23
''Seat on my lap? Oh yeah?'' Unti unting tumaas ang gilid ng kaniyang labi. My heart pounded more because of it.
''Ayoko nga!'' Hinampas ko ang kaniyang hita. Nararamdaman ko ang pag-init ng pisngi dahil doon.
Seat on his lap?! Really?!
''Hindi ko nga kilala ang mga nandito, tapos gusto mo pa'ng mag-PDA! Mukha mo!''
I bit my lips as he smirked because of my shyness. The loud music of the club resonated more inside the VIP room. Hindi ako sanay sa mga nangyayari ngunit hindi naman ako pinipilit ni Hassen. Actually, mas nararamdaman ko nga na siya ang naga-adjust kaysa ako.
Hassen isn't drinking. Ihahatid daw kasi ako. He's not attending to his friends' call, baka raw kasi maramdaman ko na hindi ako belong. Which is true. His friends are intimidating. My god! Imagine being in a circle full of lawyers, doctors, and technically the rich?!
''Do you want to go out? Ang ingay dito. Are you still comfortable?''
Tinanguan ko siya. Muli kong narinig ang tawag ng kaniyang kaibigan. Nilingon ko iyon. It's a man who recently entered the room. He's wearing a suit with a drink on his hand.
''Hassen! You are alone?"
He turned to him. Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya at uminom na lamang ng orange juice na nasa mesa. Hassen then stood up to accommodate him. Nagulat na lamang ako nang marinig ang pangalan.
"No. I'm with my girlfriend," I heard him said. Nilingon niya ako, moving his head like informing me that he will introduce me to a friend. Napalunok ako at saka tumayo. I immediately felt his hand on my waist. "She's Joshien."
"Oh! Finally! After so many years, Mayor?" nang-aasar na wika noong kaibigan. Napanguso ako. So he really was single for how many years, huh? "I'm Atty. Jeron. Just call me Eron."
He extended his hand. Tinanggap ko iyon. "Joshien Allyson. Joshien na lang."
Nginitian niya ako. I felt Hassen's hand on my waist more when he started to caress my back using his thumb.
"It took you years before finally having another girl huh? Scared of getting old?'' that Jeron smirked.
''Scared of losing my chance, yes,'' sagot ni Hassen.
Napanguso ako roon.
''Mukhang baliw sa 'yo ang kaibigan ko ah, Miss?''
Nakangiti ako umiling habang pinapanood ang dalawang mag-asaran. Jeron took another shot, at kumuha ng dalawa pa. Inabot niya ang isang shot glass kay Hassen na agad iyong tinanggihan.
''I won't drink tonight, Jeron. Maybe some other time.''
''Dude, you always drink! Just this one? Kanina mo pa raw tinatanggihan si Rous!''
''Hindi talaga puwede. Ihahatid ko pa si Joshien.'' I felt his thumb again.
Napanguso ako. He really won't drink today, will he? Kanina niya pa tinatanggihan ang alok ng mga kaibigan at pare-pareho ang kaniyang sagot: hindi. Hindi siya iinom dahil sa akin. I bit myself from smiling.
''You are badly smi-''
''Ayo! Anyone here who invited Terrence?''
Natigil ang pag-uusap namin nang umalingawngaw ang boses ni Rous sa VIP room. Napatingin tuloy ang lahat sa kaniya na kapapasok lang at nasa pintuan pa. Namumula na ang kaniyang mukha at mukhang nakainom na. He still has a drink on his hand though, and before he moved, he drank it. Pagkatapos ay tinapunan ng tingin ang katabi kong si Hassen.
''I didn't.''
''He's in PH?'' someone asked.
''I thought he's finishing his doctorate abroad.''
''Why, Rous? Terrence is here?'' Jeron asked.
I felt Hassen stiffened. Tinapunan ko siya nang tingin at napansin ang pagtitig niya sa akin. I wonder who's Terrence though? Kaibigan din ba nila?
''Oh damn. So someone party crashed then?'' Rous playfully asked.
Muli kong nilingon si Hassen na napabuntonghininga. He didn't move. Hindi naman siya mukhang tensed pero mukhang mayroong hindi magandang connection sa kanila noong Terrence. I'm not sure what it is about though.
"Sino si Terrence?'' bulong ko.
''My cousin,'' he whispered. ''He's supposed to be studying his doctorate abroad. I don't know why he's back though. His heck of a father prolly sent him back here.''
''Bakit hindi siya invited, kung ganoon? Kaaway ba ni Rous?'' Halakhak ko. ''O kaaway mo?''
I heard Jeron's chuckle.
''I'll tell you. Uwi na muna tayo,'' bulong niya.
Nagtaas ako ng kilay.
''Hindi mo manlang ba kukumustahin ang pinsan mo? What's his name again?''
''Terrence!'' I heard a loud beam.
A man who looks almost like Hassen walked towards us, like others, with a drink on his hand. Matangkad siya ngunit mas matangkas ang pinsang katabi ko. His hair is long, with a little stubble.
''Mayor Hassen! I'm happy to see you here!''
Lito ko siyang tinignan matapos niyang lumapit at yakapin ang pinsan. He looks foreign. Not to mention he looks like a typical bastard and spoiled brat raised abroad.
''Terrence,'' si Hassen iyon.
Umatras ako nang kaonti kaya't napansin ang presensya ko.
''Oh! Your girlfriend?'' Kinindatan niya ako. Halos umikot ang mata ko. I already don't like him. ''Someone finally passed your goddamn standards? Yeah?''
''I think you are drunk, Terrence.''
''Drunk? Who's drunk? Me?'' Umakto siyang gulat at tinuro pa ang sarili. ''Brother, I'm not! I can even imagine that moment in college when you stole the awards that are supposedly for me!'' malakas niyang tawa.
Lumapit sa akin si Hassen na halatang iritado na. Sa totoo lang ay hindi ko alam ang nangyayari. Mayroon akong nararamdaman na tension sa pagitan nilang dalawa pero hindi ko alam kung dapat ko bang tanongin iyon o hindi.
Pinsan niya raw. Wala akong kilala sa mga kamaganak niya maliban kay Se. Abelia kaya hindi pamilyar sa akin ang Terrence na ito. Sa pagkakatulad pa lamang ng facial features nila ay malalaman agad na magkamaganak ang dalawa. Ewan ko lang kung bakit mukha silang hindi ayos.
''Dude, come on. Face me!'' he almost yelled.
''Someone party crashed my party and now he's crying his ass off?'' Iritadong halakhak ni Rous nang makalapit kay Terrence. He poked his cheek using his tongue. ''Umuwi ka na, gago. Bago ka pa magsumbong sa tatay mong magaling.''
I don't know what happened after that. Bago pa hilahin ni Rous iyong Terrence ay hinila na ako ni Hassen palabas, sumakay ng sasakyan, at dumiretso na pauwi. I don't know what happened.
Stole the awards? Ayos ah? Akala ko sa mga teleserye lang 'yun nangyayari. Saka hindi ko akalain na importante pala ang mga iyon para sa kanila? Talaga ba? They are hella rich. Do they even need that awards?
''Magkaaway kayo noong Terrence?'' tanong ko nang hindi na nakayanan ang katahimikan sa kaniyang sasakyan. Tahimik siya, nahihiya naman akong magtanong. Hindi ko alam kung may patutunguhan ba kami dahil sa nangyari ngayong araw.
''No,'' sagot niya.
''Pero galit siya sa 'yo, tama ba?''
I heard him sigh. Tumango siya at saka ipinahinga ang kanang kamay sa hita ko.
''That started when we were in highschool. Magkaklase kami at palaging pinagkukumpara. I had better grades than him, that's why I graduated as the valedictorian of our class,'' panimula niya. ''Until we entered the same college, same course. The only thing we differ was when... we graduated in college. Did I already mention that I was the only Summa Cum Laude of our batch?'' he smiled.
Umawang ang labi ko.
Fiscal Hassen Fonacier, a lawyer and mayor, valedictorian, and summa cum laude of his batch? Ano pa ang hindi niya naa-achieve?!
''I really didn't care about it. Awards lang naman iyon. I enjoyed studying, I did not feel any pressure attending my classes, being called on recitations, and doing my paperworks. Hindi naman ako pinapakialaman ng mga magulang ko. They just want me to do well in school. Kaya nang paratangan niya akong binayaran ang administration para makuha ang pagiging Summa Cum Laude, I knew it wasn't a simple accusation. It was jealousy.''
Kumalabog ang puso ko sa narinig. I didn't know... a family can do that. Pinsan niya iyong Terrence! Why would he do that! Hindi manlang niya kinausap ang pinsan at talagang pinarantangan niya si Hassen ng ganoon?
''Anong g-ginawa mo?''
He chuckled. ''I didn't do anything. Binigay ng administration ang class record ko bawat subject, at napatunayang akin talaga ang latin honor na iyon. He was a cum laude though. I don't know why he had to do that.''
''Baka gusto niya talaga iyong award?''
''Pwede, Shien. Pero pwede rin na gusto niya ang kahit na anong mayroon ako.''
Kunot noo ko siyang nilingon dahil sa kalituhan.
''He threatened me that he would run next election. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya sinabi iyon sa akin e wala naman akong pakialam.''
Lumiko siya at pinarada ang sasakyan sa mismong kanto namin.
''I'm sorry. Alam kong sinabi mo na sa kabilang barangay pero delikado na. I can't risk it,'' he added.
Hindi ko iyon pinansin at nanatili lamang sa isip ang kaniyang pinsan. Well, that's weird. Can a cousin really do that? Marami akong pinsan ngunit kailanman ay walang inggitang naganap sa amin. Siguro dahil hindi rin naman kasi kami mayayaman, pero kahit na. Marami akong pinsan na matalino ngunit hindi naman nangyari iyong katulad kay Hassen. Grabe na 'yon, e! Pamamahiya iyon! Hindi lang simpleng akusasyon!
''Pinsan mo ba talaga 'yun? As in, close na pinsan?'' kuryoso kong tanong.
''Yup. Mother's side.''
''Sure? Baka naliligaw?'' biro ko.
''Maybe his father?'' He arched a brow while smiling. Tumagilid siya at binigay ang buong atensyon sa akin.
Kumuno ang noo ko.
''Huh?''
''Well, anak sa labas ang kaniyang tatay. I think I already told you this, Shien.''
Kunot noo pa rin ako habang nakatingin sa kaniya.
''He's Terrence Abelia. Panganay na anak ni Sen. Abelia, which unfortunately is my uncle.''
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let's interect on twitter!
twt: julliacath
see you. :p