Girlfriend

NABANGGA si Lexine sa isang matigas na bulto pagkalabas niya ng comfort room. Nag-angat siya ng tingin at isang lalaking may blonde na buhok, matangkad at malaki ang pangangatawan ang bumati sa kanya. For a moment, she got dazed by the handsome man in front of her.

"I'm sorry miss, are you alright?"

"Ah… y-yes, I'm f-fine." She's totally distracted by his ocean blue eyes.

The french guy showed her a boyish smile that can surely captivate any woman. Lexine was impressed to see a perfect set of white teeth.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Victor." Nilahad nito ang isang kamay.

Nahihiyang inabot naman niya iyon. "Lexine."

Victor put a little pressure on their shaking hands. Obviously, the guy is flirting with her and at the back of her mind, she knows that this is not a good idea.

"Nice meeting you, Victor, but I have to go back to my—uhm" Paglingon niya sa table nila ay wala na roon si Night. Huh, saan `yun nagpunta?

"Your date?"

Sumulyap siya uli dito. "Uhm no, I mean... y-yes."

He chuckled. Maging tunog ng tawa nito ay ang gwapo pakinggan. Kung wala lang siyang kasama ay marahil papatulan ni Lexine ang pakikipag-flirt ng lalaking ito pero mas lalo siyang nababahala na nawawala si Night sa table and she freaking doesn't know where the hell he is. Nagsimula na siyang kabahan.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

Nanlaki ang mata niya at mabilis na umiling. "No! He's not my boy—"

"Ah! Here's my girlfriend! I've been looking for you, baby. What took you so long?"

Naurong ang dila niya nang biglang sumulpot si Night sa kanyang tabi at agad pinulupot ang isang braso nito sa kanyang bewang. And wait... what did he call her?

Matamis na ngumiti sa kanya ang binata tapos ay matalim na tumitig kay Victor. "Do you have anything to say to my girlfriend?"

Girl... friend?

What the hell! Kailan pa nangyari ito?

"Oh, my bad. I thought she's single. If I were her guy, I won't let her wander around by herself. I mean, no offense, man, but she's a head-turner," Victor bluntly said.

Na-stress ang brain cells ni Lexine. Oh, God. Please shut your mouth!

Mabilis na nagdilim ang mga mata ni Night. Naramdaman agad ni Lexine ang paninigas ng katawan nito.

"Sorry for you buddy, but she's not available and will never be. Now, let me give you a little consideration since I'm in a good mood tonight. I'd give you the privilege to choose what would I do to you. A, you stop drooling for my girl and I'd wipe your fucking face with my fist, or, b, I'll kick your goddamn ass."

Namutla si Victor. Nakangiti si Night. Nataranta si Lexine. Pinagtitinginan na sila ng mga tao sa paligid. Naku! Mapipingot talaga niya ang gunggong na ito kapag nag-eskandalo rito.

Niyakap niya ang mga braso sa bewang nito. "Night, let's go." Kunwari naglalambing na ngumiti siya sa binata pero ang totoo ay pinandidilatan na niya ito ng mata.

Mas humigpit ang pagkakahapit nito sa bewang niya. Nilapit nito nang husto ang mukha sa kanya. "Alright, mon amour." His eyes were gleaming with so much pleasure and she hates how this evil demon takes advantage of the situation.

Mabilis niya itong hinila palabas ng riverboat at dire-diretso silang naglakad-takbo palayo sa lugar na iyon. Siguradong kung hindi pa siya nakisakay sa trip nito, malamang ay nasunog na ang buong restaurant kasama si Victor. "Where do you want to take me, mon amour?"

Huminto siya sa paglalakad at pinukol ito ng masamang tingin. "And what do you think you're doing? Ano `yun? Why the hell did you tell Victor that I'm your girlfriend?!"

"He's hitting on you, Lexine!"

Pumamewang siya. "And so?"

Agad nalukot ang noo nito. "And so?" Ulit nito at nanlalaki ang mga mata. "What? You mean you want to flirt with that fucking golden boy? Eh, kung dukutin ko ang mata nun!"

She gasped in disbelief. "You are so unreasonable! Lahat na lang ba ng lalaking didikit sa `kin o kahit ang tumingin man lang sa `kin, eh, sasaktan mo?"

Binalot ng dilim ang mukha ni Night. Sasagot sana ito pero agad niyang sinundan ang sinasabi niya. "Isa pa, bakit ba nagagalit ka, ha? The last time that I checked my facebook status. I'm single and ready to mingle! So, bakit ba nakikielam ka kung may kumakausap sa `kin?"

Tila may pumutok na ugat sa ulo ni Night. "Mingle? You fucking want to mingle? Do you hear yourself, woman?!"

Napasinghap siya nang malakas. Aba't umaabuso na talaga sa pagiging possessive ang lalaking ito. "Of course, I know what I'm talking about!" Blame it on the champagne at lumakas ng one hundred times ang tapang ni Lexine sa katawan.

"Ang tigas ng ulo mong babae ka! If I said you that can't talk to a guy, then you can't talk to any goddamn guy!"

Nanlaki nang husto ang buka ng bibig niya. Sinira ng pagiging isip bata nito ang magandang araw nilang dalawa. At siya pa talaga ang matigas ang ulo?

"I can't believe this! Ugh!" She frustratedly stomped her feet and walked away leaving Night with a sour face. Ayaw na niyang makipag-talo sa bata dahil sasakit lang ang ulo niya.

***

WALANG nagawa si Night kundi ang bumuga ng mabigat na hangin at hinabol si Lexine. He knew that he'd blew their incredible evening. Everything was going so well not until he saw a man trying to hit on her. Nilamon siya ng matinding selos. Papatay talaga siya `pag sinubukan nilang idikit kahit dulo ng daliri sa babaeng ito.

This girl... he's not sure if she's just dense or stupid. How could she say that she's single and available to mingle? Is she really pissing him off? He'd planned and prepared for this special day. Goddamn it! He'd thought that girls like romantic bullshits? Nagpatulong pa siya kay Sébastien kung ano ang mga dapat gawin para mapasaya ang isang babae. He followed everything his Buttler had instructed him. He's never done this to anyone, only to her, but then what?

Fuck! Masisiraan talaga siya ng bait kay Lexine. Night has never been so frustrated in his eternal life, but only to this stubborn girl. He freaking cannot understand her mind! Bakit ba napakahirap nitong mapaamo? Samantalang halos magkandarapa ang ibang mga babae mapansin niya lang. What does he have to do to please her?

"Lexine, wait!" He snatched her arm and pulled her.

"Ano ba, bitawan mo nga `ko!"

Hindi niya ito pinakawalan, imbis, ay awtomatiko na lumambot ang boses niya. "Would you please at least listen to me?"

Natigilan si Lexine. Maging siya ay nasurpresa rin sa tono ng boses niya. He never pleads to anyone before. This girl is really controlling him and she's not even aware of it. Shit!

Mabilis na nawala lahat ng inis niya nang makita ang namumula nitong ilong. Is she crying? What have he done this time? Oh, fuck! He was never good at wooing a girl. He's trying so hard to please her pero natural na lumalabas ang pagka-asshole niya. Hinawakan niya ang magkabilang pisngi ni Lexine. She was about to cry pero halatang pinipigilan lang.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hangin sa dibdib at pinakalma ang sarili. Sébastien advised him that girls don't like to feel disrespected. A woman wants to see that they're being cherished and acknowledged for their emotions. But obviously, he's doing the opposite.

He sighed in defeat. "Let me make it up to you. I'd like to show you something. I swear, I won't be a jerk anymore."

Tumitig lang ang namumula nitong mga mata sa kanya. Kumabog ang dibdib niya. Would she give him another chance?

Ilang sandali ang lumipas at unti-unting lumambot ang expression ng mukha nito. "Okay."

Nabuhayan siya ng loob. This time he would not mess up.