Del Rico Progeny #2: Crashing Into You

Preface

Hillary Ophelia Del Rico

As soon as my eyes locked onto the man's bare back, my feet felt glued to the floor. He was hurriedly pulling up his pants, causing the muscles in his back to ripple with motion as he collected the rest of his scattered clothes.

The apartment appeared to be in disarray, with a familiar, enticing aroma permeating the entire space. It was then that I noticed a simple tattoo on the man's back, nothing too extravagant. Sa itsura ng sala, mukhang galing lang nila sa sex ng taong pinunta ko rito. Is this her boyfriend?

As the man slowly turned to look at me, a sudden wave of unease washed over me, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't help but feel utterly perplexed by his reaction, as if he had been aware of my presence long before he turned around. His calm demeanor suggested that my arrival had not taken him by surprise.

Umingos siya at nagpatuloy sa ginagawa.

"K-kuya Tarian?" gulat kong tawag sa lalaking nagsusuot pa lamang ng damit.

Hinila niya 'yon pababa sa hulmadong katawan, hapit na hapit iyon na bakas pa rin ano man ang tinakpan. Sinipa niya ang underwear na nasa paanan niya. Kay Ate Jess 'yon.

"Kuya... Tarian..." ulit ko, tunog hindi sigurado sa pagkakataong 'to.

Nangunot ang kaniyang noo at bumakas ang iritasyon sa mukha nang nagsalita ako. Kuya Tarian won't display such emotion. If this is not him then...

"Kuya Eros..." pagtatama ko kung mali man ako sa unang pangalang binanggit.

He has tattoo but not like what I saw on Kuya Eros body last time.

Lalong nalukot ang mukha niya. He reached into the worn pocket of his faded jeans and pulled out something that caught my attention. It was only later that I recognized what he had retrieved—a cigarette and a lighter. As I watched, he lit the cigarette and took a slow drag, the soft glow illuminating tiny stubbles on his chin.

"Anong pinagsasasabi mo?" iritadong tanong niya.

Naumid ang dila ko roon sa rahas ng kaniyang boses at pagalit na ekspresyon ng mukha.

This isn't Maxton because Maxton won't wear such style. He's always neat and specific with his choice of words. Tarian is the same but I just think maybe he has a change of style but not now when he started talking in that manner. Eros on the other hand bears a bad boy look but the rich type and he'll still talk to me with kindness unlike this man.

Sinuyod ng tingin ko ang buong katawan niya. Simpleng bad boy. Hindi branded ang damit o miski ang suot na kwintas. Dog tag pa na itinago niya sa loob ng suot na itim na shirt nang mapansing nakatingin ako roon. May guhit sa kanang kilay at matalas ang tingin na animo'y kalaban ang kaharap.

He bears the same aura as my cousins and only his style and brands of what he wears is the thing that is different at first sight. Pero lahat, miski sa tindig, sa paglalagay ng distansya gamit ang kaniyang mga mata, ang hulma ng mukha niya at kung paano dalhin ang sarili... this is how a Del Rico looks like.

"Ano? Isa ka ba sa mga kaibigan ni Jess na gusto ng threesome?" marahas niyang tanong. Nanlaki ang mata ko.

He smirked at me. "Hindi ako open sa ganoon, Miss. Sa iba na lang."

Sinapo ko ang bibig at sunod-sunod na napalunok. His way of thinking...

He tilted his head to the other side. Ako naman ang sinipat niya ng tingin bago umiling-iling.

"Sayang... mayaman..." bulong niya na 'di nakatakas sa matalas kong pandinig.

"What did you say?" I asked, sounding offended.

He grimaced.

"Maarte pa..."

Umaahon na ang inis sa akin at balak na sanang magsalita pa ulit ngunit pumasok na si Ate Jess.

"Asael..." she called him softly.

Lumingon ang lalaki sa kaniyang gawi. Naging malamig ang tingin nito kay Ate Jess, may distansya na.

"Asael?" I asked, bewildered and confused. "You're not Kuya Eros... Tarian... or Max?"

It was their turn to look at me with confusion. My friend laughed at me but it was way more of a girly seductive laugh.

"No," Ate Jess replied. "He's Asael. My ex," proud niyang sambit.

My lips parted in awe as the truth was disclosed to me. Not my cousins. He's not my cousins but...

"Then why does he look like them?!" I uttered hysterically.

"Nakasinghot ba iyang kaibigan mo?" walang pakundangang tanong nito bago umiling.

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita sa dami ng sumusuksok na katanungan sa isip ko. Is this just a crazy coincidence or... could it be that either Tito Tyron or Tito Troi has a secret child we don't know about?

As the man approached the window, he reached into his pocket once more, and my throat tightened as I watched him pull out a gun. He cautiously parted the curtains, scanning the surroundings as if he feared someone might be lurking outside, ready to harm him. After ensuring he was safe, he turned back to us, absentmindedly scratching his eyebrow.

My heart raced as a memory of my father's habit of scratching his eyebrow when he was annoyed flashed before me. My eyes widened in shock, and I shook my head.

No, Kuya Lucian is gone. Dad would never betray Mom. Tito Troi wouldn't either, and Tito Tyron has been devoted to Tita Eve all this time. If none of them have a secret child... then who is this man? Why does he share the same facial features as my cousins and my dad's peculiar habit?