Exchange Lovers - Completed

Twenty Six : Poison and Wine

“It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes an unhappy marriage.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

“What are the lies that lie behind?”

Ansel’s POV

“What’s that?” tanong ko kay Alex.

Sinamahan ko siyang bumili ng mga kung anu-anong movie dvd’s, nakita ko kasi siya kanina sa harap ng office building namin at naghihintay ng taxi. Hindi niya raw dinala ‘yong kotse niya at tinatamad siyang magdrive, so I offered her a lift na hindi naman niya tinanggihan. On the high way nag-request si Alex na dumaan daw muna kami sa mall at may bibilhin lang siya. So, heto kami ngayon at nasa loob ng DVD and CD’s store.

“DVD? Movie?” she waved it in front of my face. The cover says: ‘Something borrowed’.

Hindi naman ako pamilyar sa pelikula na ‘yan kaya nagkibit balikat na lang ako, “Ano bang gagawin mo diyan?”

“Ano bang ginagawa sa movie?” balik tanong niya. When I gave her a poker face she smiled, “Fine, fine. I love the movie kasi and I hadn’t got the chance to watch this on cinema that’s why I’m grabbing a copy.”

“So, what genre?” I asked, curious of why she liked the movie.

“Romance, Love Story, call it whatever you want.”

“A chick flick.” I commented. And she playfully raises her brows repeatedly, indicating a ‘yes’.

Okay, I’m not copying this line from guys on movies but why do girls love to watch a chick flick? That, I don’t know. Nature na yata ng mga babae ‘yan.

Kumuha pa siya ng dalawa pang DVD’s; No Other Woman and The Secret Affair. Mas lalo pa tuloy akong nagtaka kung ano ang gagawin niya sa lahat ng ‘yan.

“Alex, what are you really going to do with those?”

She shrugged, “Like I said a while ago, I’m going to watch it.”

“Why?”

Hindi na niya sinagot ang huling tanong ko at basta na lang ako iniwan na nakatayo dun sa harapan ng rack at dumeretso na siya sa counter para magbayad.

     Pagkatapos kung ibaba si Alex sa harap ng bahay nila ay deretso na din akong umuwi, medyo ginabi na nga kami—medyo lang ba ‘yong inabot na kami ng hating gabi? Traffic kasi. At after namin dun sa DVD store ay nagdinner muna kami.

Pumasok ako ng bahay at ipinatong ko ‘yong coat ko sa sofa. Tamang-tama naman na pagkahubad ko ng sapatos ay pababa naman si Priele galing sa kwarto at bitbit ‘yong phone niya.

Lumingon naman siya sa’kin pero, walang sinabi at nagpunta sa kusina. Hindi na lang din ako nag-abala pang kausapin siya.

Umupo ako sa sofa at dahil sa sobrang pagod ay dun ko na naisipang umidlip muna. I leaned back and covered my eyes with my arm. Pero, ‘yong plano kong pag-idlip ay hindi nangyari nung magsalita si Priele.

“Ansel, I think we need to talk.”

I removed my arm from my eyes and straigthened my back. I stared at her for seconds before breaking the silence, “We need to talk? For what?” I asked.

She looked up; her shoulders moved up and back for a sigh. She gripped tightly at the glass of water on her hand.

“Wala ka na ba talagang pakialam sa’kin?”

That made me produces a grin. And her, a creased forehead carried out from my expression. “Tinatanong mo talaga ako tungkol diyan?” I said in mock tone.