Ikinagulat ni Aria ang pagsulpot ni Lawrence ngayong gabi. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin niya mabigyang kahulugan ang relasyon nila – it was all about sex, really, and virtually nothing else. They didn't hang out. They didn't go on dates. They've never even grabbed coffee together.
Nagsimula ito nang magkatrabaho sila sa ospital. Bilang mga doktor, mga propesyonal, ay inasahan ni Aria na kahit papaano'y magiging disente sila sa isa't isa, pero taliwas dito ang nakamit niya. Sa bawat araw na lumipas ay 'di pwedeng hindi sila magbabatuhan ng mga insulto, mag-aaway, o magsasagutan habang parehong humihingal at nagngingitngit. A couple of times they were even caught elbowing each other in an unfriendly way as they got into the elevator. They were that mature.
She forced herself to put up with his infuriating presence in her workplace and she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out how their childish, daily squabbles had led them to – as Lawrence had so affectionately labeled it – fucking.
She remembered that apocalyptic night, six months into their lives as reluctant colleagues, when he decided to barge into her home, and unfortunately after that she hadn't known peace.
Walang habas at paulit-ulit na ni-ring ni Lawrence ang doorbell ni Aria habang kinakalampag ang pinto, napilitan tuloy siyang lumabas bago pa maisipang i-report ng mga kapit-bahay ang iskandalosong pag-iingay ng lalaki. She squeezed herself through the door of her unit, scowling, but before she could feel it close behind her, Lawrence had already pushed it wide open with one hand, sidestepping her and inviting himself into her private space.
"What is wrong with you?!" Aria demanded through gritted teeth as she followed him inside.
"What is wrong with you?" Lawrence fired back. Nang lalong kumunot ang naka-kunot nang noo ni Aria ay siniringan siya nito. "Bakit ka pa pumasok kanina? I thought you'd resign!"
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Did you hit your overinflated head somewhere? Bakit naman ako magre-resign –"
"Alam ko ang nangyari noong nakaraang araw," Lawrence silenced her, glaring. "How Vargas, that old, fucking pathetic excuse of a doctor, had tried to force himself on you –"
"Enough," Aria cut him off, not wanting to hear further, her voice unintentionally small. Pumikit siya at kaagad niya itong pinagsisihan. Images of Doctor Vargas – their mentor, as they were only in the first year of their residency – locking the Emergency Room and running his hands along her arms while trying to shove his mouth onto hers flashed behind her eyes.
"Resign and transfer to another hospital," she heard Lawrence say. "With your credentials, matatanggap ka kahit saan."
Iminulat ni Aria ang mga mata niya't humakbang siya pa-urong, hanggang sa naramdaman niya ang pagtama ng pinto sa likod niya. She crossed her arms, leaning heavily against the door. "Hiningi ko ba ang opinyon mo sa sitwasyon ko? At ano ba ang pakialam mo dito? You don't exactly have a say in this, Lawrence. I'm not your problem, I'm not your business, so back off."
"Leave the fucking hospital, Villarama," he insisted as he took steps towards her, slicing the distance between them.
"Read my lips when I say no," tinaasan niya ng kilay ang lalaki. "Sa palagay mo iiwan ko ang trabaho ko nang dahil lang dito? And will you stop swearing?"
"Resign and work somewhere else," he stopped advancing when they were a feet or so apart and gazed down on her.
"No!"
"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!"
"Sino ka ba sa tingin mo," nagsimula nang manggigil si Aria at napa-kuyom pa siya ng mga kamay, "para diktahan ako?!"
