Dangerous Liaison

6

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"Stop staring."

I couldn't help but to laugh at Marienne. She's biting her lower lip from the pain and she's insisting that I shouldn't stare at her. But I can't stop stop staring at her. Ang cute niya.

"Yrel nga." Bawal niya ulit matapos niyang mapa-aray.

Itaas ko na ang mga kamay ko-- I surrender. Bumalik na lang ako sa upuan ko at pinanood ang tattoo artist niya. I may have surrendered staring at her face but I'm still amused.

It's a Saturday evening and I was suprised we're together right now. She said she wanted to have her tattoo and in her exact words she said sino pa ngang magkakatiwalaan ko sa tattoo kung hindi ikaw. I was flattered to actually hear that and that's why we're in Liz's condo.

She's a childhood friend and she started inking people to spite her family. Nasa pagrerebelde siya ngayon. She's not a full-time tattoo artist though, she just occasionally accepts appointments. She's also the one who inked my back.

"All done." Nakangising announcement ni Liz. "Wait lang 'ha. Kunin ko lang 'yung isa ko pang kit."

"You good?" I asked.

Tumango si Marienne at nag-thumbs up pa. "It feels like hell but I'm good."

Natawa ako doon.

Kahit na simple calligraphy tattoo lang ang ginagawa sa kanya, isa naman sa pinakamasakit na lugar na ang pinaglagyan. The skin close to the ribs are one the most painful places to get inked. Her new tat was inked on her side, few inches away from her left breast.

Liz came back to wrap her to tattoo and listed a few reminders for the aftercare.

"Magkano?" Tanong ni Marienne nang makapagbihis na siya at makabangon.

Liz smiles. "It's on Yrel so don't worry about it."

Magrereklamo pa sana siya pero hinawakan ko na lang ang kamay niya. "Thanks, Liz. Una na kami."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Stop arguing with me, Marienne. You know if you really want to pay me, just have dinner with me."

It's hard not stare at her while she's arguing with me really. Mabuti na lang at nagdadrive ako. It was an excuse not to just stare at her and annoy her further. Marienne is really cute.

She winced a little when passed by a hump on the road. "Okay, we'll have dinner. Pero please libre ko. Naalala mo ba noong sinabi ni Synthia na nanalo tayo ng fifty thousand noon? Twenty lang talaga 'yun at 'yung ten mo na sa'kin pa. Ipaalala mo 'ha, ibibigay ko rin 'yun sayo."

I chuckle with that. "Marienne--"

"Isa pa, Yrel, hahalikan na kita para 'di ka na makipagtalo."

Doon ako napahinto, hindi dahil ayaw kong halikan niya ako pero dahil sa gulat. I was taken aback with what she said. I want that.

Ngumisi siya. "Ayan natahimik ka na. Libre ko 'ha?"

I guess I could easily lose with this woman. Ngumiti na lang ako nagpaubaya. If she says she wanted to treat me, I can always trick her.

"Ay wait, bago dinner pwede ba bilin muna natin 'tong recommended na mga gamot?"

I nodded and asks about her studies. She gladly told me about it.