Game Over, Engineer

W

NATIGALGAL SIYA SA nakita at napatitig lang sa kaharap. He was wearing a black suit and he was holding a suitcase with his right hand. His piercing black almond eyes were staring intently at her, boring her entire soul.

His curtain haircut covered his thick eyebrows, and the heaven knows how hard she tried not to stare at his bow-shaped pinkish lips.

A dry lump formed in her throat, and she had to swallow it para lang makahinga nang maayos. When the event fully registered in her mind, hindi niya maiwasang mapasinghap.

"What the fuck, Jack?"

"Your mouth, Jilyanzel Jalvore. And yes," he spread his arms and gave her a cheeky grin, "I'm your bodyguard."

"What the fuck?"

"'Yan lang ba ang tanging alam mong sabihin? Hindi ka ba marunong magsalita ng 'hello'?" Kumunot ang noo nito at ibinaba ang mga kamay. But she's still in shock kahit pa medyo nakabawi siya.

"What the fuck?!" Damn. He's really in front of her!

"Isa pang banggit mo ng 'fuck', talagang gagawin ko 'yon sa 'yo." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully, at napakurap siya sa narinig.

Damn this man.

Umangat ang sulok ng labi nito. "Titigil naman pala." Tumingin ito saglit sa loob bago siya tiningnan. "Won't you invite your bodyguard inside?"

Niliitan niya ang awang ng pinto at humalukipkip dito. She arched her right eyebrow at him. Woah, ang kapal naman ng mukha nito.

"Baka nakalimutan mo ang ginawa mo?"

Napakamot ito sa batok at parang nahihiyang tumingin sa kanya. "Ay, ungkatan ba 'to ng past?"

She let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "For fuck's sake, Jack! You left me hanging three years ago!" Tumaas nang bahagya ang kanyang boses at sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. Tangina.

Hindi niya makakalimutan ang araw na iyak siya nang iyak dahil hindi na ito nagpakita, and now he's standing in front of her as if he did nothing wrong? What the heck?

Kita niyang napakurap ito na para bang hindi inaasahan ang sinabi niya. His forehead formed a line, and his eyebrows furrowed as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

Tangina. Ang kapal naman talaga.

"Anong I left you hanging? Eh, sinabi ko naman sa 'yo na gusto ko nang makipag-cool off dahil may problema sa family at ayaw kong madamay ka."

Pinanlakihan niya ito ng mga mata. "Cool-off lang, hindi break!"

"Ay, hindi pala 'yon same meaning?" he innocently asked, and he even tilted his head to the other side na para bang ngayon lang nito nalaman na magkaiba ang meaning no'n.

What?

She stared at him with disbelief. Ginagago ba siya nito?

"Jaxavion Futore!"

Mariin itong umiling at itinaas pa ang mga palad sa ere. "Shit, Jill! I really don't know! Akala ko, euphemism lang 'yon ng break up! Aba, malay ko ba! Ikaw naman kasi ang first and last girlfriend ko!" nanlalaki ang mga mata na ani nito, at napatitig lang siya rito, hindi makapaniwala. Bahagya pang umawang ang kanyang mga labi.

So. . . talagang misunderstanding lang ang lahat? Dahil lang sa hindi nito alam ang salitang cool-off?

He really broke up with her. . .

But that's not it. He said he's her first and last girlfriend. Meaning. . . wala na itong ibang naging babae since they broke up.

And just like that, lahat ng galit at inis niya rito nabura. Tangina. Misunderstanding lang ang lahat?