"Ang tagal ng date mo. Anong oras na, ah?" Rance's voice was laced with irritation as he swung open the door to his unit after just one buzz.
I walked past him and into the living room, rolling my eyes. "It's not even twelve yet, Rance. Daig mo pa fairy godmother ni Cinderella, ah!"
But Rance wasn't having any of it. He followed me into the living room, iritang irita pa rin. "Wala akong pakialam kung wala pang alas dose, Summer. I was worried sick,"
Summer. Not Sam, but Summer. Tinatawag niya lang ako sa pangalan ko kapag totoong naiinis siya sa akin.
I sighed, feeling a pang of guilt. When Rance said he was worried, I knew he really was. Ganyan naman palagi si Rance, nag-aalala kapag hindi niya alam kung nasan ako. Kanina nang takasan ko siya'y alam kong tangka niya ng itanong kung saan ako pupunta.
"This is your first date in God knows how long, and you didn't even bother to tell me where you were going. I tried calling you, but you weren't picking up. Natural mag-aalala ako sa'yo."
Napalabi ako. Imbes na patulan si Rance, I kicked off my boots and flopped down on the couch, burying my face into a throw pillow. The embarrassment, frustration, and a nagging sense of desperation washed over me, gusto ko na lang sumigaw at magalit.
As I lay there, feeling utterly defeated, I sensed Rance's comforting presence. He covered my thighs with a blanket, ganyan naman si Rance, maalaga. Despite feeling too intoxicated to care about my dress riding up, I appreciated the gesture.
I felt him sit down next to me on the couch, and then he took my feet and placed them on his lap, gently rubbing them as he asked, "What happened, Sam? Anong klaseng gago ang naka-date mo?"
"Paano mo naman nasabing gago nga?" I scoffed, tama na naman siya syempre. Gago naman talaga si Elton. Kahit pa bali-baliktarin man ang mundo at aminin nang tanga rin ako sa part na 'yon, ay gago pa rin siya.
"I always know when something's wrong with you," dumiin ang pagpisil niya sa aking binti, trying to calm and relax me. "Sige na, ikuwento mo na. Anong nangyari?"
I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. "It was a disaster, Rance," I admitted, my voice muffled by the pillow.
Ito ang first time na nakipag-date ako, tapos ganito pa kuwentong Rebisco ko.
Rance continued to massage my feet, his touch soothing. Hindi siya nagsalita, alam kong hinihintay niyang sundan ko ang aking sinabi.
"He turned out to be married, Rance. Can you believe it? Married!" Muling umahon ang inis ko. Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakadapa at humarap kay Rance, hindi niya pinakawalan ang mga paa ko, tuloy lang sa marahang pagmasahe. Alam na alam niya kung paano ako kakalamahin at pagagaanin ang loob ko. "At hindi lang iyon! Alam mo ba kung bakit niya akong inaya makipagkita? He offered me a life insurance policy, Rance! Putangina! Gago, 'di ba? Pakiramdam ko tuloy napakatanga ko kasi I expected something more from it."
Nakakahiya man ang sinapit ko ngayong gabi ay mas pinili ko pa ring ikuwento iyon kay Rance, una sa lahat ay wala naman akong ibang magpagsasabihan kundi siya. At pangalawa, kailangan kong may mapaglabasan ng sama ng loob. I half-expected him to respond with a loud, teasing laugh, but it never came. Baka pati siya'y naaawa na sa akin.
I groaned and let my body collapse back onto the couch, feeling utterly defeated. Muling itinakip ni Rance sa aking mga hita ang blanket na nalilis kanina nang gumalaw ako. Tahimik lang kaming pareho, hinahayaan niya lang akong ilabas 'yung inis ko.
I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over. "Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko, Rance," I admitted, my voice choked with emotion. "I just wanted tonight to be different. Kasi ang tanda tanda ko na, pero wala naman akong experience sa pakikipag-date. Hindi naman sa walang nagkagusto sa akin, ever. Pero bata pa ako 'non, mga napagod nang sumubok because I always turn everyone down. Kaya nang imbitahan ako ni Elton lumabas ay ginusto ko agad, syempre. It had been a while since someone asked me out. And yet, it turned out to be a disaster. Ang malas lang."
