"Enzo, why are you here?"
My brother smiled at me. Tsk. He was wearing this brown leather jacket over a white long-sleeved shirt and a black tie. Tapos cream yung pants niya na medyo skinny.
Ang gwapo lang ng kapatid ko. I'm sure na maraming nagkakagusto sa kanya and I am proud of him for that. Pero ang nakakainis? Yung babaeng gusto niya. 'Di ko matanggap!
"Wala man lang bang welcome hug? I miss you ate!"
Kunwari ay napipilitan akong lumapit sa kanya at saka ko siya niyakap. I smiled. Kahit ano talagang estado namin sa buhay, hindi siya nagbago. Inaasar pa rin niya ako. Close pa rin kami.
"I missed you too. Kailan ka dumating?"
"Kagabi."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Why didn't you inform me na darating ka?"
"I didn't want to bother you. Saka nandito si Angel kagabi, e. Teka nga pala ate, bakit mo na naman inaaway si Angel? She was so nice to you. Hindi mo ba kayang maging civil man lang with her?"
I rolled my eyes. Here he goes again with his lectures. Nakakaasar. Sa dami ng pwede niyang gustuhin, si Angel pa!
"It's her fault kaya 'wag ako ang pagalitan mo. If she didn't let THAT guy in—arrgh!" Napasabunot ako sa buhok ko. Naalala ko na naman yung ginawa niya.
Pinanlisikan ko ng mata si Enzo nang bigla siyang ngumiti. Alam ko na 'yang ngiting 'yan. Ilang beses niya na bang ibinigay sa 'kin 'yan? At makailang beses na rin akong naimbyerna? Dahil 'yang ngiting 'yan ay puno ng malisya.
Dapat ba lahat ng bagay bigyan ng malisya?
"Uuuy... dinalaw ka ni Kuya Daniel?"
"PWEDE BA WAG NA WAG MO SYANG MATAWAG-TAWAG NA KUYA!"
He laughed at my outburst. "Why not? Mas matanda naman siya ah!"
"Hindi mo siya kamag-anak!"
"Hindi nga ba?" nakakaloko nyang tanong.
Inihamba ko yung nakakuyom kong kamay sa kanya. "Kukutusan kita, Enzo!"
Dagli naman syang lumayo at tumawa. "Ayeeee... why are you blushing ate?"
Dammit. Am I blushing? No. It must be the heat. "I'm not blushing! I'm just flustered."
"Bakit ka flustered? Siguro may ginawa kayo kagabi, 'no?" tudyo niya.
"ENZO!" Hinampas hampas ko siya.
Tatawa-tawa lang siya. "Aray, Ate! Tama na!"
"Nakakainis ka!"
Bigla niya akong niyakap. Saka hinalikan sa tuktok. "Grabe ate. Na-miss ko 'yang kasungitan mo."
I tsk-ed. "Kumain ka na ba?"
"Hindi pa," sagot niya saka ako pinakawalan. "Aayain ko sana si Angel lumabas."
"No way! Hindi ako papayag!"
His pressed his lips together into a grim line and looked sternly at me. "Hanggang ngayon ba naman, Ate?"
"Any girl Enzo. Kahit sino na lang... just not her."
He sighed. "Ate naman..."
"Bahala ka. Malaki ka na. But I won't accept her. Sinasabi ko na sa 'yo para malinaw. I hate her and it will never change."
"Bitter ka masyado, Ate."
"How dare you call me BITTER! Excuse me!"
He laughed again. "Hay nako ate. I really wanted to stay but I have to go and comfort Angel. Baka umiiyak na naman 'yon ngayon."
"And so? Hayaan mo siya! She deserves it!"
Naiiling syang lumapit sa 'kin and gave me a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Ate."
"Enzo!"
"Bye!" Damn. Ang bilis! Nakatakbo agad palabas ng pintuan!
I really hate the thought of him liking Angel. I mean, how could he—I hate her! I hate them both. That Angel and her brother. I really hate them. Sana hindi ko na lang sila nakilala.
--
Later that day, I went to Glorietta para gumala. By myself. And as usual, I'm looking scruffy again. Ewan ko ba kung bakit pero sanay na sanay akong gumala nang walang makeup at mukhang kagigising lang.
I stepped down the bus and walked to Glorietta 5. Flip flops, tokong shorts and a loose shirt ang outfit ko today. My hair is tied up into a messy bun. May dala lang akong maliit na sling bag. Credit cards lang ang laman saka phone ko. Ayokong magdala ng maraming pera.
Nakabukod yung pamasahe ko syempre. Nasa bulsa ko lang.
Nadala na rin kasi ako. Na-holdup ako sa bus noong minsan. Tapos ayon, tangay lahat. Eh di nganga! Kailangan ko pang magpasundo kay Dani sa police station para makauwi.
Ayoko nang maulit.
Pumasok na ako ng mall and made my way to a boutique. I was browsing the racks when my phone rang. It's him again.
"What?" I snapped.
"Whoa. Why are you so bitchy in the morning, sweetheart?"
Tinatanong pa niya kung bakit? His mere voice is infuriating! "Don't sweetheart me!" I heard his laughter on the other end. "What do you want Daniel?" I asked, with hints of impatience and annoyance on my voice.
"YOU."
I shivered when I heard that. "Please stop teasing me."
"I'm not. I really want you to have dinner with me tonight. So, are you free?"
"No. Never. Busy ako."
Silence. Tapos may narinig ako mayamaya na parang kinakausap niya. I waited for him to re-divert his lost attention to me. A few minutes later, he was back on the phone.
"Okay," he said simply. And then I heard the dial tone.
Ang kapal ng mukha! Pinagbabaan ako?
Ibinalik ko na yung phone ko sa bag bago ko pa maibato and went on with my shopping. I wasn't in the mood anymore because I heard his voice. It usually takes me hours to shop for new clothes and shoes. Pero dahil inabala na naman ako ni Daniel, medyo napabilis ang pamimili ko. I just picked out whatever caught my eye.
Three salesladies helped me with the clothes I picked at dinala na nila lahat sa counter. Ang haba nga ng pila pero pinauna na nila ako. Syempre, special.
The counter girl started scanning the price tags and I waited impatiently.
"Pakibilisan. Nagmamadali ako," I said to the girl. Mukha namang nahiya sa makeup niya kaya ginawa niya yung utos ko. Finally, after the long wait, I handed her my credit card. She swiped it and then frowned.
"Why? What's wrong?" Imposible namang maxed out na?
"Ma'am, frozen po, e."
"WHAT?!" I fished out another from my purse. "Here. Try this one."
She took it and swiped it again. "Ma'am, ganun din po."
I fished out my last one. "Eto. Siguro naman gagana na 'yan?"
Umiling siya pagka-swipe. "Frozen din po."
Napasapo ako at napamura nang mahina. Ininda ko na lang yung reklamo ng mga tao sa likod ko. Isa lang ang alam kong makakagawa nito. Daniel. Oh I'd kill him for this. I took out my phone in haste and dialed his number.
"Yes, sweetheart?" I could hear laughter in his voice. So siya nga ang may kasalanan.
"What the fuck, Daniel?"
I heard him chuckle from the other end. "So... will you have dinner with me?"
"No!" pasigaw ko halos sabi.
"Fine. Simulan mo nang ibalik isa-isa yung mga damit na kinuha mo."
"Dammit. You don't play fair!" reklamo ko.
"Neither do you. Now please be a dear and have dinner with me."
"Fuck you!" I gritted through my teeth.
Nairita ako lalo nang lumakas ang pagtawa niya. He can do whatever he want with my money because he has access to them. Moments like this make me feel so powerless.
I sighed. "Dani..."
"Yes, babe?" I cringed. I don't like it when he uses endearments on me. Nakakasukang pakinggan.
"Fine. I'll have dinner with you."
"We'll pick a dress."
"What? Is there a need for that? I have plenty already!"
"Ma'am kukunin niyo pa ho ba itong lahat?" asked the saleslady. I glared at her and raised my left hand to silence her. Saka ko ibinalik ang atensiyon ko sa kausap ko sa phone.
"I saw this one dress that will look great on you."
"So? Everything looks good on me."
"No. This one would be the best. It would be fun to undress you later tonight." Kinikilabutan ako sa sinabi niya. As in literally, ginagapang ang balat ko ng goosebumps. Gaah! I shivered all over.
"Shut up."
He laughed merrily. "So it's a date then?"
"Yeah yeah. Whatever."
"Say it properly," he demanded.
I rolled my eyes. Ang arte niya. "Fine. I'll have dinner with you tonight."
"And we'll pick up that dress?"
"Fine."
"Good." Pinutol niya ulit yung tawag. Napapikit na lang ako para kalmahin ang sarili ko. Nakakadalawa na siya ah. I crossed my arms and waited for him to fix all this commotion he caused.
"I'll pay for all of it," I heard a voice say. I opened my eyes and lo and behold—the jerk was standing next to me, making those girls drool. Para namang napakagwapo niya.
As if in daze, the girl took his credit card, swiped it and in a matter of minutes, nai-bag nila agad lahat ng pinamili ko. Kinuha niya 'yon lahat and then turned and winked at me. Nakakadiri sila. They find that hot?
"Let's go, dear."
"Don't call me dear in public," I retorted.
"Yes... wife."