Photo Credit : I forgot who owns this photo, so sorry, i have no claim over this photo
Early update my dears, you already know why. I'm revealing a twist here in this chapter, which may or may not tell you where the story is leading to. I hope I keep you guessing, because I would hate for my story to be predictable. But this story arc gves you a glimpse into a troubled person's point of view, why bad decisions are made, and why we sometimes shouldn't judge people too quickly.
I've made the mistake of judging people by impressions or appearance and it's not a good feeling when you find out you've judged someone harshly without knowing what they've been through. This is why I always include back story of some of the characters, to make them ore human. Some of you get it, and that makes me happy.
Anyway, this is fiction after all, so enjoy lang, I love interacting with all of you. Thank you very much for suggesting the story arcs, some of you may see that I follow your advice and incorporate your thoughts in my story. So this is our story now, we write it together
Have fun reading before the workweek starts! :)
It's been two months since he last saw Sheila on his birthday. He never attempted to call her, actually forgot about calling her on his birthday because he was too busy celebrating with his wife. From their dinner, they had to pick up Thirdy from his parents' house, then proceeded home to put Thirdy to bed. But Thirdy refused to sleep, and they ended up playing with him till he got all tuckered out by midnight.
After that call, Mr, Enriquez never called again, so he guessed everything was ok. There was a niggling doubt at the back of his mind that Sheila might need his help but he pushed the thought away, refusing to take a risk on showing concern that might be misread for something else. He chose the safe path to stay away.
It was early morning when he arrived at the site, to get ready for another meeting with Alvin and Danica. The scene that greeted him at the office took him aback.
Sheila was seated on the table, facing the door, legs apart. A man was kissing her neck, her eyes were closed, neck tilted to the side. His hands were busy inside her top, and from the looks of it, he planned to consummate what they started.
Richard cleared his throat, eyes gazing steadily at them. Sheila's eyes flew to him and smiled, straightening her shirt, slightly pushing the man away. He saw the man zip his pants, and wipe his mouth before he faced Richard, a sly smile on his face.
"Richard....long time no see. This is James, boyfriend ko."
"Pare, hi." James extends a hand but Richard merely waves, refusing to shake his hand, wondering were the hand might have gone before the handshake.
"Hi James, sorry madumi kamay ko," He said meaningfully, looking at James in the eyes, to which James flushed and looked away.
"James, pare.....good to meet you. I suggest though, next time you need to be intimate, take Sheila to a more private place, she deserves respect. Wag dito pare, place of work niya 'to."
Sheila laughed, putting an arm around an embarrassed James and kissed him full on the mouth. He was a small thin guy, probably younger than Sheila, with wavy hair and fair skin.
"Babe, sorry nabitin....Later."
With linked hands, they stepped out of the office. Richard shook his hand and laughed. Bakit ba ako ang laging sinusuwerte makakita ng ganyan, he asked himself. He tried to put the incident out of his mind and prepared the day's paperwork for the meeting. A few minutes later, Sheila is back.
"You didn't have to be so rude, Richard."
"Sheila, I'm Project Manager of this site, and answerable for whatever happens here. Can you imagine if it was Alvin who walked into you both? You could have locked the door you know. That way you can prepare to be decent if somebody knocks."
"You know Richard, I really wanted you to see that. Para sayo yung palabas na yun."
"For me? What makes me so special na kailangan may palabas pang ganyan?"
"I just wanted to show you I've moved on. You're not the only guy, damn you. I wanted you to see that I can also be happy without you."
"My God, how old are you Sheila? We're both on the verge of 30, and you resort to childish tactics like this? Wala ka bang respect sa sarili mo? How could you allow someone to sex you up in your workplace?"
"Di kaya hurt lang ego mo that I will stop running after you?"
"Sheila, I'm a married man with a kid. I can say I've matured enough to know my priorities. Wala na yang ego sakin, wala akong dapat patunayan sa sarili ko. I already have everything I want."
"You're forgetting, Mr. High and Mighty Righteous one that my uncle got this project for you. If I wanted to, kaya kita ipatanggal dito."
"Eh di sige, gawin mo. Sheila, I don't know what's gotten into you. This is a bad idea, us working together. No need to tell your uncle, I'm resigning. Tawagan ko na siya ngayon."
He took out his phone and started calling Mr. Enriquez. She slapped away the finger swiping on his phone.
"Stop."
"You wanted this diba? Look, mas malala pa dito na-experience ko na, nawalan na ko ng trabaho dati, malulusutan ko to. Siraan mo ko if you want, I've just had it with you."
"I'm sorry, I know I'm acting like a brat. Naiinis lang ako kasi judgemental ka."
"Seriously? What would you do if you walked into this office and saw me and Dei making out on that table? You'd get scandalized diba? Kahit asawa ko pa yung kasama ko, hindi pa rin tamang lugar."
"Mali ka. If I saw you and Dei making out here, maiinggit ako."
"Ayan ka na naman eh. What happened to you? Hindi ka naman dating ganyan."
His phone buzzed. He checked the message and eyed her warily.
"Padating na si Alvin and Dei is with them. I strongly suggest you freshen up Sheila, you looked like you've been roughed up." He stepped out and slammed the door behind him.
She did as she was told, hating herself. She could never win against him. She splashed water on her face and gargled some mouthwash. Applying a fresh coat of lipstick, she surveyed herself on the mirror. She looked the same to others, the same delicate and baby-faced beauty that her friends always believed was living a charmed life. She studied abroad, traveled across Europe, owns practically every designer bag a girl would ever want.
But they didn't see her scars. The scars of her parents living separate happy lives with their own families, while she was the odd one out being juggled alternately by the two homes. She who nearly died on the operating table when her body almost rejected the kidney they transplanted on her. And of course, she, the broken-hearted one, whose pieces might never be brought back together by any other man.
She stepped out of the toilet to see the two couples chatting animatedly. Danica had her arm linked through Alvin's while Richard was hugging Dei from behind, just like he used to do to her. They were laughing at Alvin's joke, with Dei looking behind her as Richard stole a kiss on her lips.
"Tanginang mga 'to, kala ko ba bawal ang PDA dito," She muttered to herself angrily. She was heading to the office but Dei saw her.
"Sheila, hi! Long time no see." Dei extricated herself from Richard's arms and approached her. When Dei moved to hug her, she put both hands up to stop her, remembering what she did earlier. She refused to hug Dei, thinking her too clean to be soiled by a reject like her.
"Dei...uh, hi. Naku huwag na tayo mag-hug, pawis ako."
"How've you been? Blooming ha. I like your lipstick shade."
This was the trouble with Dei. She was nice, really a nice person, and Sheila could not hate her, nor could she ever do something head on to steal Richard from her. She just couldn't do it. She could take chances and hint at Richard, show him she was interested, but until he bites the bait, she could never, never really make a full aggressive move because Dei makes her feel bad about herself.
"I'll stay with you while they talk shop, Sheila ha."
"Sure. May lakad kayo?"
"Yes, birthday ko kasi, RJ wants to take me to the beach."
"Sweet niyo naman."
"Sweet naman talaga si RJ, I'm sure you know that."
She remembered how sweet he used to be to her, and how he was with her earlier. Times have changed, that sweetness was now reserved for Dei alone.
-----
The beach mat was spread across the sand, the stars were beginning to come out. Dei snuggled close to Richard, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Lamiiiigggg......" She said, snuggling close to him.
He puts an arm around her and stares down at her, admiring her simple beauty and innocence. Their lips meet, he kisses her gently. She pulls him for another kiss, then kisses the stubble on his chin.
"Babe, you haven't changed since the day I met you. Or, wait erase. You're even prettier now than when I first met you."
"Bolero ka, anong kailangan mo?"
"Wala....Just saying. You know why you're prettier now? Magaling ako mag-alaga."
"Well, I have to admit that's true. You take care of me really well."
"Buti na lang pwede iwanan si Thirdy kina mommy. I don't want to bring him on long drives like this yet."
"We both worry about long drives because of that accident before. Maybe when he's a little bigger, we can bring him along."
"Pero for now ok din ito. Just you and me, dating."
"Babe maiba ko, I just noticed kanina. Is Sheila avoiding you?"
"Yeah, I guess she is. She did something stupid kasi kanina."
"Really, ano?"
"Are we really going to talk about Sheila, birthday mo eh."
"Sige na, sinimulan mo na eh."
"Tsss....ok.....this morning kasi when I arrived at the site, I caught her in the office making out with her boyfriend."
"My boyfriend na pala siya? But that's good news, diba?"
"No problem about the BF, ang masama yung mag-makeout sila sa office. They didn't lock the door, what if it was Alvin who saw them? So I told her boyfriend to treat her with respect, wag naman sa office sila mag ganon."
"Tama ka naman."
"Sheila's still immature, she's older than you are but she still acts like she's in college."
"Yaan mo na. I'm glad she has a boyfriend. Feeling ko kasi she's still not over you."
"Enough talk about Sheila. Enough talk, period. Care for a night swim sa pool? Imagine...you, me, our bodies submerged in warm water, hugging....kissing...."
"I like that. Let's go."
"Teka nga pala, open your gift first."
He handed her a small giftwrapped box. She quickly unwrapped the box and was surprised with the gift.
"Babe, this is a Rolex watch, can we afford this?"
"Funny you should ask, you gave me a pick-up truck. Mas mahal kaya yun."
"No...baka same price lang nito yun eh. Besides, I was able to get that only because I had a hefty bonus. I don't want you spending your hard-earned money on me like this, sayang pinaghirapan mo."
"Babe, you earned that bonus also and you spent it all on me. Listen to us, we shouldn't be arguing about how we spend each other's earnings. I bought this because I thought it was a nice gift, I wanted you to have something special because, yung birthday mo and anniversary natin last year hindi natin na-celebrate so consider this as a gift for all the occasions I missed while I was away."
"Babe....thanks for everything. I haven't said it often enough, pero salamat. Everything we went through, you never gave up on us. Thank you."
She hugged him tightly, feeling so touched by the gift, not because of the price, but the thoughts that went around it. She was truly lucky to have him for a husband.
In condo unit somewhere in Makati, someone was thinking the same thing. Dei was really lucky to have Richard for a husband. She was thinking this while another man was making love to her, her first time to give herself to someone. Funny how she saved herself up for a long time, thinking the first time would be special, hoping it would be with Richard.
But he was taken, and she needed to move on. Here was someone who, like her, was a lost soul, needing validation for his existence in this world. When his shaft penetrated her, she cried out in pain, tears running down her cheeks as he tried to calm her down. And then he started moving, thrusting in and out, each thrust grinding into her pelvis which was part pleasure and pain. Her innocence was now taken from her, and the pain evolved into pleasure.
So this was how it felt, how two people coming together felt like. She moved her hips, imitating his movement, catching herself moaning with pleasure. Faster and faster they moved, until the climax came and she lost herself in the moment. He falls asleep shortly, and she washes herself up, unable to sleep.
She cries, thinking about another couple doing the same thing, only happier, less out need, more out of love. The grass was always greener on the other side. You always want what you cannot have.
Her life was a whole damned cliche.