The Ball Aftermath

Dahan-dahang napaingot si Yumie. Nagising siya sa sinag ng araw na tumatama sa mukha niya. Idinilat niya ang mata habang mabigat ang katawang unti-unting bumabangon. It took awhile bago niya tuluyang naidilat ang mata. Nang tila nag-settle ang ulirat niya, napansin niya ang puting kobrekama na nakatabing pa sa kaniya. Nagising ang diwa niya nang mapansin ang malaking silk pajama na suot niya. Namilog ang mata niya nang tuluyang matunghayan ang kabuan ng silid na kinaroroonan niya. It was not her room. Nagpaikot-ikot ang tingin niya pinipilit na kinikilala kung nasan siya.

Unti-unting bumabalik sa utak ni Yumie ang mga kaganapan nang nakaraang gabi. It's like bits of flashbacks. There was Zeek nakalingkis siya rito. They were dancing. They were seated somewhere and snuggling. She drank a lot of alcohol. Hindi na niya matandaan bukod sa unang champagne na nilagok niya. Natampal niya ang noo.

"Mayumia! What did you do?" kastigo niya sa sarili.

Muli siyang natigilan nang maalala kung pano siya nakarating sa silid na iyon. Natutop niya ang labi as she remembers on how teasingly she strip off her gown sa harap ni Zeek beginning at the door nang makapasok sila sa condo nito. Zeek was just watching her as if enjoying the show. She was holding Zeek's tie and she....

"No! No! No!" natatarantang pasag niya as if shaking off the memory in her brain.

Nasa ganon siyang scenario when Zeek appeared on the door. Napalingon siya rito. He was smiling widely. Bagong paligo na ito at nakatabing lang ng tuwalya sa ibaba. He was naked on top. Iniwas ni Yumie ang tingin sa boss niya. Tila siya lalong nahiya.

"You're awake," ani Zeek. Tumayo pa ito sa harap niya habang nagpupunas ng basang buhok.

"Can you get dress first bago tayo mag-usap?" Yumie said na hindi makatingin sa binata.

Zeek smiled in amusement but walk through the walk in closet. "It's funny that you get to be shy now. If you can't remember, you get to touch this last night," mapang-asar na turan ni Zeek.

Napapikit si Yumie habang sunod-sunod na tinatampal ang sarili. Palihim niyang kinakastigo ang sarili. She don't need reminding. Lango siya sa alak kahapon but she remembered somehow what happened. But then bukod sa pagkalango at pang-aakit niya kay Zeek, tila hindi na niya maalala kung hanggang saan pa sila umabot ni Zeek.

Hindi niya alam ano na ang mangyayari. At ano ang magiging ibig sabihin nito sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Ilang saglit lang lumabas na ng walk in closet si Zeek. He's wearing a casual clothes, a shirt and a shorts. May bitbit din itong paper bag na inilapag sa kama.

"You can wear this. Ipinabili ko yan kanina. It will be enough to wear for the day," turan ni Zeek. "Do you want breakfast?"

Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Yumie. Zeek is acting casually tila ito nobyong nag-aalaga ng nobya. He was being nice to her. Seryoso ba 'to sa pagpapa-charm sa kaniya?

"Why are you being friendly?" she voiced out. "And why are you taking this lightly?"

Umupo si Zeek sa dulo ng kama with a boyish grin. "You look more beautiful in my pajamas. It look like how I imagined it to be. Baggy but sexy," he said alluringly.

"Zeekcarias!" sita niya rito. Wala na siyang pakialam kung mawalan na siya ng paggalang dito. She is in crisis!

Natawa lang si Zeek sa pagtawag niya ng pangalan nito. "Chill, my sweets. Masyado kang tense."

Nahilamos niya ang palad sa mukha. Hindi niya alam pano mag-uumpisa. "Look, what happened was a mistake. I was so drunk and I'm sorry I wasn't able to control myself."

"Which remind me not to let you drink with someone else. I can sense that is your first time," anito

Hindi siya sumagot. First time of what? First time drunk or getting laid? For the record, it was both. Ano bang mukhang ihaharap niya? He slept with his boss. Ano ng mangyayari? And ano ba talagang iniisip ni Zeek sa kaniya?

"You look worried," pansin ni Zeek sa expression ng mukha niya.

"You're not?!" nagugulumihanang balik tanong niya rito. "As far as I know everybody saw us yesterday. People are already talking about us and this happened? Ano na lang iisipin nila lalo? That I succeededly seduced my boss?!" She had to let out what she actually thinks.

Zeek looked at her seriously. His grinning had left his expression. He probably thought it was not the time to joke around. But he reached for her hand and held it. Napatingin siya roon.

"I think you're confuse," ani Zeek looking at her hand. Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Yumie. "I really don't know how to do courtship. I don't know how to express myself if I like someone. To me, it's just simply acting out what I really feel not thinking if the other person will like me too," Zeek said.

"W-what?" lalo siyang nagugulumihanan sa sinasabi sa kaniya ng binata.

Zeek gave her an assuring smile. Lumapit pa itong sa kaniya. Umupo ng pa-indian sit na nakaharap sa kaniya while holding her hands. Inangat nito ang kamay to fix some hair on her face.

"I don't know how to say it but I like you and I'd like us to be official," anito.

Bumagsak ang panga ni Yumie. "What?! What do you mean official?" Natataranta siya sa mga revelation ni Zeek sa kaniya. She understood what he meant but then hindi iyon basta-basta bigla na lang mangyayari.

"You are refusing to believe it, Mayumia," ani Zeek with a slight laugh. He has this aura na parang hindi na niya kailangan ng confirmation kay Yumie. He can confess his admiration sa dalaga and everything will just be accepted.

"You're joking, right? You are just making fun of me again?" pilit niyang ikinukubli ang pagkakaunawa sa mga rebelasyon ni Zeek. It makes sense now kung bakit extra effort ang binata sa pagtrato sa kaniya bilang special someone. Totoo palang itinatangi siya nito.

Zeek just winced and laughed. "I like it even more kapag natataranta ka. It gives me the assurance that I can still make you nervous in a charming way," proud na turan na naman ni Zeek.

Yumie gave a very deep sigh. Tila kinakapos siya ng hangin sa inaakto ni Zeek sa kaniya ngayon. She has to deal with it upfront. Ayaw niya na magpaligoy-ligoy.

"Look, Zeek. I know I admitted that you are charming indeed, but it doesn't actually mean that I like you in a very special way. You are my boss. I do not intended to be my boss' girl. I am trying my best to ignore this issue about us. Don't make this even more complicated," litanya niya.

"I said I want us to be official but it doesn't also mean that you gotta say yes. Hindi ko lang talaga alam pano ako aamin sayo. I know you'd act this way. But please don't say that you're rejecting me agad-agad," Zeek said in a half serious tone.

"But, sir..." she emphasized the sir. "I cannot be your girlfriend. It's too risky. We work together. It will be a lot complicated as we can imagine."

"You're speaking in past tense, my sweets. You're overthinking. I am not expecting you to say yes. But atleast I get to tell you how I really feel," sabi pa ni Zeek.

Napatingin na lang si Yumie kay Zeek. Hindi na niya alam ano pang sasabihin.

"Tell me, when did you realize that?" she said out of curiosity.

Zeek shrugged and acted like he's actually thinking. "I can't say actually. I don't know if it's the first time I saw you or after we went back from China. All I know is that, when I met you at the elevator that day, you're beautiful face was instilled in my mind. You definitely gave me the impression that you are worth my time."

"But we just met. It's really too soon to tell," she reason out. Ilulusot niya ito by hook or by crook.

"Like I said, I don't expect you to say yes this instance. But atleast let's give it a chance," turan pa ni Zeek na tila buo ang loob na gawin siyang nobya.

"But..." aniya na halos wala na maisip nanirason pa. 'You don't really know the real me.' turan niya sa isip. Hindi niya iyon magawang ilahad ng harapan. She ended up closing his lips and just gave a deep breath.

Zeek smiled mischievously as if he had won his case. Alam niyang Yumie can no longer complain. Bahagya na siyang lumayo sa dalaga at tumayo sa pagkakaupo.

"I am not rushing you. I am just letting you know. Magbihis ka na. Ihahatid na kita pauwi. You're mother might be looking for you. Kagabi pa tawag ng tawag sa telepono mo," ani Zeek nang palabas na ito sa silid.

"Wait!" Yumie stopped him. There's one more thing to clarify. "About last night..." she said almost hesitating. "D-did we really---" di niya maituloy ang nais sabihin.

Zeek gave her another mischievous smile and a sarcastic one- eyebrow raise. He had a sudden flashback of what happened last night inside his head. Yumie was so drunk that she became an uncontrollable teaser. She was clinging onto him all throughout. He was able to take her out sa venue before she become so wild. When they get to his condo, she became wilder and had teased him more. The moment they stepped in in his condo, she started caressing him. Naglambitin ito sa leeg niya and pressed her heated body to his. He had to take so much control not to give in for he knows she is really really drunk. Halos hindi siya makagalaw para pigilan ito. Otherwise, he might give in. She teasingly seduce her with a kiss but she didn't. She just playfully touch his lips. When she started unbuttoning his shirt and slid her warm hands in his chest as if feeling it intensely, that's when he almost loose his control. But before he could thoroughly give in, she passed out.

"You made me the happiest man last night. Kahit na alam kong you won't remember it when you wake up."

Napayuko si Yumie sa kahihiyan. She couldn't even looked in Zeek's mischievous smile.

"But for the record, you totally passed out before you could do more embarassing stuff."

Napaangat ang mukha niya. She looked at Zeek as if sinisigurong nagsasabi ito ng totoo. Zeek smiled at her.

"Fix yourself up. I cannot assure if I can still control myself bago ko pa maituloy ang inumpisahan mo kagabi. Especially since you are still in my bed," pang-uyam na turan ni Zeek as he turn around to leave the room.

Yumie let out a reassuring sigh. Napailing na lang siya sa sarili as she slowly crawled up out of bed.