Tease Me, Bella Beatrice

02:

Tangina. Kahit ilang ulit pa yata ng pagbuntong-hininga ang gawin ko ay hindi mawawala ang kaba ko habang nananatiling nakatingin sa akin si Bella. Her every inch is making me weak again and again. From her style, her pouty lips, her petite body, her curves, and her teasing humor. They are all making me weak.

"Bella…"

"Wait." Pinutol niya ako saka tumingin nang nagtataka sa akin. I thought she saw something wrong on my face the way she looked at me, but she was just about to throw another meaningful line. "Your lips looks so damn lonely. Can you ask it if they want to meet mine?"

She laughed after that while I stayed silent. I don't want to get swayed by her again. Umiling na lang ako at tiningnan siya mayamaya.

"I don't know why you're here but nice seeing you."

"Nice seeing you too."

"Tss."

Umalis na ako sa harapan niya. Ni hindi siya nilingon nang muli niya akong tawagin dahil sa totoo lang ay hindi ko na kinakaya pang magtagal sa harapan niya. She'll just keep on teasing me until I lose. Dumiretso na ako sa bahay. Umuwi na ako kaysa tuluyan lang akong matanga na naman. Naupo lang ako sa may garahe. Naguguluhan at nagmumuni-muni.

Bella is back.

I still do not know if that is good news or a bad news. Either way, she's Bella. Ang huling alam ko ay nagtungo siya Canada to pursue her career on acting but I wasn't expecting her to be back so soon. Dito mismo sa village ko. Dito mismo kung nasaan ako nakatira nang tahimik. Nakailang buntong-hininga muna ako bago mapagpasyahang pumasok na sa bahay. Dali-dali at nagtungo sa aking mga libro. Hindi kung saan nakadisplay ang lahat kung hindi sa isang maliit na drawer sa ilalim ng malaking aparador. Doon ko kinuha ang librong nakabalot pa sa plastic at marahan iyong tiningnan.

Tease Me, Bella Beatrice.

I never had the courage to put it on display when the published copy of mine came here in a box. That is also why I thought hiding it in a drawer would be better but now that it is out of it, I am feeling anxious and confused at the same time. Walang paligoy-ligoy ay sinira ko na ang plastic nito. Bumuntong-hininga bago buklatin ang una nitong pahina.

To my Bella, I still love you.

It is what is written on the second page together with an aesthetic illustration of a pouty lips for the first page was blank. Para akong tangang nakatitig sa mga salitang iyon habang kinakalma ang sarili ko.

And if you're ready to come back to me, I'm still waiting for you to tease me again.

That is what's written on the third page of the book. Mabilis akong napamura at natawa nang mapakla. Kaya pala ganoon na lang kaconfident si Bella na i-approach ako nang ganoon kaprente. She has the copy of my book and I know she knows she's the exact Bella I am talking to in every pages of it. Gusto kong sabunutan ang sarili ko. Gusto kong ibato ang libro pero hindi ko nagawa.

Why did I write these?

Sandali ko munang kinalma ang sarili. Napagpasyahang kunin ang libro at lumabas para magtungo sa paborito kong spot para sa pagbabasa. Iyon ay sa tabi ng puno ng mangga sa gilid ng bahay ko kung saan ako madalas magkape. There's this little tent-like hut which is a very refreshing place for me. A perfect place to relax.