Escaping Strings

Chapter 4: Him

Martina's POV

“What's with that face?” Diane asked out of the blue.

“Mukha kang na-rape,” sabi ni Iris habang tumatawa.

“Huh, why?” takang tanong ko naman.

Bakit, ano bang hitsura ko? Ang pagkakaalam ko ay maganda pa rin naman ako. Walang sinuman ang may karapatang umangal lalo na kung hindi ito maganda. Kung mas kasing ganda ko siguro or mas maganda sa akin, you have the right to make me shut my mouth, pero walang mas gaganda pa sa akin eh, kaya walang sinuman ang may karapatan. Uh-huh?

Umupo silang dalawa sa tabi ko. I am drinking strawberry milk in front my office's coffee table nang dumating 'tong dalawa sa mga baliw kong kaibigan slash kapatid at pinsan.

“Look at you, mukha kang ginahasa sa super messy bun mo, and your shoe…,” Iris said with disgust, letting her words hang in the midair.

Tsk! Kaya nga tinawag na messy bun eh. And what's up with my shoe? We both looked at my feet. Shoot, I am not wearing my stiletto. Naalala ko, pinagbabato ko pala sa wall ng office ko dahil sa sobrang inis sa katangahang naganap kaninang umaga. Ang tanga-tanga kasi ni Martina eh! Sino ba kasi 'yon?! Oo, sino si Martina? Ang tanga niya!

“Martina?” Diane grabs the collar of my top like she sees something on my neck.

My neck?! What the fuck?!

“What the hell is this? Why do you have a… hickey?” She ask before looking at me as if she'll kill me.

Fuck you, Stranger! Bwisit naman! Kailangan pa ba talagang lagyan ng hickey ang leeg ng naka-sex mo? Por que, huh? Dios mío, por favor. Naiintindihan niyo naman siguro ako, hindi ba? Basic Spanish language lang naman 'yan. Now, I need answers! For what? And why???

“What? Where?” I acted like I was shocked.

Well, I am shock!

“Who's the unlucky guy?” mukhang kinikilig na excited na ewan naman na tanong ni Iris.

Ahm, no, parang nang-aasar ang ate niyo eh. Fuck.

“What are you talking about? Maybe, it's a mosquito bite.”

Tumayo ako para pulutin ang stiletto ko saka bumalik sa swivel chair sa office ko. Still, the both of them are staring at my beautiful face. No, Diane is glaring at me.

“What? Don't give me that look. Wala akong ginagawang masama,” natatawa kong sabi.

Is it that bad to have some fun?

“Hmm… we'll see,” she said as if she'll do something crazy just to dig about the thing she saw on my neck.

What? Ito talagang Diane na 'to, laging pa-mysterious. Hindi na siya nasanay sa akin. God!

“Anyways, dad scheduled some meetings and we are tasked to attend,” Iris said.

“When?” I ask as I open my macbook to check some emails.

“The first one will be tomorrow at three.”

I frowned upon hearing it. Busy ako bukas at sa mga susunod pa! Bakit parang ang dami ko yatang ginagawa these past few days? Hay, nako.

“Just tell dad that I can't. May meeting ako with the bookkeeper so you have to go alone. Go with Diane if you want,” I speak nonchalantly.

She crosses her arms as she walks towards me. What is she thinking? Oh, whatever she has in mind, I have nothing to do with it, I am busy.