Hate and Desire (Editing)

Chapter 24 - Demand

She thought she was dreaming pero talagang kanina pa nagri-ring ang cell phone niya sa ibabaw ng side table. Maliwanag na ang sikat ng araw nang muli siyang bumangon. Napangiwi siya nang maramdaman ang pananakit ng katawan. Jordan must be inside the bathroom dahil nakakarinig siya ng lagaslas ng tubig.

She checked the caller and it was her cousin Jamila requesting for a video call. Why is she calling her? Is she supposed to be busy right now? She pressed the accept call button from her cell phone. Bumungad sa kanya ang mukha nito na tila nababagot na kakaantay na sagutin niya ang tawag.

"Hey cuzbee! I've been calling you since this morning, ba't hindi ka sumasagot?" Agad na sumbat nito.

"Teyka, kagigising ko lang ang ingay mo na!"

"So answer me first! Kanina pa nga kita tinatawagan dahil may iku-kwento ako sa'yo. I'm freaking out here alam mo ba iyon?"

Pinandilatan niya ito. "Hey relax! I understand you're pressured right now cuzbee, ang lapit na ng preliminary competition, freaking out wouldn't help you at all..."

"It's not about that! Gosh! Nasan kaba kase ha? that room is not familiar to me."

Gosh! How stupid she was to answer the video call gayung makikita ng usisera niyang pinsan kung nasaan siya. Sinipat siya nito ng tingin, only white blanket is covering her body  "Cuzbee?!" She almost shouted when she didn't response. Pinamulahan tuloy siya ng mukha.

"Ahm cuzbee, you know I couldn't hide anything from you right?" She said reluctantly.

"Ano ba iyon?"

"I'm with Jordan right now..."

"Huh? You mean, you stayed with him overnight? You slept with him?"

She bit her lower lips. "Yes."

Napatili ito nang wala sa oras. "Oh-em-gee! How? tell me about it!"

"Shhh lower your voice!" Sita niya. Pulang pula na ang mukha. "Aren't you supposed to be the one telling me something kaya kanina ka pa tawag ng tawag? Ano ba iyon?" Balik tanong niya.

"Gosh cuzbee! Look at you! You're blushing! Pero masaya ako para sa inyo ni Jordan!"

"I don't know cuzbee." Lumungkot ang mukha niya. "I was happy last night but---" She remembered her conversation with Georgie, should she tell her cousin about it? "Oh never mind! C'mon ikaw naman ang magkwento, ano bang importante na sasabihin mo at hindi ka makapaghintay ha?" Iniwasan na lang niyang sa kanya mapunta ang topic.

"You wouldn't believe this. I was with Kingsley Prieto just this morning inside his suite, we're staying in the same hotel!"

"What? Ambilis mo naman! Are you kidding me?"

"We didn't do anything just like what you and Jordan did, silly!"

"Oh!"

"But guess what? He was so arrogant!"

Umarko ang kilay niya. "Arrogant? Like how?"

"Kasi ganito iyon, he wanted to see me again tapos siyempre konting kiyeme naman ako, then bigla niya akong pinaalis sa suite niya, tama ba iyon?"

"At bakit naman kasi napunta ka sa loob ng suite niya?"

"Nagkamali ako ng pinasukang room, lumagpas ako sa elevator kaya napunta ako sa VIP floor, malay ko ba na doon pala siya naka-check in, pinagbintangan pa akong kunwari lang daw na naliligaw ng floor, nakakainis di ba?"

"Whew? Ikaw naiinis kay Kingsley? E lahat ginawa mo para lang magtagpo ang mga mundo ninyo?"

"Basta arogante siya, mayabang, ungentle-man, I don't like him anymore!"

"C'mon don't be such a childish, baka nasaktan mo lang ang pride niya. Usually men don't take rejection as an answer. Lalo na ang mga klaseng tao na kagaya ni Kingsley"

"Kahit pa! hindi siya dapat magpakita ng ganung ugali sa isang babae, ayan tuloy nasigawan ko siya!"

"Ano namang sinabi mo?"

"Sabi ko, Hoy buanga ka! Naunsa ka? Gigwapuhan na gayud kas imong kaugalingon no? Kay wala ko nisugot makipagkita nimo nasag---"

Sumakit ang ulo niya sa narinig "Wait, binisaya mo siya? Eh ako nga di naintindihan yang pinagsasabi mo, si Kingsley pa kaya na isang foreigner?"

"We'll thanks to my lolo and lola from Davao who taught me how to speak that dialect! I'm sure nosebleed ang lalakeng iyon ngayon."

"You're so cruel Jamila! Anyway, baka pumunta ako diyan sa Vegas para manuod ng pageant."

Umaliwalas naman ang mukha nito. "Talaga cuzbee? Oh that's a good news!"

"Who says you're leaving?"

Kamuntik na niyang mabitiwan ang cellphone nang lumabas si Jordan mula sa shower. Nakatapis lang ng puting tuwalya ang ibabang bahagi ng katawan nito. Hinigpitan niya ang pagkakatakip ng kumot sa katawan.

"Hi Jordy!" Bati ni Jamila mula sa screen. Kumaway pa ito."Why don't you come with Celestine instead?"

Jordan smiled at her. Naupo ito sa kanyang tabi. "That's the brightest idea I ever heard future Ms. Universe..."

Natawa naman si Jamila.  "I've to go guys, I have a stage rehearsal in 15 minutes."Pinandilatan niya ang pinsan. "Bye guys!" Nawala na ito sa screen.

"Gusto mong pumunta sa pageant?" Agad na tanong ng lalake. Eyeing her with disapproval.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Naisip ko lang, ofcourse to give moral support to my cousin."

"Nang hindi muna nagpapaalam sa'kin?"

"Do I really have to?"

Jordan's eyes dilated. "Are we gonna play this game again Celestine? Pagkatapos ng lahat, iiwas ka na naman na parang walang nangyari? I'm tired of your game okay? From now on, we'll act as true husband and wife, you will tell me where you planned to go at hihingin mo muna ang permiso ko bago ka magbibitaw ng mga desisyon." Matigas na sabi nito.

"How about Georgie? Ano ba talaga kayo Jordan? Bakit ganun na lang ang pag-aalala mo sa kanya? You even considered having here stay in your condo together with you? You were lovers before!"

It was too late before she could stop herself. Lumambot naman ang mukha ng lalake. He gently held her near to his body.

"We have a deep bond of relationship sweetheart, but believe me it was nothing special like before. Marco asked me to protect her daughters, of course, I still care for Georgie...just like I care for Sam."

Tiningala niya ito. Is it really possible for previous lovers to simply become friends? Georgie wants him back. And she's afraid for that. She could never fight Georgie kung sakaling totohanin nito ang sinabi. She have been patient and giving to her for the longest time.

"You'll come with me in Vegas?" She asked. Desperate to take him away from the sight of Georgina.

He pinched her nose. "You will make me come first, you were so hot last night baby...let's do it again..."

She bestowed him a willing smile. She's happy. Although love was not mentioned. She will patiently wait for that right moment.

Two days later, they fled to Las Vegas together to witness Jamila joining the Miss Universe Pageant.