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Kinumbinsi niya ang sariling nabibingi lang ng siya. For starters, Maria is too weird to be interested in an affair. Mas uunahin nitong maglambitin sa baging kaya
sa leeg ng kung sinong blue eyed na lalaki. And why would someone cheat on him? Him? The Ultimate Caleb?
"What?" ulit niya. "You... you're cheating on me?"
"Ahuh," anito, masiglang tumango. "Mayroon akong ibang lalaki."
Di niya napansing nakuyom niya ng mahgpit ang kamay. "W-Who is he?"
"Marami sila."
"Who are they?" tanong niya. He didn't notice he was standing now, towering over her.
Maria didn't even flinch and started counting in her hands. "Sa Miolo Mascual, Koko Nartin at Sander Pord. Marami pa, nasa notebook ko. May ranking 'yon."
"Who the hell are they?!"
"Eh?" taka nito, para bang dapat ay kilala niya ang kung sinong mga unknown poncio pilato. "Di mo alam? Sa TV sila."
He already realized she was joking, or maybe not. Just a list of men she idolizes like commoners do to celebrities. Pero huli na para kumalma si Caleb. Ramdam niya ang kung anong sakit sa dibdib, at init na umakyat sa ulo niya.
"Nagsiselos ka ba?" tanong nito, nakatingala. Her eyes were like a cat's expecting food.
"Of c–!" he stopped, horrified by his quick reply, and how honest his anger was. He stepped back, and sat down as if his strength was gone. Tumikhim si Caleb, bumwelo. "Of course... I am your boyfriend, after all. And you said, we'll marry in the future." Sinulyapan niya ang daliri nito, nandoon pa rin ang regalong singsing niya.
Good, satisfied na isip ni Caleb.
Ngumiti si Maria, napahagik-ik. Dumiretso itong yumakap sa kanya, pabagsak sa kinauupuan niya.
Para sa taong malakas kumain, magaan ito.
"Eh. Wala naman akong ibang boyfriend. Mon-Mon, ikaw lang naman ang lab-lab ko."
Maluwang man ang yakap nito, akala niyang maubusan siya ng hinginga. It was quick, as if his chest was hit by something.
"Ikaw lang, okay?" This time, her voice was gentle, sincere and assuring. Wala na ang nakakainis na sigla.
"Yeah," ang tangi niyang nasabi, biglang naubusan ng lakas. Hinayaan niya ang sariling gumanti ng yakap. Hindi niya nagugustuhan ang malakas na tibok sa dibdib. Hindi niya natuloy ang pag-usisa tungkol sa nakita niya sa hotel. It could wait. Whatever Maria is hiding from him, they'd never break up.
Humigpit ang yakap nito, hindi niya sinaway. Ilang sandali pa ang lumipas sa ganoong posisyon, doon pa lamang nagsalita si Caleb.
"Hey, can you stand now."
Hindi ito sumagot, bagama't lumuwag ang yakap, ay nanatili sa posisyon. Caleb started feeling uncomfortable, aware of Maria's weight, albeit light. He could feel her, smell the hint of coffee and the immortal scent of baby powder.
It was definitely her boobs, he can feel against his chest, heaving as she was breathing peacefully. Dumantay ang pantay na paghinga nito sa kanyang dibdib.
He started feeling weird.
He is a man alright, but to feel it for a woman because of someone like Maria, Caleb feared his taste in women dwindled in the drain.
"Hey," ulit niya, napabilis ang hininga, at ilang beses nang lumunok. "Tumayo ka na diyan."
"Hmm," ang tanging sagot, gumalaw para tumagilid at sumandal sa kanya.
"Don't move d*mn it," sabi niya, nahigit ang hininga. He wished he could reach the remote to turn the temperature cooler, but it was placed far from his reach.
At sa ilang segundo ng katahimikan, narinig niyang ang mahihinang hilik nito. Tama ang suspetsa niya.
Of course. Another something unexpected from Maria. Sino ba naman ang walang kiyemeng matulog sa ganoong posisyon, patagilid na nakasandal, habang ang ulo ay dantay sa balikat niya. He was sitting on a chair, and no matter how comfortable and big it was, she slept leaning on him like he was a bed.
Pagod nga ito. Gusto niyang itulak ito, pero may pwersang pumipigil sa kanya. Yes, he's uncomfortable. Yes, he feels weird. But a part of him doesn't care. All of a sudden, he felt tired too.
So he gave up, just for the moment.
Caleb, raised his arms again, hugged Maria and ignored the weird position they're in.
"Malamang tinamaan ka na, ng totoo ha. Hindi 'yong pretend pretend na yan."
Bullsh*t, he thought.
Hindi niya namalayang nakatulog na rin siya. It was an hour later when he woke up. Wala na si Maria at nanakit na ang batok niya.
Nang tuluyang magising ang kamalayan, tumayo siya. Sa gitna ng pag-inat, napakislot siya sa basa sa dibdib na bahagi ng T-shirt.
He didn't even try to smell it. Mabilis na lumabas ng library si Caleb sa pandidiri. Tama nga siya, imposibleng may papatol kay Maria.
Pagdating sa kwarto, hinubad niya ang T-shirt na may laway nito at naligo ulit.
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Sana kaya ni Caleb today.
Thank you for reading.
Ellena Odde