Midnight Pleasure

23

"I am sorry if your dinner was canceled."

I looked at Ms. Casino who was sitting on the side, drinking her wine while looking at Nate who was now currently talking to some businessman. They're having dinner right now and they're talking about some business plans.

Sa tinig pa lang ng babae, alam ko naman na hindi talaga ito nagso-sorry sa akin dahil hindi natuloy ang dinner na usapan namin kanina ni Nate.

Not that I am looking forward to having dinner with him!

"They're all supposed to meet tomorrow, you know? But since Sir Nate is free tonight and they're all here, ngayon na sila nag-usap," she added and smiled at me.

Nakatingin ako kay Nate na seryoso ang mukha habang kausap ang mga ito. Sumulyap din ito sa may direksiyon ko pero hindi naman nagsalita, hindi rin ako nito tinawag o ano.

He just looked...

"He can't say no since it's about business. That's one thing about him, too, you know? He's hell bent on making their business profitable since President Araneta's preparing him to run this next election. Aside from sex, he's very into business," sabi pa ni Ms. Casino sa akin na para bang sinasadya ang mga iyon para ipaalam sa akin na mas marami itong alam kay Nate.

Pakialam ko naman sa alam niya?

I just glanced at her and didn't say anything. She was smiling at me like she has done something magnificently and she's proud of it.

Pinigilan ko na lang ang sarili ko na mapailing at piniling manahimik. Baka kapag nagsalita ako, umusok na naman bumbunan nito, e.

I mean, I don't have anything to say in the first place. Hindi ko nga alam bakit nagsasalita ito rito kahit na hindi ko naman siya kinakausap. Baka kung si Canlas ang kasama nito rito, natuwa pa 'yong mokong na iyon.

"You're probably looking forward to that dinner. Am I right?" muling sabi nito sa akin bago sumimsim sa wine nito. "Oh, Alec. He's really just using you. I told you, once you and him had sex, he will dump you and–"

I chuckled a little to cut her off and cleared my throat before looking at her again. "Look, Ms. Casino, I am sorry that he didn't invite you for dinner, I didn't know you'd stoop so low that you had to call them all and tell them Nate is available tonight just to stop him from having dinner with me."

Kitang-kita ko kung paanong tinakasan ng kulay ang mukha ni Ms. Casino habang nakatingin sa akin. Kumibot pa ang labi nito at tumaas ang kilay.

"What did you say?"

"Am I wrong?" I asked her and titled my head a little. Her grip on the wine goblet tightened as he glared at me.

"Who do you think–"

"I am his bodyguard, he's my client, not you. You're being rude to me, so why would I bother playing nice to you?" tanong kong muli sa babae. "And please, stop telling me about sex with Nate. Sa ating dalawa, ikaw ang nagpapantasya na ikakama ka niya dahil kahit na ang tagal mo na siyang kasama, ni hindi ka man lang niya inaya."

"You, bitch!" angil nito sa akin at natigilan ako nang maramdaman ang wine mula sa baso nito sa mukha ko.

"What the–"

I felt like some people around us were looking at us, wondering what happened. She looked at me with her eyes full of acrimony.

"You–"

"Hey, are you okay?"

Napalingon ako nang may humawak sa braso ko at agad akong pinaharap. Nate was standing beside me, checking on me. "Get me some napkins," he said to the waiter who nodded his head and immediately handed him some tissues.