Author’s Note: This is the first time na lilihis ako sa estilong nakasanayan ko na. This a POV-styled story. I just hope it will be worth the while of the readers. Thanks to all of you who continue to read my works!
One of them days when I feel miserable…or probably just the weather…or siguro ganito talaga ang tumatanda na. Stress? Ewan ko lang. I cannot pinpoint what’s wrong.
Although most of the time i love this kind of weather na medyo maulan at nagbabadya pa ito ng paglakas. Dont get me wrong. Ayoko naman ng bagyo. But there is something in the steady rhythm of the rain that makes it relaxing…that brings serenity to one’s thought. Yun eh kung nasa loob ako ng bahay and just puffing my vape (yung di mausok ha?) habang nasa bintana ako ng kuwarto ko. Good bed weather ika nga. Just being plain lazy and nothing to worry about.
Unfortunately wala ako sa bahay today. Im stuck here sa Burger King malapit sa Welcome Rotonda dahil dito ako inabutan ng gutom at paglakas ng pagpatak ng ulan. Somehow I knew it was a wise decision na magpark muna and fill myself up habang naghihintay ako ng pagtila ng ulan. Grabe pa naman kung magbaha along Espana at wala akong balak gawing bangka ang kariton (car) ko.
Stuck on You ang peg ko…while i listen to the Ryhthm of the falling rain dahil kung hindi ako sisilong malamang ay Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head at kung di ako mag iingat eh Slip Sliding Away ang kalalabasan na kung magiging sobrang kamalasan pa, magtatapos sa Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven’s Door…
See? Those were 5 songs na sunod-sunod pumasok sa isipan ko? Ganyan ako ka bored… and when I am, my mind play things in my head to keep me amused…Or less bored. So at this very moment, I’m resigned to my fate of waiting for this rain to stop. Okay na rin habang nakatingin ako sa pintuan nitong fastfood and amusing myself sa pagbibilang ng mga taong labas masok dito…
…And then she walked in…
The first thing that caught my eye was her confidence. She walked like she doesn’t have a worry in the world except siguro yung gutom niya…or probably gusto rin lang magpalipas ng ulan. Shoulder length hair. 5’5″ – 5’6″ ang tangkad. Maputi. Gluthathione beauty? Nakasukbit sa bag niya ang isang maroon-colored hoodie.Naka fitting na maong shorts folded sa hita making her shapely legs more prominent while maiimagine mo na rin siguro na tamang tama lang ang size ng dibdib nito based on how her black shirt appears. In short, sexy. Pero hindi hipon ang dating. Ang may pagkasingkit nitong mata, may katamtamang tangos na ilong, ang her lips na tipong luscious dating. Huh, no make up! Reminds me of Gloria Diaz’s lips with a face like that of young woman with japanese blood in her. Damn! Kung bata-bata lang ako, liligawan ko to…definitely…and most definitely basted ako.
The way she held her folded umbrella makes me think about that lovely hand holding something else except an umbrella. Napangiti ako at napailing sa kabastusang pumasok sa utak ko. I started sipping my coffee.
“Is there something funny, mister?”
Muntik nang matapon ang kapeng iniinom ko. Nakalapit pala siya sa kin nang di ko namamalayan.
“Ha? ” patanong kong sagot sabay kunot ng aking noo.
“Nahuli kitang nakatingin sa kin tapos bigla kang napangisi…Maybe there’s something funny coz i failed to catch the joke.” may halong katarayan ang tinig nito.
“Look, Miss…Perhaps youre right at nakatingin ako sa direksyon mo. But it doesnt mean to say im laughing or smiling about you. A funny thought did occur in my head but it has nothing to do with you…But if you feel that way, then I offer my apologies for making you feel uncomfortable,” kalmado at mababang boses kong paliwanag.
Inismidan ako ng magandang dalaga. Hmnn…early to mid 20s? Nahhh, early twenties. Tinalikuran ako nito at sinimulang maglakad patungongs counter kung saan mahaba na ang pila sa bawat isa. Damn, what bumpers! Sarap pisil-pisilin while…Shit, lecheng lakad yan! Napollute lalo nang maduduming imahinasyon ang utak ko habang minamasdan ko ang pag imbay ng kanyang mga bewang. Kulang na yata ako sa pagrerelease ng libido. I hate you, Rose!
Rose was my last affair. More than 6 months ago. Oh well, she had to move on. Found someone new and promised we could still be friends…Yeah…Like a consolation prize. Di ko lang na clarify kung friends with benefits ba. Hahaha. Sigh. It stings a bit knowing she’s with another na but I guess that’s life. You win some. You lose some. That story is done with. The pen has finished ika nga and having written an end will find another story to write (or lives to fuck!). Tigang mode so far. So moving on ang peg.
Nakita ko siyang umupo diagonally located sa mesang inuupuan ko. That was the only table left vacant. Kaaalis lang nung previous customer. She was having a burger and fries with coffee or hot choco I think. Probably the choco. Then, as per the usual thing now, nagsimula siyang magbasa or mag browse sa kanyang phone. This time, I found myself really looking at her and being entertained by her facial reactions –ngumingiti, sumisimangot, napapatawa, kumukunot ang noo – while reading something or typing on her phone. Nasa Messenger siguro or commenting sa FB. Whenever she’s about to tilt her head up, bumabalik naman ako sa mismong phone ko na kunwari ay binabasa ko rin. Tsk, stalker mode na ba?
Tumunog ang CP ko. Marco. Kaibigan at kaututang dila. Nasa bilyaran daw siya. Sa pwesto ko. The only source of my income since coming back to stay sa pinas. Anim na tables. Ok na rin. Kumakarir na rin ng minimum na 40k monthly after expenses. And being alone it is more than enough. Di naman ako maluho sa katawan. Nalibang ako sa pakikipag chat sa kaibigan ko kaya pansamantalang nawala sa isip ko ang babaeng suplada. Then the chat stopped. Pagtingin ko sa puwesto niya, wala na siya dun. Napailing ako sa sarili ko. What am I thinking anyways? Makakaiskor ako sa babaeng yun? Duh! Matitikman ko lang labi nun kung inabangan ko yung lalagyan ng naubos niyang drink.
Medyo umaambon pa rin but I decided to just get out of the place and straight to my SUV. After kong mabigyan ng 20 pesos yung umasiste sa pag atras ko, I slowly drove away from that place. Kapapasok ko pa lang sa Quezon Avenue when, lo and behold, I saw her.Naka hoodie na. Naghihintay ng masasakyan. Medyo madalang ang mga PUVs dahil na rin nga sa pag ulan.
As I was crawling down to a stop, nagdedebate pa rin ang isip ko pero nanaig ang di ko maipaliwanag na lakas ng loob. Nakita ko ang pagtataka sa kanyang mukha when I stopped. I pushed a button para bumaba ang tinted window na nasa tapat niya.
“Hi,” may nerbyos ang boses ko. ” Can I offer you a ride?”
May gumuhit na pag aalinlangan at takot, I think, sa kanyang mukha. Understandable.
“Don’t worry. I’m just being a good samaritan here,” pag anyaya ko uli.
“Wag na po,” sagot niya. Why does her voice sounds angelic now?
“Look, consider it as an apology,” sabi ko uli. ” and if you must, then take a pic of me now tapos padala mo sa parents mo or kaibigan so they’d know who to hunt if something happens to you,” sinabayan ko ito ng ngiti.
Medyo napangiti siya. Parang may lumuksong kung ano sa dibdib ko. Tigang na nga ako. It seemed like the perfect smile. It was then na nagsimula na namang lumakas ang ulan. I looked at her again. She looked at me as if trying to fathom the expression of my face or perhaps my character. Then nagkibit siya ng balikat at unti unting lumapit sa sasakyan ko. I promptly unlocked the front passenger door.
She folded her umbrella and, quite nimbly, sat down and closed the car door.
“Saan ba?” I asked her casually.
“Baka naman out of your way?” tanong niya.
“Don’t worry. I like to drive ng mga ganitong oras.”
Which was true. I like driving from 11pm to 4am when I want to relax. Music and driving. Perfect.
“SM fairview pa eh,” parang nahihiya niyang sagot.
“No problem,” sagot ko.
“Thanks,”
Humalukipkip siya kahit ngayon ay may suot na siyang hoodie. Hininaan ko ang aircon.
“One more thing nga pala,” sabi ko.
“What?”
“Kunan mo na ko ng pic or would you like me to give you my FB para maipadala mo sa parents mo at kaibigan?”
Napatawa siya. Then she got her phone out and asked my FB account, Nirecite ko ang FB account ko sa kanya. She searched for it.
“Nag-gigitara DP mo?” she asked again
“Yeah. That’s me.”
From my peripheral vision I could see her smiling. I dunno pero napangiti rin ako. I started playing music from my usb plugged in sa car stereo.
“There. Nagsend na ko ng friend request to you. Baka awayin ako ng asawa mo ha?” nananantya niyang tanong.
“I assure you hindi ka aawayin nun,” mahinahon kung paliwanag.
“Aba, napaka certain mo naman,” challenge niya.
“Well, bukod sa mabait siya…e sumakabilang bahay na siya.”
“Sumakabilang-buhay? Biyudo ka?”
“Hindi…Sumakabilang-bahay…May asawa nang iba,” sinabayan ko yun ng tawa.
“Luko-luko!”
Parang musika sa pandinig ko ang hagikhik na nagmula sa kanya. Langya, parang teenager ang pakiramdam ko. Parang kikiligin pa ko dahil na rin sa pinong hampas na naramdaman ng braso ko.
“Music?”
“Sure…pero wag heavy metal ha?”
Muling sumungaw ang ngiti. Damn!
I chose the rock ballad collection. Pumailanlang ang This Aint a Love Song ni Bon Jovi.
“Nice,”
She looked very relaxed na. Komportable. Tahimik as if trying to understand the words of that song. Nagconcentrate naman ako sa pagdadrive. Although di naman traffic, hindi ako lumalampas sa 60 km/h. I just wanted to stretch the time with her as much as I could. Pero, tulad ng lahat ng awit, it’ll comes to an end. Nakarating din kami sa SM fairview.
“San kita ibaba?” tanong ko.
“Kung saan pwedeng itabi tong car mo,” sagot niya.
I was almost tempted to say na ihahatid ko na siya sa bahay nila…Pero I don’t know. Somehow I think hindi maganda ang offer na yun. May hint ng pagiging stalker ang dating. So I parked the car sa side ng bangketa kung saan may mga taong naghihintay pa rin ng sasakyang papunta sa kani-kanilang destinasyon. I pushed the unlock button.
“Ingat ka,” malumamanay kong bilin.
She gave me that sweet smile again while unboarding the car.
“Salamat ha? Accept mo FB request ko ok?”
Then she did this thing with her eyes na parang pinandidilatan ako. It was so endearing. Parang gusto ko siyang sunggaban at yakapin that very moment.
“I will.”
I slowly drove away after giving her a smile. She waved at me. Tumango-tango na lang ako.
It was roughly 30 minutes before I reached my apartment. The dreadful feeling of being alone crept in again. The same old bed for the same old me. I stripped to my boxers , grabbed my phone, and jumped into bed. Nung nakahiga na ako, naalala kong buksan ang FB. I smiled. The request was there.
Lilian Penafrancia. Nice Name. I accepted and then was about to put my phone down nang tumunog yun.
Lilian: Sorry sa pagtataray ko kanina ha? Lol.
Me: It’s Ok. Don’t be bothered about it. Tulog ka na.
Lilian: You too. Glad I stopped sa BK. It was a nice night after all.
Me: Yeah…Me too…Sleep well, kid…
Then my icon na sinagot ang babaeng maganda. Galit.
Lilian: Im not a kid okay?
Me: Uh oh…sorry…just an expression. Two sorrys in one night? Tsk tsk I must be a bad person.
Then she answered with that Icon that is torn between laughter and tears.
Lilian: Sleep well, Uncle…
Me: Uncle?
Lilian: kaedad mo kasi Uncle ko eh. Lol.
Me: Ah…ok
Lilian: Pero tirador ng chicks yun. Dami…mas bata pa sa kin yung iba. Hahaha
Me: Well, kung ang looks mo ang pagbabasehan…malamang nga habulin ng babae uncle mo.
She answered with that icon again…a blushing icon
Lilian: Sus, bolero! Tulog ka na nga…thanks uli ha? Muah
At that very moment, hindi ko alam kung bakit napa thumbs up ako. But that four lettered word put a smile on my lips as I slowly wandered in the world of sleep. I knew I sighed. It was a wonderful night after all…
Yun na ang simula nang pagkukulitan namin sa messenger. She’s 23. Xray Tech sa isang ospital in QC. I admit I was guilty checking on her profile on a daily basis. Baka may declared na status. Pero wala namana akong makita. Kahit sa mga pics wala akong mapagkakamalang bf niya. But boy, oh boy1 I’m also guilty looking at her pics and imagining Lilian in her birthday suit. Can’t help it. No excuse. Guilty as charged. Walang Bf? Hmnn magaling magtago? Napatawa na naman ako. As If may karapatan ako kung meron man o wala…
Somehow, kahit di pa uli kami nagkakaharap, naging kampante kami sa isa’t isa. We chatted about almost anything under the sun. She was intelligent and pleasantly mature with her ways. Malalaman mo na lang with the train of her thoughts while we were chatting. Until dumating nga sa part na medyo naging personal na ang mga tanungan.
Lilian: So how do you cope?
Me: With what?
Lilian: Yung ano…uhm…physical needs…hihihi
Me: Well…there are ways and means…hahaha
Lilian: Ah, you go for walkers? Ganun?
Me: Nope. Sariling sikap na lang. Takot ako sa ganyan eh
Lilian: Nasasatisfy ka naman?
Me: Nakakaraos din hahaha…basta inspired
Lilian: Inspired like may pinapantasya ka?
Me: Uhuh. Or else, kahit porn pede na. Hahaha. Hanep ah. Feeling ko hotseat ako today. Bakit ba?