“What the fuck?!” sigaw ni Iris na nagpaatras kay Ryko. “How the hell did you get here? Pa’no ka nakapasok sa bahay ko?!”
Wait, I’m in my house, right? Pasimple siyang luminga-linga sa paligid. Nang makumpirmang nasa bahay nga niya siya, matalim niyang tinitigan ang lalaki.
“I couldn’t possibly bring you here, didn’t I?” Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Iris nang ngumuso ang lalaki na para bang pinipigilan ang sariling ngumiti. His action was making Iris doubt herself. And before she could ask, nagsalita na ang lalaki.
“Tatawagin ko na ang Mommy mo—”
“You’ve met my mom?!” Her eyes were bulging.
Nakilala nito ang mommy niya? Ibig sabihin, kasama niya itong umuwi kagabi? Oh, gosh. But she doesn’t remember a thing! Ang tanging naaalala niya ay nakatulog siya sa mga bisig nito sa bar. After that, everything was hazy.
Dahil sa sinabi ni Iris, hindi na napigilan ni Ryko ang bumunghalit ng tawa. Iris frowned even more.
“What the fuck are you laughing at? Sino ka ba, ha? I don’t even know you.” Humalukipkip siya saka umirap. The truth was, she feels embarrassed. She had no idea how he’s here, standing in front of her but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s the man she kissed last night.
Ang lalaking hinalikan niya pero hindi niya alam ang pangalan.
Pero nunkang aaminin niya sa lalaki ang hiyang nararamdaman niya. She’ll die first before she admits it.
“Ako lang naman ang lalaking hinalikan mo kagabi.” Nalaglag ang panga ni Iris kasabay ng pamumula ng mukha niya. He smirked.
“Ang kapal ng mukha mo—!”
“Iris, ano ba ‘yan? Ang ingay-ingay mo.” It was her mother’s voice. She could also hear her steps nearing her room. Pinandilatan niya ang lalaki.
“Get out of here if you don’t want my mom to strangle you,” banta niya sa lalaki na mukhang hindi naapektuhan. Sa halip ay tuwid itong tumayo at humarap sa direksiyon kung saan niya narinig ang boses ng ina kapagkuwan bahagyang yumukod.
Oh shit, she found him!
Iris frantically laid on the bed, covered her whole body with a comforter, and pretended that she was still asleep. Bahala na ang lalaking nakatayo. Mas mabuti ngang ito ang gisahin kaysa siya.
Iris heard her mom’s footsteps but louder. That just means that she’s inside the room. It did not take long enough before she heard her mother’s warning voice.
“Iris,” nagbabantang turan ng ina. She slightly raised the comforter to peak, only to see her mother’s sandals on the floor. “Alam kong gising ka na. Bumangon ka riyan.”
Napalunok siya bago dahan-dahang inalis ang comforter sa pagkakatakip sa mukha niya. At nang magtama ang tingin nila ng ina, she smiled sheepishly.
“Hey, Mom.”
“Don’t “hey, Mom” me.” Tumaas ang kaliwang kilay nito. “Care to explain what happened last night, young lady?”
Bumuka ang bibig ni Iris ngunit walang salitang namutawi mula roon. Nagbaba siya ng tingin kapagkuwan dahan-dahang bumangon. Her mom sighed, making Iris look up. Pinamahayan ng kaba ang sistema niya nang makitang nakatingin ito sa direksiyon ng lalaki.
“Mom, I can explain—”
“Mabuti na lang at pinasundan kita kay Ryko. If it weren’t for him, ano na lang kaya ang mangyayari sa ‘yo roon? And why do you always have to go to that club every time we have an argument?” pangaral ni Ivory sa anak.
“Y-You know him?” Tinuro niya ang lalaki.
“Of course, I do.” Her mom gave her a pointed look. “Ryko is my personal driver. Don’t you recognize him?”
Hindi makapaniwalang napabaling si Iris sa kinatatayuan ng lalaking nagngangalang Ryko. Nasa likod na nito ang mga kamay habang tuwid pa ring nakatayo. There’s a ghost of a smile on his lips but the nervousness was quite evident as well. Because of his stance, Iris had the opportunity to look at him — the whole him.
Ganoon pa rin ang suot nito. Gaya ng kagabi, he’s wearing faded jeans and white shirt plus sneakers. The only difference is that he’s not wearing a jacket anymore at mas maayos ang buhok nito kumpara kahapon. He looked more refreshed.
Aaminin niya, he does not look like a driver. Kahit pa nga napakasimple lang ng suot nito, hindi niya ito mapagkakamalang driver!
Ibinalik niya ang tingin sa ina. “Is he new?” she whispered.
Her mother looked at her flatly. “Iris, Ryko’s working for us for two years now.” Iris was dumbfounded even more. “‘Di mo lang siguro napapansin because you’re busy doing God knows what.” Umirap ang ina niya at inalis ang comforter na tumatakip sa kalahati ng katawan niya. It showed her pink pajamas, making Iris blush. Pasimple niyang nilingon si Ryko na ngayon ay nakatingin na sa ibang direksiyon.
“Ma!”
“Ano?” Pinandilatan siya ng ina pagkatapos ay nilagpasan siya nito. “Go get ready. May project briefing ka sa Whiz, ‘di ba? Sasabay ka sa ‘kin.”
“Ayoko!” protesta niya. Her mother halted and turned to her with one of her eyebrows raised.
“Am I asking for your opinion?” Iris pursed her lips. “Besides, wala ka namang magagamit na sasakyan. Your car is still at the club. Unless you want to commute?” Nalukot ang mukha ni Iris. It’s not that she doesn’t like nor know how to commute, it’s about her capability to commute. She just bought a designer bag at nag-clubbing pa siya kahapon. Wala na siyang pera!
“Kung sinusuwerte ka nga naman,” she mumbled when her mother went out of her room. Then her eyes went to the man who’s still standing in her doorway. Pinagtaasan niya ito ng kilay.
“Oh, ano pa’ng kailangan mo?” pagtataray niya rito.
Umiling-iling ang lalaki. “Utos sa ‘kin ng mommy niyo na siguruhin kong kikilos kayo, saka ako aalis.” He tilted his head which Iris found adorable. “Hindi niyo ho ba narinig?”
Napakurap-kurap siya saka dagliang tumayo. “Heto na, kikilos na. Can you leave now?”
Ryko pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. Iris rolled her eyes and went inside the CR.
“Get out now!” sigaw niya mula sa loob. Narinig niya ang pagbukas at pagsara ng pinto. She slowly opened the door and peeked a little. Nang masigurong wala na si Ryko roon, saka lang niya pinakawalan ang hiningang hindi niya namalayang kanina niya pa pinipigilan.
Iris let out a relieved sigh as she leaned on the door and looked up to the ceiling.
Driver ng mommy niya ang lalaking hinalikan niya kagabi. If her mom finds out, she will surely go ballistic. What will she do now?
“MAMAYANG HAPON, ‘wag niyo na ‘kong hintayin. I have a dinner to attend to kasama ang kaibigan ko,” wika ni Ivory nang nasa sasakyan na sila. Iris is on her left. “At ikaw naman, Iris. You will be riding with us ‘till next week. That’s your punishment.”
“What? Mom, hindi na ako bata para ihatid-sundo. Besides, I have a car!” Iris argued.
“A car that was left in the club.”
“Eh, ‘di kunin!”
“Ang tanong, nasa ‘yo ba ang susi?” Natahimik siya. She couldn’t find her keys earlier kahit pa nga sigurado siyang nasa clutch bag niya lang iyon kagabi. Her hunch was that her mom may have taken it.
Seems like her hunch was right.
Bumagsak ang balikat ni Iris. “Mommy, that was my car. Pinag-ipunan ko ‘yon. Give it back,” she whined like a child.
“After one week, I will. Kailangan mong magtanda, Iris. You can’t just storm out and drive to anywhere you like just because you're pissed. At lalong hindi tama ang maglasing palagi sa tuwing hindi maganda ang kinalabasan ng araw mo,” Ivory lectured her again.
Well, hindi naman magiging hindi maganda kung hindi mo ginawang big deal ang ginawa ko. She wanted to voice it out but she chose not to. May ibang taong nakikinig sa kanila.
She’s usually nonchalant when her mother lectures her. But this time, it’s different. May nanonood sa kanila at iyon ay ang lalaking hinalikan niya kagabi. For some reason, nahihiya siya kay Ryko.
Teka nga. Bakit ba ako nahihiya? Driver lang naman siya ni Mommy, pagkausap niya sa sarili.
“Ayaw ko ng maulit pa ‘to, Iris. Huwag mong sasagarin ang pasensiya ko. You said you’re an adult, act like one.”
“Yes, Mom,” she grumbled. Wala sa sariling napatingin siya sa dash mirror at nagtama ang mga mata nila ni Ryko. She cleared her throat and looked away.
“I’ll be in my office.” Tinuro siya ng ina. “Ikaw naman, dumiretso ka sa tita mo para sa briefing ninyo. Bilisan mo, baka ikaw na lang ang kulang.” Tinalikuran siya ng ina saka kinuha ang bag na inabot ni Ryko sa kaniya. “I’ll get going,” paalam nito.
Instead of listening to her mom and going straight to her aunt’s office — her aunt is her manager, Iris faced Ryko. Nang makitang kasasakay pa lang nito sa sasakyan, she quickly went straight to the driver’s window. After one knock, the window went down.
“May kailangan pa ho kayo, Ma’am?” Agad na nalukot ang mukha ni Iris dahil sa pagtawag nito sa kaniya na Ma’am. But she doesn’t have time for another argument so she lets it slide.
“Don’t pick me up. I can go home on my own,” she said.
“Pero sabi ni Madam—”
“Forget what my mother said. Huwag mo na akong sunduin.”
His lips thinned. “Pasensiya na ho pero ang utos ni Madam ang susundin ko.”
Iris scowled. “Sino ba ang susunduin mo? Hindi ba, ako? Bakit si Mommy ang pakikinggan mo?” iritado niyang tanong.
“Kasi siya ang boss ko at siya ang nagpapasahod sa ‘kin.” He started the car. “Have a good day po, Ma’am Iris.” With that, minaneho niya ang kotse paalis.
“I said, don’t call me ma’am — oh, what the fuck ever!” inis niyang singhal sa kotseng nakalayo na. “Argh!” Papadyak-padyak siyang pumasok sa loob ng building.
Umagang-umaga, sirang-sira na ang araw niya.
✨GraciousVictory✨
Don't forget to vote, comment on this chapter if you have some questions, and of course, follow my acc, @GraciousVictory. Thank you!😘