Midnight Pleasure

11

"Dela Cruz, what was that?"

I glared at the others who were looking at me, smirking, actually.

"We saw that," ani Tamayo sa akin at pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko na alisin ang earpiece na suot ko para hindi marinig ang panunudyo ng mga kasama ko na nakita ang nangyari kanina.

Well...

What happened was an accident. Nate got pushed from behind and he was leaning towards me because he's teasing me and then... he... he accidentally kissed me.

"Shut up or I'll have all of you terminated," asik ko sa mga ito sa radio at imbes na manahimik ay natawa naman si Canlas at si Tamayo sa akin.

"It happens, Alec," ani Canlas sa kabilang linya. "It should not, but it happens."

I looked at him and shook my head and rolled my eyes. Alam ko naman din ang sinasabi nito. Ilang beses na bang nagkaroon ng insidente na gano'n sa mga binantayan ng mga pinapadala naming agents sa mga mission ng mga ito?

That's also why Dad forbids falling in love with a client. It sounded absurd, but he said it could cloud our judgment if we are too close to the subject. There's a possibility that we will be irrational and we will not follow the protocols once the subject was in a dangerous situation.

I have no problem with that, though. Sang-ayon nga ako kay Daddy sa bagay na iyon dahil mahirap naman din talaga kung magkakagusto kami sa babantayan namin. We can be assigned to different clients and if that was the case, we will just have a problem with our relationship.

And besides, I am really not interested in being in a relationship now.

Wala akong panahon.

I am too busy with my work and to prove my worth to my family. I don't want them to regret having me.

I filled my lungs with air as I held the clutch bag tight.

"It was an accident," si Diaz ang nagsalita kaya nabaling ako sa direksyon kung saan naroon ito. He was near the entrance while looking at me. "It's an accident, right?" he asked.

I clenched my fists and breathed heavily before nodding my head a little.

"Yes."

"So, we will not talk about it anymore. Do you all copy?" Diaz asked all of us and sumang-ayon naman si Canlas at Tamayo rito kaya tumango na lang din ako at nilingon ang lalaking may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyayari sa buhay ko ngayon.

Gusto ko talagang pagsisihan na nagtagpo ang landas naming dalawa, e.

He's currently talking to a senator and I was just steps away from him. Kanina pa rin ako lumilinga at hindi ko namamataan si Kuya na naroon. Maybe he's not here? Baka hindi nagpunta ang binabantayan nito rito.

Hindi naman din ito sumasagot sa tawag ko kaya hinayaan ko na lang ito at baka busy sa trabaho.

"Hi," ani ng isang tinig na lumapit sa akin. I saw a man wearing a white suit holding two glasses of champagne. "I am Miguel Lastimosa," pakilala nito sa akin. "You're alone here?" he asked again and offered me one of the glasses he was holding.

"No, I am not," I told him. "No, thanks," tanggi ko rin sa baso na inaabot nito sa akin. Napalingon ako sa kinatatayuan ni Nate at abala pa rin ang lalaki sa pakikipag-usap nito. Bumaling din ang lalaking lumapit sa akin kay Nate at narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa nito kaya napalingon ako rito.

"You're with Nate?" he asked and shook his head. "Oh, man. I hate to tell you this, but he'd probably forget that you're with him," sabi nito sa akin at muling bumaling kay Nate. "Whenever he's in parties like this, he'd be so busy talking to the people on behalf of his father, and most of the time forgets that he has a date," sabi nito sa akin. "He's like that even before we're still studying," dagdag nito at marahang natawa.