Umiiling na inilapag ni Cent ang cellphone sa center table sa harap niya. Kakatapos lang niya mag-text kay Ali tungkol sa naiwan nitong mga gamit sa kotse niya.
She does not know a thing.
Gusto niya mainis dahil parang naloko siya nito. Buong akala kasi niya kagabi ay alam pa din nito kung sino siya at kung ano ang ginagawa nila.
Pero sa tono at pananalita nito kaninang tinawagan niya ito, mali ang akala niya. Okay na din siguro iyon dahil kung alam ni Ali ang mga nangyari sa kanila kagabi, baka hindi na siya kausapin nito.
Just like several years ago.
He shifted and laid down on the sofa before turning on the TV to see what's on Netflix. His mind was on last night's events as he flicked across various movies and TV series.
Kung kelan nasa alanganin siya na sitwasyon ay saka sumulpot ang kursonada niya na waitress sa Flavors. Nauwi sa paghingi ng tubig at pamunas ang nauna niyang plano na hingin ang number nito. Inalalayan nito si Ali paupo sa malapit na upuan habang naging busy siya sa paglilinis ng sapatos niya.
Humingi din siya ng maligamgam na tubig dito para kay Ali. Nakabalik na ito ay nililinisan pa din niya ang sapatos niya.
Sinabihan niya si Ali na uminom ng maligamgam na tubig para mainitan ang sikmura nito kahit paano. She kept apologizing in between sips. Tinawag pa nga siya sa bansag sa kaniya noong college days nila: 50Cent. Kaya naisip niya na hindi pa ito ganoon kalango sa alak. Baka nga nahimasmasan ito kahit paano kasi ang dami nitong sinuka.
Tinanong niya si Ali kung paano ito uuwi. Magga-Grab daw. Inisip niya na delikado naman sa lagay nito ang bumiyahe nang mag-isa kaya nagpumilit siya na ihatid ito.
Nang maayos na siya, inalalayan na niya si Ali papunta ng parking lot. Umangkla ito at todo hilig pa sa braso niya habang naglalakad sila palabas ng Flavors. Hindi naman niya binigyan ng malisya ang ginawa nito pero nagulat siya na biglang parang matagal na silang magkaibigan ang akto nito sa kaniya. Thinking back, that should have tipped him off that Ali is still as drunk as she was before she threw up.
But he was too occupied being pleasantly surprised when she congratulated and praised one of his recent works to notice she was acting out of character.
Nakakagulat man ang pag-abrisyete ni Ali sa kaniya, hindi naman ito kakaiba. Ganoon iyon kapag nakainom. Lahat nagiging kaibigan niya. Everything Ali did last night was typical of her when she's had one too many drinks: going around, smiling and touching everyone like she's some social butterfly. She dances around, even without music, which she did last night too.
Huminto sila ng ilang minuto sa may gilid ng dance floor dahil tumugtog ang Sucker ng Jonas Brothers.
"This is my favorite jam!" sigaw nito sa kaniya bago sinabayan ng kanta at sayaw ang paborito daw nito na awitin.
Ang normal na Alisandra Paez ay hindi mag-iisip na mag-slow twist habang kumakanta. This version of Ali is so like her when she's had a few drinks.
A few drinks.
What was happening and happened afterwards should have made it clear to you she has had wayyy more than a few, but you were just having too much fun too, weren't you?
Guilty as charged ang sagot niya sa konsensiya niya na kanina pang umaga bumabagabag sa kaniya.
Hindi na sila dapat huminto pa sa dance floor. Dapat ay dumiretso na silang lumabas papuntang parking lot.
Napansin din naman niya na tumatagal na sila doon kaya inawat na niya si Ali sa pagsasayaw. Hinatak niya ito palapit sa kaniya. Hindi niya inaasahan ang pagpulupot ng mga kamay nito sa leeg niya, gumigiling-giling ang balakang nito habang pabulong na kumakanta.
"Say the word and I'll go anywhere blindly." bulong nito sa kanya. "I'ma suck it for you."
Bumungisngis ito at idinikit ang mukha sa leeg niya. He caught his breath as his arms wrapped around her waist to steady the two of them. Namilog ang mga mata ni Cent nang maramdaman ang mga kamay ni Ali sa pang-upo niya.
"Uhm, Ali...", huminga muna siya nang malalim bago inilayo ang dalaga sa kaniya. "We really have to go now."
"Aww. But I'm still having fun." Lumabi ito sa kaniya.
Nakakainis na nakakagigil ang pagiging cute nito kapag lasing. But then, that is the only time you will ever see Ali acting cute: when she's tipsy.
Again, this should have been another clean sign to him that Ali is beyond tipsy. But his mind was too busy with trying to get his body to remain immune to her sensual charms.
Lumipat ang mga kamay nito sa dibdib niya at iyon naman ang dinama. Tumatagos sa suot niyang polo shirt ang init ng mga palad nito. O, siya ba ang nag-iinit?
"Well, well, well. What have we here? 50Cent is working out." Mula sa dibdib ay gumapang ang mga palad nito sa braso niya. Pinisil-pisil nito ang mga iyon na para bang namimili ng hinog na mangga.
Si Ali ang sumasayaw pero si Cent ang habol ang hininga.
He took another deep breath to steel himself from the temptation that is Alisandra. He mentally shook his head. Hindi siya pwedeng mawalan ng kontrol. Hindi siya tirador ng mga lasinggera. He is a full-blooded male who is in full control of all of his senses.
Hinawakan niya ang magkabilang kamay nito sabay sabi ng "We're going. NOW."
Nakita niya pa itong sumimangot bago siya tumalikod para mauna sa paglakad palabas ng bar. Walang magawa si Ali kundi sumunod dahil hatak-hatak niya ang isang kamay nito.
Hindi sila huminto hanggang sa marating nila kung saan nakaparada ang kotse niya. Binuksan niya ang kotse at inihagis sa likod ang mga dala nilang bag ni Ali.
"Hanggang ngayon, killjoy ka." Nahubad na nito nang tuluyan ang cardigan na kanina pa nakalawit sa isang kamay nito. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang cardigan na itinapon na lang nito sa gilid ng sasakyan niya.
Bumalik ang tingin niya kay Ali. She was looking every inch the spoiled beauty queen with her arms crossed and her full lips in a tempting pout. Hitsura na lang nito ay wala itong balak damputin ang damit.
He sighed and picked up the garment. Opened his car's back door and threw it on the backseat with the rest of their things.
"Halika na po, Kamahalan." He gently put one of his arms on her waist to guide her to the front passenger seat. " Saan ang address mo?"
"Eh di sa puso mo!" Ganoon na lang ang tawa nito sa sarili nitong biro. He smiled even though he thought it was silly as hell. Ali's laughter is infectious.
He joined her inside the car. He put on his seatbelt, locked the doors and turned the engine on. He turned to her and told her to put her seatbelt on.
Pinag-igi ni Ali ang upo sa passenger seat bago siya tiningnan nang diretso. "Do me."
"Ha?" Did he hear her right, or his overworked, sleep-deprived brain is playing back one of his old college fantasies? Ano pa man iyon, bumitiw ng slight ang self-control niya habang nagsimulang mag-play sa utak niya ang amateur video nila ni Ali noong college.
He felt like the idiot that he was when she giggled and pointed to her seatbelt. "Do me."
He mentally slapped himself awake before leaning over Ali so he could grab her seatbelt and put it over her. He wanted to keep a safe distance from her but she seems determined to do the opposite.
Ali's seatbelt clicked in place as her arms wrapped around his neck to pull his face down to hers.
Nagtagpo ang mga labi nila at peksman mamatay man, pinilit niya lumayo. But she wouldn't let him so she ended up sucking his lower lip which drove him ever closer to the point of no return.
He moved back with great effort to sit on the driver's seat. Sandaling napabitiw si Ali. Akala niya ay magkakaroon sila pareho ng pagkakataon na kumalma dahil nagra-riot na kalooban niya. Hindi siya tirador ng mga lasinggera, pero tao pa din siya. He could only take so much teasing.
Bago pa siya naka-porma para i-start ang kotse, ayun na si Ali at kumandong sa kaniya. Her arms were all over him as were her lips. He turned his face away and called out her name several times, but this seemed to fuel her desire more.
At sa huli, #TeamMarupok ang nagwagi. Tao lang siya.
He gave in to his own desire and devoured her mouth. She returned his kisses with as much fervor. His hands slid inside her skirt to squeeze her bottom. Ali moaned in his mouth and pressed even more to him. He released her lips to lick her graceful neck. Ali giggled and bent her neck more, silently inviting him to do more.
He kissed and licked to his heart's content, eager to taste other parts of her, until he heard her softly snoring in the crook of his neck.
Daig pa niya ang nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig sa mukha. His conscience descended on him, quick and savage.
Hindi tirador ng lasinggera. Lokohin mo lelang mo, Vicente! Bagay lang sa iyo 'yan. Enjoy your blue balls, degenarate ass!
He can't help but wince each time he remembers what happened in his car. But for the life of him, he can't regret it either. He was a sorry piece of ass for giving in, but then it was so unforgettably good.
He stayed that way for a few minutes, with Ali on his lap. Her head burrowed in his neck. He wrapped his arms around her while he waited for his heart and his temperature to go down. Pagkatapos ang ilang minuto ay nailipat na niya si Ali sa passenger's seat. Kinuha niya ang wallet sa bag nito. Nandoon nga ang ID ng dalaga. Driving Ali and getting her inside her condo unit was the easiest bit from last night.
Oo. Iba ang ending na gusto niya para sa gabi na iyon pero hindi siya tirador ng mga lasinggera, lalo na iyong tulog na.
He left her sleeping on the couch, locked up her unit and drove to his own home. He was back here in the townhouse when he realized he forgot to bring Ali's business bag and cardigan up to her unit too.
Ang galing! Nakahanap ka ng excuse para mag-text at tumawag. Beke nemen maka-round two, no?
Kung magkakaroon ba ng pagkakataon, bakit hindi? Pero siyempre iyong mulat ang diwa ni Ali. Gusto lang din talaga niya maibalik ang mga gamit nito dahil importante ang mga iyon. He also had every intention of apologizing for last night. He didn't mean to take advantage of her like that.
Again.
But it looks like he will get away with it because she doesn't recall what happened.
Again.
Kaibahan lang ng noon at ngayon, sigurado siya na walang lilitaw na video dahil hindi siya lasing kagabi. Nakainom siya pero nasa tamang huwisyo pa siya. Alam niya na walang ibang tao sa parking lot ng mga oras na iyon maliban sa kanilang dalawa.
It was just unnerving to know that then and now, he was defenseless to Ali's drunken charms.
NAKASANAYAN na ni Ali tuwing Linggo na manatili sa bahay niya at mag-chill. Mag-yoga sa umaga, gawin ang ilang mga gawaing-bahay tulad ng paglalaba at paglilinis. She will buy take -out food then eat in front of the TV while catching up on whatever series she's currently following.
Pagdating ng hapon skincare naman ang aasikasuhin niya. Mage-exfoliate siya tapos ay mag-lalagay ng face mask habang nire-review niya ang mga to-dos niya sa opisina sa parating na linggo.
Minsan, kapag may espesyal na okasyon, bumibisita siya sa bahay ng parents niya.
Tulad na lang ng Linggo na ito.
Kalimitan, lunch time pa lang ay magpapaalam na siya. Magdadahilan siya na may pending na trabaho, o na may kailangan siya i-meet na kaibigan. Iyong iba siguro ay magtatagal, makikihalubilo ng husto. Maybe have a heart to heart talk with their parents.
Not her.
As soon as she hears her mother asking if it's her entering the front door, she wants to turn around and leave. She knows, and dreads, that as soon as she sits down and her mother's maid serves her whatever non-alcoholic drink she fancies, her mother would start berating her. From her choice of clothes to her way of living.
Natuto na siyang tumingin sa malayo at hintayin na matapos ang litanya nito sa kaniya. She would bow her head and say "Yes, I will, Mom. Sorry." then her mother would tell them it's time to eat.
Her father, brother and sister, who have all been standing to one side of their living room, will follow. She will stand up, and do the same even though she has lost all appetite and would rather leave.
Hindi lumaki si Ali na malapit sa mga magulang at mga kapatid niya. Malaki ang agwat ng mga edad nito sa kaniya. Ang Kuya Andrew at Ate Lyla niya ay magkasunod na ipinanganak. Isang taon lang ang pagitan ng edad ng dalawa. Walong taon ang pagitan nila ng Ate Lyla niya.
Lumaki siya na maid ang kasama. Abala kasi pareho ang mga magulang niya: ang Daddy niya sa pagma-manage ng publishing house na naiwan ng mga magulang nito; at ang Mommy naman niya bilang abogado. May mga sariling aktibidades din ang mga kapatid niya. High school na kasi ang mga ito samantalang siya ay nasa Kinder pa lang.
Noong lumalaki siya, kahit paano ay nakakasama niya ang Daddy niya. Tinutulungan siya nito gumawa ng homework at projects niya. Paminsan-minsan ay lumalabas sila nang silang dalawa lang.
Ito ang kakampi niya kapag pinagagalitan siya ng Mommy niya.
Strikto at perfectionist kasi ang Mommy niya. Ayaw nito ng maingay, makulit. Ayaw nito na iniistorbo niya. Mas madalas na hindi siya nito pinapansin. At kung mapapansin naman siya, ito ay para punahin ang damit niya, ang ayos ng upo niya, o kung paano siya magsalita.
Inisip niya noong lumalaki siya na ito siguro ang paraan ng Mommy niya na magpakita ng pagmamahal. Gusto nito na maayos siya lagi para hindi siya mapahiya sa mga amiga nito at mga kakilala nila.
She tried so hard to excel like her brother and sister academically. Cum laude ang mga ito. With Honors lang ang naabot niya.
Still, she tried to win their mother's approval by following her rules to the T. At 16, she dressed as conservatively as a female lawyer in her forties. In short, like her mother.
But she is not like her mother.
She learned that when she got in college and started experiencing life more. She discovered freedom to chase after what fancies her. To drink and be merry and just be herself.
She didn't know that she had been holding her breath for so long until she was finally able to exhale.
Her family didn't know all these changes. She was living by herself, in the dorm room her dad got for her. She only visited them during the weekends, and not all weekends. Some weekends, she had projects to finish along with some parties to go to.
Ok naman ang lahat. Kahit naman nahilig siya sa pag-inom gabi-gabi, hindi niya napabayaan ang pag-aaral niya. Iyon nga lang, siguro kung mas pinagtutuunan niya ito ng pansin ay cum laude din siya tulad ng mga kapatid niya.
Siguro kung nagpaka-straight A student siya tulad ng mga ito, walang video niya ang kumalat.
Hindi sana siya nasabugan ng galit ng mga magulang niya. Her mother was beyond furious. But not because Ali put herself in grave danger by getting so drunk in mixed company. No, her mother was more angry at the fact that she smeared scandal on the family name.
Her siblings were like disappointed parents. Doing that Tsk-tsk-tsk and shaking their heads as if she has lost her future.
Ang lahat ng iyon ay tinanggap at nakayanan niya. But not her Dad's disappointment.
He looked at her with sad eyes, shook his head and left the room. Ali knew she lost the only family that really mattered to her.
Walang pinagkaiba ang Linggo na ito. As soon as she came in through the front door, her mother descended on her like Daenerys, Mother of Dragons, First of Her Name.
She was breathing fire on Ali again, this time over what happened in Flavors last Friday night. She even has pictures like her sister told her last night: Ali dancing on top of a table. Ali trying to get off the table, her skirt hiked up her legs. Ali, looking very much like the classy party girl, her drink in hand, brightly smiling as she touched the shoulder of a guy in skimpy Speedos who was sitting by the pool.
There's also one of her and Cent dancing intimately and another one of them walking from the pool area. Cent looking down on her, a big smile on his face. Her face was bright as she looked up to him, her hands wrapped around his arm.
Naalala niya ang pag-uusap nila ni Cent kagabi. Ayaw niyang mahalata na hindi malinaw ang mga nangyari sa kaniya nang nagdaang gabi, kaya parang wala lang na nag-reply siya na dadaanan niya mamayang hapon sa apartment nito ang mga gamit niya.
Ibinalik niya ang atensyon sa mga pictures sa harap niya. She was about to ask her mother where she got the pictures, but her mother gave her the information before she could. Kuha ito ng anak ng isa niyang colleague sa law firm kung saan isa itong senior lawyer.
Umupo ang Mommy niya sa sofa sa harap niya. "I don't know what to do with you anymore, Alisandra."
Ali pressed her lips together and forced herself not to respond. She fixed her gaze on a blue and white vase to the right of the couch where her mother is sitting.
"We thought this lifestyle is behind you now. You've made great strides in the right direction. Why are you going back?" Pinili niyang huwag sagutin o lingunin ang Daddy niya na nasa kanan niya.
Hindi ito ang una at sigurado siya na hindi ito ang magiging huling pag-uusap nila ng mga magulang niya tungkol sa buhay niya. If they can only get past her occasional drinking sprees, they will see that for the most part, she has been living exactly like them: disciplined, organized, quiet.
Unlike them, she loves to live life a little by drinking and partying.
Mahigit isang taon na din siyang namumuhay na mag-isa. She has a good career and she is managing her finances well. So, she parties hard every now and then.
At least hindi siya adik, di ba?
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself, young lady? If you are going to continue acting this way, then it's best to just come back here. Dito, we can watch over you and guide you." Tinuruan siya ng Mommy niya na masama ang sumagot sa mga nakatatanda sa iyo. Ngayon, pilit siyang pinapasagot nito.
She took a deep breath to compose herself. Mas malamig at mas matabang sa iniinom niyang iced tea ang boses niya.
"I have nothing to say for myself that I have not said in the past. I have no plans of coming back to live here. Please stop talking to me like I am 12. We both know I am capable of living on my own." Mariin na naglapat ang mga labi ng Mommy niya. Exactly as she did earlier when her mother started this conversation. "I am sorry about the pictures. I was merely having fun. Instead of looking at my ---" She made quotation marks in the air" --- questionable behaviour, maybe you should question your colleague's child for taking my pictures. It is an invasion of my privacy, and I can sue, can I?"
Not only does she look like her mother, she has a tendency to talk and sound exactly like her.
"Then, stop acting like a child." Her dad spread the pictures on the center table, then pointed at Cent and the guy in Speedos. " Who are these men? Do you know them?"
Speedo guy? No.
Cent?... A little too well. But she's not about to tell them that. Mabuti na lang at nagkalaman-laman itong si Cent. Hindi masyado halata na siya at iyong kasama niya sa kanyang maikling video ay iisa.
"They're people at the bar."
"How can you be like that to men you don't know?" Hindi din niya alam ang isasagot sa Daddy niya. That's how she is when she gets drunk. She gets touchy. "Did you sleep with one of them?"
She had to roll her eyes at that, but only in her mind. "Lasinggera ako, hindi pokpok."
"But you turn into one when you drink." Her Dad pointed to the picture of her dancing with Cent. Daig pa nila ang pinagdikit ng epoxy at super glue. "This guy here might get the wrong message. He might think you're into him, and you know from experience, how one thing could lead to another. Haven't you learned that lesson yet?"
Wala siyang maisagot sa Daddy niya dahil sa isang banda, tama ito. These instances where she gets drunk are few and far between though. Most of the time, she is surrounded by people she knows.
Also, and more importantly, she is getting tired of being told off for choosing to have fun every once in a while. Alam naman niya na hindi ito dahil concerned ang mga magulang niya sa kaniya. It's their reputation and the family name they are protecting, not her.
Hindi na din niya kinailangan na sumagot dahil tumawag ang Kuya Lysander niya sa Daddy niya. Kailangan na nila pumunta ng simbahan.
"We'll discuss this further later.", ang sabi ng Mommy niya pagtayo nito.
Oh no, we won't, sagot ng isip niya.
Nararamdaman niya na sasakit ang tiyan niya pagdating nila sa reception. There are pictures so she therefore concludes, these have been passed around her mother's amigas. Mas gugustuhin niya mag-LBM ng totohanan kaysa makipag-plastikan sa mga kaibigan ng parents niya.
She mentally planned her escape at the reception as she got in her dad's car. Nag-text siya kay Ames para itanong kung nasaan ito at kung pwede sila nito magkita mamaya sa Flavors.
She needs an effing drink. ASAP.