Power Within II: Bound by a Promise(Under revision)

II: KHAOS

Naisuklay ko ang sariling daliri nang matapos na siyang magpaliwanag. Athena and her members looked at each other with puzzled expressions. Meanwhile, Se7en is already used to Gerard's way of thinking. They weren't as surprised as our uninvited guests.

"What's in this for us?!" Halata na lalo lang nainis si Athena sa mga narinig. " It doesn't feel like a win just seeing you guys naked."

"Well, you'll have bragging rights of course. To see our embarrassed faces is just a bonus. You can also take a picture of us and post it on facebook or instagram. Share it to your hearts content."

Sapat na ang narinig ko para iwan sila. Mabilis akong tumayo at akmang bubuksan na ang pinto.

"Papayag lang kami kung kasali ang leader n'yo sa laro," Athena declared facing my direction. 

"Narinig mo, leader?" Siyang halakhak ni Gerard. "Will the great leader of Se7en just chicken out from a simple game of rock, paper, scissors?" pang a-alaska na naman nito. 

Forget leaving. I went back to my seat and grabbed another bottle of beer. 

"Khaos agreed to play." The grin of the guy beside me is as wide as a crescent moon!

After a few minutes, both sides already chose a representative. For Serpentine it was Athena. Natutop ko na lang ang sentido nang malamang si Gerardine, of all people, ang napili ng mga kasama ko na maglaro. 

"Siguro naman alam na ng lahat ang mechanics ng laro," paniniguro ni Gerard. "We've been playing this game since kindergarten."

"Ready 1.... 2.... 3!" Sabay-sabay pa silang nagbilang.

Gerardine showed a rock while Athena ended up with scissors.

"I won!" Nagtatalon ang una na parang bata.

"Nicely done!" tuwang komento ni Zach.

"Athena, you'll be the first to strip," utos ng nanalo.

"Darn it!" Hinubad ni Athena ang suot na damit pang itaas.

Jiro, Zach, and Byron, shouted in unison, unable to hide their excitement, while Lyall just grinned ears to ears.

"Down, you animals! Down!" Natatawang awat ni Gerardine.

"Not bad, right?" sinabayan ni Gerard ang sinabi ng paniniko sa 'kin.

What does he mean by not bad: Gerardine's capability to play or the bulging bosom of Serpentine's leader that's now being displayed? She's still wearing undergarment, but no one can really say that it's enough to cover it up.

"Next round!"

"She's fired up!" dugtong ni Jiro sa nanggigigil na sigaw ni Athena.

"I think red is really sexy," Byron said looking at the small piece of cloth barely doing its purpose.

"I second the motion," pasimpleng dagdag ni Lyall.

Ipinagpatuloy nila ang laban, muling nanalo si Gerardine. Hindi niya na kinailangan pang magsalita. Athena immediately stood up and took off her skirt.

"Hell yeah!" sigaw ni Zach na tutok ang mata sa kalaban habang minamasahe ang balikat ni Gerardine na siyang pambato nila.

Masyado silang tuwang-tuwa sa nakikita. Athena does have the face and the body.

"Shit, I lost!" umiiling na sabi ni Gerardine.

"Payback time! Khaos strip!" nakangiting utos ni Athena.

Muntik ko nang mailuwa ang iniinom dahil sa narinig. "Fuck!" Tiningnan ko ng masama si Gerard bago hubarin ang t-shirt ko. I'm sure he's getting the message I'm trying to convey.

Tumawa siya. "I'll pay for all the trouble later." Tapik niya sa balikat ko.

Nagsimulang maghiyawan ang mga babaeng miyembro ng Serpentine. It's their first victory after all. Just then, I noticed how intently Athena is staring at me.

"Hmmm... not bad at all," she said as she smiled at me.

"Not bad yourself." I simply raised the bottle I'm holding to her before drinking it.

The game went on, and on, until almost everyone was left wearing only their underwears. Though the sight makes me want to murder Gerard, the atmosphere slowly lightened up. The challenge really just became a game. Everyone started sharing laughs and drinks. Jiro was even found making out with a girl from Serpentine.

"I think we should call it a draw!" I stood up lifting my drink.

They did the same in agreement. Byron turned up the music. Nagsimula silang magsayawan at maghiyawan.

"Quite a situation, right?" Athena passed another bottle to me as she sat beside me.

"Hindi na 'to bago sa 'kin. Especially, when Gerard is the mastermind."

"You just can't say no to your friends, can you?"

"Let's just say you're right."

"Can't you say no to me either?" She asked playing with the hair on my ear.

I felt the heat of her hand as it moved to touch my face that soon traced down my neck. Her fingers felt my tattoo. “Thank goodness, this is a genuine mark. Baka kasi mali kami ng kuwartong pinasok.” Biro niya pa.

She easily found her place on my lap. The distance automatically disappeared as we started kissing. She's cunning. Matapos ang ilang segundo, sandaling naghiwalay ang mga labi namin.

"So, Se7en's leader is such a good kisser."

"Better keep that a secret."

We went back to lavishing each other's lips while feeling each other's body, not minding if anyone is watching.

•••

Where Am I? This—this place again.

Hindi ako makagalaw. Para akong nawawalan ng lakas habang nasa kandungan ng isang babae sa loob ng aklatan.

"Cyan... Cyan... stay—stay with me, please!"

It's her again. The girl who's calling me by a name I don't know. Her face—it's still blurry. Her face has always been unclear in all of the same dreams.

Kusang gumalaw ang kamay ko para abutin ang mukha niya pero hindi ko na 'yon tuluyang nagawa.

Napaupo ako matapos magising mula sa panaginip na 'yon. I've always been having that weird dream for as long as I can remember.

Nasapo ko ang kumikirot kong ulo bago napatingin sa suot na relo. It's already 5 in the morning. I looked around and saw that everyone else is wasted. Some are crouched on the floor while others are faced flat on the table. Lahat sila tulog na tulog. Saka ko lang din napansin ang nakasandal sa 'king si Athena. Marahan ko siyang inihiga sa sopa. I picked up my scattered clothes and wore them as I leave.

Driving on my way home, my mind wandered off again—to that dream. It's bothering me too much. Walang gabing hindi ko napapanaginipan ang iisang panaginip at ang babaeng 'yon na hindi ko makita ang mukha.

Agad kong ipinarada ang sasakyan sa garahe nang marating ang bahay ko. When I approached the door, I noticed that it isn't locked. I quietly went in to catch the perpetrator who dared enter my territory.

"Good morning ho, ser!"

Napahinto ako nang makita ang isang babaeng may hawak na walis sa living room. "Who the heck are you?!"