Three to Tango

The Inevitable Attraction

Venice's

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I sat on the backseat of the car on the way to Chad's hacienda. Si Steph ang nasa driver's seat habang nakaupo sa kaniyang tabi si Chad. Watching the two of them from here, like an outsider, made me realized the uniqueness of the form of their love.

It's the kind of love with symbiotic benefits for both party, a love built from interdependence, and a love consumed for the betterment of the both of them. Kumbaga nakaupo sila sa isang seesaw at magkalebel lang ang parehong tuntungang inuupuan nila. Walang mas nakikinabang at walang mas nagbibigay.

I found myself smiling... Although I like Chad and I had some past with Steph, watching the two of them made me see how love can take a positive form like this. Pero hindi rin nagtagal ang ngiti sa labi ko nang maalala ko ang posibleng patunguhan ng lahat nang ito.

I blinked.

Then Chad turned his attention at me, "The Hacienda is so big and you got a lot of things to do there, Ven. Ano'ng gusto mong una nating puntahan at gawin?"

Steph also looked at me through the rearview mirror. He seemed curious and the irritated expression he had earlier was no longer there.

"Tutulong ako sa paggawa ng fertilizer ngayon kaya si Chad lang muna ang mag-iikot sa 'yo sa Hacienda," dagdag pa ni Steph.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagtaas ng kilay ko sa magaan at matinong pakikipag-usap sa akin ni Steph. Kung kanina, para siyang inaagawan ng candy, ngayon naman ay kitang-kita mo sa mukha niya ang kasiguraduhan.

"Bakit ganyan ka makatingin?" Steph asked as he turned the moving car to the right and a big black wooden gate opened. "Peace na tayo. Masama lang gising ko kanina," dagdag niya pa bago nagkibit balikat.

Chad shook his head with what he said before he turned his gaze at me and looked apologetically. "May mood swings din ang lalaki."

"Mood swings mo 'to," I said in irritated voice before I looked outside the window on my right. "Ang sabihin mo, seloso ka," I blurted out and I heard Steph coughing the hell out of him.

"Seloso? Ako? Kanino naman ako magseselos? Sa 'yo?"

"Para sa kaalaman mo, Chad is into me." Ibinalik ko ang tingin kay Steph nang may matagumpay na ngisi sa labi.

Chad looked at me with wide eyes because of what I said and so, I winked at him.

Steph huffed a deep breath before he shook his head. "Hindi ako nagseselos, para rin sa kaalaman mo. Alam ko kung anong halaga ko para kay Chad," Steph then met my gaze again at the rearview mirror, "at para sa 'yo," he added knowingly.

"Halaga mo para sa akin?" I asked confused.

But Steph was not able to answer me because Chad got my attention, pointing my attention to the outside of the car. At halos napanganga ako sa sumalubong sa aking tanawin nang tuluyan kaming makapasok sa Hacienda na pinamamahalaan ni Chad.

Bukod sa sobrang lawak, talagang sobrang ganda at aliwalas dahil sa dami ng mga puno at halaman. I was focused on the view but in my rearvier mirror, I saw how Chad's hand landed on Steph's thigh.

Huminga ako nang malalim habang mas nagiging malinaw ang mas malaking larawan ng sitwasyon naming tatlo. The three of us are now decided to deny the heavy atmosphere of jealousy and desires between us in exchange to make this odd relationship work towards Chad's goal. But how long can we keep being like this?

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CHAD'S

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