TCWDM: Callan pronounced as /Kal-yan/
***
Third year college, mid-January
I smiled sweetly sa mga nakasasalubong ko papunta sa pool area ng school. I knew may LFG's there—wet, naked, and ready for me. I dressed appropriately today—a rose pastel dress low enough on the chest to frame my cleavage and short enough to show my beautiful legs. This should be enough to make the talk run smoothly. Kahit ang sabi ng bruhang si Rel ay tatanggihan ako, I don't believe it. It would be absurd. Everyone wants me, but I don't pick just anyone. I made it known that it's my choice who I get to bed with. If you're not it, you're not it. If you are lucky to capture my interest, you should not disappoint.
I scanned the pool area pero puro boring na lalaki ang naroon. They whistled and smiled appreciatively. Boys.
"Hey..." pigil ko sa isang babaeng napadaan sa tagiliran ko. Matalas ang mata niyang humagod sa 'kin. Nagusot ang mukha sa cleavage ko. Must be a conservative who's only standard for a good woman is if the dress covers from neck to toe. Well, I'm a good woman—good in bed. "Nasa'n si Callan?"
She was pressing her lips so hard, it might be glued together.
"Well? Can you tell me?" Nginitian ko siya nang friendly, kahit walang friendly sa mukha niya.
"Nasa locker room na," aniya.
"Thanks, girl." I turned towards the area where the locker was but—
"Hindi ka puwedeng magpunta do'n!" pigil niya.
Lumingon ako sandali kahit sure akong hindi worth it. "Why?"
"They're for the boys."
"So?"
Kumunot ang noo niya. "And you're not allowed there."
"Relax. I'm going there to talk to Callan and maybe seduce him, but we won't plok there. I don't do public shows," ani ko.
Nanlaki ang mata niya. Kinindatan ko naman.
"Thank you for the warning, though. Appreciate it."
Nakaangulo ang buong katawan ko nang pumihit papunta sa locker room. May nakasalubong akong ilan pang lalaki na nagbulungan, pero hindi ko na pinansin. I hate all this walking. Hindi worth it sa bagong stiletto ko.
Pagbukas ko ng pinto ng locker room ng swim team, nilingon ako ng mga naroon. Isang mukha lang ang nakilala ko at nakatingin na siya sa 'kin.
"Callan," sabi ko. "You're really here."
Kunot ang noo niya. Pinasadahan ko siya ng tingin but it was disappointing dahil naka-jogging pants na siya. Three minutes earlier and I could have seen him in his swimming trunks. What a bad luck. Kasalanan 'to no'ng babae. Ano kaya'ng pangalan n'on? Nagtutuyo na si Callan ng buhok gamit ang hawak na tuwalya. Fortunately, wala pa siyang shirt at nakasilip ang v-line niya. Abs there, too. Yum.
He's so worth my last fck. Puwede ring last fck frenzy.
I licked my lips and strode towards him. Long neck, girl. You're a swan.
"I'm Monique Hermosa," sabi ko sa kanya. "I'm sure you've heard about me." 'Cause duh? I'm famous.
Usually, guys were amused or delighted or excited. Pero siya... madilim ang mga mata niya sa pagkakatingin sa 'kin. But I refused to be intimidated with his deep-set eyes. I like those eyes looking at me differently—preferably, when he's on top of me. Puwede rin habang nakaupo ako sa kanya. Or... Gee, there's so many options!
I gulped with all the images flashing on my mind.
"What do you want?" tanong niya.
Whoa. Muntik tumaas ang isang kilay ko. Was that irritation I hear? Iritado siya? Sa 'kin? Habang naka-dress ako nang ganito at naglalaway sa kanya? I swallowed and composed myself.
"Well..." Lumapit pa 'kong lalo. I looked at him under my eyelashes. He's bigger than me, it's so exciting. Parang kaya niya 'kong buhatin in case I'd want to be—hep. Mind the present muna. Lalo na dahil mukhang ire-reject ako. "Well, I want to get to know you better."
Matagal siyang tumingin sa mukha ko, bago sumulyap sa mga nasa silid. Napalingon din tuloy ako. May ilang naiwan pa ro'n na nang makatinginan si Callan ay nagmadaling magbihis. In no time, dadalawa na lang kami sa locker room.
I cleared my throat. "So... it's just the two of us here..." Bumaba ang mata ko sa dibdib niya at sikmura. I wanted to touch those soon.
"And?" matabang na sagot niya.
And? He sounded like he's bored. Kung hindi lang yummy ang lalaking ito, maiinis na 'ko sa pagsasalita niya.
"And it's exciting..."
Nagbuga siya ng hangin. "I have a lot to do, Miss. Tell me exactly what you want."
I bit my lip. I don't know if he's playing hard to get, but if he is, he's ruining my mood. It's like he doesn't like me. Kasama ba siya sa population ng mga lalaki na ayaw sa mga kagaya ko? 'Yong quick to judge just because we look the way we look and talk the way we talk?
"Okay. I'll tell you what I want. I want to spend a night with you."
"Be specific."
"Sx. I want to have sx with you."
Nagsukatan kami ng tingin.
"If that's all you want, thank you for the offer, Monique, but no," aniyang inilagay ang tuwalya sa nakabukas na gym bag niya, bago bitbitin ang bag at lagpasan ako. Ni hindi pa siya nagsi-shirt.
"What? What?!" Mabilis akong humabol sa kanya. Hinawakan ko siya sa braso. "What do you mean no?"
"No. Hindi."
"Why? I'm offering. You should be proud!"
"I'm not," aniya at nagtangkang maglakad.
Pinigil ko uli siya sa braso. "Oh. You're playing hard to get."
"I'm not." Alalay niyang tinanggal ang kamay ko sa kanya.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" habol ko pa rin.
"No."
"A wife?"
"No," kunot-noong sagot niya.
"Mistress? Affair with an older woman? Or a professor?"
Tumigil siya sa paglakad at humarap sa 'kin. "Be careful with your voice. Baka may makarinig sa 'yo."
"So? Affair with a cougar or a professor, na bawal ma-offend?" I insisted.
"No."
"Bakla ka?"
"No."
"Virgin? I'm gentle with virgins..." ani ko.
Tumalas ang mga mata niya sa 'kin.
"Virgin ka nga?" nangingiting tanong ko. Ohhh. I'd love to give him his first sniff and taste of a wild, needy flower.
"No."
Sumimangot ako at namaywang. "Then what's the fuss? You have no reason to say no to me."
Humagod ang tingin niya sa 'kin. "Kailangan mo ng rason bukod sa humindi ako?"
"Yes, please. Let me hear it so I can tell you it's bullsht."
"Your ass is problematic," aniya at lopsided na ngumiti.
Napaawang naman ang labi ko. "What did you... what did you fcking say?!"
He chuckled and walked away. That assh*le!
My pride kept my feet from running after him again.
***
Present
"And you're still doing squats until now just because Callan said that your butt is problematic," natatawang sabi ni Zia.
Lumabas ako sa fitting room suot ang dress na type ko. Sina Zia at Amber, nasa katabing mga rooms pa. "The audacity of that guy to say that. Na-insecure ako sa puwet ko, buwisit siya! And I hated rose pastel dresses after that day. Parang bad luck, eh."
"Why? Rose pastel's good on you," sabi ni Amber habang restrained ang boses. Ibinababa siguro sa boobs niya 'yong damit na sinusukat. The three of us make weird sounds when we're fitting tapos nasa chest na ang damit. Most dresses couldn't contain our boobsies. "Hindi naman 'yong dress ang nilait sa 'yo, girl. 'Yong puwet mo lang."
"Hoy, poks, nire-remind mo pa 'ko!" naiiling na sabi ko. I walked the short corridor separating the clothing racks and the fitting room. I could breathe in the dress, thank Gee. It's blue with delicious cuts on the chest, waist, and hips. It's sexy but not pok-squared.
Mahinang tumawa ang dalawang gagang nagsusukat. Bumalik naman ako sa loob ng fitting room para suotin uli ang lemon boho dress ko. I was gonna buy the three dresses I tried on.
"Hurry up, it's getting late. Baka may ibang lumandi kay Callan," inip na sabi ko nang makalabas na uli.
"Wait. Nahihirapan akong hubarin 'tong sinukat ko," sabi ni Zia.
She sounded like the dress was killing her.
"Amber?" tawag ko.
"Wait lang," sabi ni pokie at lumabas ng fitting room. Suot na niya ang crop top at soft shorts niya. Nakasampay sa braso ang tatlong dresses na isinukat.
Dalawa kami ni Amber na pumasok sa kung nasaan si Zia at tinulungan siyang mahubad ang damit. Nang sure na kaming ligtas siya at hindi mapapatay ng dress na tipo niya, naghintay na lang kami sa labas.
"Last stop na tayo sa make-up," sabi ni Zia. "I just want to buy a new shade and then we'll go to the clubhouse. Okay?"
Nag-eye roll ako. I doubt that we'd be fast, dahil siyempre, matutukso rin kami ni Amber na tumingin ng cosmetics.
"Let's not buy everything, okay? May yayayain pa 'kong pakipot," sabi ko sa dalawa.
They giggled bago ako i-hook sa braso nila at hilahin.
***
It's five in the afternoon when we pulled over at the gate of the clubhouse. Dinig namin ang sounds mula sa pool area at ang ingay ng mga tao.
"It looks like there's a party," sabi ni Zia. Siya ang nagda-drive 'cause Amber's a klutz and I'm hot-headed. Si Rel, walang driving license.
"Whoa. Parang fun sumali," sabi naman ni Amber.
"Hold your hoo-has, mga poks. Ang usapan, ako lang ang papasok. You'll be my getaway car," ani ko.
"Sama na kami. We'll look after you," nakangiting sabi ni Zia nang bumaling.
"Look at your long nose, girl," ani ko. Nagsisinungaling pa ang pokie. "I thought you said you don't want to be seen by Kylo?"
Inginuso ni Zia ang nananahimik na si Rel. Nakatingin ito sa cell phone nito. Kajo-join pa lang sa amin, parang gusto na agad umuwi. Ni hindi siya nakasama sa mall para mag-shopping. We still bought her dresses, though. Si Zia ang nagsukat dahil magka-boobs sila.
Nag-eye roll ako. Rel's got a thing for Kylo. She's just too proper to make the first move.
"Okay, okay. Tayong apat ang papasok," I conceded. "But here are the rules."
We always have rules when we go out together. It helps us protect each other and know when we need to escape. Hindi kasi nauubos ang mga rapist at sexual harassers. Just because we're sxually liberated doesn't mean that we wanted to be harassed or taken advantage of. Hindi rin ibig sabihin ay lagi kaming game na tumihaya kapag may nangalabit. I don't know when people would get that. Especially, boys.
Eager na tumingin ang dalawa sa 'kin. Kahit si Rel, nagtaas ng mata mula sa phone niya.
"Help me find Callan first," ani ko. "It's okay to flirt, but don't sneak and make out with anyone, unless I give it a go. Para in case na mapahiya ako o tanggihan na naman ng hayup, you can save me. Okay?"
Nakangiting tumango ang dalawa. Kumibot naman nang kaunti ang kilay ni Rel. 'Yon na ang yes niya.
"I know you're not gonna make out with anyone, but please keep an eye on me, just in case," ani ko kay Rel.
" 'Kay," sagot niya.
"Then... Let's go and conquer, mga pokie!" I said before flipping my newly hot-oiled hair. #1013g / 04222020