Fling

Chapter 2. Fling

BUSANGOT na naglalakad si Bree para makalayo roon nang mapansin niyang bumalik ang kaniyang kababata. Wala pang limang minuto nang umalis ito.

"Nasaan ang helmet mo?"

"Ewan ko," pagsusungit niya at abalang may pinagpipindot sa kaniyang cellphone. C-in-ancel niya ang b-in-ook na taxi. Mabuti na lang at nauso na ang booking app sa mga cellphone ngayon, mas madali nang humanap ng taxi, iyon nga lang, hassle ang pag-cancel kasi may cancelation fee. But that's okay. Understandable naman.

Pumalatak ito. "Wait for me here. I'll just get the car."

"Bilisan mo."

"Opo, kamahalan," sarkastiko nitong saad.

Higit limang minuto ang hinintay niya nang makabalik ito, minamaneho na ang bagong-bagong sasakyang niregalo ng daddy nito.

"Paano luluma iyang sasakyan mo kung ayaw mo namang gamitin? Lagi kang nagmo-motor," puna niya nang makalapit ito, nakababa ang bintana sa banda nito.

"Sumakay ka na nga muna."

She did. He even opened the car door from inside. Halos magkandahaba-haba ang brso nito para maitulak ang pinto pero siya rin ang nagbukas.

"Acting like a gentleman, huh? Better luck next time."

"Nah, I'll just let you open the door. Kaya mo naman."

"Sinabi ko bang hindi ko kaya?" Nakakainis. She actually wanted to hear that he'd open the door for her next time. Just like the old times.

"Alright, grumpy, let's put on your seat belt now."

Hindi na siya nakahuma nang bahagya itong lumapit para ito na ang mag-ayos ng seat belt. Bigla itong humarap sa kaniya at hinuli ang kaniyang paningin.

Dang, his jet black eyes were still her favorite, they complimented his thick lashes and thick brows, too. His aristocratic nose was almost touching hers as he leaned closer. And, oh! Had she mentioned about his inviting lips? Kung hindi lang niya kababata ang isang ito, matagal na niyang b-in-oyfriend. But she didn't want to end their friendship because she's afraid they might break up and that'd be the end of their beautiful relationship as well. Kontento na siguro siyang maging kaibigan nito.

Napapikit siya nang bugahan siya nito ng hangin. Hindi niya magawang sitain kaagad ito dahil naamoy niya ang mabahong hininga nito. Idinaan na lang niya sa pagkunot ng kaniyang noo.

"Did you brush your teeth?" he asked out of the blue.

What kind of question was that? Her eyebrows wiggled before she scowled.

"No, you did not." Ito ang sumagot sa sariling tanong. "We're not going to include Raoul and Christine's kissing scene in this practice."

"Ha? Bakit?" Why did she sound disappointed? May mga susunod na practice pa naman.

Hindi ito kumibo kaagad at lumayo sa kaniya. Inayos ang upo saka nagmaneho na.

"Wala akong bad breath, you know I regularly go to my dentist, too. Bakit ba ayaw mong practice-in natin iyon? Lahat na na-practice na natin pwera sa kissing scene. Besides, aren't we supposed to do that now?"

"Tss... Bukas na lang."

"Tomorrow? May lakad ako bukas," dahilan niya.

"Saan na naman? Sinong kasama mo? Iyang bago mong boyfriend?" He sounded disgusted by the mention of her boyfriend.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she defended.

He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, then, he focused on driving. "Flings, then."

Ngumuso siya. Hindi niya maipagkakailang mayroon nga, lalo pa't kalat na sa campus na may something sa kanila ng Vice-President ng Org nila. Isa pa, hindi niya iyon maitatago sa kaniyang kababata dahil ito ang President. Imposible namang hindi ito nasabihan ng bise presidente nito lalo pa't magkaklase sa ilang major subjects.

Rexton Hans dela Costa was supposed to be in his last year in college, but she knew he's going to take another course, which was business-related. Baka ito kasi ang mamahala sa dela Costa Malls kalaunan. She's just uncertain if was he going to take his classes online or face to face classes. Hindi pa niya natanong.

"Mag-o-online class ka ba?"

He only sighed heavily. "Looks like you don't want to talk about what happened earlier."

"Huh? Ain't we talking about my current fling?"

"Flings, you must say."

"I only have one fling. I don't do two flings or more."

"Then, who's that fucking guy? Why are you letting him kiss you if you don't have a thing?"

She only bit her lip because she still didn't think of any reason at all.

"Hindi mo ako madadaan sa ganiyan, Brianna. Stop seducing me."

She pouted instead. She's not seducing him at all. She just didn't know what to say so she ended up biting her lower lip.

Halos masubsob siya nang bigla nitong kinabig ang manibela at pumreno sa gilid ng daan. Mabuti na lamang at wala sila sa highway kaya ayos lang ang ginawa nito.

"I said stop that." Mababa ang tinig nito nang sabihin iyon. He opened the small compartment and got three pieces of mint candies. "Eat those," utos nito matapos ibigay sa kaniya ang candies.

"I don't like mint." Do I smell bad? I didn't eat anything yet since breakfast. Kahit sa AIA, wala akong kinain. I only drank juice...

He sighed his defeat and started driving again.

"Bakit ang init ng ulo mo ngayon? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

Hindi ito kumibo.

"May regla ka?"

"Keep quiet. I'm driving."

"Ang sungit."

"Just memorize your lines—"

"You know I memorized everything very well."

May musical play kasi sila sa University sa darating na Foundation Week. Despite of being a sophomore, she was already chosen to play the lead role, Christine Daaé, from the famous "Phantom of The Opera", while Rexton would act as Christine's childhood friend, Viscount Raoul de Chagny. Sakto, magkababata naman sila kaya para sa kanila'y madali na iyon.

"Si Kuya pala?" Naalala niya bigla. "Pupunta rin ba?"

"Kanina pa nandoon."

"Ah, akala ko busy na naman sa panliligaw." Ang alam kasi niya'y pinopormahan pa rin ng kuya niya ang nakaklase niya sa probinsya noon. Kahit sa Maynila sila lumaki ay lumipat sila ng probinsya at nag-aral siya roon ng huling dalawang taon niya sa High School. Kinailangan nilang lumipat dahil noong tumakbo sa pagka-alkalde ang ama ni Chelin ay nagkaroon ng engkwentro at nadawit sila roon. Matindi ang pinsalang natamo ng kaniyang mama at nagpasya ang pamilya nilang manirahan sa probinsya.

But that was all in the past. Mabuti na ang lagay ng mga nadawit noon. Kasama na ang mama niya't ng kanilang kaibigang si Chelin.

"You should be thankful that I was the one who video-called earlier. Had it been your brother, I doubt he'd let that pass. Mukhang hindi hamak na mas matanda sa iyo ang isang iyon kaysa kay Lopez." Mahinahon ito nang sambitin ang mga katagang iyon.

"I'm telling you, si Rui lang ang ka-fling ko ngayon. And he's going to be my boyfriend once na manligaw na siya."

May gusto pa itong sabihin pero malalim na bumuntong hininga na lang ito.

"Hindi ko talaga ka-fling iyong kanina. What you saw was just a prank. W-we aren't really kissing. Camera tricks lang." Shocks, sana maniwala ito sa biglaan niyang palusot.

"Camera tricks pero kung sipsipin niya ang labi mo—" He stopped mid sentence. "I didn't see his face. The angle only focused on you and your lips."

Damn Timo!

"Who's that? And why did you let him kiss you? Really? At a public place? How old is he? Baka mamaya gusto ka lang i—Fuck! Why don't you stop exploring now? Is it your curiosity—"

Pinili niyang magsungit at putulin ang sasabihin nito. "Just focus on driving, okay? Don't mind my flings! Ni hindi ko nga pinakikialaman iyong sa 'yo."

Humigpit ang hawak nito sa manibela at umigting ang mga ugat nito roon. Napalunok siya dahil sa kahihiyan. Kahit hindi naman talaga niya ginawa iyon ay nahihiya siya dahil baka isipin nitong madali siyang makuha basta gwapo at may dating.

"Curiosity or not, you don't have a say with what I do. Hindi kita tatay."

"Tss... Pasalamat ka talaga't hindi ang kuya mo ang nakakita."

Hindi niya alam kung madidismaya ba siya o ano. Kanina kasi ay hindi siya mapakali dahil sa matinding kaba, at iniisip niya kung ano bang idadahilan niya para mapaniwala itong wala naman talagang ibig sabihin ang halik na iyon. It's not like she's still a minor. She's turning twenty soon and a kiss wouldn't hurt her dignity. That's what she believed. May mga iba nga riyan na higit pa sa halikan ang ginagawa kahit wala pa sa edad, eh.

"If I caught you kissing in public once again, I'm really going to tell your brother so he'd discipline you. Mamumuti ang buhok ni Mendoza sa iyo."

That's it? He only cared about her brother's reaction?