Her Entrancing Smile [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

THERESIA'S POV

"Another bottle please," utos ko sa bartender.

I lost count of the beer I drank ever since I came here. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit sa isang bar pa ako pumunta pagkatapos ng nakita ko. I think it's the same bar where Ang used to be a bartender. I'm not really sure.

I just let myself drive and drive until I finally got tired.

I don't even know why I'm getting drunk.

Why I'm in pain.

Ano ba kasing nangyayari sa akin?

Ilang beses din nag-ring ang phone ko simula nang makarating ako rito at kada makikita kong si Martina ang tumatawag ay agad kong pinapatay ang tawag.

While in the middle of enjoying my drink, I heard my phone rang and saw Jester's name on the caller ID. Siguro pasasalamat ko na lang at naiwan ko ang phone ko at wallet ko sa kotse at hindi nilagay sa bag kong dala.

I answered the call and placed my phone near my ear. "Hello?"

(Ate, nasaan ka?)

"Jester! Hello, my brother. How are you?"

(Ate, lasing ka ba?)

"Huh? Ako? Lasing? Of course naman!" Natawa pa ako.

(Where are you? Pupuntahan kita—sh*t! 'Di ako pwedeng umalis.)

"Hey, hey, kalma." Natawa na naman ako sa pagpa-panic ni Jester. "I can handle myself. Kaya lang baka hindi muna ako makauwi, so reason out to Martha for me, okay?"

(I'll send someone to pick you up. Tumigil ka na sa pag-inom and stay where you are.)

"Aye aye, captain!" Sumaludo pa ako na akala mo naman ay makikita niya.

(By the way, Ate...)

"Yes, my brother?"

(Tumawag si Martina sa akin—)

"No! No! I don't even wanna hear his name!" bigla kong sigaw sa telepono ko saka ko ibinaba ang tawag. Seconds later, my phone rang again, thinking it was Jester and I picked it up again. "Just don't mention—"

(Finally, you answered my call.)

Pinilit ko naman ang sarili kong aninagin kung sino yung tumawag, when I saw Martina's name, I quickly ended the call.

I don't know how many minutes or maybe hours passed when I felt someone touch my shoulder. "Theresia..." I heard a guy's voice.

I know that voice, I quickly turned around and smiled at him, "Kape! Bakit ka nandito? Akala ko bumalik ka na sa States? Sasamahan mo ba akong uminom? Tara tara dali!" I gave him the bottle of beer that I was holding.

He wasn't smiling which made me curious, but before I could ask, he talked. "I don't know what's happening to you but it's not good. You drank too much. I'll take you home." Nakita ko naman siyang aalalayan ako kaya agad ko siyang pinigilan at pinilit na tumayo mag-isa.

My legs wobbled so I grabbed the side of the bar counter to balance myself before looking at Coffee. "No no! I still don't wanna go home. I... I can't let Martha see me like this." I felt my chest tighten again. "H-Her mommy is strong. Her mom doesn't cry. D-Dapat matapang ako. She should not see her mom in this state." I felt myself crying again. "H-Hindi pwedeng mahina ako. I-I should be doing everything for my daughter." I looked at him. "D-Dapat kong gawin ang lahat para sa anak ko e-even if it means hurting myself in the process, right?"

He was looking at me with pity and worry before he sighed. "Fine, hindi ka sa bahay niyo uuwi. But you have to stop drinking, Theresia."

I quickly shook my head. "N-No. Drinking makes me numb. It makes me forget. A-Ayokong nasasaktan ako, Kape. A-Ayoko nun."

Hindi ko na napigilang umiyak nang tuluyan, I couldn't make myself stop crying. Mas lumakas pa ang iyak ko nang maramdaman kong niyakap ako ni Kape.

But the hug didn't last long. Someone pulled Coffee away from me and the next thing I saw was Coffee sitting on the floor while holding his jaw.

May bigla namang humila sa akin palabas ng bar, saka ko lang napansing gabi na pala. I then pulled my hand away from the guy.

"Bakit ka ba nanghihila ha? At bakit mo sinapak si Kape‽" I shouted at him.

He turned around and I don't know if my eyes are playing with me but I can see Martina. "Why did you let him hug you‽" sigaw niya na nagpatigil sa akin at napatitig sa kanya. "Hindi mo ba alam na may asawa na yung tao ha, Tere‽ Baka kung hindi pa ako dumating eh nakita ko pa kayong naghalikan—"

Martina stopped shouting at me when I slapped him. "How dare you accuse us—me like that‽ I have no plans on kissing him even if I'm drunk! I know what I'm doing, Martin!" I suddenly remembered an image of him and Noah kissing inside his office. "Eh ikaw? You kissed someone, but did I go around punching him and pulling you without your consent, huh? I didn't, Martin! Dahil una sa lahat ay wala akong karapatang gawin 'yun. It's your own godd*mn business! So don't fvcking meddle with mine!"

He stared at me and a short silence filled the night before I heard him say my name. "Tere..." he whispered, setting me off.

"Wala akong karapatan, okay? Alam ko 'yun." Naramdaman ko ulit ang mga luha ko. "Alam na alam ko pero hindi ko mapigilang masaktan. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung bakit ako nasasaktan eh. You're getting married, Martin. To someone else. Wala naman akong pakealam noon, so bakit nasasaktan ako ngayon‽ Hindi ko maintindihan ang sarili ko."

"Tere, just let me explain."

"No! You don't have anything to explain. Sa katunayan, you don't have to explain to me. Sino nga ba ako? Your friend? Your co-worker? Someone you had s*x with? I'm no one, Martin. Don't waste your time on me—"

"Can't you just listen‽" sigaw niya.

"I said no! Huwag mo kong masigaw-sigawan." I wiped my tears. "I don't care about what you say! I don't give a d*mn about you! So please lang, Martin, get the hell away from me."

Tumalikod na ako sa kanya saka ko nakita si Kape sa likod ko at nakatingin lang sa amin. I began walking towards him even if a part of my mind argued with me. That part wanted to listen to what Martin had to say. Why did he actually go to the bar and pull me out of it?

But I made my final decision. I am not turning back. I just want to get far away from him as much as possible.

Malapit na akong makarating kay Coffee na naghihintay sa harap ng kotse niya nang maramdaman kong umikot ang paligid saka ako mawalan ng malay.