Remorseful Enticement

Pleasure 10

"Theo, is my outfit okay?" tanong ko at ipinakita sa kaniya ang simpleng suot ko. We're going to town again, and I decided to keep it simple this time. I wore skinny jeans, paired it with a sleeveless shirt and my white sneakers.

"Okay na 'yan."

"Ano'ng gagawin mo roon?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Bibili ng pataba para sa lupa. At saka, mamamalengke na rin. Wala na tayong pagkain, e'."

"I want to try that, too."

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. "'Yong alin?"

"Mamalengke. I don't know how to do that. Can you teach me?"

He puffed his cheeks out and he's obviously trying to hold back his laughter. "Pinagsasabi mo?" he managed to say.

"C'mon, I'm willing to learn new things!"

"Iba talaga kapag anak-mayaman. Parang baliw ka, Cali."

I reached for the walis-tambo beside me and aimed it to him. "You're gonna teach me or what?"

"Ano'ng nangyari? Bumabait ka naman yata sa 'kin? Dahil ba sa nangyari?"

"No. Hindi ba puwedeng maging adventurous ako?" I squinted my eyes at him. "Palibhasa kasi, you're so judgemental."

He made a face before turning his back on me. "Isara mo na lahat ng pinto, alipin. Bilisan mo!"

What did he call me? The nerve of this guy! I wanna strangle him to death! Masiyadong full of himself, my God!

"Alipin my ass! Excuse me, Theodore pangit, I can buy your whole existence if my bank account isn't frozen!"

"Nagyabang pa nga." He laughed. "Okay lang 'yan, i-defrost mo para okay ka na."

"Oh my God. Tanga!"

"Pagdating natin doon mamaya, dikit ka lang sa akin, ha?"

"And why should I do that?"

"Kung ayaw mo, huwag mo. Bahala kang maligaw mamaya."

I flipped my hair as I passed by him. Akala mo naman kung sinong mayabang, magaling lang naman sa ano. Nauna akong naglakad sa kaniya and even if he's calling me ay hindi ko siya pinapansin. May nakasalubong akong matandang babae, and she seems so cheerful. She waved at me, so I did the same.

"Cali, huwag kang lumapit!" Theo warned, but he's too late.

I don't know what happened, but namalayan ko na lang na kinakaladkad ako ng babae and telling me I'm her daughter at iuuwi na raw niya ako. She held my wrist so tight at parang mababali na ito. Mabuti na lang at tinulungan ako ni Theo. A young boy followed the woman saying, "Lola, umuwi na po tayo. Hindi po siya si Mama."

I looked at Theo at itatanong ko dapat sa kaniya what's that all about, pero nagsalita na kaagad siya. "Wala na sa tamang pag-iisip si Nanay. Namatay 'yong anak niya kaya nabaliw. Lahat ng babaeng nakikita niya ay sinasabi niyang anak niya."

"Why don't they get medical help? I'm sure she'll get better."

Tumawa siya na parang may nasabi akong magandang biro. "Iyang 'medical help' na sinasabi mo ay para lamang sa inyong mayayaman. Kung hindi naman mapagkakakitaan ng mga tao ang isang bagay ay hindi nila papakialaman 'to."

Hindi ko pinansin ang sinabi niya. "Thank you for helping me."

He pinched my nose and clicked his tongue. "Ang sungit-sungit mo kanina, tapos hihingi ka rin naman pala ng tulong."

"E', I need tulong nga! Kanino ba dapat ako humingi ng help? Sa air? Stupid!"

"Wala." He scoffed and continued walking. "Sa akin ka lang naman dapat tumakbo kapag kailangan mo ng tulong. Hindi naman kita pababayaan."