Chapter 21. Experience
RACHEL was flabbergasted while staring at the window. Hindi niya alam kung paanong napapayag siya ni Sage na sumama rito. Tulala siya nang lumakad sila papuntang car park at inalalayan siya nito sa pagsakay ng mamahaling sasakyan.
"Gusto mo ba'ng kumain muna tayo bago dumiretso sa Milk Tea Shop?"
Was he really talking to her as if nothing happened in the past? Parang aakaling kahapon lang sila huling nagkita, eh. Subalit hindi ba dapat ay magpasalamat siya dahil hindi mabigat ang naging simula ng pag-uusap nila? Because honestly, she liked it way better than she imagined.
"Uuwi na ako," bulalas niya nang matauhan.
He glanced at her. "I know a good steakhouse." Hindi pinansin ang kanyang sinabi at nanatili na ang titig sa daan habang nagmamaneho.
Kung ganoon, gusto pa rin pala nito ng steak.
He must've took her silence as a yes because here they were, in a fancy restaurant, waiting for his medium rare and her well-done steak to be served.
Bakit ka ba sumama? She asked on her mind.
Nagugutom na rin naman ako, Sagot naman niya.
"Gusto mo ba ng champagne?" pukaw nito sa atensiyon niya. Kanina pa kasi siya nanahimik.
"Red wine."
"So you still like wine, huh?"
"Bakit mo ba ako kinakausap?" pagsusungit niya.
"Gusto lang kitang kumustahin."
"Did you have to invite me out?"
"Bakit ka sumama?" Nakangisi ito nang sinagot nito ng tanong ang tanong niya.
"Nagugutom na ako!" Mabuti na lang at natanong na niya sa sarili iyon kani-kanina lang. At least, she now had her reason why.
"I see." Tumango-tango ito pero duda siya kung totoong naniwala ito sa katwiran niya.
"Wala pa ba iyong steak?" pag-iiba niya sa usapan.
"Mukhang nagugutom ka na nga." It was obvious that he's mocking her.
"H'wag ka na ngang magsalita!"
"But I want to hear you speak. Kahit nagsusungit ka't namumula na ang mukha mo sa sobrang inis, ang ganda mo pa rin."
She's scowling as she glared at him. "You still flirt. Ang dami mo sigurong naging babae, 'no?"
"Kung sasabihin kong oo, magseselos ka ba?"
"Why the heck would I get jealous?!" Pasigaw na bulalas niya. Napalingon pa ang ibang mga kumakain doon.
Napakagat-labi si Sage na tila nagpipigil ng ngiti. Napatitig siya sa mamula-mula nitong labi at agad na nag-iwas ng tingin nang bahagyang pinasahan ng dila nito ang pang-ibabang labi.
"I won't tell you about my escapades with women, then. Para kang bulkan na sasabog."
Ano raw? With women?!
"Kumusta ka na?"
"At talagang naisipan mo pang mangumusta ngayon, ha?"
"I seriously didn't know how to approach you."
"You don't approach women the normal way, Sage. You approach them by asking casual sex."
"Tested and true, hmm?"
The brute!
"Totoo naman, hindi ba?"
"I'm not going to lie..."
She was taken aback. Ano'ng ibig nitong sabihin? And why did he suddenly look like a lost child?
"I stopped studying when you left. Hindi pa nga ako graduate ngayon."
"H-huh?" Nabigla siya sa pagseseryoso nito. Ang akala niya ay papatulan lang nito ang mga sinasabi niya gaya nang lagi nitong ginagawa.
"When you left, I was devastated. I stopped going to the University for a year, and that whole year was hell. I'd rather be in jail..."
Naputol ang pagsasalita nito nang dumating ang pagkain. Pagkahain ay tahimik siyang kumain. She didn't expect that kind of conversation with Seiji. Parang mas sanay siya sa pambubuyo nito. Pero aaminin niyang kuryoso siya sa mga nangyari rito.
Naging tahimik ang buong durasyon pagkain nila, nagsasalita lang kapag inaalok siya ng iba pang makakain o maiinom ni Sage.
"May pupuntahan ka pa ba pagkatapos nito?"
"Wala na."
"How about we go to the Milk Tea Shop I was referring to? Their Bubble Tea is really delicious."
Alluring. But, "No," sagot niya.
"Alright. Let's finish eating."
Tumango lang siya.
"Where do you live now?"
"Sa mansiyon. I'll just hail a cab."
"Ihahatid na kita."
"Hindi na."
"I will drive you home."
Hindi na siya sumagot. Nang nasa sasakyan ay tahimik pa rin siya. Nang maabutan sila ng stop light ay lumingon si Sage sa kanya.
"I'm sorry if I made you feel awkward." Alam niyang pilit nitong kinukuha ang atensyon niya.
She sighed heavily before she replied, "Kahit ano'ng sitwasyon pa, magiging awkward talaga tayo sa isa't isa. Given our history..." Sinadya niyang bitinin ang sasabihin.
"Alam ko. Kaya gusto kong bumawi."
"Kahit hindi na, okay naman na ako. Marami akong natutunan sa mga nangyari roon."
"So, it served as your experience, huh?"
Hindi siya sumagot. He chuckled but he wasn't really laughing. Like his laugh was showing something ridiculed him.
Napansin niyang nag-Go sign na ang street light. "Go na." Pero hindi agad ito natinag hanggang sa binusinahan sila ng ilang drivers. Sage drove but parked at the nearest emergency parking.
"Let me calm myself a bit."
"Why? May masakit ba sa iyo?" Nag-aalalang tanong niya.
Bumaling ito at pinakatitigan siya.
"Sage?"
"I was only an experience— your experience," hindi makapaniwalang wika nito.
"Ano'ng...?"
"Seiji Watanabe is just a fucking experience. My fans will get hurt if they hear you say that."
"'Di magsama kayo ng mga fans mo!"
He mockingly laughed. "Experience mo lang ako... ang swerte mo naman, kung ganoon."
She snorted with laughter. Hindi siya natawa dahil may nakakatawa sa sinabi nito. She laughed because the situation made her no choice but to laugh. Were they seriously talking about this after all these years? Ang akala pa naman niya ay magiging okey ang pag-uusap nila.
Bakit? Akala mo ba'y magiging magaan lang ang pag-uusap ninyo sa muling pagkikita ninyo matapos ng ilang taon? You're dreaming, girl. Wake up! Even her mind was mocking her. Napailing siya hindi makapaniwalang tinitigan si Sage.
"You had a great experience in bed, sweetie. I clearly remember how you begged for me to make you feel real good. How you moaned my name while I was pleasuring you wildly. Kung paanong napamura ka sa sarap nang pinosasan kita't inangkin... And how you fucking screamed sensually whenever you climaxed—"
"What the fuck, Sage!" singhal niya, hinihingal sa sobrang hiya.
"Why? Ain't it true?"
She tried opening the shotgun door but he automatically locked it.
"Bababa ako!"
His jaw clenched as he looked on the road. He started the car engine again. "Ihahatid kita."
Nangilid ang luha niya sa sobrang inis pero pinigilan niya ang sarili.