The Playboy's Pursuit

SUZY'S POV

"Dude, dapat niligawan mo na agad si Chantal! Bukod sa maganda na, sexy pa! Bagay na bagay kayong dalawa!"

"Yeah dude! Matagal ng may gusto sa'yo 'yon! Wag mo ng patagalin pa!"

My hold at my glass tightened when I heard those talk from behind me. Lalo na ng magsitawanan ang mga ito, oblivious with my presence behind them and how much I was hurting right now.

Lalo na nang marinig ko ang pamilyar na tawang 'yon. Klent's hearty laugh... Sounding so entertained with that idea.

Klent Joseph Andrada, the genius heartthrob in Don Benedict Blaire University and the only man that had caught my interest since freshman year. At sya ang tanging dahilan kung bakit nagkakandaugaga akong pumunta sa kahit saan para lang makita ito.

And tonight was no different with that..

Just hearing his laugh now, I can't help but held my breath. Anxious with what he was going to answer.

Liligawan na kaya nito si Chantal?

Just the thought of the possibilities that he will really breaks my heart. Tiim lang ang mga bagang na nakatitig ako sa basong hawak ko ngayon. Just staring the half filled glass without even blinking an eye.. Afraid that if I ever blink my eyes now, a tear would escape from it at baka hindi ko na mapigilan 'yon at mapahiya pa'ko rito.

I think coming here tonight was really a mistake. And I'm starting to regret that now. Dapat hindi na'ko umabsent pa sa trabaho ko para lang pumunta rito.

Kung hindi ko lang sana nagustuhan ang taong 'to, then I wouldn't have been here by now hurting silently.

Well, not that he was aware that he was doing that to me. Hindi naman nito sinabing gustuhin ko ito dahil ang talino nito sa lahat ng major classes namin at ang bait nito para sa isang heartthrob na katulad nya. At mas lalong hindi nya sinabing pumunta ako sa lahat ng okasyon kung saan nandun rin sya. Just to see him.. Just to see him smile. Just to see his angelic face smiling.

That itself would've convinced me not to ever like him dahil alam kong masasaktan lang ako sa huli pero hindi. I still chose to like him dahil pinapasaya nya 'ko everytime I'd get to see his kind smile.

Nawawala ang lahat ng mga insecurities ko sa sarili ko kapag nakikita ko lang ito. It wasn't like his smile was directed on me but atleast, napapasaya nya ko kahit tinitingnan ko lang ito sa malayo.

That itself was enough for me. Kahit na impossible namang magkagusto ito sa isang katulad ko. The nobody in our batch. I wasn't expecting for some miracle.

"No. Masyado pa tayong busy ngayon dahil may mga thesis pa tayo until next sem so no.. Pass muna ako dyan ngayon."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang nakahinga ako ng maluwag when I heard that. I felt like a thorn was being pulled out from my chest just hearing him saying that.

This time, I was able to smile now and sipped some beer again.

I guess I've chosen the right man for me. Klent was nothing like his playboy friends para sunggaban agad ang Chantal na'yon.

Chantal Montemayor is a senior as well gaya ko. A senior IT chic who got a height and a physical appearance of a beauty queen. A soul that was the complete opposite of myself.

Hurt creep into me when I started the self pity 'thing' again. The thing that I always do every chance I could get. Gaya ngayon...

Agad ko na lamang na inubos ang lahat ng laman ng baso in one gulp, wanted to wash away all the insecurities I have in me.

"Dude, thesis lang yan at malayo pa 'yon! This is your chance now para magkagirlfriend kana. Isipin mo, having Chantal in your life is a worth of treasure! Tiyak maraming maiinggit sa'yo kapag naging girlfriend mo 'yon.. A rare gem that your parents would definitely approve." I heard Macky, one of my classmate commented that. Dahilan para mas lalo pa'kong manliit sa sarili ko.

Because I was far from being a beauty like Chantal's. I didn't even reach 5'1", almost a single ruler gap from Chantal's actually. At compared sa pinong kilos nito, I doubted if I could even move so appealing like she do.

I walked like I was always in a haste while she walked like a living barbie doll. A supermodel to be precised.

Ang ganda ng mga damit nito habang ako, kupasing jeans at shirts lang meron ako. When she walks, her brown hair bounces like a hairmodel in every shampoo commercials in TV habang ako naman, nakakubli lang palagi sa suot kong delivery cap. Gaya ngayon...

Sobrang layo.. and I think Klent preferred a woman like Chantal than my kind. The plain and dull kind.

Malayong-malayo sa'kin...

With those thoughts eating off my self esteem, hindi ko na napigilan pang tumulo ang luha ko habang napapapikit ng mga mata. Good thing the light on my table was a bit dim kaya naman okay lang na umiyak pa'ko ng malakas rito. Walang namang ibang makakaalam kundi ako lang dahil sa lakas narin ng background musics sa loob ng club na'to. Ako lang na tangang naghahabol sa isang kagaya ni Klent

Naririnig ko paring nagsisitawanan ang mga ito sa likuran ko, halatang nagkakasiyahan na dahil sabado bukas at wala kaming pasok.

Dali-dali ko ng inubos ang lahat ng laman ng boteng nasa mesa ko, taking no heed with the hot tears kept rolling down on my cheeks.

Minsan ko lang nagagawang pumunta sa isang night club na ganito so why not seize this rare moment then while I still can? Dahil bukas na bukas din, balik na naman ako sa normal kong routine. Shove myself in my three part-time jobs and then attend some of my classes on weekdays saka trabaho na naman sa gabi.

Ganun lang umiikot ang buhay ko. Ibang-iba sa mga masiswerteng taong nasa likuran ko ngayon who were a son of a prominent families in this city.

After I gulped down the last drop of my beer, ibinaba ko pa lalo ang suot kong sombrero to hide my face from anyone before I got up from my seat, now ready to exit that place and continue my drama at home.

Lumalalim na ang gabi kaya kailangan ko ng----

"Hey honey."

I froze on my feet nang bigla nalang yong sabihin ng isang lasing na lalake na pagiwang-giwang nang palapit sa'kin. Making my eyes went wide in horror lalo na ng matapilok ito. And being an unfortunate woman that I was, tuluyan na itong natumba patungo sa'kin before I could even dodge him.

In a blink of an eye, nadaganan na'ko ng pesting lasing na Goliath na'to patungo sa malamig na sahig sa tapat pa mismo ng mesa nina klent. And to my horror, my cap had unfortunately rolled off from my head, revealing my darn face to my classmates na agad ng nagsilakihan ang mga mata ng mga ito pagkakita sa'kin.

Oh no..

"Brigante??" Sabay-sabay pa nilang saad with shock in their faces except Klent who just gave me a raised brow and an impassive look in his brown eyes. 

'Yong iba tao sa paligid ay nagsisitinginan narin sa gawi namin, halatang natatawa sa sitwasyon ko.

How embarrassing!

Agad na'kong umiwas ng tingin sa kanila sabay kapa ng sombrero ko na nasa tabi ko. Itinulak ko na agad ang lasing na lalake mula sa pagkakadagan sa'kin.

"Oh honey.. Want to go out with me and maybe spend the night with me in my bed?" He slurred and then with a smirk in his mouth, his head slowly bent down closer to my face.

My eyes slowly bulged out at that as I just stared at his nearing face and lips to me. Unable to move in horror.

And before my mind could even grasp the situation, his lips suddenly crushed my own. Invading my mouth with so much hunger. Causing me to freeze on the ground with my eyes ready to separate from its sockets, flabbergasted with what was happening.

Everyone around us roared out in cheers at our sight. Some whistled and some laughed.

And I couldn't be more embarrassed than tonight.

And I wanted to hide forever because of this humiliation. I hope the ground would suddenly open up now and swallow me whole.

The drunk man just kept molesting my mouth and I couldn't allow him to continue this.

With all my might, I pushed him off. And with his huge built, it took me so much effort to do that. And when I did, I was about to get up but I was stopped when a warm hand suddenly snaked around my waist, sending an unfamiliar shivers down to my spine.

"Hmm...honey.. Don't you know me? I'm William Montero and I can give you everything you want."

When he slurred that while trying to seduce me with his darn voice, inis ko ng tinanggal ang kamay nito mula sa pagkakayapos sa'kin.

Nahihibang na talaga ang lalaking 'to! He must've really want me die in embarrassment here! Sa harap pa mismo ng taong gusto ko!!

I quickly got up from the floor and having no face to face anyone now, aalis na sana ako sa lugar na'yon but my steps halted when someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere and rushed beside the drunkard on the floor. To probably rescue this pervert on the floor who had ruined my night tonight.

For one last time, agad ko ng sinipat ng tingin ang mukha nito. At kahit hindi masyadong maliwanang sa parte na'to ng club, I could still clearly see that face. And I would never forget that face.

William Montero's darn face.

Because the next time we'd cross paths again, he'll regret ever messing up with me tonight.

Throwing him a one last glare, I quickly rushed out of that place while hiding my face in my cap.

"Liam! What the hell happened to you idiot??"

Rinig ko pang tanong ng bagong dating na lalaki before I completely left that place.

I don't think I could still face Klent and his friends this Monday. Tiyak pagtatawan talaga ako ng mga taong 'yon.