[I Can Love You] More Than This

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

[Helena’s POV]

                Pagdating ko sa unit, agad na akong nagtanggal ng damit. Uso naman samin ni Wendy yung nakabra at panty lang dun, parehas naman kaming babae. Nilabas ko lahat ng laman ng bag ko, pati yun lalabhan ko na. Kadiri lang, sobra. Hinuli ko yung jacket. Ang weird nga eh, ang bango kahit may bahid ng kababaihan.  Sa c.r. ako naglalaba, pano eh wala naman kaming backyard. Etong dorm na to, hindi naman talaga dorm. Sabi ko lang kanina dorm kasi gusto ko. Ang totoo, condo to. Paano, bantay sarado ng mga magulang ko. Dito ako sa condo dahil pagmamay-ari to ng tita ko, kaya malalaman ni mom and dad kung umuuwi ba ako o hindi. Kaya nga pati si Wendy pinayagan nilang dito tumira sakin para hindi ako masyado mabwisit na napakapartial ng meaning ng independence sa vocabulary nila.

                Kaya actually, this is their way of saying na pinapayagan nila akong maging ‘independent’, if by independent they mean having each staff of this tower know my name and phone number in case may nangyaring hindi maganda sa akin. Which is why binigay ko ang v-card ko kay Vince. (V, tapos v-card? Get it? Haha, corny ko lang.) Anyway, hindi ko naman ineexpect na maiinlove ako kay Vince, and at the same time makakasama siya sa evil plan ko.

                I mean, to start off, it wasn’t really an evil plan. I really did fall in love with this stupid band vocalist whose parents also happen to own the bar where I tried to drown myself with beer. Umiinom lang ako no’n for the sake of unattainable freedom. Yun yung time na sakal na sakal ako sa parents ko, to the point na may bodyguard pa ako hanggang sa labas ng c.r.

                Si Vince, kumakanta siya nun. He’s a very soulful singer. Hindi siya rakista, actually. He sings acoustic blahs, pero yung get-ups niya ay parang pang-rocker. Gentle rebel, kung baga. Nung medyo lasing na ako, naririnig ko siyang kumakanta, and then nung tumigil ang banda nila, nainis ako. Sumigaw pa nga ako no’n. Tumawa siya at bumaba sa stage, asking me if I wanted him to take a break and dance with me.

                “No, go on, I’m just a bit drunk. Run along,” sabi ko sakanya, tumawa lang ulit siya.

                “No, really, miss. Dance with me?” This time I nodded, and he led me to the dancefloor.

                Kumakanta siya habang sumasayaw kami, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Medyo nahihilo ako, but when I looked up at him, it felt like magic. I didn’t know if it was the beer, or sadyang love at first dance ata yun. Basta, all I knew was him, all I could see was him, and fortunately, he didn’t think I was some drugged-up mascot in his bar.

                Hinatid niya ako pauwi that night, and he kissed me. A kiss from a stranger. Sobrang nagsink-in lang yung shock nung binuhusan ako ni Wendy ng malamig na tubig. Ninakaw ng guy na yun ang first kiss ko. I couldn’t believe it. But that was the first and last time I didn’t believe anything he’d said or done. I went back to the bar to try and make him pay for that first kiss, but all we got to do was chill and get to know each other. Di ko napansin na dumating ang panahon na we got into a relationship. Then came a kiss that led from one thing to another, and now here I am, with things getting so complicated every moment, and I wonder where this is going.

                I was startled when my phone started blasting that really loud ringtone. Pinunasan ko ang kamay kong may bula-bula pa kasi naglalaba ako, and went to pick my phone from the bed. Unknown caller, and not wanting to waste any time, sinagot ko na agad at inipit ang phone between my right ear and my right shoulder. Umupo ako para icontinue ang paglalaba.