Maaga akong nagising tulad ng nakasanayan, I went out of my room after washing my face, agad akong nagtungo sa kusina.
Naestatwa ako ng makarinig ng mga boses mula roon.
"Pasensya ka na kagabi, hijo, ganon talaga ang magpipinsang iyon pag mga lasing na" it was my mom.
"Ayos lang po, naintindihan ko, they're just protective of Amethyst"
"Still, I'm sorry for Isabela's words"
"I can't blame her, Ma'am, I am a playboy before so I understand her doubts"
"Hijo, it still isn't right to point it out that way, I hope your relationship with my Amy won't be affected, and besides, everyone has the right to change if they want to"
"Of course, Ma'am"
"Call me Tita, instead, I couldn't correct you yesterday since I was so overwhelm that my daughter chose for herself"
Nakita ko si mama na nakangiti kay Leonard, he smiled back in a polite manner, she glance my way kaya napatingin na rin si Leonard.
I smiled at both of them.
"Mornin'" I greeted.
I went to my mom and kissed her cheek.
"Si Lola?"
"Namalengke, ipagluluto raw niya ng tanghalian si Leonard" Mama said.
"Oh"
"I tried to say no politely because I still have work, pero mapilit ang Lola mo, I ended up agreeing, mamayang hapon na lang ako babyahe pauwi" he said.
"Oh, I'm sorry for that"
"Hindi siya ganito noon kay George" mom said.
"Mama"
"Nagpunta na po iyon rito?"
"Yeah, sinundo si Amy, but it was just for a few hours, Mama didn't like him much, compared to you, though" Mama said.
"Ma" I tried stopping her.
Nagkibit balikat naman si Mama at saka nagpaalam na magdidilig sa labas.
"I'm sorry about Mama, and Lola, too, you compromised because of their wishes"
"Its alright, I'll just treat this as a short vacation"
Tumango na lang ako, I took a plate and went beside him, kumuha ako ng pagkain ko.
"Kumain ka na?" I asked.
"Yes, sumabay ako sa Mama mo, along with Lola Nina"
"I couldn't sleep last night so tinanghali ako ng gising"
"Why? Something bothered you?"
"Wala naman, I just couldn't sleep, how was your sleep pala? Hindi ka naman ba namahay?"
"I think it was okay, despite that"
Tumango ako, at saka kumain na lang. He was watching me eat, he tucked my hair behind my ear.
"Anong oras ka uuwi?"
"After lunch"
Tumango ulit ako.
"Your mom told me things"
"What things?"
"You had a thing with your best friend?" patanong iyon.
"No, I didn't have feelings for Gab, but he said he had feelings for me, I couldn't reciprocate it"
"With George?"
"I liked him back in college"
"You liked him?"
"Yeah, hindi halata, but he wasn't really a bad person"
"But didn't he cheat on you?"
"He did, pero hindi naman sa umpisa ng relasyon namin, he was faithful to me, or maybe he was just keeping up with me dahil iyon ang gusto nila daddy, now that I think about it, there really is a chance na hindi niya ako nagustuhan"
"Why is that?"
"Kasi bago naging kami sila na talaga ni Gaile, they broke off when his dad told him about me, tapos a year has passed he cheated with her, and then again the following year"
"Why did you stlll keep up with him?"
"I was living up to dad's standard, and I was in love with him still"
"And now?"
"I think I have done enough for my dad, I tried so hard to keep our relationship for their friendship and I'm not in love with him anymore, siguro I felt obliged to be with George dahil sa utang na loob ko kay daddy"
"And that was enough reason for you to be a martyr?"
"At least that time, I felt obliged to please him and be everyone's puppet, Leonard"
I finished my food at dumating na rin si Lola, she sounds so jolly with Leonard around.
"Naku, hijo, ako na riyan, bisita ka" Lola said when he saw Leonard chopping the ingredients for our lunch.
"Ayos lang po, wala naman po akong gagawin"
My mom and grandma was so fond of Leonard, after lunch ay bumalik na nga siya ng Manila, he called me when he was already there.
["I miss you already"]
"Very funny"
["I'm serious, Amy"]
I bit my lower lip, I couldn't distinguish my feelings anymore.
"I-I have things to do, I have to hang up"
["Okay, but can I call later?"]
"Uh, okay"
["Okay, bye"]
"Bye"
I put my phone down and think about what the hell I felt when he said he missed me.
I only want him for sex, iyon lang dapat, at iyon lang naman talaga.
Naguguluhan ako, am I falling for him?
After a few more days ay bumalik na ako ng Manila, Leonard kept in touch with me while I was in the province.
From: Leonard
In a middle of a meeting, are you at your condo now? Reply, please, I miss you.
F*ck it, Leonard, kung nakikipaglaro ka, makukuha mo na ako! Nakakainis!
Kahit pilitin ko ang sarili kong hindi magreply, I always find myself thinking of what to say to him.
To: Leonard
Yup, just got home. Focus on your meeting, see you!
Kaagad akong dumapa sa kama pagkasend ko noon.
Nagtipa ako ng mensahe para kay Kuya Levin.
To: Kuya Levin
Just got home, bukas na ako papasok, your schedules are already fixed, on call ako Kuya if you need anything. Call, don't text.
I sent my message at saka muling bumangon, inayos ko ang mga gamit ko.
My phone ringed, pangalan ni Kuya Ashro ang naroon, I answered it.
"Hello"
["I'm on my way to you, nakauwi ka na, hindi ba?"]
"Yes, I'll wait for you then"
["Okay"]
He hung up, pagkatapos kong magligpit ay naligo ako saglit, pagkabihis ko ay siyang pagkarinig ko naman ng doorbell, I went out, magkasama si Kuya Ashro at Kuya Levin.
"Magbihis ka, pupuntahan natin si Kuya" iyon agad ang bungad sa akin ni Kuya Ashro.
"Huh? Uh, okay"
I wore a black jeans at hinayaan na ang tee shirt kong puti, I went out with them.
"What's up with Kuya? May nangyari ba?"
"He's cancelling tonight, a family dinner" Kuya Levin said.
"I really smell something, Kuya" Kuya Ashro said.
"Like what? He's hiding a woman?" I concluded.
"The man doesn't do that, Ashro, come on, baka naman talagang busy siya or maybe he's avoiding Dad" Kuya Levin said.
"Huh? Bakit?"
"Nagkaroon sila ng away ni Dad, about one of Kuya's cases, hindi pabor si Daddy sa mga desisyon ni Kuya na bitawan ang kasong iyon" Kuya Levin said.
"Bakit naman?"
"Gusto ni Dad na isalba ni Kuya iyong kinasuhan, you know Kuya never does that, mauunang magunaw ang mundo bago baliin ni Kuya ang moral niya at prinsipyo" Kuya Ashro said.
"Then maybe that is his reason why he cancelled" I said.
"No. May napansin ako kay Kuya last time when we attented a meeting, Allyson Garcia"
"Yung interior designer ng bahay mo?" Kuya Levin said.
"Yes, I asked her to present me the final details last meeting, naroon rin si Kuya when she presented it"
"Tapos?"
"While she's presenting, titig na titig si Kuya sa kanya, remember Ryan's party? Ryan Tavarez?"
"Yes, ano ngayon?" Kuya Levin.
"He disappeared at the party along with a woman, hitak-hitak niya iyon palabas ng bar"
Pareho kaming nagulantang ni Kuya Levin, Kuya Benedict is not that type, he's a damn faithful man, hindi niya magagawang makipag-one night stand!
"Ngayon, pupunta tayo roon to confirm it, dahil may palagay talaga ako kasama niya ngayon si Allyson, I don't want to conclude things, pero iyon ang naiisip ko, because Allyson is not in the building where she is working right now" Kuya Ashro said.
"Malay mo naman nagbreak?"
"Her friend said on leave, she took the whole week off at si Kuya lang ang nakikita kong dahilan noon"
Hindi ko pa rin maproseso ang spekulasyon ni Kuya, pero kung sakali mang totoo iyon, why hide her?
We went to Kuya's condo tower, kaagad pinindot ni Kuya Ashro ang doorbell, Kuya's bodyguards are not around, huh?
When the door opened, pare-pareho na kaming nagulantang, a woman was indeed in Kuya's unit!
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