Verona, Italia
"Oh my gosh! Are you freakin' fucking me?! Oh my gosh!"
Halos malaglag ang Versace shades ko habang kausap si Hera - my cousin - sa phone. She was just telling me how sure she was about being pregnant again. It's like oh my gosh talaga! I remembered last year that she was almost baliw because she wasn't sure that she can bear kids and now she's pregnant again. How insane is that?!
I'm like so happy!
"Kaya umuwi ka na dito, miss ka na ng kambal ko." Narinig ko sa boses ni Ate Hera ang kasiyahan. Sa mga panahon ngayon ay palagi ko nang naririnig ang tonong iyon sa loob ng pamilya ko. I used to hear that from my mom or from my uncles and aunts - but I seldom hear that from my cousins. Naalala ko noon, kay kuya Yto ko unang narinig ang fulfillment sa boses niya - the day after he married Nikita - paalis sila noon papaunta sa kanilang honeymoon and I bade them goodbye. I talked to Kuya Yto and I heard that exact tone on his voice.
I shrugged on the thought. One by one my cousins are settling down and I'm really happy for them - espcially for Uncle Lukas' lot. Last year our family suffered a great lost and it's really hard for us to move on. I'm still missing Auntie Apollo and all her funny comments.
Palaki ako ng mama ko at ni Auntie Apol. Palibhasa kasi ay si Mama ang paboritong kapatid ni Uncle Luke - who happens to be Auntie Apol's husband. We were really close - kaya nga lumaki ako na nakapalibot sa akin ang tatlong anak nila Auntie. Madalas akong tawagin ni Auntie na extended na bunsong anak niya. I just smiled at that thought. I really miss her and I know Mama misses her too.
Ipinagpatuloy ko ang pakikipag-usap kay Ate Hera sa phone. She was telling me the details of her pregnancy at naisisingit niya rin doon ang kasal ni Yllak at ni Yna. Ang alam ko ay bukas na iyon. I really wanna go but I'm really busy tomorrow.
Pinapunta ako ni Papa dito sa Verona para asikasuhin ang winery expansion. I'm meeting the inverstors, I'm planning the launch. Ang dami-dami kong ginagawa and sadly, ngayon lang ang day off ko at kahit na family affair iyon ay hindi ako makakauwi. My father raised me as his little CEO. I like what I'm doing. I love it whem my dad would smile at me and say that he's proud of my work. Tapos mapapatingin ako kay Mama na nakatingin sa amin ni Papa with tears in her eyes. Tuwing naiisip ko ang tagpong iyon ay talagang nagiging masaya ako at iniisip ko na walang masama sa naging desisyon ko na sumunod sa yapak ng Papa ko.
Anyway, lahat naman kami ay expected mag-excel sa business world. Our surnames make our competitors shiver with fear. Marinig palang nila ang Consunji ay hindi na sila mapakali. Our names have been the foundation of the business world today.
Ate Hera ended the call because Apollo peed in his diaper. I was just laughing. Naalala ko noong isang araw na magka-skype kami, she was wearing her Louis Vitton dress and Achilles peed on her. She was really pissed. Inaway niya si Hades dahil doon at bilang kapalit, binilhan ni Hades si Ate Hera ng dalalwang Michael Korrs ensemble and a tennis bracelet. I was just rolling my eyes ad I listened to her.
Demonya talaga ang pinsan ko at alam kong namana iyon ng mga pamangkin ko.
Itinago ko sa Hermes bag ko ang phone ko at nag-ikot sa siyudad. Verona is my favorite city in Italy because this is the setting of Romeo and Juliet. I love the fact that their love story unfolded in here. That fact alone makes me wanna live in this place. I walked and walked, I took pictures and uploaded it in IG. I'm really enjoying this day off.
Huminto ako sa tapat ng Balcony ni Juliet. I looked up and imagines myself being wooed in there. Alam kong hindi happy ending ang nangyari kay Romeo at Juliet but I want my own Romeo. Someone who can love like him - iyong wagas, iyong sagad sa buto, iyong kahit malayo siya sa akin ay dama ko siya at ang presensiya niya.
I want a lover like that.
In my twenty-six years of existence, ilang beses na akong na-in love pero dahil na rin sa mga lalaki sa paligid ko, umaalis sila at iniiwan ako. Nai-insecure sila sa pamilya ko, kesyo masyado akong mayaman, na hindi ko raw kayang makihalubilo sa mababa. I find those reasons petty. I hate it. Naiisip ko na kung sa mga pinsan ko pa lang hindi na sila makahinga, paano pa kapag na-meet na nila ang BIG 3 sa pamilya ko? Baka maihi sila sa mga salawal nila.
I realized that if they're not man enought to stand in front of my family and claim me as theirs - then they're not worth my attention.
Hinapon na ako sa kakagala ko. I decided to grab something to eat and go back to my hotel. Tatawagan ko na rin si Papa para mag-update sa kanya tungkol sa mission ko then after, tatawagan ko naman si Mama to update our shopping list. Nakalimutan ko pang pumunta sa town proper para ibili siya ng scarf. Siguro ay bukas ko na lang ipagsa-shopping si mama. Right now I just wanna eat and sleep.
I'm so pagod ever!
When I got to my hotel room --- the first thing I did was call my parents. I've missed them. Habang kausap ko sila sa phone ay walang ginawa ang dalawa kundi ang magkulitan. Ganoon naman silang dalawa. Para silang mga bata. Kita ko ang pagmamahal nila sa isa't isa kaya nga tulad ni Mama ay nangangrap ako ng isang lalaking kaya akong mahalin ng buo tulad ni Papa-- na nagawang kalabanin ang lahat para kay Mama.
Hindi ko na namalayan ang oras. Matagal rin kaming magkakausap. Tinanong ko kung pupunta sila sa kasal ni Yna but Mama said that she has to go to Cebu kaya si Papa lang ang makaka-attend. Napangiti ako nang magpaalaman na kaming tatlo. Tumingin kasi si Papa sa mama ko. I smiled because I know that look.
That was the look of a man so in love with the woman beside him. I closed my phone and lay on the bed. I really love Verona --- I love Romeo and Juliet's story. There was a smile on my face. I closed my eyes. Hindi ko na namalayan na nakatulog na ako. I was just so tired but then I was awakened by something really hot d wet between my legs.
I moaned. My mouth parted a little bit. The pleasure I was feeling is very familiar. My eyes were still closed but I could already feel the lust in the air.
Whoever this person is between my legs he knows already which buttons to push and how he can make me moan. His tongue was lashing back and forth inside my core. I was feeling so wet.
"Ahh!" I moaned out loud. Hindi ko na mapigilan. "Fuck! Ahhh! Oh god!"
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Zeus Vejar! Why did you and Adriana Landare broke up? Is there a chance you and her will ever get back together?"
I walked and I didn't mind the paparazzis following me like crazy. Alam kong hindi nila ako titigilan sa kakatanong kung anong nangyari sa aming dalawa. Adriana Landare is a victoria secret angel and we dated for quiet a while but last month I broke up with her because the sex isn't fun anymore. I should know this because I'm quite an expert when it comes in that area. I've had animalistic but safe sex with countless of women before. I've tasted a lot of flavors --- different women means different experiences. I did it all -- doggy, helicopter, everything you can ever read in Kama Sutra --- I have done it.
And sex with Adriana isn't fun anymore. I want fun, horny and hot sex with someone --- not like Adriana.
I stopped walking and faced the paparazzis. I flashed them my million dollar smile.
"Sex isn't good anymore." Nakangising wika ko sa kanila. Muli akong tumalikod at lumakad.
I'm a man and sex is one of my hobby. Lahat naman ay ganoon. I got to my car and ask the driver to to take me to the train station. I'm in Venice. I came here to unwind. Noong nasa Pilipinas ako pinuntahan ako ng mga paparazzi para sa isang ambush interview so I came to New York.l but I have experienced the same thing. My face and my name are all over social media. Galit na galit si Daddy sa akin. He told me to fuck off and hide myself from the detractors. Naisip kong magpunta ng Scotland pero nandoon ang mommy ko kaya hindi ako pupunta doon so I came to Italy instead. Akala ko ay maayos na but on my third day I saw the press people outside my hotel. They were waiting for me. Sinubukan kong magtago. Inaalala ko si Daddy. Tinawagan ko pa si Hades para gawan ng paraan ang mga taong iyon but even my brother can't do anything about them. Naisip ko na lang na harapin na sila. Wala namang masama kung sasagutin ko ang tanong. Ano kung magalit si Papa? I'm off age and I know what I have to do.
And that led me here.
Inihinto ako ng driver sa tapat ng entrance ng train station. Malamig ang paligid. It was a good thing I waa wearing my coat and my gloves. Italy is one lovely city. It is actually my first time in Venice. Madalas akong matanong kung kasama ko ba ang special someone. It's kinda funny. In my life, I never thought about having a special someone. I've always seen myself alone, fucking every girl that I ever wanted until I get tired of just playing around and travel the world instead. kahit kailan ay hindi ko naisip na magkapamilya o ang mag-asawa. Tama na sa akin na may anak na si Hades at andyan naman si Athena - my baby sister - I know she will take care of me no matter how much she hates me. Tama na sa akin ang pamilya ko, hindi na ako maghahanap ng kahit na sino o ng kahit na ano.
Sumakay ako sa train. I settled on the third seat from the door. I was enjoying the view and the peace I have. Alam ko na sa oras na bumalik ako ng Pilipinas ay mawawala na ang peace na meron ako.
For the record, my father hates me. Sa mga anak niya, ako ang pinakamatigas ang ulo. Si Hades, napapasunod niya sa lahat ng gusto niya - isang utos lang naman ni Dad ang hindi sinunod ng kapatid ko at iyon ay ang pakasalan si Venus San Ravalo. Imbes na ang babaeng iyon ang pakasalan ay pinili niya si Hera Consunji - ang babaeng kamag-anak yata ng tao sa impyerno. Noon ko lang nakita na ganoon si Hades - he was so determined to get Hera - nangyari naman, ngayon ay mayroon na silang anak na kambal.
Iba naman ang kwento ni Athena. Kapatid ko siya pero hindi ko siya maintindihan. She had this weird aura in her. Minsan gusto niyang mag-isa. Dumadaan ang araw na nasa loob lang siya ng silid niya at kung anu-anong kinukuntinting niya minsan naman ay lalabas siya ng bahay at kapag nangyari iyon ay kung anong delubyo ang dala niya pero kahit na ganoon ay mahal na mahal ko ang kapatid ko at dahil sa pagmamahal na iyon kaya hindi ko matanggap na kapatid ko ang Poseidon Vejar na iyon.
Poseidon Vejar is my father's bastard son. Dahil sa kanya ay nasira ang pamilya ko - naghiwalay si Mama at si Dad. Sumama si Hades kay mama, nagalit si Athena sa kanya, naging distant and cold si Dad - at lahat ng pagbabago sa buhay ng pamilya ko ay dahil lamang sa Poseidon na iyon. Hindi ko siya matatanggap. Kahit na noong tumira na siya sa bahay - i never looked at him or even considered accepting him as my brother. Hindi ko siya kadugo. Brothers are not supposed to wreck homes - and that's exactly what he did - he broke our home.
And because of that - I made a promise to myself and to Athena that I will take everything away from him. Galit ako sa kanya at hindi ko siya hahayaang maging masaya. Kapag sinasabi ko ang bagay na ito kay Hades ay tinatawanan niya lang ako - for him, it is just a childish promise. Pero sa akin, misyon ko iyon sa buhay ko. Pahihirapan ko siya hanggang sa maramdaman niya kung anong naramdaman namin ni Athena noon.
I sighed. That was another chapter in my life that I didn't want anyone to know. Hindi pa kasi malinaw sa akin kung paano ko kukunin ang lahat kay Popoy - for starters, wala siyang kanya na wala ako. Everything he has, I have. Father makes sure that our inheritance are equally divided. Buhay pa ang tatay namin ay naipanahagi na niya ang halos kalahati sa mamanahin naming magkakapatid --- ang hindi ko lang maintindihan ay kung bakit pati si Poseidon at kasama sa pinamanahan. Wala siyang karapatan. I sighed. ang tagal ko nang problema siPopoy pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin maisip kung paano kio siya masusulusyunan.
The train stopped at Verona Porta Nuova. Agad akong lumabas ng station at pumara ng taxi para maka-check in sa hotel. I'm really exhausted but I'm sure that my exhaustion will fade away the moment I rest. Inaalala ko ang bukas, I have an early flight tomorrow pero natagpuan ko ang sarili ko sa Verona imbes na nasa Venice lang ako.
Nang makapara ako ng taxi ay agad akong nagpadala sa Palazzo Victoria. I checked in. Wala naman akong dalang gamit kaya kinuha ko na lang ang key card at saka pumasok na sa suite ko. I was given the suite on the seventh floor of the building. Tama lamang iyon sa akin. Iniisip ko kung anong gagawin ko ngayon gabi pero kahit anong isip ko ay may isang bagay lang ang pumapasok sa isipan ko. I just grinned.
The elevator door flunged open and I got out. Hinanap ko ang kwarto ko at nang makita ko iyon ay agad naman akong pumasok. I took my coat off. Matapos iyon ay kinuha ko ang I-phone ko.
Msg: 710. Will wait for you.
I grinned again after reading that message. Iyon ang talagang pakay ko sa Verona.
Lumabas ako ng silid. Nagmamadali. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ako excited but I am excited. I reached room 710. Tulad nang sinabi ng kausap ko sa mensahe niya ay nasa ilalim ng carpeted floor ang keycard niya. I bent down and took the key out. Ipinasok ko sa holder ang keycard. I'm in. Dahan-dahan pa akong maglakad papasok. I was afraid to make any noise.
Nang tuluyan na akong nasa loob ng suite na iyon at napahinto ako sa gitna ng silid. I was looking on the queez sized bed in front of me. And in that queez sized bed lies Gianna Fraceska Dela Monte. She was asleep but her sleep will be cut to short. I bent down, I took her panties off and spread her legs...