Exchange Lovers - Completed

Twelve : Who's the Visitor

Riu’s POV

Nilayasan ko siya, oo. Kahit pa magmukha akong may sayad sa utak dahil nagpunta ako dun para sana makasama siya pero, iniwan ko din naman siya dun ng nag-iisa, na siya lang.

Nakakapikon na kasi iyong pagsisinungaling niya sa’kin. The last time naiintindihan ko pa siya kasi, nagseselos siya, I knew that. I realized that’s why she became rude towards Marione.

Ang kinaiinis ko lang ay iyong pagsisinungaling niya sa’kin nung sabihin niya na nakabangga lang niya iyong mukhang labanos na iyon. Alam na alam ko kung paano siya kapag nagsisinungaling, she has a habbit, habbits that she isn’t aware of. Gaya na lang nang paghinga niya ng malalim ng dalawang beses at paglunok bago magsalita o sumagot sa tanong at ayaw niyang magsabi ng totoo. At hindi siya makatingin ng deretso sa’kin pagkatapos niyang magsinungaling. That’s why I knew that she was hiding something from me.

Maaring totoo na nakabangga lang niya iyong lalaking iyon, but there’s more to it that she hasn’t spilled out. And as her husband I ought to know what that hella’ is.

Tinanong ko siya ulit kinabukasan nun, since I’m aware that I have taken too much alcohol that night, that affected my way of reasoning. Kaya pinagpabukas ko na lang iyong dapat sana na napag-usapan agad na misunderstanding namin.

I wasn’t really asleep that night, I just tried acting like I am.

Pagkagising ko agad ay hinanap ko siya kasi wala na siya sa tabi ko, nakita ko siya sa  terasa kaya lumapit ako sa kanya.

***

“Alexey.” Tawag ko sa kanya. She’s so engrossed watching at the city kaya di niya ako napansin nung lumapit ako.

She turned to face me.“Good Morning.” Bati niya sa’kin at agad na nilapitan ako para humalik sa pisngi ko.

“Morning.” Simple kong sagot.

Ngumiti siya. “Let’s have coffee. Nagpaakyat na ako kanina.” Umalis siya sa kinatatayuan niya at tinungo ang la mesa na kinalalagyan ng takure at mga tasa. Nagsalin siya ng mainit na tubig sa dalawang tasa at nagtimpla ng kape. Pagkatapos ay lumapit ulit siya sa’kin at ibinigay ang isang tasa. “here.”

“Thanks.” Tanging nasabi ko na lang. While having our coffee I opened up about last night. “I’m sorry about last night. Well, wasn’t really my intention, clearly I was not aware of what I am doing, I mean.” I stopped in midsentence and took a deep breath before again speak. “I mean, hindi ko sinasadya, totoong nakipag-usap lang sa’kin iyong tao ng maayos kaya in return kinausap ko din siya ng maayos. And I’m sorry for raising my voice on you.”

She looked at me intently and sighed. “You shouldn’t be asking apology for that. Actually, it should be me doing so. Ako iyong may mali. I overreacted; I nearly created a scene in the party, good for me she didn’t buy that.”

“Yeah.”

“And Riu, about with Luther too. I—ah I don’t know how to explain it to you but, really he just—” she took a deep breath. “— he just –” again, she breathe deeply. “—he just introduced himself to me, since he thought I was alone. Then, about the kiss. I was shocked too when he did that. Hindi ko naman kasi inaasahan na gagawin niya iyon.” She said then stared at me, siguro tinitingnan niya ang ekspresyon ko kung naniniwala ako sa sinasabi niya. I stared back but, she looked away.

I don’t care about with that damn kiss in the hand. What pissed me off is that why didn’t she tell me about it nung bumalik siya mula sa banyo? Okay, I understand she didn’t want to tell me dahil ayaw niyang magalit ako. Pero, may nararamdaman kasi akong may itinatago pa siya sa’kin.