Until you are mine

20. You and Me

Ares was sitting on the chair in the dining table. It was morning and I had just woken up. Naiwan pa si Yllak sa kama. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko maintindihan kung paano naming nagawa ang mga bagay na iyon kagabi. It was my first time and yet we managed tp do it the whole night – my knees were literally like gelatin now.

"Good morning, Lei---" Ares' forehead knotted. Titig na titig siya sa akin habang umuupo ako sa silya. Hindi ako gaanong makalakad. My core – well, my down there hurts so much. Para bang na-stretch ng bongga sa exercise. Mas malala pa ito kaysa doon sa first time akong nag-yoga.

"Oh fuck!" He hissed. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla niyang haltakin ang braso ko at itinayo ako. Nasasaktan ako. His nails were digging in my flesh. Para bang gigil na gigil na siya sa akin.

"Ares! Nasasaktan ako!" Sigaw ko sa kanya. Napatingin ako sa may pinto. Nakita ko si Fabio at si Daniel – my body guards – rushing towards me. I signaled them to stop. "Ares bitawan mo ako! Ano bang problema mo?!"

"You had sex with Yllak!" He spat. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Napatingin ako sa paligid matapos sumigaw ni Ares sa akin. Nanginig ang buong katawan ko. Paano niya nalaman iyon? Did he see us? Narinig niya ba kami? How the hell does he know about those things? Kung tutuusin dapat hindi niya alam iyon! But why the hell does he know about that?!

"Ang immature mo, Yna!" Napasabunot siya sa sarili niya. Binitiwan niya ako. "I thought I made it clear last night! I am the man for you! Anong mapapala mo kay Yllak? He's just a good for nothing son of a gun! Hayaan mong alagaan kita!"

"I am the man for her, Ares." Malamig ang tinig ng boses na iyon. I looked back and I saw Yllak going down the stairs. Mukhang kaliligo niya lang. He was wearing a fresh white shirt and a pair of khaki pants. His eyes were darker and grimmer. I was kind of scared at him. Para bang kaunting galaw ko lang ay magagalit siya. He stood by my side and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"How dare you say that you are the man for her. I am the ma for her, Ares. Matagal mo nang alam iyon – hindi mo kailangan alagaan si Leighton dahil ako na mismo ang gagawa noon. I've been taking care of her since forever. You don't have to take my place." Mainit na mainit ang tensyon sa paligid. Dama ko ang tensyong iyon – namumutawi sa paligd namin.

"I am more mature." He said. Nakita kong tumaas ang bibig ni Yllak.

"Maturity wise, oo mas matanda ka sa akin pero hindi ibig sabihin noon mas karapatdapat ka sa babang mahal ko. I love her, she knows that and –" He looked at me. Agad-agad na nagbago ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya. "I am hoping and praying with all my heart that she feels the same – "Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at masuyong hinagkan iyon. "I love you, baby."

I wanted to smile – I was about to smile when Ares spoke again.

"Hindi papayag si Uncle Sancho dito, Yllak. You know your father." He seemed so confident. Napalunok ako. Iyon ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ayokong bumalik ng Pilipinas. Alam kong magbabago ang lahat. Greece have been our nest – Greece symbolizes our freedom at hindi ko alam kung ganoon din ang mangyayari sa oras na mapunta kami sa Pilipinas. Paano si Tatay at si Nanay? Ano ang sasabihin nila sa oras na malaman nila ang nangyayari.

Oo, hindi kami magkapatid but people knew about us – being siblings. Iyong morality na pinalaki kaming magkapatid ang ipaglalaban namig dalawa dito. I looked at him. He could face Ares – I have a feeling that he could do that with his family – with Tatay Sancho. I took a deep breath. Hindi pa nakaka-move on ang lahat sa katotohanan na nagkagulo ang pamilya noon dahil kay Kuya Hector – heto na naman ako.

Ngayong araw na ito, I realized that I am the next big trouble – a threat to the family who used to love me. I bit my lower lip. I looked at Yllak again. Am I ready to do this with him? I'm not even sure if I am in love with him – o kung natutuwa lang ako sa atensyong ibinibigay niya sa akin.

But then I gave him my v-card. I sighed again.

"Do you think that I care?" Yllak asked him. "Hindi mo alam ang pakiramdam ng nagmamahal." He grinned. "Ares, ganyan ka lang dahil naghahanap ka lang ng maalagaan because you can't even take care of – what's her name – Cedes Samson! Right! Because she's just like you in every way, Ares. You think you love Yna, but then you just wanted to feel needed."

Nakita kong ikinuyom ni Ares ang kamay niya. He walked out. I looked at Yllak. Lalong humigpit ang pagkakayapos niya sa akin. He smiled at me.

"I love you, baby..." He said to me. I looked at him. Is his love enough for us to survive?

"Paano si Tatay?" Maliit na tinig kong tanong.

"That's easy, baby. It's you and me against the world. Just don't let go. Okay?"

I found myself nodding at him.

Facing the Consunjis – sure – that's easy. Very easy.