No Strings Attached

-3-

"Uy, friend ko lang siya. Tsk, why am I even explaining myself? Tara na. Okay ka na ba?" I nodded.

"Kailan ulit?" She asked.

I shook my head as I walked back to my car. Some part of me wants it as soon as possible so that I can see Eleanor again. But I remembered that I still have to work.

"Maybe next week. I have things to do." Ngumiti naman si Eleanor sakin bago tumango-tango.

I drove her to her house. She told me that she'll spend the night there. While driving, I gritted my teeth as I noticed her busy with her phone. Sino naman ang katext niya?

"Who's that?" I asked. She glanced at me before locking her phone. Mas lalaong napakunot ang noo ko. Naguguluhan talaga ako kay Eleanor. There are times na maiisip mong mayroon siyang lalaki but then later, wala naman.

On-and-off ata ang mga ka-flings nito eh. Not a good sign for long-term relationships.

"Friend ko."

"Alam ko, pero ang dami mo kasing kaibigan. Masyado kang friendly." I snorted.

"Bakit, Chance? Nagseselos ka? Ayiiiee..." I let her laugh like it's her last day in the world. What's even funny? Nagtatanong lang naman ako kung sino ang katext niya.

"Umayos ka nga. Sinisira mo ang reputasyon ng tatay mo."

"Hindi naman ako pumapasok sa scandals."

"But still," Tiningnan ko siya at tinaasan ng kilay. So kung hindi siya maii- skandalo, go na lang din? Can't she just fix herself and act properly? She no longer a child. At alam kong alam niyang siya din naman ang magdadala ng pinaghirapan ng Dad niya in the future, so why can't she just do it appropriately?

Hindi yung makikita mo siya sa bar, umiinom or may kasayawan. Worse, if she's making out in public. Hindi ko naman alam ang mundo ni Eleanor and hindi ko siya kilala that much to know what she's been doing before I even met her actually.

"Tsk. Sungit na naman. Si Lance lang yun."

"Yung kasayaw mo kanina?"

"Yeah."

"Bakit mo tinetext yun?!" Biglang napataas ng konti ang boses ko. Hindi pa ba sapat yung nakasayaw na niya kanina? Napakunot ang noo niya before shrugging; then tinago na din niya ang phone niya sa kanyang purse. Binaling ko ulit ang tingin ko sa daan as I slightly gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white.

"Ang sama talaga ng mood mo ngayon. Hindi ko alam kung PMS ka ba or should I just remind myself na si Chance Lucas Sandoval ang kinakausap ko." Reklamo niya ng mahina pero narinig ko pa din naman. I kept my face grim. Maya-maya ay nasa tapat na kami ng building ng condo niya.

Kahit naman galit ako, I'm still chivalrous. I realized that Eleanor will stick around my life for a while and I should probably be nice to her, as much as I can. Bumaba ako ng sasakyan para pagbuksan siya ng pinto. Napanguso lang si Eleanor bago bumaba.

"So next week na lang?" I nodded. Buti na lang hindi to masyadong nagpapadala sa pagiging moody ko. Well I'm moody since birth and I don't think I can change that. Kahit ako naguguluhan sa sarili ko.

Napasimangot si Eleanor nung hindi pa rin ako umiimik. Wala din naman akong dapat sabihin. Baka pag nagsalita ko, masermunan ko lang siya tungkol sa party life niya which might be offending. Kahit masungit ako, (para sa mga babae diyan) I'm still considerate. May feelings din ako kaya alam ko yung feeling ng nasasaktan.

"Mukhang bad mood." She mumbled. Huminga siya ng malalim bago ngumiti sakin. Madalas ko na yung napapansin. Kailangan ba talagang hihinga muna siya ng malalim bago ako ngitian? Ganun ba kahirap yun? Eh dun sa kasayaw niya, kulang na lang...

Why am I even making a big deal about Eleanor's smile? Pasalamat ka nga nginingitian ka pa niyan. I'm sure she's just fighting the urge to punch me hard in the face.

"Ingat ka Chance baby!! Good night na. Hahaha. Ayiiee... ngingiti na yan. Ngumiti ka naman kasi. Kahit para na lang sa sarili mo." Hinila-hila niya ang magkabila kong pisngi. Sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin. Tinanggal na din naman niya ang kamay niya sa mukha ko as I inhaled sharply.

Mataman kong tiningnan si Eleanor. Then I forced a smile pero halata naming pilit.

"Yay!! Ngumiti na si Chance!!! Hahaha. Okay na yan. Dapat ganyan lagi, ha? Pag nakasimangot ka next week, ipapabanat ko yang mukha mo. Babye." She kissed me on the cheeks before heading to her place. Pinanood ko siyang bumalik sa condo niya. When she was out of sight, tsaka na lang ako bumalik sa bahay namin.

While driving, my thoughts are about Eleanor. I don't know if thinking about her is supposed to be a good thing or not but I'll choose the first one. At least, there is a little distraction from Monique and Lourd's wedding and their own happily ever after.

Maybe I should thank her for that. Kahit masyado siyang masaya at mababaw ang kaligayahan. Let me admit that Eleanor is one hell of a woman.