Romantic Short Stories [DUBREDO]

II. Malacañang Garden

"Oh my God. Sayang hindi ko nakita!" Rodrigo's sister, Jocellyn, laughed upon hearing his brother share about how this freshman kicked him in the groin last time.

"Seriously?" Rodrigo retorted.

"Ano ka ba? Ngayon lang ako nakarinig ng babaeng may lakas ng loob umalma sa'yo." She was so amused. "Ano nga ulit pangalan niya?" She asked. "Leni Robredo. Pero under ko na siya ngayon, gaganti ako diyan." He shared.

She snorted soundly. "Pano ka gaganti? Sisipain mo rin siya?" She made fun of him. "Hindi. Basta, mali siya ng kinalaban." He said. "Ewan ko sa'yo, basta iba pakiramdam ko diyan sa Leni nay an. Baka yan na ang katapat mo." She warned his brother.

—

It was a dim afternoon, Leni was doing an integral calculus tutorial for some extra income, Rodrigo grabbed her and pulled her to a distance.

"Huy, ano bang problema mo bigla bigla ka nalang nanghahatak diyan?" Leni squirmed.

"Sino yung lalakeng yon?" He confronted. "Anong lalake? Nagtuturo ako ng calculus, high ka ba?!" She retaliated.

"Stop it." He told her.

"Ano?!" She retorted.

"Tigil mo yan, sabi ko!" He insisted. "Ayoko ng nakikita ka ng ibang tao na may kasamang ibang lalake, baka isipin nila hinahayaan kitang magloko diyan." He followed.

"Rodrigo, baka hindi mo alam na nagtuturo talaga ako para meron akong extrang allowance kase hindi naman ako katulad mo na walang problema sa pera at walang ibang ginawa kung hindi manira ng araw ng ibang tao!" She counterted — startling him.

"Ngayon, pwede na ba ako bumalik sa tinuturuan ko?" She asked with a hint of mockery. Rodrigo grunted but he had no other things to say.

"Magkita tayo sa gate mamaya, 6PM, sharp." He stipulated. "Okay? Fine. Pwede na ako bumalik?" She agreed and walked back to her student.

—

Later that day, Leni met Rodrigo at the gate and drove her to his condo unit.

"Ganda ng mga figurines ha? Collection mo?" She asked as her eyes explored his unit. She was so fascinated with the glass figurines of animals displayed on his shelf.

"Marami na akong nadala dito, halos lahat sila nagustuhan yung pagpunta nila." He randomly spoke. Leni turned back and saw him topless and wearing nothing but his sweat pants.

"Oh my God." She cussed along with a deep gasped.

"Magsuot ka naman ng damit! Nakadamit ako oh! Para ka naming mangre-rápe niyan jusko!" She groused uncomfortably.

"Boyfriend mo ako, paano magiging ràpe?" He said sounding so offended. She refused to further respond and returned her sight to the shelf.

Rodrigo felt annoyed with how she doesn't seem to be interested of him.

"Leni." He called her and she looked at him.

"Tanggalin mo yung damit mo, mag-sesèx tayo." He told her straightforward.

"Ano?!" She was taken aback. "Narinig mo ako." He uttered with a stern voice.

This time, Leni felt so offended. She was raised conservatively and she can't tolerate such crass behavior.

"Hoy, Rodrigo..." She exhaled sharply out of disbelief that she really arrived to the point that she has to lecture him. "Hindi dahil pumayag ako sa deal mo at girlfriend mo na ako eh pwede ka nang maging ganyan sakin na kung makayaya ka diyan akala mo laro lang yung sèx." She vented out but she felt like it wasn't enough.