makitang si Papa iyon.

"Ryom," medyo mabigat ang boses nito. Halatang may problema.

"What is it, pa?" Tanong ko habang pinindot ang button ng elevator papuntang parking lot.

"Henry Esperas was arrested. Have you seen the news?"

Tumaas ang isa kong kilay. Hindi ko sinagot ang tanong ni Papa.

"Ryom, you know they are one of our family friends."

Alam na niya agad na ako ang gumawa nito? That was fast. "We have shares in their company, son."

"It won't hurt us, pa." Paninigurado ko. We only invested in the Esperas business because my father was a good friend to the PNP chief.

Wala akong nakitang potential sa kompanya nila. Ni hindi iyon umangat ng sampung porsyento pagkatapos simula noong bumili sila papa ng shares. My father did business with them out of respect for the friendship he had with the patriarch.

"And when they find out that this is your doing?"

Not even a problem. What can they possibly do? They don't have the best card for this situation. And even if they did, I'm already holding the ace card.

I already have my plans laid neatly on my table, just waiting for the other party to move their fucking asses.

"I'm just worried for you, son."

"Everything is good, pa. You don't have to worry."

Everything is well taken care of.

I wanted to call Winifred and talk to her for hours. Kahit ano basta makausap ko lang s'ya. Kaya lang magkaiba ang oras naming dalawa. She's in Vancouver right now with her parents. Sa susunod na linggo pupunta naman silang Norway. They're traveling the world for a month para sa honeymoon ng bagong mag-asawa. Sinama na si Winifred.

Alas diyes ng gabi nang makauwi ako sa aking bahay. Nakaligo at handa na akong matulog kaya lang hindi ko pa ginawa. I was waiting for Winifred to go online so I could call her.

It was eleven sixteen in the evening when she called. Agad kong sinagot. 

"Hey!" 

Mugto pa ang mga mata nito, halatang bagong gising lang. Still pretty, though.

"Bakit hindi ka pa tulog?"

"I was waiting for your call."

"Paano kung hindi ako tumawag? Hindi ka rin matutulog?"

I only smiled. Probably. It's been a week since we last saw each other. Tanging sa tawag ko lang siya nakikita at nakakausap. I missed her so much that I wanted to hug her very tight until she punched me in the face because she couldn't breathe.