Chapter 9: Her Messy Side

[Airish Laxamana]

Flashback:

"Ang tagal." Sa inip ko kakatayo sa pinto ay nauna na akong bumaba. Bumungad sakin si Khalid. Ang kuya ni Kaijin.

Pero bakit naman siya nandito? Bakit ko ba kailangang malaman? Pababa na sana ako nang higitin niya ang braso ko.

"Sa'n ka pupunta?" Matalim ko siyang tinitigan. Ramdam ko ang matinding pagkapit niya sa kamay ko kaya kumalas na ako.

"BITAW." Matigas kong sambit. Napahawak ako sa braso ko at masama siyang tinignan. "You have 1 fucking minute. SPEAK."

"Ang talim ng bibig mo." Mas lalong nagpantig ang tenga ko sa sinabi niya. "I don't have time for this." Papaalis na sana ako ng magsalita siya.

"Althea," Asar akong napalingon. Pwede ko nang patayin ang lalaking 'to.

"Ex mo si Althea diba?" Paano niya nalaman ang bagay na isang sikreto?

"She told that to me." Anong ibig niyang sabi—

"Althea is my girlfriend now AIRISH." Hinigit ko ang kwelyo niya. ANONG SINASABI NG LALAKING ITO?

"Althea's missing." Inis kong sambit sa kanya pero ngumisi siya sa akin. "ALTHEA'S ALIVE AIRISH, AND SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND. SO STOP SEARCHING FOR HER." Ilang pako ang tumusok sa pagkatao ko. Tell me that this is just a FUCKING LIE!

Papaanong naging sila?! KAILAN PA?! I THOUGHT THAT SHE'S MISSING TAPOS MALALAMAN KONG SILA NA NG KUYA NI KAIJIN?!

Napabitaw ako sa kwelyo niya ng may maramdaman akong taong papalapit.

"If you want to confirm it, just come with me." Ngisi niya na ikinakuyom ng kamao ko. Anong klaseng kabaliwan ang pinagsasabi ng lalaking ito?

"Khalid, anong ginagawa mo dito?" Napatingin ako kay Kaijin na seryoso ang mukha pero hindi ko siya pinansin dahil sa galit ko ngayon sa kuya niya.

"I'm here to speak with her." That fucking information is fucking enough for me,

"May I borrow her?" Napakagat ako sa labi ko ng mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko. Gusto ko man siyang pabagsakin ay ramdam ko ang pagpilipit ng kamay ko sa pagkakahawak niya.

"LET GO OF MY WIFE'S HAND KHALID." Napatingin ako kay Kaijin na masamang nakatitig sa kuya niya.

"Kung mag-uusap kayo kailangan kasama ako." Sa pagbitaw sakin ni Khalid ay ramdam ko ang mabilis na pintig ng kamay ko. FUCK... THAT FUCKING HURTS.

"Maybe, I'll talk to you sometimes. Here's my number." Tumingin ako sa call card pero si Kaijin ang umabot no'n. I don't need his fucking call card in the first place... Because the way that he said that Althea is her girlfriend, itinuturing ko na siyang kaaway.

"If you'd excuse us, KHALID." Inakbayan ako ni Kaijin tsaka kami umalis sa lugar na 'yon.

I see him smirks in my peripheral vision but I just ignore him. Siguro nakita rin 'yon ni Kaijin.

Pagkaalis namin ay tinignan ko si Kaijin. Sa inis ko ay mabilis kong pinuwesto ang braso niya sa harap tsaka ko siya pinatid dahilan para matumba siya.

"RULE NO. 1: FUCKING 5 CENTIMETERS DISTANCE. NAIINTINDIHAN MO?" Ang pesteng kuya niya....

PAPATAYIN KO ANG NILALANG NA 'YON.

"AND ALSO, TELL YOUR FUCKING BROTHER TO LEAVE ME ALONE, OR ELSE, HE'LL FUCKING DIE."

-

Pakiramdam ko ay dinudurog ang pagkatao ko hanggang ngayon.

Simula din no'ng gabing 'yon ay ipinahinto ko na ang paghahanap kay Althea.

"Airish, why aren't you eating your food? 10 A.M na malamig na 'yong pagkain mo—" Itinulak ko ang mini table sa may hita ko at marahas na binasag ang plato pati na ang mug.

Lahat ay itinapon ko sa sahig. In any minute, I can fucking burst out my anger. "AIRISH WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Umiwas ako sa tingin ni Kaijin. Naaalala ko ang mukha ng kuya niya, AND IT FUCKING PISSED ME!

"JUST CLEAN THAT MESS DO YOU GET ME?!" Nanlaki ang mata niya sa biglaan kong pagsigaw. If he's shocked... Then I was fucking shocked too... I didn't expect myself to shout at him like that.

Ramdam ko ang biglaan niyang pag-alis at ang marahas na dabog sa pinto. Napasabunot ako ng buhok. Bakit ang sakit? BAKIT HINDI KO ALAM?!

Kinuha ko ang orasan sa may gilid ng cabinet at itinapon iyon sa may pader dahilan para kumalat ang mga parte nito sa sahig.

Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko na may wallpaper namin ni Althea. Unti-unti akong nadudurog tuwing nakikita ko ang litrato naming dalawa... WALA NA TALAGANG PAG-ASA...

TANGINA!

Sa asar ko ay pati cellphone ko ay marahas kong ibinato sa may pader.

"MISS AIRISH!" Kita ko ang pagsilip ng mga maid at ni Miss Nadia. Sa inis ko ay pati sila ay nasigawan ko.

"LABAS!" Sabay bato ko ng tray sa pinto. "AIRISH!" Nakita ko ang pagbukas ni Kaijin ng pinto kaya napaiwas ako ng tingin. My tears flows down as I hug myself.

I thought that I can be with her...

BUT WHY DID KAIJIN'S BROTHER TAKE MY HAPPINESS?!

SA LAHAT NG TAO BAKIT KUYA PA NG MOKONG NA ITO?!

"ANO BANG NANGYAYARI SA 'YO?!" Ipinaharap niya ang katawan ko sa kanya pero nakayuko akong umiyak ng tahimik.

TANGINA, HINDI KO MATANGGAP... MAHAL KO SI ALTHEA.... MAHAL KO SIYA PERO BAKIT?!

"Airish, look at me." Pero hindi ako tumingin sa kanya.

"I said look at me." Itinaas niya ang ulo ko. I know that he'll used my weakness so I pushed him harshly dahilan para bumagsak siya.

"ANO BANG PROBLEMA MONG BABAE KA?!" He stands up as he looks at me. "FUCK," Napaiwas ako ng tingin at pinunasan ang luha ko.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?" I didn't answer him. I'm not in the mood to talk about it... I'm fucking hurting.... Inside...

"TELL ME WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU CRYING AIRISH!"

"GET OUT." Nakayuko kong sambit. "I won't unless you tell me your problem." Talaga bang matigas ang bungo niya at hindi siya makasunod sa inuutos ko?!

"LABAS!" Sigaw ko sa kanya at nanatili parin akong nakayuko. Pilit kong tinatatagan ang boses ko kahit na garalgal na talaga ang sinasabi ko.

"I SAID I WON'T." Hindi niya ba nakikitang wala akong panahon para makipagmatigasan sa kanya?!

"YOU SHOULD—" A sudden movement surprise me. He embraced me to his arms as he trying to calm me. Pilit ko siyang  itinutulak pero tinitibayan niya ang katawan niya.

"KALAS!" I shouted. But, he didn't move. Instead, he just hugs me and tries to calm me down.

He's so strong at this time so I couldn't help myself but to let him embraced me.

Napapikit ang mga mata ko. "Please, Kaijin, get out, I beg in you." Mahina kong sambit.

"I said, I won't. Hindi kita hahayaang umiyak mag-isa. Ayokong iwan kang ganito. So please, calm down Airish." Bakit hindi niya pa ako iwanan?

"I beg in—"

"No Airish, I won't go until you're okay." And then, I found myself crying on him... Matagal-tagal din kaming nasa gano'ng posisyon. I hate to say this but I lose my temper...

Hanggang sa naisipan ko nang kumalas. He kneels down as I arrange my hair. "Care to tell me what's going on?" He asked while wiping my tears with his bare hands.

"Just give me an effin wine."

"No." Hindi ako nakakibo sa sinagot niya. I get my other phone on my pocket as I opens my bank account. I transfer the amount of money that I promised on him tsaka ko siya tinignan.

"Is this enough to satisfy you?" Ngisi kong tanong. "How can you smirk on this situation?" Napatigil ako. Kinuha niya cellphone ko at inilapag niya sa kama.

He sincerely looks at me with a worried face. "Tell me, involve ba dito si Khalid?" Hindi ako sumagot. Sana makuha niya na Oo ang sagot sa pagtahimik ko.

"What did that jerk said to you?" Tanong niya sakin. I looked up as I bit my lower lip.

"You see, I... I have an ex-girlfriend...." Panimula ko. I can't just fucking hide this feelings... I need to say it somehow to ease the pain...

"Her name is Althea Kitty Valdez. Matagal ko siyang naging girlfriend. She's the only one that I fucking love."

"Hindi ko magawang mahulog sa iba dahil sa kanya."

"I was fucking stuck on her, only her."

"But I decided to break up with her because my mother's image will be ruined. I don't want that to happen so I choose the right thing even if it'll hurt me."

"And then time came someone told me that she's missing so I hired a fucking men to search for her."

"Madaming taon ang ginugol ko sa paghahanap sa kanya tapos malalaman ko,"

"Girlfriend na pala siya ng kuya mo."

"I feel so fucking Pathetic." Mapait akong napapikit.

"Airish." I looked at him as he looks directly in my eyes.

"You're not pathetic, You just love the right person at the wrong time." Hindi ako nakapagsalita dahil nakuha ko ang sinasabi niya pero... Sadyang mahirap tanggapin... Hindi man lang ako nakapaghanda.

"You already knows my ex, Xerxes, right?"

"I love him even thought he's taking me for granted." Sabay ngiti niya.

"I feel pathetic just like you, but things changed when I met you." He stands up as he stretches his arms.

"You fucking pissed me, You fucking irritates me, You make me as your fucking servant, You framed me, but my anger doesn't last long." Anong pinaparating ng mokong na ito?

"You know why?" He smiles at me as he gets my hands. "Because I know that we have so many in common."  A half smile formed on my lips.

"We both like our same gender, we changed because of the past, we choose what's right for the both of us, and We both love a right person at the wrong time." He's right... We have so many in common and we just can't fucking see that...

"Don't fucking cry on that person, Airish. Remember that I'm always here. Hindi kita hahayaang masaktan. This slave is true to his words so trust in me, ok?" He said while he kissed my forehead.

And for some reasons, I feel the warmth that I never experience before.

Lumipas ang ilang oras at kumalma na ako. Nalinis na lahat ng bubog at nagkalat na mga abubot sa sahig.

"Gusto mo na bang kumain?" I nod as an answer. He held my hands while walking into the kitchen.

Nakita ko ang mga maids kanina at si Miss Nadia kaya humingi ako ng permiso.

"Are you ok now?" Tanong ni Miss Nadia kaya tumango ako. She cooks the foods while we wait.

"I'm wondering, why you're wearing gloves?" Ramdam ko ang pagtigil ng lahat ng maids, si Miss Nadia, at ultimong ako napatahimik.

"It's fine if you don't want to—"

"I have a Basal Cell Carcinoma. A type of skin cancer." Kalmado kong sambit. "Is it curable?" I nods.

"It's either, I take a radiation therapy, Cryotherapy, chemotherapy, or a surgery."

"Bakit hindi mo pa ginagawa?"

"I don't want to." Kumunot ang noo niya. "It'll spread on your body right?" Kasabay nito ang paglapag ng pagkain. "Let's just eat." Hindi na siya kumibo at kumain nalang kami.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay nagpahinga kami. "Want to play basketball?" He asked out of a sudden.

"Don't worry, arcade lang." Ngiti niya. "I'll take a bath and get changed." Sabay alis ko.

-

Before we start, we settled some rules. "If I win, you'll treat me after this." He smirks.

"If I win, you'll twerk." Ako naman ang ngumisi.

"What the fuck Airish?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"RULE #3 YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CUSS ON ME SO CASUALLY UNLESS YOU'RE CLOSE TO ME." Napamaang ang bibig niya na ikinaaliw ko. I'm just kidding anyway. I can say that I want to treat him in a nice way but I won't break the contract just for the sake of his company.

We shoot our own tokens as we play in the Arcade Game Center. I can feel the pressure of crowds as they watched us.

"That girl is so cool."

"May gf na kaya 'tong lalaki?"

Napapailing nalang ako habang sunod na shinoshoot ang bola sa ring. Umabot pa nga ako ng level 7 at siya Level 6 lang. Ang Lakas para niyang maghamon matatalo rin pala siya.

"TWERK." Sambit ko.

He raised his both arms and started to twerk like Nicki Minaj. Madaming natawa sa ginawa niya kasama na ako. I was planning to take a video pero... Wag nalang.

"I'll buy some tokens." Tumango naman ako tsaka pumunta sa JUST DANCE. I shoot my last token and starts to play.

[Kaijin Del Mundo]

Napangiti ako habang nakapila. I never see her laugh like that...

My vision of her suddenly erased because of what happened an hour ago... She's still a girl that needs some care...

Pagkakuha ko ng tokens ay hinanap ko si Airish.

Napatigil ako ng maraming tao ang nasa Just Dance area kaya pati ako napatingin.

I found myself smiling while she dances gracefully. Pero isang grupo ng kalalakihan ang nakapagpainis sakin. I know them, they're from our school.

"She's hot right?"

"That's why she's called the Perfect Queen."

"Should we hit on her?"

"Will she come with us?"

"All girls have a slut side."

Did that guy just called Airish a fucking SLUT?

Nang matapos si Airish ay mabilis ko siyang inakbayan. "5 CENT—" I cover her mouth as I smirk to those jerks. Masama akong tinignan ng isa bago siya sumenyas sa mga kasama niya.

Pagkaalis nila ay inalis ko na ang takip sa bibig niya. "Wag na wag kang maglalaro mag-isa, naiintindihan mo?" Kita ko naman ang pagkunot ng noo niya.

"Dahil ayokong BINABASTOS ka pag nakatalikod ako." I get her hands as we walks away. I brought her to a toy store where she began to smile.

"Hello Kitty..." Sambit niya sa isang unan na Hello kitty. Tumingin ako sa kanya. "Do you want that?"

"I just remember her when I see this character..." Tsk. "Don't you effin remember her KAPAG AKO ANG KASAMA MO. I'M FUCKING SELFISH. Ayoko ng may kahati." Tumingin ako ng mga iba't-ibang klase ng laruan na pwedeng makaagaw ng atensyon niya but she keeps staring at that FUCKING HELLO KITTY PILLOW.

And then, one toy catch my attention. It's a Melody Pillow.

Dahil sa hindi niya ako napapansin ay kinuha ko ang melody na 'yon at inilagay sa likudan ko. Agad ko siyang nilayo sa Hello Kitty at ipinakita ko ang isang Melody na unan. Her eyes are asking as she looks at me. "How did you know that Melody is my favorite?" I just smiles.

"Just a guess." I see her smiles which makes my heart thumps. Darn it... She's fucking cute...

Binili na namin ang melody pillow at umalis na sa lugar na 'yon. I keep holding her hands but I guess that she didn't notice it. Napangiti ako. In this time, I really want to know her more...

No mix of judging.

"BITAW." Ngumiti ako at mapang-asar na tumitig sa kanya. "I DON'T WANT TO."

"RULE #2—"

"I'm your slave Airish, and a slave's work is to make sure that her master is always safe." Napabukas ang bibig niya pero hindi niya na naituloy. She pinch my palm as hard as she could but, I won't let her hand go.

"Give up Chief, you can't force a slave to let go of your hand." She give me a pissing look that makes me want to tease her more.

"You better let go of my hand Captain or else I'll break the contract." Bibitaw na sana ako ng ngumisi siya.

"And makes you as my husband." Mukhang umabot ang init sa mukha ko kaya napabitaw ako sa kamay niya at napahawak sa mukha ko.

"You let go of my hand, it means you choose to be my slave instead. Come on Captain, I'm hungry." She smirks as she walks away. Why does it feels like I'm losing to this woman? Her words...

FUCK! It embarrass me.

Pagkapunta namin ng restaurant nila ay umupo kami kung saan kami unang nagkakilala.

Napangiti ako ng makita kong napailing siya. We're still in the position at the same time but now, it feels like I'm getting closer to her. Umorder na kami at ilang minuto pa ay binigay na ang pagkain kaya kumain na kami.

"Chief." She looks at me as she smiles. "Yes Captain?" I scoop some ice cream and get her chin. I see her mouth opens kaya inilagay ko na ito sa bibig niya.

"3/5" we both smile.

Natapos ang pagkain namin kaya napagdesisyunan na naming umuwi sakay ng motor ko.

I feel her tight hug as we travel. I look at the stars as I breathe. It feels so nice...

Ilang minuto pa at nakarating na kami sa mansyon kaya in-off ko na ang makina. Ramdam kong hindi parin siya kumakalas kaya napatingin ako. I slowly unplugged her helmet and I see her sleeping already. I smiles as I carry her.

I carry her like a bride as the maids look at us. Ms. Nadia smiles as she nods so I brought Airish to our bed. I carefully placed her quietly as I get into bed.

I smiles as I arranged her hair. "Sleep tight Chief," I said while I kiss her forehead.