The Man in Strings

XVI. Aftermaths

"What did you call it?"

"Thingy," she obviously doesn't know where to look.

"Curious ka ba?"

"Hindi naman, nakita ko na 'yung kay Dean pero bata pa sya nu'n, 'di pa sya tuli syempre," sagot nya.

"Eh 'yung kay Jake," naningkit iyong mga mata ko. "Nakita mo na?"

"What?!" She looked shocked. "Grabe ka naman! Bakit ko makikita 'yun?!"

"Just checking," I looked smug. "So my 'thingy' is the first real thing you'd see."

"Bakit naman tunog proud ka? Grabe ka naman! Sabi sa'kin ni Valeen nasa performance daw 'yun, wala sa size!"

I snorted. "Ano pang sinasabi sa'yo ni Valeen?"

"Secret," tapos binelatan nya pa ako. "Bakit ko sasabihin sa'yo? Patingin na nga!"

"Bakit ang impatient mo?"

"E 'di 'wag," she crossed her arms. "Hindi ko rin papakita cute boobies ko sa'yo."

I snorted. For the nth time in this conversation, I did snort. Dapat ba talaga nakakatawa 'to? "Cute boobies? You call them cute boobies?"

"Eh hindi naman kasi sila malaki," sabi nya. "So they're cute boobies."

"Ayoko rin ng malaki, gusto ko sakto lang," I assured her. "I like yours. Patingin nga." Pinaghiwalay ko iyong mga kamay nya. She was still wearing her shirt and her tiny damn fuck-able shorts, while I'm wearing nothing but my boxer shorts. Quite fair for a first time. "They grew. Hindi naman ganyan 'yan dati."

"Hala," she covered her chest again as if I ripped her shirt. "Dati mo pa bang tinitingnan boobies ko?!"

"I carried you on my back and hugged you several times, Maine," I said, as a matter-of-fact. "Paanong hindi ko malalaman?"

"Okay, sige na nga," tapos nanlaki iyong mga mata nya. "Dati ka pa bang nagte-take advantage?!" She sounded too shocked. "May thoughts ka ba na ganu'n sa'kin nu'ng eighteen tayo?!"

"Wala ah!"

"Pero matanda ka na nu'n! Tapos eighteen ka pa, 'yung hormones mo, ibang level!" She covered her mouth. "Hala ka, Rj!"

"Hindi nga sabi!" Pinagtanggol ko sarili ko. Hindi naman talaga! "I'm just having these thoughts today because we're old enough. Tsaka kung meron man dati akong naiisip sa'yo na hindi ko na matandaan, it's because I probably shoved it all away. I told you, Maine, you're such a baby. It's the same as having inappropriate thoughts for a seven-year-old. Hindi tama."

"Eh kay Abba?" Saan galing 'yun? "Naisip mo na ba 'yun kay Abba?"

"Saan galing 'yun?" Ginulo-gulo ko 'yung buhok nya. "Bata pa ako nu'n, Maine. You know me, wala naman akong ibang kaibigang matalik bukod sa'yo. I only have you and my family on a daily basis. Puro babae ang kasama ko and of course the first thing my dad taught me is respect."

"So ngayon ka lang ganyan."

"Tsaka sa'yo lang," I kissed her forehead. "Kung iba, 'wag na lang."

"Okay," she nodded. "So patingin na nga ng thingy mo."

"Maine, napaghahalataan ka."

"Hindi naman," depensa nya. "Baka lang kasi mauto mo ako tapos ako pa 'yung unang maghubad. Ayoko nga!"

"Bakit?"

"Nahihiya ako!"

"E 'di syempre ako rin, nahihiya," sabi ko sa kanya. "Hindi lang ikaw, Maine."