Chapter 2
Napagising siya dahil sa tunog ng kanyang cellphone. Inabot niya ang kanyang pantalon sa sahig at kinuha ang cellphone na kanina pa ring ng ring. "Hello?" Inaantok na bati niya.
"Adam! Where the hell are you? The meeting is about to start—Wait, hello?" Tanong ulit ng lalaki sa kabilang linya.
Napakunot ang noo niya, still very sleepy. "What do you mean Adam? Hindi 'to si Adam! Si Axia to! Wrong call ka ata!" Sabi niya at tinapos ang tawag. Wala pang limang segundo ay may tumatawag na naman.
"Lintek! Ano ba? Sabing hindi 'to si Adam!" Naiirita niyang sagot dito. Hindi ba ito nakakaintindi?
"Hindi ka nga si Adam pero kanyang cellphone ito. Where is he? I need to speak to him!" Sigaw sa kanya ng lalaki. Gagong 'to ah, sinisigawan lang ako—Wait. Tiningnan niya ang cellphone at nagulat dahil isang iPhone 5 ang hawak niya! Shit, she was a Blackberry user! Napabalikwas siya ng bangon only to find out she was stark naked under the sheets! Oh no...
Natatakot at kinakabahan siyang lumingon sa kanyang tabi. Jesus Christ! She was sure as hell will scream at the top of her lungs if she knew—"Miss? Excuse me? Is Adam there?" Tanong ulit sa kanya ng lalaki sa kabilang linya.
"Yes?" Mahinang tanong niya. Oh dear God... Please Lord. Please no!
"Tell Adam to be here in less than an hour." Yun lang at binaba na nito ang tawag. The nerve.
Pero ang mas kinatatakutan niya ay ang ideyang may nangyari sa kanila ni—No! NO! Dahan-dahan niyang nilingon ang natutulog na lalaki sa tabi niya only to feel the nervousness wrapping her whole system. Oh shit! It's real! I'm not dreaming!
Nagmamadali siyang umalis sa kama habang tinatabon ang sarili gamit ang kumot. "Oh my God." Paulit-ulit niyang bulong sa kanyang sarili. She could not believe this actually happened! She could not believe she actually had a one night stand with... with... with... Adam.
Malapit siyang napasigaw ng makita ang tatlong patak ng dugo sa puting bed sheet. Oh no... Oh no... Ilang segundo lang ang lumipas ng biglang umungol si Adam. Nakadapa ito sa kama at ang isang kamay ay kumapa-kapa sa tabi na tila ba'y may hinahanap. After a several deep breaths ay bumuka ang mga mata nito.
Bago pa man ito tuluyang makabangon ay kinuha niya ang pantalon at malakas na ibinato sa mukha nito. She didn't want to see him naked! "Aray! Ano ba?" Sigaw nito sa kanya. Galit siya nitong sinulyapan na kaagad ding napalitan ng pagtataka.
"What the hell are you doing here, Axia?" Magkasalubong ang kilay na tanong nito sa kanya. Pinasadahan nito ng tingin ang buong katawan niya na hindi namang gaanong natabunan ng puting kumot.
Biglang tumaas ang lahat ng dugo niya sa kanyang utak. "Tarantado ka! Ikaw ang nanamantala sa akin kagabi tapos may gana ka pang tanungin ako ng ganyan?"
He looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean? I was here first! Ikaw ang pumasok dito kagabi and went on top of me almost naked!"
Naguluhan siya. "I... Wait, what?"
Sinuot nito ang pantalon na ibinato niya. She looked away immediately. She didn't want to see anything of him! "Nauna akong pumasok dito, Axia. I've mistaken you for another girl last night, I thought you were Mitch. It was really dark and I didn't recognize you at all. I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry? I'm sorry?! Yun lang?! Yan lang sasabihin mo sa akin after what just fucking happened?!" She was so furious that she even thought of killing him with her bare hands.
"Well, what do you want me to do? Marry you because of a one night stand? Because that will never happen, Alexandria! You know damn well I'm not the marrying type." His words just fuelled the anger that was already brewing inside her.
"You bastard! You think I want you to marry me because of this... mistake? You may rot in hell for all I care pero wala akong intensyong magpakasal sa'yo! Gago!" She threw the blanket that was covering her naked body to him. She didn't fucking care about her nudeness anymore. She was fucking furious of Adam, and of course, of herself.
Nagmadali niyang sinuot ang kanyang mga damit under Adam's gaze. You rot in hell you bastard. Paglingon niya dito ay nakita niyang nakatitig ito sa kanyang bawat galaw. "Lumabas ka na nga dito!"
Tiningnan nito ang mukha niya. "We should talk first, Ax."
She fastened her belt and then turned to him. "Talk? Talk about what? Wala tayong dapat pag-usapan pa—"
"I didn't use a condom." Singit nito.
Bigla siyang nanghina sa sinabi nito. Oh God... Oh God... Napaupo siya sa gilid ng kama. She's gonna be pregnant! She's gonna be a mother! She's gonna have a baby! She's gonna start her own family! And she's not even ready yet!
Biglang nataranta si Adam nang makita ang pag-aalala sa mukha ni Axia. He sat beside her. "Ax, hindi pa naman sigurado eh. Let's not conclude yet, okay?"
"How could you be so calm about this?! What if meron ngang bata nabubuo dito sa loob ng sinapupunan ko just because of our damn mistake! I'm not ready for this, Adam!" Minasahe niya ang kanyang batok. She was at the verge of crying. How could she be so stupid? One reckless move then boom! She's gonna have a child!
"Then we'll support it... together. I may not marry you, Axia, pero pag nalaman kong may batang namumuo sa sinapupunan mo ay pananagutan ko. I will support him and he will be a Figueroa." Paninigurado sa kanya ni Adam. Oh, he's so good at this. Ilang beses na kaya nito inulit ang mga katagang iyon sa mga babaeng nakakatalik nito?
Napahilamos siya. She felt the nervousness closing her mind. Ano kaya kung totoong mabubuntis nga siya? Anong gagawin niya? Raise the child on her own while managing her shop? She pictured herself with a big belly wearing maternity clothes. Bigla siyang napasigaw sa naisip.
"HELL NO!"
-
"Alex... Alexia... Alexandria!" Sigaw ng tatay sa kanyang pangalan. Napalingon siya bigla dito. Kasalukuyan silang nasa sala ng kanilang bahay.
Nakakunot-noong pinagmasdan siya nito. "Alam mo, mag-dadalawang linggo na ako dito pero pansin ko'y palagi kang natutulala. In love ka na ba, anak? May lalaki na bang nagpapatibok ng puso mo?" Sabik na tanong nito sa kanya.
Bigla siyang nandiri sa sinabi nito. The hell... There was no way she was in love! Mas nandidiri nga siya tuwing iniisip ang gabing iyon kasama si Adam.
Tama nga ito, magdadalawang linggo na nga ito dito sa Pilipinas at magdadalawang linggo na din siyang palaging nakatulala. She was always thinking about the fact that there might be a fetus inside her womb by now! Nangingilabot siya sa kanyang naiisip. "Wala, tay. May iniisip lang ako. By the way, may kailangan kayo? Kanina mo pa ako tinatawag hindi ba?"
He looked at her skeptically then shrugged. "It's my birthday this Saturday. Gusto kong maghanda kahit konti lang, so why don't you invite your friends over and—"
"No!" Mabilis niyang tanggi sa sinabi nito.
Nangunot ang noo ng kanyang ama. "Huh? Bakit naman? Tuwing may handaan naman ay palaging iniimbita mo sila dito sa atin eh?"
She bit her lip. "Uhh, they're busy. Alam mo naman sila may pagka workaholic talaga." Sana lang talaga ay makumbinsi niya ito. She didn't want any single one of them to be here! The awkwardness will surely kill her.
Dalawang linggo na din siyang walang balita kay Adam. Hindi ito tumatawag, nagtetext at hindi na din ito pumupunta sa shop nila, which is a humongous relief for her. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya once makita niya ang pagmumukha ng lalaking... Oh my God! I think I'm gonna be sick!
Dali-dali siyang tumungo sa banyo para magsuka. Isinuka niya ang lahat ng kinain niya kaninang tanghalian. This was the first time she actually vomited and it already made her nervous to the bones! Pagkatapos niyang mag-toothbrush ay lumabas na siya sa banyo.
Her father was looking at her with concern and suspicion. "Tapatin mo nga ako, Alexandria. May nagawa ka bang mali na hindi ko nalalaman?"
Napatigil siya sa pagpunas ng tuwalya sa kanyang mukha. Oh no! "Ha? Wala naman, tay. Talagang nakakapagod lang."
Tumaas ang isang kilay nito. "Nakakapagod? Eh dalawang linggo ka na ngang hindi lumalabas dito sa bahay eh! Kung pinapapunta kita sa shop, palagi ka lang half day. May iniiwasan ka ba?"
Bakit ba matalino ang papa niya? Bakit ba hindi nalang ito kasing bobo niya? "Iniiwasan? Sino naman ang iniiwasan ko? Wala naman akong utang na pera kahit kanino?"
Kumibit ito ng balikat. "Maybe you need a vacation. Sabi naman ni Eloy ay masyado ka daw dedikado sa shop kaya wala ka nang oras para sa sarili mo."
Napangiti siya. Finally, a sweet relaxing vacation! "Oo, tay. Parang gusto ko yan."
"Good, it's settled then! Pumunta kaninang umaga sa shop si Adam at humingi ng permiso sa akin kung pwede ka ba daw niyang isama sa bakasyon nito. Pupunta ito sa Boracay, Surigao at Davao." Ngumiti ito sa kanya.
Oh yes, a vacation away from all the stress and—"ANO?!"
Nangunot ang noo nito. "Oh, bakit parang ayaw mo? Si Adam naman ang kasama mo ah. All expenses paid pa."
Biglang nanlamig ang katawan niya. That's exactly the point! What the fuck was Adam doing?! Nasisiraan na ba ito ng bait? Gusto na ba talaga nitong tapusin ang pagkakaibigan nila? "Tay, hindi nalang siguro ako sasama. Sa tingin ko mas kailangan niyo ako sa shop."
Umiling ang ulo nito. "That's nonsense. Wag mong masyadong abalahin ang sarili mo sa shop. Andito ako, anak. I can handle it for awhile. Right now... I want to see my daughter having a little bit fun."
Napasalampak siya sa sofa. She had to talk to Adam about this! Kahit ayaw niyang makita o makausap ito ay kailangan niya itong—
"Axia." Tawag pansin sa kanya ng kanyang ama. Lumapit ito at umupo sa kanyang tabi. He had that look into him that what he was about to say was pretty serious. "Anak, kailan ka ba mangangasawa?"
Literal siyang napanganga sa tanong nito. What on earth was he saying about? "Tay, anong nakain niyo at tinatanong niyo ako tungkol diyan?"
Napabuntong-hininga ito. "Anak, I'm not getting any younger. I want to see you marry with someone and have lots of babies with them."
Nangasim ang kanyang panlasa. "Tay, alam mo namang hindi pa ako ready pagdating sa ganyang klaseng responsibilidad. I can't see myself handling my own baby and start a new life with someone whom I will be spending the rest of my life with! I can't even survive on Sims without using cheats!"
"Alexandria—"
Pinutol niya ang sasabihin nito. "And besides, you have Chey to fulfil that wish for you. I'm pretty much sure she'll find a husband first and have dozens of babies!" Tukoy niya sa kanyang half-sister na kasalukuyang nasa Australia kasama ang kanyang stepmother.
Her father remarried when they branched out at Australia eight years ago. Nakilala nito si Fhroline Pastores, a single mom who was working hard for her only daughter named Cherleen or better known as "Chey".
Sa walong taong relasyon ng tatay niya kay Fhroline ay tatlong beses pa lang niya ito at ang kanyang half-sister nakita sa personal. They were both friendly. Fhroline was attentive, sweet, and thoughtful just like any mother should be. While on the other hand, Chey was a bit... spoiled. Dahil narin siguro at nag-iisa itong anak kaya naman ay sunod lahat ang luho nito.
The perfect word that described Chey was sosy. She was the total opposite of her! If she hated heels, jewelries, dresses, make-up ay yun mismo ang kinaadikan ni Chey. But generally speaking, Chey was nice. Hindi nga sila nagkakasundo minsan pero sabik na sabik naman itong magkaroon ng ate at kapatid. Cherleen was five years younger than her kaya naman pag minsang may problema ito, sa kanya ito tumatakbo para humingi ng tulong. Good thing she respected her bullcap and Vans.
Yun nga lang, if Chey wanted something... She'll do everything to have it, disregarding the rest!
"Anak, alam ko namang pagdating ng panahon ay ikakasal si Chey sa lalaking karapat-dapat para sa kanya. But you, my dear, is unpredictable. I need to know you will settle down someday. I have to know." Kulang nalang ay lumuhod ang kanyang itay sa kanyang harap.
Anong gagawin niya? She wasn't even entirely sure what to do kung may namuo mang bata sa kanyang sinapupunan, ngayon ay pinapangako siya ng kanyang itay na mangasawa't manganak? Napalunok siya. "Tay, I will marry the right person at the right time."
"Pero, Axia... You're already twenty eight! Ilang buwan nalang ay magiging twenty nine ka na! Kailan pa ba ang right time na iyan?" Napakamot siya ng kanyang ulo. Ano ba talagang nakain ng tatay niya at bigla nalang siyang kinausap parte sa kanyang pagiging single?
"Tay naman eh! Wag niyo akong i-pressure pagdating diyan, okay? Now if you will excuse me, may tatawagan pa akong importante." The conversation was making her uncomfortable. Ayaw niyang mangako sa kanyang tatay tungkol sa mga ganoong klaseng bagay. Tumayo siya at akmang lalabas ng veranda ng bigla ulit nagsalita ang kanyang tatay.
"Alexandria, please go and have a vacation. You'll never know, maybe you will meet your soon-to-be-husband there and then come back home with a wedding ring! Please, anak. I don't want to see you lonely someday." Bigla siyang naawa sa kanyang ama. She knew his intentions were good and only for her welfare but she wasn't the least bit ready to settle down.
"Please, Axia... Live a little." He was now staring at her face with puppy dog eyes.
Napabuntong hininga siya. "Tay, wag niyo nga gawin 'yang puppy dog eyes! Nakakadiri tingnan!"
Tumawa ito but still looked at her expectantly. She sighed deeply and then nodded. "Fine, I'll go."
Tumayo ito at niyakap siya. "Sana ay mahanap mo ang magiging asawa mo sa bakasyong ito, Axia."
Nginitian niya ito bago ito tuluyang umalis. What the heck? There was no way she was gonna find herself a husband! Problema at sakit sa ulo lang ang maidudulot noon.
Tuluyan siyang lumabas sa veranda at kinuha ang cellphone sa kanyang bulsa. She cleared her throat before calling Adam. Kailangan niyang malaman kung bakit siya nito biglang—"Axia! You finally called me!"
Napakunot ang noo niya. He sounded na para bang ini-expect talaga nito ang tawag niya. "Of course I had to call you! Ano yung nalaman ko galing kay tatay tungkol sa—"
"I already booked the flight, Ax. Wednesday next week ay tutungo tayo sa Davao. Then on Saturday ay roadtrip tayo papuntang Surigao, then Tuesday the following week ay sa Bora na ang tungo natin." Putol nito sa sasabihin niya. What in the world...
"Have you completely lost your mind?! Nagpa-book ka na ng flight and made plans ng hindi mo man lang ako sinabihan?!" She was close to shouting. Nakita niyang sumilip ang kanyang ama galing sa loob pero hinayaan lang din siya. Alam na nitong normal lang ang sigawan sa pagitan nila ni Adam.
"Hey, I tried to contact you a couple of times pero palagi kang out of reach." Of course he cannot contact her because she turned off her cellphone deliberately! To. Fucking. Avoid. You.
Napabuntong-hininga siya. Adam was a hopeless case. "Adam..."
"Hmm?" Inosenteng tanong nito. What am I gonna do with you?
"Why the hell are you doing this?" Hindi niya maiwasang tanungin iyon. Now for the first time ever in her life ay nakakaramdam siya ng awkwardness pag kausap ito. Ilang segundo din itong tahimik.
"Do you feel uncomfortable with the arrangements? I can cancel it if you want." His voice sounded so... regretful.
She didn't want to crush his spirit. "It's not that, Adam. It's just... What if may nabuo sa isang pagkakamali nating iyon? What will we do then?"
"Then we'll raise him or her together, Alexandria. Simple as that." Kalmanteng sagot nito that made her blink a couple of seconds. Was he serious?
Nawalan siya ng sasabihin kung hindi tinawag ni Adam ang kanyang pangalan. "Are you fucking mad?! I can't marry you! Do you think I will ever—"
"Whoa, whoa! Hold your horses right there! I didn't say we'll marry. I was just saying we'll raise the child together... But not as a married couple of course." Napabuga niya ang hanging hindi niya namamalayang kanina niya pa pala pinipigilan. Just thinking about tying down was unbearable enough. Lalong-lalo na sa isang katulad ni Adam.
"Great! Good thing we settled that." Napapikit siya. Why was this happening to her? Get a grip, Axia! Hindi mo pa nga alam kung buntis ka nga o hindi pero kung ano ano na ang iniisip mo!
"Nasa bahay ka ba ninyo?" Tanong nito sa kanya. Nang sinabi niyang nasa veranda siya ng kanilang bahay ay binaba kaagad nito ang tawag. The Figueroa's house was just a few houses away from them. Alam niyang wala pang limang minuto ay nasa harap na niya si Adam.
Pumasok siya sa kanyang kwarto at nahiga sa kanyang kama. She needed to know if she was pregnant or not. Kailangan niyang malaman kung magiging ina na ba siya for the next nine months. Kinuha niya ang isang unan at tinabunan ang kanyang mukha. Why was this happening? She can't even remember how she lost her virginity! The price of being too drunk.
Ilang minuto ang lumipas ay rinig niyang bumukas ang kanyang pinto at may pumasok. Hindi niya alam but she felt tingly all of a sudden. Na para bang may nangingiliti sa kanyang tagiliran kahit wala naman. She smelled Adam's perfume even before she saw him. "Close the door." Utos niya dito.
"Done." Sagot ni Adam who was just a few steps away from her bed.
Napabuntong-hininga siya bago kinuha ang unan na kanina pa tinatabunan ang kanyang mukha. Just the sight of Adam brought images of maternity dresses and cradles inside her head. "We're doomed." Bulong niya dito without thinking what she said.
Ngumiti ito sa kanya. "It's not gonna be that bad, Ax."
Biglang tumaas ang dugo sa ulo niya at binato dito ang hawak na unan. "Gago! Syempre sasabihin mo yan dahil hindi naman ikaw ang dadala ng bata sa sinapupunan ng halos siyam na buwan!"
Sinalo lang nito ang unan na para bang inaasahan na nitong itatapon niya iyon sa mukha nito. "Hey, I'm trying my best to help here, okay?" May kinuha itong maliit na karton sa loob ng bulsa ng pantalon nito. Biglang lumakas ang kabog ng kanyang dibdib ng inabot ni Adam iyon sa kanya.
"Shit." Bulong niya sa sarili. It was a pregnancy test kit! Actually, ilang beses na iyong pumasok sa isip niya pero palagi siyang inuunahan ng takot at kaba. Now it was right in front of her.
Nahalata ni Adam ang kaba sa kanyang mukha kaya naman ay nilapitan siya nito at aakmang uupo sa tabi niya ng bigla siyang tumayo palayo dito. "Adam, talagang papatayin kita pag hinawakan mo ako."
Tiningnan lang siya ni Adam at itinapon sa kanya ang kit na sinalo naman niya. "We have to know, Ax. Kailangan nating malaman kung buntis ka nga ba o hindi."
Now was the perfect time to use the kit dahil naiihi na siya sa sobrang kaba. She never thought she'll end up feeling like this! It was judgment time. It was the moment of truth.
May sasabihin pa sana siya kay Adam nang hindi na niya mapigilan ang sarili at dumiretso na sa kanyang banyo. Sa tingin niya ay hihimatayin ata siya sa nerbiyos pag nalaman niyang buntis siya. Oh God... She'll never be a perfect mother.
Kanina pa siya tapos pero wala siyang lakas na loob na tingnan kung may dalawang guhit ba ang test. Buong akala niya'y matapang siya at malakas ang loob. Isang pregnancy test lang pala ang makakatupi sa kanya.
Kumatok ng tatlong beses si Adam sa pintuan ng kanyang banyo bago nagsalita. "Axia, twenty minutes ka na diyan ah? Sigurado ka bang alam mo kung pano yan gamitin?"
Hindi nalang niya ito pinansin dahil baka kung ano pa ang masabi niya. Gagong yun, may gana pang mang asar.
She took a couple of deep breaths first before deciding to count herself into three. "One."
She can already feel she was about to faint. "Two."
Mas nilakasan na ni Adam ang pagkatok. "Axia? Okay ka lang ba?"
Here goes nothing. "Three." Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kanyang banyo at bumulagta sa kanya ang nag-aalalang mukha ni Adam. There's no turning back.
She gathered all her courage and then looked at the test she was holding shakily. One line.
Hindi kaagad naipasok ng kanyang isip ang nakita. "One line." Bulong niya sa sarili.
"Axia, is it positive?" Nag-aalalang tanong nito sa kanya.
Tiningnan niya ito and then shouted with all her might. "ONE. FUCKING. LINE." She shouted and danced and then shouted again and then hugged Adam and then danced again. Hallelujah!!!
"Are you serious? Are you sure?" Paniguradong tanong sa kanya ni Adam na kasalukuyan niya paring niyayakap. She didn't give a fuck about awkwardness anymore! She was so damn ecstatic!
Pinakita niya ang test dito and was then rewarded by a shout of joy. He grabbed her waist and then lifted her. "This is the best day of my life!!! I'm not gonna be a daddy!"
"I'm not gonna be a mommy!" Balik sigaw niya dito. She was laughing so loud that tears were starting to blur her eyes.
"We are not gonna have a baby!!" He was also laughing and rejoicing like an idiot just like her nang biglang pumasok ang kanyang ama.
"Ano bang ginagawa niyo at ang ingay—" Hindi nito natapos ang sasabihin ng makita nitong nasa bewang niya ang dalawang kamay ni Adam at tinataas siya sa ere. Shit.
"Tay." Hinampas niya ang braso ni Adam na kaagad naman siyang binitawan. Nilapitan niya ang kanyang ama at nginitian ng ubod na tamis.
Her father looked at her and Adam suspisciously. "May kailangan ba akong malaman tungkol sa inyong dalawa?"
Tumikhim muna si Adam bago nagsalita. "Wala naman, Tito. We were just playing around... Excited to start our vacation. Right, Ax?"
Tumango kaagad siya. "Yeah, just excited for our vacation."
"So that's the reason why both of you were shouting like crazy people?" Hindi parin naniniwala ang kanyang ama.
She smiled. "Uh-huh. We were the last one to book our reservation on a hotel we totally admire. Diba, Adam?"
"Totally admire." Nag-ok sign pa talaga ang mokong ng sinabi iyon. She fighted the urge to laugh out loud.
Pinagmasdan muna siya ng kanyang ama bago tumango kay Adam at lumabas. That was freaking close.
"We are never gonna have sex with each other ever again!" Baling niya kay Adam na kasalukuyang nakahiga sa kanyang kama.
Kinindatan siya nito bago sumagot. "Amen to that."