Yours Forever (COMPLETED)

Forever 31

“Kerry Anne.” Alden said in a muffled voice. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang kanyang gagawin nang malaman niya kung ano ang pinagkakaabalahan ni Kerry Anne. “W-what is that?”

Mabilis na pinulot ng babae ang nalaglag nitong cellphone. “Anong ginagawa mo dito?”

“Uh, I can’t sleep.” mabilis na paliwanag ni Alden. “I went down for a walk then I saw you. I thought for a second that maybe you are available for some talk. By the way, the door is unlocked downstairs so I invited myself in.”

“I am sorry Mr. Richards but I am not available at this moment. And I think it will be very inappropriate having a conversation with you in the middle of the night.” masungit na tugon ni Kerry Anne sa kanya. “If you don’t mind, maari ka nang umalis. Matutulog na rin ako.”

Mabilis niyang hinagip ang braso nito nang humanda itong iwan siya. “Wait.”

“What?!” Kerry Anne hissed in irritation.

”I believe that you are looking at something interesting before I came here.”

“Oh that?” Kerry Anne mocked. “You are right. Interesado nga akong tingnan ang litrato ni Maine Mendoza. Or should I say Maine Richards? At nakapagtataka talaga kung bakit kami magkamukha. Is that why you are so interested in me this last few days Mr. Richards?”

Alden was taken aback from what he just heard. He believes that guilt suddenly emerged from him. Well, wala na siyang magagawa. Totoo naman ang sinabing iyon sa kanya ni Kerry Anne.

“Guilty?” Kerry Anne mocked him once more. “You can leave now Mr. Richards. Have a good night.”

Bago pa man makaalis si Kerry Anne ay muling hinagip ni Alden ang kamay nito. He pulled him closer to his body then pinned her to the balcony’s door post. Before she could say another opposition, Alden lowered his face and took Kerry’s lips in the most punishing kiss ever.

*****

Kinabukasan ay maagang bumiyahe sina Alden at Tracy pabalik ng Maynila. Medyo hindi palagay ang loob ni Alden dahil hindi siya nakapagpaalam kay Kerry Anne ng matiwasay. And considering the way they parted last night, it was so unlucky of him.

“I could not believe myself.” reklamo ni Tracy nang marating nila ang Halsema Highway. “I am actually going back to Manila with you. Considering that I just arrived at Sagada yesterday.”

Alden did not mind her. Hinayaan na lang niya itong dumada ng dumada. Actually, sa backseat dapat ito maupo eh, inunahan lang siya nito bago pa niya masabi. Tracy already entered the car and was sitting on the passenger seat when he went down from his room.

“Masama pa rin ang loob ko.” pagpapatuloy ni Tracy. “You should have at least given me a day to relax and to enjoy my vacation bago tayo umalis.”

.
“You can stay in Baguio if you like.” Alden said since he can’t stand the blame anymore. Somehow, naguilty rin siya sa ginawa niya. But he knows Tracy better and Bea already told her that Tracy had her self-declared vacation para lamang masundan siya sa Sagada.

“There is no way that I will be left alone in Baguio. I will be staying there if you stay too.”

That’s it. Inamin din nito na siya talaga ang dahilan ng pagpunta nito sa Sagada. “I will be back to the company tomorrow. If you don’t like to spend your ‘vacation’ in Baguio you can spend it anywhere you like. Hindi kita oobligahin na pumasok. Ngayong on-vacation ka na, might as well enjoy it.”

Tracy stared at him for moment before throwing her sight towards the road. “Pag-iisipan ko pa. Nakaplano na talaga ang bakasyon ko sa Sagada. And because you ruined my plan, I don’t think I could continue my vacation anymore.”

“Why not? Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal are just few hours away from the Metro. You can spend your vacation from any of these. Or you can go to Cavite or Bulacan.”

“You are talking nonsense Alden. Huwag mong ilayo ang usapan. We are talking about Sagada here.” Muli siyang tinitigan ni Tracy. From his peripheral vision, he knew that this woman is studying her face and any gesture that he would release. “And yes, speaking about Sagada, there is something, someone rather that is very interesting there.”

“Don’t start again Tracy.” he warned. Irritation is slowly getting to his nerves again.

“What is there to start?” sarkastikong turan nito. “Tell me, when did you meet this Kerry Anne? How long did you know each other?”

“What is it to you? And to answer your nonsense question, I just met her when I went there. Can we stop this crappy conversation now?”

“I don’t believe you.” kontra ng babae. “Sa mga napansin ko ay parang matagal na kayong magkakilala.”

“At anong gusto mong palabasin? Ok, once and for all, Kerry Anne is the wife of a friend. Yes, nabigla din ako nang makita ko siya. At bakit hindi ako mabibigla kung sakali? Kamukhang-kamukha siya ni Maine. So that’s all. Satisfied now?”

“No!” hiyaw ni Tracy. “At paano magagawang magtaksil ang isang kaibigan? Why do a friend kiss his friend’s wife intimately? Ngayon, maipapaliwanag mo ba ang nakita ko kagabi sa balcony ng kabilang bahay?”

“I can’t believe you!” gulat na bulalas ni Alden.

“Really? Yan na lang ang masasabi mo ngayon? Alam mo Alden, may mga mata ako. Hindi ako tanga.”

“Oh! I am very sure of that. Now, can you shut up will you?”

“I can’t! Punyeta!” bulyaw nito.

“I can’t see the logic why you are so affected about who I kiss or who kisses me. Kamukha man ni Maine o hindi ang babaeng iyon, wala ka nang pakialam doon. I am not your husband nor boyfriend Tracy. Stay away from my private life. At kung iniisip mo ang nakaraan natin, I guess I made it clear to you kung ano ang gusto ko. You agreed to fulfil my needs with no emotional attachment. Wala na akong kasalanan doon since ikaw ang nag-alok ng katawan mo sa akin. We both satisfied our own lusts. Kung anuman ang kasalanan ko ay ang pagpayag ko sa mga panunukso mo sa akin. Now that it’s clear, I want you to know that what we have is only partnership in business and friendship for that matter. I am sorry Tracy.”

Nanlulumong napasandal si Tracy. “I think I need to sleep.”