ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH?

Chapter Thirty-One

NADATNAN NI LILY SI JARED SA BACKSTAGE. Bihis na ito. Hindi mapaghahalatang ito 'yong nag lap dance sa kanya kanina. Mukhang kagalang-galang ang lalaki sa suot nitong pantalon at button-down long-sleeved v-neck cotton shirt na kulay krema.

Walang anu-anong sinugod niya ito. Her heels tapping against the floor sounded so powerful. Even her stance and strides while still wearing her red bodysuit evokes her conviction that tonight, she's the celebrated alpha, the femme fatale, the supreme of all the female species in The Org. Latigo na lang ang kulang para bigyang diin iyon.

She grabbed Jared's wrist. Walang pagdadalawang-isip na pinasok niya ito sa makipot na stall ng changing room sa backstage. They cramped together until they were finally facing each other. Lily reached for the door and pulled the lock in one swift swipe.

Hindi pa nakakahuma sa gulat si Jared nang itulak niya ito pasandal sa pader. Inipit niya ng mga kamay ang mga balikat ng lalaki para ipirmi ito.

"How dare you show off this body in front of everybody," she glared at him, controlling her voice. "Ako lang ang dapat makakita nito, Jared." She lifted a knee, rubbed and pushed it against his crotch until he grew rock hard beneath his pants. "Ako lang, Jared."

Nagtimpi si Jared. He tried to play it cool but the way his body stiffed made it easy for a prey like Lily to sniff his reaction. And when there's a reaction, it means they are affected.

"Hindi mo ba nagustuhan ang surprise ko para sa'yo?"

"How did Walter convince you to do this?" baba niya ng tuhod. Aalis na sana si Jared sa pagkakasandal sa pader nang itulak pabalik doon ni Lily.

"Nung nalaman mong member na ako n'on ng The Org., pagkauwi ko sa bahay tinawagan ko si Walter. I asked him how I can make your birthday party in The Org extra special."

"And what makes you think that being stripped down and dancing on my lap would do?"

"It's your idea. Gusto mong sayawan ka ng mga lalaking nakapulang brief, 'di ba?"

This man is so unbelievable! Damang-dama ni Lily ang pag-init ng mga pisngi. Napahiya siya dahil sa katotohanan sa mga sinabi ni Jared.

"At bakit mo naman gagawin 'yon para sa akin?"

"Because I want to," walang gatol nitong saad, nakatitig sa kanyang mga mata.

"Why would you want to? You hated me for ghosting you. Pinaghahabol mo ako sa'yo bilang parusa sa ginawa kong iyon. Why would you bother humiliating yourself like this? Bakit?"

Walang katinag-tinag na sumagot ang binata. "For the longest time, I am finally doing what I want to do— I am starting to manage to just do what I want to do. I am managing to stop overthinking about rational and logical cons that will make me worry so much. Huwag mong sabihing, pipigilan mo na akong gawin kung ano ang gusto ko?"

"Just say it. You still love me. Ayaw mo lang aminin dahil ang pinaka-logical na gawin sa taong nang-iwan sa'yo ng walang paalam at nanakit sa'yo ay dedmahin na lang sila o huwag tratuhin ng maganda." Napalunok siya. Sana kayanin niya ang isasagot ni Jared. Napakalaki kasi ng posibilidad na itanggi nitong may nararamdaman pang pagmamahal para sa kanya. Lakas-loob na tinapos ni Lily ang sasabihin. "Hindi ba?"

Nakatitig lang ito sa kanya. Hindi makasagot. The impatience and suspense is already giving Lily this painful anxiety. It was so hard to bear.

"When someone is so toxic," pinatatag niya ang sarili kahit alam na unti-unti na siyang nanlalambot, "our tendency is to cancel them out, right? Oh, look, Lily is so toxic, I should avoid her. Oh, look, Lily is a source of bad vibes, don't go near that woman."