TRADING INNOCENCE ✔️

Chapter One

"If I were you, makikipag-date na ko sa mga babaeng nagkakagusto sakin. I mean you're almost in your thirties. Apat na taon pa Mico. Anong taon mo pa balak magkaron ng girlfriend?"

"Sabi ko naman sayo hindi pa time para sakin." Sagot ko kay Rex, isa din siyang doctor tulad ko. Kasalukuyan kaming kumakain ng late lunch dahil alas kwatro na ng hapon. Sa dami ba naman kasi ng pasyente kanina, hindi na ko makakain ng tanghalian.

"Seriously? Wala kang nagugustuhan ni isa?" Pangungulit nito.

"Yeah, seriously." I chuckled, "At kung meron man siguro hindi ko din yon maaamin sa kanya since I really wanted to do more with my job. Madami pa kong to-do list sa calendar ko."

"Let me see that calendar and throw it for you." He answered, making me laugh.

"Why are you bugging me with this anyway?" I asked.

"Wala. Nagtataka lang kasi ako. We've been friends since first year college at ni minsan sa mga araw na kasama kita wala kong nakitang babaeng kaakbay mo o hinalikan mo. I don't think you even had a good sex when we were in college!"

Natahimik naman ako at naalala ang nangyari dalawang buwan na ang nakakalipas. I gritted my teeth when I remembered that woman. That fucking woman! She left me that night with my balls hurting and I waited for nearly two hours just to be free from the handcuff.

Ang nakakahiya pa don ay ang room attendant ng hotel ang nagtanggal sa handcuff ko. Ni hindi man lang niya iniwan ang susi kaya hiyang hiya ako dahil nakita niya kong hubad baro. Buti at natanggal ng maintenance ang handcuffs dahil kung hindi talaga ay hindi ako makakaalis don.

I swear to God if I see that woman again she will pay for the humiliation she gave me that night! If I just know her name or anything about her.

"What's wrong?" Nabalik ako nang magsalita si Rex. Dun ko lang napansin na naka-kuyom na ang kamao ko sa inis.

"Nothing." I said before relaxing.

"Anyway Mico, do you know about the underground prostitution in this town?"

"Huh? Underground prostitution?" Umarko ang kilay ko. May ganon ba?

"Yeah. You want to check it out with me?" He grinned before showing me an ID with his name and picture.

"Nope, not interested." I shook my head.

"Come on! Just tonight. Wag ka naman maging killjoy. Sige, iisipin ko nang bading ka talaga."

"Isipin mo na kung ano gusto mong isipin." Ngumiti ako, "I will not visit any place like that Rex. And where did you even get that ID?"

"I paid for it." He smiled, "With a million pesos."

"What? Are you serious?!"

"Yeah. At least kahit wala kong girlfriend may pumupuno sa pangangailangan ko. Did you even had an orgasm when you were younger or even now you're older?"

"That topic should not be talked about in public you know." Sagot ko na kinatawa niya. Seriously, why is everyone so fond of having sex or bedding a different woman every night?

"Sumama ka na kasi!" Saad nito, "Ngayon lang naman Mico. Di ka pa nga bumabawi sa pangto-talk shit mo sakin last time sa club."

"Rex—"

"Yeah, yeah, you don't go to clubs and party. You don't smoke, drink or have sex. You're such a goody goody Mico. Baka isang araw makita mo na lang ang sarili mong nababaliw sa isang bagay na di mo gawain."