~~~~~
Two days after that last encounter with Ysrael, my parents' anniversary arrived, and I forgot all about him and his stupid handsome face and his stupid cold eyes and his stupid forced smile and his stupid hot kisses.
At least, temporarily.
Naging masyado kasi akong busy kasama ang mga kapatid ko at si Ate Van sa paghahanda ng Aldejar manor house para sa espesyal na okasyon, at pag-aasikaso sa mga bisitang nagsidatingan nang mag-alas sais na ng gabi.
It was a pretty private little party, with just some of our close relatives and Mama and Papa's best friends from their academic years. Mga dalawampung tao siguro. We ushered them to the backyard garden, where round tables and chairs covered with cream and blue-themed silk were arranged to make a semi clearing in the middle, and received their congratulatory gifts for the couple and chatted for a bit. Some of them were my ninongs and ninangs, you know. A little buttering up was definitely in order for contingency purposes in the future.
It always pays to be prepared.
Anyway.
When the time to toast came, we all waited with bated breath for Mama's reaction as Papa got down on one knee then finally presented her the diamond necklace, the very one I fetched from the jeweler's myself, right in the center for everyone to see.
Mom cried.
Lalo pa nung natatawang tumayo na si Papa saka isinuot sa kanya ang kwintas mula sa likuran. A loving and joyful expression was etched on her face as they hugged each other tight, even as she lightly slapped him on the back for the little surprise.
They both looked happy. Their eyes shined. Pumalakpak at nag-cheer kaming lahat nang biglang i-dip ni Papa si Mama bago sila umayos muli at naglibot-libot sa bawat mesa na para bang bagong kasal. Tinawanan ko naman si Ate Van nang makitang pinapatahan ito ni Kuya Civ sa katabing mesa dahil nagsisimula na itong humagulgol.
Haha! Typical emotional sister-in-law moment right there.
Siniko ako ni Kuya Blithe.
"As if you're not bawling yourself," he said mockingly, casting me a sidelong smirk. "It's a shame Zen's not here to dry your tears, no? Kawawa ka naman, little crybaby."
Kawawa his face.
Inirapan ko siya saka patagong pinahid ang mga luhang naglandas sa aking mga pisngi. Ni hindi ko man lang namalayan na naiyak na rin pala ako. Ugh, stupid tears on such a sweet occasion!
"Actually, I'm beyond relieved he's nowhere to be seen," I told my brother airily when I was sure my eyes were dry. "This is a family affair, after all. Baka mag-assume iyon na parte na siya ng pamilya natin." I shook my head in distaste. "Mahirap na."
"Well, practically speaking, he is family already since pinsang-buo siya ni Sis-in-law. Isa pa, extended family na ang turing naming lahat sa mga Revista, kahit sina Mama and Papa." He inclined his head toward me. "Ikaw lang ang hindi."
"Of course," I retorted with heavy emphasis. "The day I'll think of that dumbbag as anything remotely close to even a mere acquaintance is the day he stops hitting on me and calling me 'Arrain', and finally gets married and have his own kids, like, somewhere in the Middle East or something. But until that day comes--"
"Oo na, oo na. You'll never treat him like a proper human being, I got it. Meanie." Napailing nalang siya at inatupag ulit ang kanyang pangatlong bote ng beer.
Hah! Mabuti naman kung ganoon. Inatupag ko nalang din ang sarili kong pagkain.
At around seven, all the guests helped themselves to some desserts and vintage wine, hopping around each table, sharing in random conversations about the happy moments of their yesteryears and complimenting the "gorgeous" Aldejar children on the job well done in organizing their parents' special day.
Bumida pa ang tiramisu ice cream cake ni Kuya Blithe (yeah, imagine?), ang specialty pasta dish ni Ate Van, at ang in-edit na montage ni Kuya Civ na pwede na daw pang-trailer ng isang international na movie. Ako naman, syempre, pinagkaguluhan dahil sa aking hosting skills, kahit na dalawang beses lang naman akong pumunta sa gitna--ang pagtawag kina Mama at Papa para sa toast tsaka ang pag-announce ng "dinner is served." Basic. Pero ilan sa mga tita namin ay kumontrata nang kukunin ako bilang emcee sa debut o kasal ng ilan kong pinsan.
"Um, wala pong problema, Tita. Basta i-check ko muna po ang schedule ko," became my template response throughout the rest of the night.
And then there was the fireworks at exactly eight o'clock. Everyone ooh'd and aah'd. Me, I just stared up at the colorful lights, idly wondering why my tears started falling again as an image of someone kneeling down in front of me and offering me a diamond ring was flashing in my head at a time like this. Dagli kong pinalis ang mga butil bago pa may makapansin. Mabuti nalang distracted silang lahat sa fireworks display.
Nagpanggap nalang din akong namamangha.
Overall, it was another successful celebration to be remembered for a long time. And it should have ended perfectly.
Except.
Dahil sa hindi maipaliwanag na mga emosyong naglalaro sa aking dibdib ay napagdiskitahan ko ang isang kabubukas palang na bote ng red wine. I emptied the whole bottle by myself, and ended up not being able to drive back to my condo.
Hindi ko na namalayan ang pagsialisan ng mga bisita. I was too drunk and sleepy. I had a vague memory of Mama convincing me to stay the night so I wouldn't have to travel anymore. Noong una ay pumayag ako at pasuray-suray na naglakad patungo sa aking dating kwarto. I fell into a fitful sleep.
But by eleven PM, I awoke with a start and, realizing that I wasn't on my favorite bed, I groggily went out the room and planned to leave immediately.
There was only one bed I wanted to be on tonight, and it was not here.
I suddenly felt myself being shaken by something. Or someone.
May nararamdaman akong humahawak sa magkabilang braso ko, eh. At mahihigpit iyon na parang metal clamps. Sinubukan kong tanggalin ngunit ni hindi ko maigalaw ang sarili kong mga braso.
Ughh, a bed. I need a bed. I need my bed. Sleep. Sleeeeeep.
"Hoy, bata ka! Maghunus-dili ka nga! Sa tingin mo ba hahayaan kitang magmaneho ng ganyan?" an angry voice was saying somewhere in front of me. Pero wala akong makita. Madilim. Siguro nabulag na ako.
Nagsalita ulit ang angry voice. "Just tell me where your damn keys are! Ihahatid na kita! Oh god. This kid will be the death of me, I swear!"
"Here, hon. It was in her purse," sabi naman ng isa pang boses na mas kalmado. At feminine. This other voice chuckled. "Chill, will you? You look awkward holding her like that. Akin na, I'll get her inside. You start the car."
A long, exasperated sigh. Tapos biglang nawala yung metal clamps at napalitan ng mas magaang pares ng clamps.
A lot of shuffling.
The sound of car doors opening and closing, then my back hitting something warm and cushiony. Oh, that feels better. I breathed out slowly, making myself comfortable.
"Thanks, hon. Go on inside and rest. Ihahatid ko lang ang pasaway na'to then I'll be right back. Don't miss me too much."
A soft laugh. "Of course I won't. Because I'm coming with you."
"Ha? You don't have to. You need to rest! Ang busy busy mo kanina. What about the ba--"
"Sshh! She might hear you!"
A scoff. "She's temporarily dead. She won't--oh, come on!" There was a sound of a buckle snapping. "Vanice Jaydelle Aldejar, isa."
"Don't fight me on this, Adam Civil Aldejar. You won't win." Tsup. "Sasamahan kita, and that's final."
A defeated groan-sigh. Or sigh-groan. Whatever. "Alright, fine. Only because I love you."
"Good boy. Now drive!"
The hushed voices finally stopped hushing. Mukhang nagkasundo na rin sila. Then there was a rumbling sound, and all of a sudden, I was swaying in the darkness, my mind conjuring up hazy images of a weird combination of things.
Lights. Colorful. Wine. Jacket. Bed. Roses. Dark brown eyes. Steak. Miss L. Diamond ring.
. . . Ysrael's lips.
. . . Ysrael's tears.
-----
Nagkaroon ulit ako ng malay nang bumalik muli ang mahigpit na clamps sa aking mga balikat.
I heard myself groaning.
Dammit! Ba't ayaw akong patulugin ng mga asungot na 'to?!
Peace! Kailangan ko ng peace, por favor! Where the hell was my bed?
Wala akong ideya kung ano na ang nangyayari sa paligid ko at this point, o kung nasaan man ako. But it smelled familiar. Kuya Civ's cologne. And the humid air of a parking lot, specifically the one at my condo building.
Okay, that's weird. Paano ako napadpad dito?
Ang huli kong natatandaan ay lumabas ako ng kwarto ko sa manor house, bumaba ng hagdan, lumabas sa garahe saka tinungo ang sasakyan ko, ngunit biglang may humaklit sa aking braso at pinigilan ako. Nang lumingon ako, there was a tall figure . . .
And an angry face?
Then I might have fainted because I felt a pair of strong arms catching me. And then there were those voices . . . and then I was mostly out of it.
Now, though, the voices were back again.
"Will you listen to me if I tell you to stay here or will you come with me anyway?"
Walang sagot.
Isang buntung-hininga. "Oo nga. Nagtanong pa ako. Fine. I'll carry Rain and you bring her stuff." My feet suddenly left the ground. "Darn, ang bigat! Hon, ilabas mo nalang pala yung key card niya para agad tayong maka--"
"Kuya Civil?"
Aba. May bagong boses na naki-join sa party. Saan ba sila nanggagaling at bigla-bigla nalang sumusulpot?
Sumunod ang mahabang katahimikan. Tapos,
"Y-Ysrael? Bro? Ikaw na ba iyan?"
"Oo, ako 'to." A light chuckle. "Long time no see, Kuya. Kumusta ka na?"
"Grabe . . . Grabe, bro! Muntik na kitang hindi makilala, ah! Look at you man!" A low whistle. "Look at your ride. Wow. Big time na big time na, ah! The States must have been good to you, huh? Great to have you back!"
"Thanks. It is great to be back. Na-miss ko rin ang Pilipinas." Low laughter and a short pause. "And who's with you?"
"Oh, shit, sorry. Ah, right. Yeah, this is my lovely wife, Vanice Revista. Van, this is Ysrael Gallardi, Rain's . . . uh--"
"Schoolmate," maagap na salo ng new voice. "I was Arrain's schoolmate back in high school." Another short pause. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Aldejar."
"Oh. Nice to meet you, too. Please call me Van. Blithe calls me that aside from Sis-in-law. Si Rain lang naman ang nag-a-ate sa'kin kahit ilang taon lang ang tanda ko. Haha!"
"Aba, dapat naman talaga. It's a sign of respect, hon. You're older than her."
"And I've told you before, hon. I don't really mind about age. Gusto mong makurot?"
"Will you guys shut up? Trying to sleep 'ere!" sumabat na ako dahil mukhang nag-eenjoy lang sa pagchichikahan ang mga boses. I think they understood what I just said because it was thankfully silent again. Too silent, in fact.
Pero ilang segundo lang ay nagsalita na naman ang newcomer voice.
"Is that . . . who I think it is?"
"Ah, yep!" A sheepish laugh. "Ihahatid sana namin siya sa unit niya, pero hindi kami sigurado kung pwede kaming makapasok--"
"Huh? Hon, nandito naman sa purse niya yung keycard so I think--"
"Isa pa, kailangan na rin kasi naming umuwi. Di ba, honey? You said you were too tired to ride the elevator. Ayaw naman kitang iwan at paghintayin dito. I'm not that kind of husband, you know!"
"What? What the douche are you talking about, Adam Civil? I never said--"
"So, Ysrael, bro! I can count on you, right?"
The silence this time was filled with hesitation. And a growing tension.
Akala ko ba sinabihan ko na silang wag maingay? Stubborn mules!
"Uh, Kuya Civ, I don't think that's a good--"
"Great! Here."
I felt a strange sensation, like I was being carried by a pair of arms and was transferred to another pair of arms. Someone grunted. Mmm. Mukhang mas kumportable itong pangalawang "carrier" na ito, ah. I scooted closer, inhaling the nice, warm scent.
Pamilyar na amoy. Mamahalin. Kapareho ng amoy nung maroon na Givenchy. Weird.
"Take care of my little sis!" bilin nung boses na papalayo nang papalayo sa pandinig ko. "Kung hindi, yari ka sa buong angkan ng mga Aldejar! Naintindihan mo? Okay, good luck and good night!"
"Adam, what did you just do? Bakit mo pinamigay yung kapatid mo sa schoolmate niya? What if mapaano iyon? Hindi natin alam baka ano nalang ang gawin . . ."
The feminine voice that wasn't so calm anymore trailed off into the distance, and was then completely gone.
Once again, it was quiet. Hayyy, salamat naman!
"Civil, that guy," one more voice said, and it sounded annoyed but at the same time resigned.
Ah, yung bagong boses pala. He was still here. And when he spoke I felt a low rumble right in my left cheek. Weird. And then there was the swaying motion again. Pero this time, para akong idinuduyan sa alapaap. I sighed contentedly, snuggling deeper into the nice, Givenchy smell.
I heard someone's breath catching. Then a low, pained groan.
"God, woman! Why do you only fall into my arms when you're wasted? Sana pala nilasing nalang kita noon pa. Tsk tsk."
Iyon na ang huli kong narinig sa napakahaba at napaka-weird na aking panaginip, the voice edition. I felt myself being laid down onto a soft something, and in mere seconds, I was dead to the world.
The next thing I knew, I was waking up to an unfamiliar room, with the most beautiful view of the sky outside.
"Fuck!" ang aking first word for the day.
Nasaan ako? Ano'ng lugar 'to? Kaninong kwarto 'to? Bakit . . . ang ganda ng view?
Syet. This was not a good sign.
Panicking, I threw away the thick comforter and scurried off the huge bed, padding barefoot straight towards the glass wall in front.
Hindi ako maaring magkamali. Nasa top floor ako ng isang napakataas na building. Just the fact that I could see the clouds passing by . . .
Di, exagg lang iyon. Wala pa naman ako sa level ng stratosphere. But considering that the helipad of the high rise building across the street from here was still a few floors below, this one must be really high.
Oh, wait! Condo building ko ito, ah! Yung view ko sa labas ngayon, kapareho ng view ng bedroom ko, only I was a lot of floors higher right now.
"Is this the penthouse?" naguguluhang tanong ko sa sarili ko. "How the heck did I get here?"
"Oh, sorry if you're confused," came a low, baritone voice from somewhere behind me. "I couldn't find your keycard so I decided to bring you here last night. It was either my bed or the floor. Wala kasi akong couch."
At dahil hindi iyon ang tipo ng boses na maaari mong makalimutan sa buong buhay mo, nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan at hindi ito nilingon.
Ang mga boses kagabi . . .
Don't tell me that wasn't a dream?!
Ysrael chuckled, and I could sense he was coming closer. "I hope you had a good sleep at least, Arrain." His voice now came from right behind me. "Kasi ako hindi ako nakatulog sa sobrang likot ng mga kamay mo. You're such a naughty little vixen."
What. The.
Marahas na hinarap ko siya at sinalubong ang kanyang mga matang ngayon ko lang ulit nasilayan ng ganito kamalapitan. They were gorgeous, especially as the sun began to rise and started bringing the dark colors to life.
"Are you implying that we slept together, Ysrael?" matapang kong tanong ng hindi nagcra-crack ang boses. I mentally patted myself on the head.
Good girl.
"No, not implying. Telling. We did share the same bed together." He stepped closer, his eyes darkening when I didn't step back. Then the side of his mouth curled upward. "And aside from trying to take my clothes off and groping me, you also said you loved my chest. Remember that?"
My mouth closed and opened like a fish. Ows. Talaga? Can I go and jump off this building now?
Rain Aldejar! I could kill your drunk ass right now!
But that's when my eyes decided, of their own accord, to do a visual tour, not of the rest of the room but of his body, trailing lower down his face, down his neck, his chest, his ripped abs, and lower still . . . Damn, but he was shirtless! And he was only wearing a pair of black sweatpants that clung to his hips perfectly!
Mother of all sweatpants.
Hindi nakakatulong na ibig na naman akong suwayin ng aking mga kamay at pasadahan ang namumundok niyang mga muscles, especially that damned chest that looked too good to be true. No wonder I said what I said, kung totoo man iyon.
Then I caught sight of Ysrael's growing smirk as I appraised his body. Then it dawned on me. Isa itong patibong. This guy . . . he was trying to seduce me. And I was mere inches away from being thoroughly conquered.
No. Hindi ko pwedeng hayaan na mangyari iyon. Old version or new version, this guy--this man--was off limits to me. He was a walking danger, not only for my body but for my heart as well. And he was damn well aware of it.
So I did the most sensible thing to do when an enemy was trying to back you into a corner.
I slipped away and fled from the scene like all hell was following me.
~~~~~