"Hoy. Umusog ka." Sabi ni Liam sa akin at nawala na ang pag-asa kong habulin ang nakukuha ko nang tulog. Umusog na naman ulit ako sa pangatlong pagkakataon.
I sighed and gazed at the clock. 10:57 pm. Habang mahimbing na natutulog ang butihin naming bisita sa kwarto ko, ako naman ang hindi makakilos dahil nasa kwarto ako ni Liam. Pakiramdam ko nga, hindi na ako makakatulog sa gabing ito.
I am really nervous. Scared, maybe. Living with a stranger is one thing, but sleeping beside a stranger? Hindi ko alam kung magigising pa ako once na ipikit ko ang mata ko.
But he's your husband, and you are his wife. These are just one of the things that you have to do! To sleep beside the man you married! Sobrang simple lang! Kalma lang!
But my insides are raging in fear and nervousness, so umusog ulit ako palayo. At muntik ko nang ikalaglag yun. I felt my cheeks burned when he laughed at me. Jerk.
Tinalikuran ko na lang siya para kumalma naman ang sistema ko. Baka mamaya kasi mag-assume na naman si Liam at gawan niya pa ako ng masama.
"Don't worry, Ace. I don't bite." Narinig kong sabi niya. Napadilat na naman ako nang wala sa oras. Dug. Dug. Hindi naman ako nagkape, pero grabe maka-katok ng dibdib ko ngayon.
Boy, this is really a bad idea.
Umusog ulit ako at iningatan kong hindi ako masalubsob sa sahig.
"Don't think stupid things, Aeicy. Para namang napaka-attaractive mo." Sabi niya. Sabi niya!
There goes his words again. Nagtalukbong na lang ako para di na ko gambalain ni Liam ulit. At para na rin hindi ko na maamoy yung pabango niya na sobrang nagpapagising ng diwa ko.
Then, a few minutes later...
"Ano yung mga pinag-usapan ninyo ni Mommy?" Halos malaglag yung puso ko sa gulat. Dug. Dug. Gising ka pa Liam? Gising ka pa? Akala ko kanina ako na lang ang gising. "Answer me." He demanded.
Then suddenly the picture of ate Sam flashed in my head. Maghapon naming pinag-usapan ni tita--ni mommy yung tungkol kay Liam at Samantha. Nung una, hindi ako makapaniwala na kayang mang-iwan ni ate Sam. Hindi ako naniniwala sa mga sinasabi ni tita against kay ate Sam.
Seeing ate Sam and my brother together, I have seen that she is a sweet, kind, and caring person. Wala sa hitsura at pakikitungo niya sa akin ang mga sinasabi ni tita kanina. Yung kung paanong nang-iwan na lang bigla si ate Sam at si Liam naman sobrang naging devastated. The right term tita used was broken.
'Yun ang mahirap paniwalaan ngayong nakita at nakasalamuha ko si Liam. Hindi ko alam ang totoo. Siguro, kailangan ko lang itulog ito.
"Dahil sa kanya, kaya nagbago ng sobra si Liam. My son gave everything to her. May plano na siya sa future nilang dalawa. But after everything he gave and sacrificed, she just walked away from him. Giving us no reason why she had to leave. Then after that, he drinks everyday, he even neglected his responsibilities. His life became worse because of that girl."
Kahit anong isip at analyze ko, unang-una sa lahat, wala ako sa posisyon para gumawa ng kung anumang word against it. What is done, is done. It was over. Kung totoo man or hindi, alam kong alam na rin naman siguro ni kuya Rio ang lahat ng ito.
It was a big revelation, and it really made me hard to understand Liam. Hell, mas nahirapan na akong kunin ang loob niya para magkasundo kami.
"Hey, I'm asking you." His voice made me go back to Earth. Nakalimutan ko nang sagutin yung tanong niya. At talagang hinintay niya ang sagot ko?
"A-ahm, wala naman. Tungkol lang sa mga bagay-bagay." Honestly, Aeicy? You can do better.
"Like what? Come on, Ace. Elaborate." He sounds so impatient. At ako ay impatient na rin na kunin ang tulog ko. Having two Monteveros for one day was really tiring. Bakit ngayon pa niya naisipang makipag-chat?
"Tungkol sa ano... kung kumakain ka daw ba ng maayos dito saka sinabi niya din na curry yung favorite mong pagkain. Tsaka kung nakakatulog ka daw ba ng maayos."
I heard him sigh. Tapos may naramdaman na lang ako na may nakadagan sa gilid ng tyan ko. Liam's arm. Shit. Shit. What's he planning to do?
"Did you mention about the way you prepare my food? Also, the way you iron my clothes?" His voice sounds like he's teasing me, at alam ko namang sinasadya niya yung pagpapaganda ng boses niya, lalo na yung paghila niya sakin papalapit sa kanya.
I had goosebumps. He's so near. What to do? What to do?
Okay, so nasa kama kami ngayon. Iisang kama. Magkatabi kami and very intimate-- not too intimate but too intimidating for me. He's very close to me. What the hell am I going to do?
Buti na lang at nakatalukbong ako kundi patay na.
I cleared my throat at umusog ulit palayo. Pero nakadagan pa rin yung isang kamay ni Liam sa beywang ko at lalo niya pa kong hinila pabalik. Oh darn. Kill me now.
"Malalaglag ka na. Scoot over here. At tsaka ano bang tinatalukbong mo diyan? Do I smell?"
No, Liam. Your scent is just distracting and... intoxicating. Sasagot sana ako kaya lang parang may unti-unting nagtatanggal ng talukbong ko. At hindi si Sadako yun. Ibang klaseng multo ang nagtatanggal ng kumot ko ngayon.
I glanced up at him and he smiled wickedly. "Scared, Ace?"
Bakit ba sa lahat na lang ng mood na pinapakita niya, I always look so... helpless? I can't even move a muscle and go away from him.
"Close your eyes." He whispered, and I know I'd be dead meat if I didn't do what I was told. Kaya pinikit ko na lang yung mata ko. My heartbeat quickened when I felt his breath near my face. "Don't you dare open them." He warned. Of course alam ko ang resulta kapag sumuway ako.
I was both shocked and electrified by his lips leaning mine. It was a short kiss, and I had fought damn hard enough not to kiss back, but shit, I cannot help but respond. Right when I was welcoming the new feeling he pulled away and smiled like a devil.
"That's enough for now. Sleep." He kissed me once again at umayos na siya ng higa.
Leaving me very weak, breathless, and aching for more. Anong more?! Sleep!
Bumalik ako sa pagtalikod sa kanya, as if it would hide my racing heart. What the hell just happened? What happened?
"Goodmorning, Dear!" Tinago ko na lang ng ngiti ko yung gulat ko. It was Liam's mother. Naka-apron at may hawak na isang plato ng pancakes. Lalo akong napangiti. "Breakfast!"
"Goodmorning din po." Lumapit ako sa dining table. Hotdog, bacon. pancakes, bread and butter, eggs. Everything was prepared and cooked. At walang sunog. Sobrang occupied yung mesa sa sobrang dami ng pagkain. She prepared all of this? How?
"Si Liam tulog pa?" Tanong niya. Umupo na rin siya sa upuan at ganun na din yung ginawa ko. "He must be very tired, hayaan muna natin siyang matulog pa. Anong oras ba yung pasok niya?"
"Madalas po, mga seven--"
"Morning, Ladies." Napatingin ako at napatingala sa humihikab na si Liam. At naalala ko na naman ang mga pangyayari kagabi kaya yumuko din ako kaagad. Goodmorning to you, Aeicy.
"Oh, goodmorning darling." Lumapit si Liam sa mommy niya to have a kiss on the cheek. "Just in time, kakain na sana kami ni Aeicy eh."
"Of course I won't let my lovely wife eat without me." Sabi niya habang nakangiti sa akin. Obviously he's playing the handsome nice angel in front of his mother. Bakit may handsome?
Wala akong magawa nung lumapit siya at halikan na naman ako. "Morning, honey."
I blushed, dahil sobrang nakakahiya yung ginawa niya sa harap ng mommy niya. He kissed me! At may sound effects pa! "What a nice day. Sweet couple in front of me, Awww."
Pinilit ko na lang ngumiti. Yeah, right. What a nice day.
"By the way, Mom. I'm taking my day off today. Sasamahan ko si Aeicy na mag-inquire sa College. Do you want to stay here or you're coming with us?" Sabi ni Liam habang kumakain na kami. Tila nasikatan ng magandang araw yung mukha ko.
He's really keeping the end of the deal.
"Oh really? Good for you, Aeicy. Anyway, I would like to stay here and rest. Hahayaan ko muna kayong mag-date."
"Now that you mention it, I guess we'll be going home by dinner."
Dinner? Bakit hanggang dinner?
--
"Damn it." Liam cursed under his breath. Binato niya yung cellphone niya pagkatapos niyang gumawa ng dictionary ng mga mura sa kausap niya kanina. Ganito ang nagagawa ng mga tao kapag traffic.
Mga seven-thirty kami umalis ng bahay pero dalawang oras na ang nakaliliipas at nasa kalsada pa rin kami. Pinili ko na lang na manahimik at maglaro ng games sa phone ko kesa pakalmahin si Liam. Alam kong maguumpisa na naman siya sakin pag ganun.
Nung lumuwag-luwag yung traffic, dumaan yung kotse sa 7/11 para bumili ng inumin.
"Wait here." He said as he slammed the door and went inside the convenient store.
Nakahinga ako ng malalim. Dinaig pa ng climate change mood ni Liam samahan pa ng traffic. Hindi kaya magbago ang isip ni Liam at hindi ako pag-aralin ulit? Kinuha ko yung earphone ko at nag-soundtrip muna habang naghihintay.
I closed my eyes and tried to have some nap. Napuyat kasi ako kagabi. Kakabantay sa sarili ko, baka kasi maisuko ko ang Bataan nang hindi ko nalalaman. After what he did last night...
Shit, eto na naman ako.
Now that the short nap is out of the question, I opened my eyes. Then I felt my heart dropped. Ramdam ko yung laki ng mata ko ngayon. At halos mamura ko si Liam sa sobrang tagal at kung bakit hindi niya ipina-tinted ang mga salamin ng sasakyan.
"Terence..."
Yung tao na gustong-gusto ko iwasan, nasa harap ko na ngayon. He's standing in front of the car, staring intently at me. Oh no.
"Here, drink this." Inabot ni Liam yung bottled ice tea sa kanya. He was back from the store and he seemed like he's calmed down. Hindi pa rin nawawala yung tingin ko kay Terence. I'm soooo dead.
"Liam, drive. Now." I said, desperately. I need to get out of here.
From my peripheral vision, I saw how Liam looked at me. Tapos sinundan niya kung saan ako nakatingin. At nakita niya si Terence. Then Terence did something that made me wince. Lumapit siya samin at kinatok yung salamin sa side ko.
"Who's he?" Tanong ni Liam sa akin, at alam kong marami pang tanong ang susunod dun kapag sinagot ko siya.
"Liam sandali lang ako." Sabi ko while undoing my seatbelt.
"What?" Liam snapped. He sounds confused, and mad.
Hindi ko na pinansin si Liam at wala na akong pakialam sa mga consequences nitong lahat. Lumabas ako ng kotse at hinila si Terence palayo. But Terence was always strong, so he caught my arm at pulled me closer to him.
"Terence, please---"
Then he kissed me.
"I missed you so much, Aeicy."
Dead meat.
________________________
-FL01