The Man in Strings

XI. Superman

"Ano ulit ginawa ko?"

"Paulit-ulit mong hinimas 'yung fishbowl habang tinatawag 'yung Genie sa Aladdin."

"..."

"Yup."

"Ano pa?"

"Muntik mo nang ilabas si Siegfried at Celestine mula du'n kasi sabi mo malulunod sila."

"..."

"Seryoso nga."

"What else?"

"Sinukahan mo ako."

"What?!"

"Joke lang. Hihi."

"Maine..."

"Muntik na! Buti nakatulog ka kaagad!"

"I swear if you're making things up..."

"Seryoso kasi. Bakit naman ako magsisinungaling sa'yo, 'di ba?"

"But the kids are safe? I didn't bring them out or anything? Hindi ko ba sinubukan magCPR?"

"Uh... almost."

"Ugh."

"Grabe ang weird mo pala kapag lasing. First time ko kasi nakita, eh."

"That's all?"

"Anong that's all? Ang dami mong kabaliwang ginawa!"

"Yeah, I know. But is that it? I didn't do... something else?"

"Anong something else?"

"You know..."

"I don't."

"Maine..."

"Ano nga?"

"I didn't do something... nasty?"

"Sinubukan mo nga akong sukahan -"

"Hindi 'yun?"

"Eh ano nga?"

"I remember... kissing you..."

"Panaginip mo lang 'yun."

"Really?"

"Uh-uh. Nothing happened. Pinigilan lang kitang ihawin 'yung mga bata."

I breathed deeply. Buti naman. Baka isa sa mga panaginip ko lang 'yung nangyari. I saw images where I was slowly kissing her jaw, and I remember stopping myself, pero baka epekto lang 'yun ng alak. Maaga pa naman. Kadalasan, mga bandang hapon ko natatandaan 'yung mga ginawa ko habang lasing ako.

"Ang baho," Maine covered her nose. "Sorry, Rj, ang baho talaga. Amoy na amoy alak ka."

"Sorry," I grinned, then stole a kiss from her cheeks. "Love you!"

I saw from the corner of my eyes that she was shaking her head out of disbelief, but she was smiling, so I thought that everything's okay. Naligo na rin ako at siniguradong mabango na 'ko. Baka 'di na maulit 'yung ninakaw ko kung amoy alak pa rin ako, eh.

I was drying my hair when I heard the bell ring. Binilisan ko ang pagbibihis dahil alam kong busy na naman si Maine sa harap ng laptop nya (seriously, I think that laptop would be the nastiest third party in this relationship-to-be ever at mas malala pa 'yon kay Jake) para pagbuksan pa kung sinong nasa may pinto.

Only to see her older sister at our doorstep, frowning at me. "You're... Rj, 'di ba?"

"Opo, At - pasok po kayo," nautal ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong itatawag ko sa kanya. Tama lang naman na tawagin ko syang Ate kasi mas matanda sya sa akin pero bakit parang awkward ang dating? "Tawagin ko lang po si Maine -"