Kiss?
"Love"
"Hmm?" nilingon ko siya habang busy ako sa paghuhugas.
"Love paabot naman ako ng tubig please" nakanguso niyang sabi habang tutok parin sa laptop niya.
"Wait ka unti, after nito bigyan kita. Okay?"
"Okay po, thank you" nawala na yung pout niya at nagpatuloy na siya sa ginagawa niya.
After kong maghugas ay lumapit na ako sa kanya para abutan siya ng tubig. She is working at the dining table kung saan makikita agad ang kitchen. Such a busy person naman nito niya.
"Love why not sa office ka nag work? Mas maayos don sa office mo di ba?" Umupo ako sa harap niya at hinawakan ko ang isa niyang kamay habang umiinom siya ng tubig.
"Andito ka ehh" nakapout na sabi niya. Clingy naman haha.
"Well you can move na sa office mo now. Samahan kita?" malambing na tanong ko sa kanya at tumangotango naman siya.
"Okay, ayusin ko lang to" sabi niya at isa isang inaayos ang mga gamit niya para ilipat sa office room niya sa bahay.
"Love matutulog ako ah?" tanong ko nang makapasok kami sa office niya. Nakaupo na siya sa chair niya at binuksan na ulit ang laptop. She looked at me and then pouted. Batak naman nito magpacute.
She turned the chair to face me completely. She nodded her head and hovered her hand to reach me, gesturing me to come closer. I did and she pulled me to sit on her lap. I smiled at the gesture and faced her.
"5 minutes."
"Let's stay like this for 5 minutes, love." she said and buried her face on my chest.
"And please sleep here lang sa office, okay?" she said and pointed at the sofabed at the corner of her office.
"Okay?" I laughed. "Love, why are you so clingy today?" I asked her out of curiosity. I'm actually happy that she's being like this. Pero it is an unusual behavior for THE Stacey Sevilleja.
She looked up at me with an offended face and I can't help but chuckle.
"Really love? I've been away for 3 days and now pagbalik ko, kailangan ko pang magtrabaho instead of cuddling my pretty wife?" madrama niyang sabi. It's just really cute and so I can't help but give her a peck on her lips.
"Chansing" mapang asar niyang sabi kaya kinurot ko ang pisngi niya.
"Okay 5 minutes is up" I said at tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo ko sa kanya. She instantly pouted.
"Di mo ba ako miss? I just miss you so much at di mo pa ako neri remind that in-"
I woke up with the loud banging on my bedroom door and the voice of Sheena calling for my name. Natulala ako habang iniisip ang panaginip. Again? It's Friday night at naka move on na sana ako sa panaginip ko last week. Now this? Argh! Gusto ko ulit mayakap please langggg.
Bumangon ako at pinagbuksan si Sheena. When the door opened, I flicked the smiling Sheena's forehead. Napahawak siya doon at masama akong tinignan.
"Aray ko naman! Para saan yun?" she hissed.
"Strike 2 ka na ah!" inis na sabi ko sa kanya at dumiretso sa living room ng unit ko.
"Huh? Ano na namang nakain mo?" takang tanong niya at sinundan ako. Deserve niya yun! Panira ng panaginip.
"Why are you here pala?" tanong ko sa kanya at ngumisi naman siya. Masamang balak to for sure.
"Ate Jho it's Friday night." proud na sabi.
"And?"
"Anong and? Syempre gagala tayo." sabi niya na parang sobrang normal nito gawin at weird ako kasi di ko ito alam.
"Anong tayo? Matutulog ako Shee, wag mo akong idamay."
"Kj mo naman ate Jho. Tayo nalang inaantay oh!" sabi niya at napataas kilay ako. For sure andon na naman si ate Aiah at ate Colet. They are really spontaneous with their night outs.
"Shee gusto ko matulog." sabi ko at napanguso naman siya. Uh-ohh. She's gonna use the bunso card, kainis!
"Ate Jho ano ba kasing na sa panaginip mo at bakit lagi mong gustong matulog?" sabi niya na siyang nagpainit ng mukha ko. While it is true na naka move on na ako sa panaginip ko last week, part of me is still wondering if mauulit pa ba yun. At naulit nga! Am I happy? Shit, I'm totally love deprived if that's how you call it!
"W-wala!" Tsk
"Uyyy si ate Jho namumula. Dalaga ka na talaga." She said as she nodded her head as if what she said was totally making sense.
"Having wet dreams is normal ate Jho. Pero may I ask sino?" she said as she pat my shoulders as if the topic is very serious. I removed her hands at inis na tumayo.
"Tara na nga! Kung ano ano naiisip mong bata ka" sabi ko at bumalik sa kwarto para magbihis.
Tumatawa parin si Shee habang papasok ako ng kwarto.
"Okay lang yan ate Jho. Don't worry I won't tell anyone, especially Stacey." I heard her say as I was about to close the door.
Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "At bakit nasali naman siya sa usapan?"
"Wala. Secret!" natatawang sabi niya kaya sinarhan ko siya ng padabog.
I was right na nandito talaga sina ate Aiah at ate Colet. What I didn't expect though was the extra company. Ate Maloi is normal since magkadikit naman sila palagi ni ate Colet.
But Stacey?! Why is she here?
Oa. Of course she's here. Friends niya nga ang friends ko di ba? Bakit nga ba hindi kami close? I didn't even know that we take the same major. I just know na she is close with my close friends. It's weird right? Normally we would be close considering the circumstances. But when I think about the constant aversion of gazes and awkward silences pag naiiwan kami, it would make sense. I don't exert effort para maging close kami.
"Tagal niyo naman, naka dalawang bote na kami oh." saad ni ate Colet pagkaupo namin sa table. I can tell they are already tipsy.
"Si ate Jho kasi, nananaginip pa" si Shee na mapang asar na nakatingin sa akin. I can feel my ears burn and I flicked Sheena's forehead again.
"Abusseeee!" She hissed.
I can feel someone staring at me and as I looked at the direction, I found Stacey's blank expression. Or is it blank?
"Lasing na tong si Aiah, kararating lang din kase ni Maloi at Staku" si ate Colet na tinuro si ate Aiah.
The table was round shaped. The seating arrangement is Ako, ate Aiah, ate Colet, ate Maloi, Sheena, and then Stacey. Since medyo malaki naman ang table, may space pa sa pagitan namin ni Stacey. Though that position would make as face each other.
Damn she's still staring? I can feel it. Di na ako magtatangkang tingnan siya for sure magtatama na naman mga mata namin. Quota na ako sa kahihiyan. Bakit nga ba grabe to makatingin ngayon? Parang opposite sa usual niyang makaiwas parang may nakakahawa akong sakit sa mata. Nevermind dedma muna sayo asawa ko. Luh? Gustong gusto?! Hayst dahil sa panaginip moving on phase na naman ako ng ilang araw. Kailangan ko na talagang magkaroon kahit ka flirt man lang.
Ate Aiah is clingy pala pag lasing? Well kahit close kami, first time ko siyang makitang ganito ka lasing. Ano bang problema nito?
"Te Aiah" tawag ko sa kanya. Nakasandal siya sa balikat ko at nakahawak ang kaliwang kamay ko sa likod niya.
"Te Aiah, what's wrong? Di ka naman naglalasing ng ganito?" the club we are in is loud, but I'm near ate Aiah so I just spoke in my normal voice. Not a whisper and not too loud for others to hear.
Ate Aiah laughed and hugged me sideways.
"Kaya sayo ako Jho eh" she said it loudly in her drunken state.
But then her face turned sad.
"It's Mikha" she said pouting. Of course it is. Lagi naman si Mikha lang nakakabring out ng mga extremes ni ate Aiah. I find their dynamic complicated. While their situation is common, it isn't normal. They are best of friends. They like each other. Mikha is open with her feelings, while ate Aiah keeps giving her 'little sister treatments'. The reason? Ewan kay ate Aiah.
I was talking to a drunk ate Aiah mumbling about her Mikha. Nakainom na din ako. Today si Sheena ang nag drive since siya naman sumundo sa akin. That means okay lang maglasing ako tonight. Our table is loud. Magkatabi ba naman si te Maloi at Sheena. They are ganging up on teasing te Colet. Nakikisali rin naman si Stacey. I noticed, sa lahat ay si ate Colet ang pinaka close kay Stacey. To the point na akala ko may gusto siya dito. Who knows? Am I affected? Noon hindi. Now? Syempre hindi. Bagay naman sila. Kaso mas boto ako kay ate Maloi para kay ate Colet. They would make a cute couple. Yun lang. No other reason.
I didn't realize nakatitig na pala ako kay Stacey until tinaasan niya ako ng kilay. Hindi ako umiwas. Ano ako, siya? She didn't either. Himala talaga. Nilipat niya ang tingin sa balikat ko where a sleeping ate Aiah is. I also did the same.
"Guys tumba na si ate Aiah, let's go na?" si Stacey na ngayon ay nilipat naman pabalik ang tingin sa akin. Her lips parted as if may sasabihin pa siya sa akin pero agad ding umiwas ng tingin.
Everyone looked at ate Aiah and me.
"Ay hala, himala" si Sheena, probably still wondering why ate Aiah is this drunk.
"Uyy pda Jho ano ba yan" si ate Maloi na nagpatawa kay Sheena at te Colet. Stacey didn't laugh. She stood up and gathered her belongings. The girls followed and helped me take care of ate Aiah.
Nakalabas na kami ng bar and we are at the parking.
"Te Jho, sakin ka sasabay? Ihahatid ko pa kasi si ate Aiah at doon na rin sana ako matutulog." sabi ni Sheena. Malayo ang condo ni ate Aiah. Sheena didn't drink despite the fact na siya ang insistent na sumama ako.
"No na Shee. Mag grab nalang ako, opposite direction din kasi kami ni ate Aiah." Ate Aiah is already at Sheena's car.
"Ako Shee sasabay ako sayo." sabi ni ate Maloi na naiinis ang mukha. Anyare dito?
"Hey, makakaabala ka pa kay Shee. Mas malayo kaya yung sayo. Dito ka na." si ate Colet. There's an awkward tension between them. Anyare dito? I remember nahuli sila makalabas para magcr. What could have happened in that span of short time? Well I'm too drunk to care.
Now that we are outside, mas naramdaman ko na ang hilo. Naparami rin ata ako, di ko na nabilang. One thing about me is that I don't let myself get drunk pag hindi ako sa bahay umiinom. Ayaw kong maging pabigat. Ayaw kong may maabala. But tonight, gusto ko lang damayan si ate Aiah. Or baka lang mas madali kong malimutan ang panaginip ko pag uminom ako.
May isa pa palang rason kung bakit ayaw kong maglasing in public. I have this drunken habit that I can't control. Which is?
I opened the door of Sheena's car where ate Aiah is sleeping. I kissed her forehead and then closed the door. Humarap ako sa kanilang lahat at ngumisi. Ate Colet and ate Maloi were now smirking. Sheena is defensively swaying her arms. Stacey looked confused.
Lumapit ako sa papaatras na ate Colet at hinalikan siya sa pisngi. I kissed ate Maloi's forehead which made her giggle. Now it's Sheena's turn. She is still defending against my kiss.
"Ayan na si kissing monster" tawa ni ate Colet.
"Jho isa pa" si ate Maloi.
"Ate Jho kadiri ka talaga" si Sheena nang halikan ko siya sa pisngi.
I laughed victoriously at faced my back. Si Stacey. Confused, she was left standing. Friends naman na kami diba? 2 times ko na siya nakasabay mag inom, counted na yon. Lumapit ako sa kanya but my feet feel numb and the next thing I knew, I was sleeping.
I blinked but it's still blurry. I'm not wearing my glasses. Naramdaman ko rin na na sa kama na ako. Nilibot ko ang paningin ko at nakitang iba ang kulay ng wall. I'm not in my room. Ramdam ko parin ang hilo kaya pumikit ulit ako.
I heard the door creaked open and felt someone enter. Di ko na madilat ang mata ko sa sobrang antok.
"Love" I felt my body froze when I heard the familiar voice.
Tulog ka Jho. Wala kang narinig. Or maybe meron? Like the thumping of your chest?
Love? May ibang tao ba sa room na to? Or was it just my hallucinations.
"Yes, okay. Love you." Ahhhh may katawag pala! Assuming ka talaga Jho.
I felt the side of the bed sink. A cold fabric touching my face made me flinch. Jho act like your drunk!
"Mhhhmm" I mumbled and tried to roll away.
I can feel her adjusting my position.
"Likot mo naman" she muttered almost di ko na marinig.
She proceeded to wipe my face. Ahhh, removing my make up lang pala.
Wow this situation feels familiar. Baliktad nga lang. Jho parang ini enjoy mo naman to masyado! When she's done I felt the bed spring back to normal. Aalis na siya? Jho why are you disappointed!
I heard the door creaked.
"Sleep well, love.." I couldn't quite hear the words she said after it. May katawag parin pala siya?
I didn't dare to open my eyes until I heard the door shut. I searched for my glasses, which I found sa side table. When I adjusted my eyes, I confirmed na wala talaga ako sa unit ko. I'm not familiar with the room as well. Pero I'm 100 % sure that the voice I heard earlier was Stacey's. Also the familiar vanilla scent lingering around the room made me think na nasa unit ni Stacey ako.
Anyways I'm too drunk to process this whole information. Ang daming nangyare and all I want is to sleep, and hopefully dream of comfort.
Sino kaya katawag niya?
It's echoing again and now it's making me feel a lot of things including disappointment.
Love