In Between

32

"Get in!" Isabella said with authority. Sumunod naman ako sa utos nito at pumasok sa kotse. Pagkapasok ko ay agad na pinatakbo nito ang sasakyan.

"Bakit mo sinabi yun?" Galit na bigkas nito habang nakatingin sa harap ng sasakyan.

"Said what?" Maang na tanong ko.

"Don't play dumb! You knew what i mean." Gigil na salita nito.

"Okay. Anong masama dun?"

"He doesn't know!"

I was about to snap back at her but i remained  silent. Pilit kong pinapakalma ang sarili. Wala rin namang patutunguhan itong pagtatalo namin.

He doesn't know, and looks like isabella didn't have any plans of telling him. Great.

"Baba." Sabi nito nang bigla niya ipinarada ang sasakyan sa gilid ng kalsada.

"What?" Hindi makapinwalang usal ko.

"Baba sabi eh." Asik nito. "Kailangan ko pang bumalik dun."

"Seriously?" Hindi makapaniwalang bigkas ko.

"Just get out!" Bulyaw nito. Inis na bumaba ako sa sasakyan saka marahas na isinarado ang pinto.

Napahinga ako ng malalim at nakabusangot na tiningnan ang papalayo sasakyan nito. Hayss.

I recognized the road. Shortcut ito pauwi sa bahay, it'll only take fifteen minutes to get home. By a car. Tsk. Pero wala akong car ngayon! Ayoko namang maglakad. Sayang sapatos ko. Naka leather shoes pa naman ako ngayon.

Minutes passed, pero wala ako makitang taxi o pwedeng masakyan pauwi. Bwesit naman.

Maya-maya pa ay may isang magarang kotse ang pumarada sa harap ko. Isang red Aston Martin. Binaba nito ang bintana ng sasakyan.

"Need a ride?" Nakangiting tanong ng may ari. Napangiti rin ako. Hay sa wakas.

"Where's your car?" Tanong pa ni thessa pagkapasok ko sa loob. Yes, it's thessa yung naka date ko. Pshh.

"I didn't bring any." Nasa kompanya yung sasakyan ko nakisabay lang ako kina jonas kanina.

"Then what are you doing in the middle of nowhere?" She asked then turned on the engine.

"Wala, trip ko lang." Biro ko dito. Narinig ko namang napatawa ito ng bahagya.

She did all the talking sa buong biyahe. Hanggang sa naihatid ako nito sa bahay.

"Thanks for the lift." Sabi ko nung nakababa.

"Anytime." Agad na tugon nito.

"Uhm hey, wanna go inside?" Aya ko dito. "...You know, just to have some juice or coffee."

Nakita kong napatingin muna ito sa relo. "Sure." Nakangiting sagot nito.

"Great."

____

"Wala naman sigurong papatay sakin dito 'no? She said jokingly as we enter the house.

"What?" Natatawang bigkas ko.

"I mean, you have a wife. Baka magalit yun."

"Pffttt don't worry about her."

"Okay."

"You okay with orange juice?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Anything will do cyril." She answered with a smile and scanned the living room. Ako naman ay pumunta sa kusina para gawan siya ng orange juice.

Our juice went to a liquor as we talk more. Still talkative as the first time we met few days ago. Natutuwa akong nakikinig sa mga bagong kwento niya. She has this aura that makes me comfortable talking to her. I'm not really expressive, but she made me tell her some things. Ang gaan lang niya kasama.

I felt dizzy as i laughed at her jokes. Hmmm maybe the alcohol si kicking in.

"It's getting late, i still had a family dinner to attend to." Sabi ni thessa at napatingin sa relo. Napatingin din ako sa time sa cellphone ko. Ala singko narin pala.

"Hatid na kita?" I suggest.

Narinig ko ang pagtawa nito ng mahina. "You said you left your car in your company."

"Yeah right." Napatawa narin ako.

"I'm still sober and can still drive home." She said and she stood up from the chair.

"Hatid nalang kita sa labas." Muntik pa akong natumba pagkatayo ko.

"Careful." Sabi niya saka hinawakan ako sa braso. "Seriously, i can go outside myself, cyril."

"No, no you're my guess and my friend." Mabilis na tugon ko at umiling.

"Ang dali mo palang malasing." She chuckled.

"So...see you again?"

She nodded. "Definitely."

"Bye." She waved and went inside the car.

"Buckle up!" I waved back.

Pagkaalis ng sasakyan ni thessa ay sya namang pag dating ni bella. Thats odd, maaga siya ngayon.  She usually get home at seven or eight.

"Sino yun?" Magkasalubong ang kilay na tanong ni bella.

"My friend." Tipid kong sagot.

"Since when you had a friend's over?" Mataray na sabi nito. She looks at me, suspicious. "We have rules." She added.

She have this rule, i never agree to this. Bawal mag papasok ng friend or fling sa bahay.

"Since when you did care?" I snapped back. Nauna akong pumasok sa kanya. Naalala ko yung kanina. Iniwan ba naman ako dun.

Pagkapasok ko sa kwarto ay bumagsak agad ako sa kama. I'm tipsy and my head hurts. Maya maya pa ay nakatulog na ako.

🙃