Bedroom Negotiations Classic

Chapter 11

"Dustin..." I stopped walking. Gusto ko sabihing may sarili akong sasakyan kaya hindi na nya ako kailangang ihatid pero iba ang lumabas sa bibig ko. "Gusto kitang sakyan." Ha?! Pempem! Stop it! Jusme! Ano ka ba naman!

"Sakyan mo lang ako anytime." He sounded nonchalant. Huminto din sya sa paglalakad at tumingin sa akin. Uy, pempem wag kang magpyesta dyan! Ang landi mo! I bit my tongue kasi gusto kong ngumisi. Ang sexy kasi nang pagkakasabi nya, parang gusto ko tuloy mag-lambada sa harap nya.

"What I mean is...meron akong sasakyan." I enunciated the words carefully.

"Ahh." He replied. "Kung ganun, sayo na lang ako sasakay." He answered and I was confused kung bastos ba ang ibig nyang sabihin o ako lang talaga ang berde ang utak. Oh well, di mo lang ako pwedeng sakyan, pwede mo pa akong igarahe. I mentally arched my brow at my thoughts. Pempem, ano ka ba! Stop na! Ayoko na! Parati mo na lang akong pinapahamak! Okay, Lia dalagang Pilipina mode on! I told myself kaso hindi effective.

"Ang ibig kong sabihin...um...may sasakyan ako at kaya....ano... kaya...alam mo yun, dun ako sasakay sa sasakyan ko." Ano ba ang meron sa salitang 'sakay' at halos magwala na itong si pempem? I was becoming breathless because he was staring at me with such intensity. Sige, titig lang. Kainin kita dyan, makita mo.

"Kaya nga, sayo ako sasakay." Tangna, ano bang ibig nyang sabihin?! Sasakyan nya ako o yung sasakyan ko?! Puro sakayan lang kasi naiisip mo, pempem! Bad ka!

"You mean—"

"You know what I mean." He gave me a lazy smile.

At si pempem naman kung makangiti rin wagas. Pero, pempem! We can't! I'm sorry pero hindi ko nagustuhan yung ginawa ng boyfriend mo kanina! Kailangan mong manindigan, Lia or else mauulit at mauulit yung ginawa nya at dadaanin ka na lang nya sa ganun!

"Thanks for earlier. I'm going home. Bye." I nearly ran in my haste to escape him.

Siguro hindi lang talaga ako normal na babae kasi sa tingin ko kung ibang babae lang yung pinagtanggol ni Dustin tulad nang pagtanggol nya sa akin ay hindi na magpapakipot. But I wanted him to see me differently. I wanted him to respect what I say. I wanted him to acknowledge me as someone who's more than a piece of flesh.

Pero naisip ko rin kung para saan yung mga ganung kaartehan ko. Hindi ba laro lang naman ang gusto ko? Hindi ba ayaw ko namang magpakasal? Hindi pa gusto ko shembot shembot lang? Bakit may respeto na akong nalalaman? Bakit hindi ko na ma-differentiate kung kaba, kilig o landi ba yung nararamdaman ko para kay Dustin? Ano bang meron, ha, Lia?!  I stopped beside my car.

"Lia, stop this madness." I murmured to myself as I took my keyless remote from inside my bag's pocket. "You can't. You can't fall for him. You can't fall for anyone." I told myself as pressed the  remote to open my car.

"Lia." I heard Dustin's voice behind me and I was tempted to ignore him.

"Bakit?" I asked without turning to look at him as I opened my car's door.

"Let's talk." He said and I smiled sadly before I turned to face him.

"I'm sorry, Dust. I really am pero tapusin na natin itong kalokohang ito. Alam naman nating laro lang ito, di ba? It was hot while it lasted pero masyado na itong matagal para sa isang laro."

"This isn't just a game for me, Lia." He answered and my heart drummed crazily inside my chest. I felt hopeful and sad at the same time.

"Ano pala ang tawag mo dito?" I asked as I searched his face. Hindi sya sumagot and I laughed dryly when he lowered his gaze. See? Hindi nya rin alam. Wag kang tanga, Lia. Gusto ka lang nyang ikama. "We're compatible in bed, Dust. Hindi ko naman yun ide-deny. Pero ayoko ng long-term bedmate at sawain ako. Habang masarap pa yung samahan nating dalawa, tapusin na natin. Sige, bye."