Chapter 5
JULIUS EPTEMBER
"That was so lit, Aubrey," I whispered on her ear as I nuzzled her neck. She purred. To hell with the guys who say they don't cuddle with women they don't love after sex. How could anyone not want to cuddle after sex? Yes, it's fucking sticky, but it's also super hot.
She wrapped her thin and flawless arm around me and bit my chin. I grinned and groaned and grinded against her. She was in such a good mood today, not her usual bitchy self. She's just like Yuna when it comes to crankiness. They are both feisty little witches, but I think Yuna is worse. Far worse. Because Aubrey's attitude on a bad day is like Yuna's attitude on a good day. She was that annoying.
My hands roamed around Aubrey's body and she giggled before giving me the fake innocent look. I bet she gives this look to her boyfriend too whenever they fuck each other to death. I gripped her ass and spanked. Ah, that ignorant bastard.
"I missed this. I missed intimate moments like this with you," she murmured and I snickered at her. "Me too, sugar cunt."
Sinimangutan niya ako. "I swear, you call me the lowliest and the sweetest names ever, douche bag."
"Naglalambing lang ako. Alam mo namang hayok ako sa chimchampoo mo." Hindi ko mapigilang mapangisi. It was a term only Zade and I used. He found it weird that I name things, even my thing.
Yes, people. You read it right. Mayroong pangalan ang baston ng katapangan. I call him Pepito Mucho. And no, he is not fucking Mexican.
"Do you really have to go early?" tanong sa akin ni Aubrey bago mas pinahigpit ang yakap niya sa akin. Kapag ganito siya ay parang gusto ko na lang manatiling nakakulong sa pagkakayakap niya. It felt comforting, for odd reasons I could not fathom.
"Kapag hindi ako umalis nang maaga ay baka magpang-abot kami ni Michael. It's a Thursday, he usually visits. Nakalimutan mo na ba?" Nag-inat ako bago pumikit. Susulitin ko na ang limang minuto bago ako tumayo sa kama.
"September?" she called. Niyakap ko ang unan niya habang nakapikit pa rin. "Hmm?"
"What if... What if..." She sounded uncertain. I peeked through one eye only to see her staring at the ceiling, clutching the dark blanket over her chest to cover her delicious body.
"What if I break up with Michael?"
THUD.
I fell. I fucking fell off the bed and hit my head on the edge of the bedside table.
Sa sobrang pagkagulat ko ay napaatras ako kaya nahulog ako sa kama. Damn it.
"S-september, are you okay?" She inched to the side of the bed to look at me. I stared back at her with an inquisitive frown.
"Ginulat mo ako, gaga ka!" Tumayo ako at hinimas ang gilid ng ulo ko. Paniguradong magkakabukol ako nito, ang sakit.
"September naman..." She looked resigned, tired and even weary. Tinabihan ko siya sa kama at ibinuka ang mga maskulado kong bisig. Umiling siya, mukha siyang seryoso. In fact, I've never seen her wear an expression as serious as the one she's wearing now.
"Why," I asked, confused. I don't get it. Why would she want to leave Michael? He's got a stable job, he's nice and he could give her a good future. "He's good for you."
Bumakas ang iritasyon sa mukha niya. Pagkatapos ay napalitan iyon ng pait. "What if I don't want to be with him anymore? What if I want what's bad for me?"
Kumunot na ang noo ko sa sinagot niya. Who the fuck wants the thing that's bad for them? Aubrey is wacko.
"Baliw ka na, Aubrey. Alam mo, go have dinner with him or something. Think it through, I'm sure you're gonna regret saying that." I patted her head and took her towel before walking towards her girly bathroom.
"Paano kung mahal pala kita?" mahinang tanong niya mula sa likuran ko. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad, unti-unti akong humarap. Matiim siyang nakatingin sa akin habang naghihintay ng sagot.
I laughed, I laughed so hard my jaw hurt. "Good one, sweetheart."
***
I walked inside the house expecting to find the living room empty but to my surprise, a familiar figure was lying peacefully on my couch.
"Yuna..." I called gently, in a tone I don't let her hear me using on her anymore.
She was covered in a thin pastel sweater and was hugging a throw pillow. Bumuntong-hininga na naman ako. Bakit kaya dito natulog ang bruhang buntis? Maingat ko siyang inangat sa sofa at dinala sa kuwartong hinayaan kong ukupahin niya. She snored and drooled on my arm. This woman, she manages to be an annoyance even in her sleep. I smiled before setting her down on the bed.
"I haven't forgotten, you know?" bulong ko sa tainga niya pero hilik lang ang ganti niya sa akin. "I haven't forgotten, lady."
Isinara ko ang pinto pagtalikod ko. Tumingin ako sa orasan sa pader at nakitang kong mag-a-alas diyes na. Masamang gutumin ang buntis, lalo na kapag maldita ang buntis na nakatira sa bahay mo.
Bumaba ako para magsangag ng kanin. Sinamahan ko ng kangkong at mixed vegetables para healthy. Ipinagtimpla ko na rin siya ng gatas niya. Pasalamat si Yuna at ginto ang kaluluwa ko kung hindi ay hinayaan ko na lang siyang magising at magutom. Like I said, kagwapuhan with a purpose.
Inabot ako ng kalahating oras bago ko natapos ang almusal, inayos ko na ang hapag-kainan bago ako umakyat muli para gisingin siya. I was about to knock on her door when I heard her inside, possibly vomiting.
Kinakabahang binuksan ko ang pinto at hinanap siya agad ng mga mata ko. I saw her on the mini bathroom bent over the toilet bowl. She was puking her intestines out for God's sake! Wala naman yatang lumalabas sa bibig niya pero para siyang nagsusuka.
I couldn't fucking watch. I don't know what to fucking do! It's not like she's been here for too long! Mahigit isang linggo pa lang siya rito at hindi ko pa siya naabutang nasa ganitong sitwasyon. I felt like I was punched in the gut while watching witchy.
"Y-yuna, mamamatay ka na ba?" kinakabahang tanong ko bago hinimas ang likod niya sa pinakanakakahiyang paraan.
She puked some more and I quickly handed her a mini towel to wipe her face with. "Gago ka ba? Hindi pa ako mamamatay, ulol ka!" galit na asik niya sa akin.
Napaatras naman ako agad. Woah there. Ako na ang concerned, siya pa ang galit?
"Sorry naman! Kasalanan ko bang wala akong uterus at wala akong alam sa mga ganyan!" pakli ko. It's not my fault I have a dick and not a fucking vagina! It's not my fault I'm ignorant about stuff like that!
"Gwapo ka nga, mangmang ka naman!" she hissed. Nag-init ang ulo ko. She is amazing that way. Wala pa kaming limang oras na nag-uusap ay galit na agad ako.
"Ikaw naman, matalino ka nga hindi mo naman ginagamit! Nakipag-sex ka sa hindi marunong mag-pull out!"
"Ano bang paki mo! Pangit!"
"Hindi ako pangit!"
"Pangit ka, maliit pa ang baston mo!"
"Alyana June, wag kang sinungaling! Alam mo sa sarili mong hindi totoo iyan!" nagpupuyos na sigaw ko.
She stopped. Of course, I did too. Stupid, that was such a stupid thing to say. I might as well be crowned the king of blurting out inappropriate things. Tangina, she provoked me.
But it's true, she knows Pepito Mucho is not small. He is mighty. He is marvelous.
"Idiot," she muttered with a curse that would make Santa want to erase her on the good people list. She glared at me through the blush her face has plunged into and tromped angrily down the stairs.
"Bakit ko ba 'yon sinabi," nagsisising saad ko sa sarili ko nang maramdaman kong nagsisimula nang mag-react si Pepito.
I patted him and mumbled, "Calm down, papi."
***
ALYANA JUNE
Kahit kailan talaga magsalita si ulupong ay walang preno. Nakaiirita siya. Naiinis ako kahit na pinaghanda niya ako ng almusal. Naiinis pa rin ako kahit na dinala niya ako sa kuwarto at inihiga sa kama. Naiinis ako nang sobra kasi hindi siya umuwi kagabi at alam kong habang ako nakatulog sa sofa kakahintay, siya naman ay naglalabas masok sa kaibuturan at kaluwagan ni Aubrey fucking Abalos.
I shouldn't be this angry at him but I fucking am. I fucking am because I can't help it! Concerned ako sa kanya dahil ayaw kong makabuntis siya! Ayaw kong masira ang career niya! Hindi lang halata pero may paki pa rin naman ako pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari sa medyo pagkakaibigan namin!
I care. I care and I am forbidding myself from showing it because that would be another start. Another start to fall for him, and another start for him to unconsciously rake my heart.
"Kailan dapat ang next check-up mo?" the asshat asked as he drank his lemonade. As if he gives a damn about me and my baby. As if he has given a damn about me all these years.
"Next week," I replied with a lame attempt to keep the uneasiness out of my tone. I want to show him normalcy but with my voice cracking, I doubt he buys it. "Pauutangin mo ba muna ako?"
"May choice ba ako?" he scoffed.
He always had a choice. He had a choice back then and he has a choice right now. He just keeps on picking the wrong one.
"Meron," maikli kong tugon. He just shrugged before scooping a spoonful of rice and shoving it inside his smart mouth.
I stared at his lips and then the memory tugged at my mind. The night I had my first kiss with him, the night I treasured the most. Of course, he woke up not remembering that part, and I'm thankful. Because how could I explain that? How could I freaking explain why I kissed him? Him! My brother's dickshit of a friend!
"Do you need my presence?" he casually asked. This is such a weird morning.
"No, I can take care of myself," I answered and he smirked at me. "Yeah, right. I'm still coming, though."
Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "At bakit? Sabi ko di ba kaya ko ang sarili ko?"
"I want to piss you off, witch. I'm coming with you." He cocked his beautifully maintained eyebrows at me and I found myself shooting him daggers.
"Just the thought of you drives all the happy vibes away, so your presence isn't really necessary," I fired and he laughed.
"Back at you."
Inikutan ko siya ng mata bago tumayo. Ako na ang naghugas ng pinggan para makalayas na siya sa kung saan mang guesting o photoshoot o taping na kailangan niyang puntahan.
"Alis na ako, anong ipabibili mo!" sigaw niya mula sa may pintuan.
"Moralidad! Kailangan mo iyan!" sigaw ko pabalik.
"Alyana June, wag mo akong pikunin at isasauli kita kay Ashford," pagbabanta niya. We both know that was an empty threat but that was my cue to stop.
"Nakabibili ba ng tatayong tatay sa anak ko? Iyon ang gusto ko!" Minsan lang ako magbiro, kaya hindi ko alam kung ano ang sumapi sa akin at nasabi ko iyon. Tahimik siya, siguro nagulat sa pagsabi ko nun.
"Joke lang," saad ko bago ako pumunta sa gawi niya para malaman kung buhay pa siya. He was frowning while standing near the doorway. "Bilang na mga gano'n sa mundo, wala nang mahahanap na gano'n. Kaya lasagna na lang."
He frowned deeper. "Alright."
"Sige na, lumayas ka na. Naalibadbaran ako sa'yo at baka maging kamukha mo pa ang anak ko—"
"What's wrong with that? Gwapo naman ako."
I rolled my eyes. "Ikaw lang nagsasabi niyan."
"Pati ang Septembernatics." His frown deepened even more, how is that possible.
I laughed out loud. "You're so lame. Alis na nga kasi!"
"I-lock mo ang pinto palagi. Wag kang lalabas. Kapag may kumatok, murahin mo agad."
"Sira ulo ka talagang baliw kang ulupong kang pangit," saad ko. Sinimangutan niya ako bago ibinagsak pasara ang pinto. Asar talo.
Siguro kahit papaano ay nakalalamang pa rin ako kay Aubrey. Because she will never see this side of him. I've seen all his possible sides, but her? She has only seen one.
I will not compete with Aubrey because I know I wouldn't win. But there's still comfort in knowing that behind all the snarky comments September and I keep on throwing at each other, underneath those is familiarity. Maybe even intimacy. Maybe.