"Hi! May I ask if Zeji is here? By the way, I'm Fiona-"
"Hindi naman po kita tinatanong, Ate. At wala pong Zeji dito, pero asawa ni Ate Sera na si Kuya Ey-ey po, meron."
I stopped cleaning and look outside. There I saw Carol with her mad and irritated face. Her arms are on her hips and her eyebrows are up. My eyes landed to the woman outside the gate. Wearing a tight dress, has long hair, and tall... inshort, a slut. Well, who is this, this time? May Jasha na nga, may dadagdag pa?
I saw how the woman's smile faded. But she immediately put another fake smile. "Ey-ey and Zeji are the same.. so he is here? Can you call him? I want to talk to him- no, we have something to talk about. Please tell him-"
"Ay, ayoko po. Sino ka po ba sa inaakala mo po? Baka nga po ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit palaging nag-aaway ang mag-asawa."
I mentally cough and my eyes grow wide. Carol?
"Palagi pong nakatitig sa kawalan si Ate at parang malungkot. Kahit ayaw niyang sabihin at kahit magsinungaling man po siya ay alam ko pong nasasaktan na siya. Sabi nga po ni Kuya Phin sa akin na nasaktan, nagselos at luhaan daw po si Ate Sera nang makitang magkasama palagi sina Kuya Zeji at Ate Jasha. Linta po kasi si Ate Jasha. Baka nga po ikaw rin. Naghihirap ka na po ba at wala ka ng mabili na sapat na tela para sa iyong damit? Gusto mo bilhan kita? At isa pa po, naturuan ka po ba ng mabuting asal ng mama mo po? Kapag may asawa na, layo na dahil kasalanan po iyon. May pag-iisip naman po kayo, 'di ba? Kaya dapat alam mo iyon. O sadyang bobo at linta ka lang po talaga?"
Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti ng babae at agad na napalitan ng galit, tila ba'y insultong-insulto sa sinabi ni Carol. It was a great show but I need to step in. And another thing, what did Carol said again? Malungkot? Nagselos? Luhaan? What the fuck? Kailan man ay hindi ko 'yon mararamdaman. That fucking guy! He's feeding Carol lies! Maybe I should strangle Phineas the next time I see him!
"Carol, stop it. Your below the belt," sita ko nang makarating ako. Carol immediately look down and hid behind me. I tilt my head towards the lady and smiled fakely.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Fiona. I overheard your conversation and Carol is.. I know.. too much. She must have been worried about my behavior this days. I am deeply sorry."
Tumikhim ito at tumango. "No, it's okay. I understand.." she look behind me and elegantly flip her hair. "Anyway.. is it true that Zeji is your husband-"
"No, he isn't." I automatically said. "He.. he is my friend. This baby behind me misunderstand anything. I was only sad because I miss my family. That's it."
Para naman itong nabunutan ng tinik at tumango-tango uli habang hawak ang bandang dibdib.
"So, what do you need from him? He is not here right now. Pwede mo naman sa akin sabihin. I'll tell him right away."
"Really? Thanks." Tumalon-talon pa siya na naging dahilan ng pag-alog ng dibdib niya. Sure, my breast are much more bigger than hers but she really looks irritating.
"Ano kasi, kagabi, he meet me at the bar. And I think he wanted me to warm his bed."
My eyebrow lift up. "Pardon?"
Kinapa ko si Carol sa likod at tinakpan ang tainga niya, takot na makarinig siya ng hindi karapat-dapat marinig.
"Sex, darling. Sex. As you can see, in his highschool years, I became his fling. We fuck, hard. Everywhere. Anywhere. He was always needy for I don't know the reason. And when we graduated for College, our connection is cutted. But well, it seems that old habits die hard because we got connected again after a year. Though it was cutted again, he came searching for me and found me last night."
I bit my lip, feeling betrayed. Not because he has a fling before but because he lied to me. Akala ko ba si Jasha lang ang pinuntahan niya? Pati ba naman itong higad na ito?
"You said that you think he wants you to warm his bed, right? So did he really wanted to?" Not visible but I was mad. Really, really mad. Sinungaling. Sinungaling siya.
She did not answer me and only smiled. I got the signal and immediately understood it.
They had sex last night.
"Please tell him its Fiona and come see me tonight in my condo. We have to talk about something. Ti-next ko kasi siya kaso nalimutan ko na iba na pala ang simcard niya kaya I came to search for him na lang. Do tell him, ha? Thank you talaga."
After she said that, she bid goodbye and left without letting me answer her request. Maybe because she already knew the answer?
While cooking dinner, the things the woman said to me is still carved in my head. And Caroline keep on apologizing because of what she said earlier. I immediately forgive her. I can't resist her charm! And yes I am a softie when it comes to younger girls.
"Iha.." tawag sa akin ni Lola.
In-off ko ang stove at nilingon si Lola. "Po?"
"May pupuntahan kasi kami ni Carol ngayon. Sa bayan. Kaarawan kasi ng pamangkin ko at imbitado kami. Bukas pa sa hapon ang uwi namin dahil may pa-extension pa ang birthday ng pamangkin ko. Nag-aalanganin kasi akong pumunta dahil maiiwan ka sa bahay. Sama ka na lang kaya, iha.."
"Naku, 'wag na po. Kaya ko naman po ang sarili ko." Nilapitan ko siya at niyakap.
"Sigurado ka ba, iha? Alam mo namang medyo matagal-tagal pa dumating si Ey-ey dahil sa trabaho. Baka mapano ka rito." Bakas pa rin ang pag-aalala sa mukha.
"Sigurado po ako, 'la. Don't worry po. I can handle myself. Besides.. Ven.. hindi niya po ako papabayaan."
Yes, he won't. But he is a liar.
Malapit na ang gabi at wala pa si Ven. Wala na rin sina Lola dahil sinundo na sila ng kanilang kamag-anak na papunta rin sa bayan. Baka nakipaglaplapan na? I shook my head and went upstairs to change my clothes. Pagkatapos kong magbihis ay agad akong bumaba, only to see Ven na kakapasok lang. He smiled at me but I didn't.
Agad akong lumiko papuntang kusina at umupo roon. He followed me there, looking confused.
"Do we have a problem, Malysh?" His cold but soothing voice echoed in the small kitchen.
"Wala." Tamad kong sagot.
He nodded but I know he didn't believe me. Naghila siya ng silya at umupo din. Pinanood niya lang akong kumain at kahit labag sa loob ay hindi ko siya inayang kumain. Bahala siya riyan.
Kaagad kong niligpit ang pinagkainan at hinugasan ito. Ramdam ko ang nakasunod niyang mata kahit saang sulok ako ng kusina magtungo. Nang matapos na ay agad akong lumabas ng kusina ngunit napatili ako nang may biglang bumuhat sa akin. Marahas ako nitong pinaupo sa lamesa at malamig akong tinitigan. Nakahawak ang magkabilang kamay sa bewang ko at kung titingnang maigi ay para siyang nakayakap sa akin.
"Malysh.. do we have a problem? I don't remember that we had a fight before I went out." Marahan nitong hinaplos ang pisngi ko.
I shook my head. "No, we don't have one. May naghahanap lang sa iyo dito kanina." The last sentence was almost a whisper.
He look at me with a blank look. He was still not believing me, I guess? Binasa ko ang labi na agad naman niyang sinundan.
"Her name is Fiona." I uttered. "Your fling.. or more like a fuck buddy?"
Kumunot ang noo niya at maya-maya'y umigting ang panga. "Did she told you that?" He asked.
Hindi ko sinagot ang tanong niya, bagkus ay tinulak ko siya palayo sa akin.
"That's not important!" I shouted unexpectedly. He stared at me blankly that made me gulped and calm myself. "Ven.. You have to go to her condo right now because the two of you has something to talk about."
Why do I feel bitter? Kahit 'yong boses ko ay parang tunog ampalaya. Ven probably noticed it because he cursed several times. Inabot niya ulit ako. He snaked his arms around me and pulled me closer to him
I can feel his hands around my waist tighten. Kitang-kita ko rin ang naglalabasang ugat sa kaniyang braso. Is he mad? I rested my head on his chest and inhaled his scent.
"Is that why your mad at me because of her? Were you mad because she became my.. fling?"
I didn't reacted when he said that I am mad. It's true. Totoo naman. I keep my mouth shut and whispered.
"You're a liar."
I can feel his body froze after hearing what I whispered. I didn't bother looking at his reaction. What's the use anyway? It doesn't matter. Sinungaling siya. 'Yon na 'yon. He didn't tell me where he was last night. Sure, he told me, but not everything.
Kumawala ako sa yakap niya at mahina siyang tinulak. I jump out of the table and walk towards the door. I look at the clock on the wall and saw that it was still 7:49 pm. I thought it was already 9 pm!
Akmang isasara ko na ang ilaw sa sala nang may isang braso ang humila sa akin at sinandal ako sa pader. There, I met Ven's burning eyes. He was really mad and confused?
"And why did I became a liar?"
"You told me you went to Jasha's condo yet you did not tell me you went to a bar just to meet Fiona there! And you even had sex with her! You liar!" I almost shouted.
His jaw clenched and harshly pulled my oversized shirt, making my brassiere visible to his eyes. I gasped and pushed him yet he was so strong to move.
"You're jealous.." he said before licking my neck. And again, I gasped.
"No, I'm not! I'm mad! I just hate liars! You lied to me-"
"Really? You're mad? But why do you sound bitter? Why are you shouting? Fuck buddy? Fling? You sounded upset and jealous when you said that! Yet you only said you're mad? You're fucking jealous, Malysh! Don't be too hard on yourself and admit you are jealous.. That you like me already.."
Realization hit me. But still I.. I still refuse to admit the fact that I.. like him.. Right.. why was I being so hard on myself? I shook my head repeatedly.
"No.. I'm not.." I silently mumbled
Tinaas niya ang mukha ko at nilapit ang mukha niya. "You like me, admit it."
Lumingo ulit ako. He sigh but then he smirked. He loosen his tie and took it off. Binuksan niya rin ang mga butones ng damit niya habang hindi pinuputol ang titig sa akin.
"What are you doing?!" I nervously ask.
He did not answer me, instead..
"I'll kiss you and if you kiss me back.." he lick his lips, sexily. "That means you like me. And the feeling is mutual."
_ Clarus Ire
[A/N: May putukan na po'ng magaganap! Binabati ko po kayo ng bagong taon! Hoho. Late update rin pala ako kasi walang signal at walang load.]