When the Ex Returns

Chapter 6: Meet the Fiance

Comments are well-appreciated (and helpful)

By the way, sa last part ng chapter na ito, I had some statements underlined. Dapat sana strikethrough yun pero hindi ko alam ang shortcut for strikethrough. Please consider. Thanks.

*** Meet the Fiance ***

“Bakit late ka na?” bungad sa akin ng kasamahan kong si Beth.

Yeah. I’m so late. This is so not me. Ewan ko ba. Marami lang siguro talaga ang nainum ko kagabi. Nakakainis. Four to six shots lang yung natatandaan ko, nakakahiya. Baka mas marami pa ang nainum ko. I’ll be honest. I really lost count.

“Nandito na ba si Vic?”

“Sino si Vic?”

“Yung representative ng provincial director ng PNP. Yung late dumating kahapon?” I’m still fixing myself while asking. Imagine how late I am na ha para dito na talaga ako sa venue nag-ayos.

“You hooked up with a participant? My God, Ana!”

“Gaga! Kababata ko yun! And we didn’t do anything. We just had a drink. Yun lang.” Kung si Pinocchio ako, gano na kaya kahaba ang ilong ko ngayon? Well, it wasn’t all a lie. Wala naman talaga kaming ginawa diba? I mean, if we based it on my memory about that night, wala naman talagang nangyari sa amin. And I wouldn’t want that! Gross! Not to mention, immoral.

“Hmmm… Totoo ba yan?” nagdududa pa ring tanong ni Beth. I can’t blame her. This is something that I really don’t do. I’m a pro.  “Why are you looking for him, then?”

God! Kilalang-kilala na talaga ako nitong si Beth, oo. Well, we started together din kasi. And when I said na lilipat ako sa project na ito, she tagged along. Pumayag na rin ang management. Kaya nga sometimes I really can’t keep secrets from her.

Sinipat ko siya ng tingin. By that look alone, alam na niya na wala akong tinatago sa kanya (ideally). I just hoped I acted right kasi, shit, ang bilis ng kabog ng dibdib ko at tila grabe ang pamumula ng pisngi ko. Well, I’m not a very good liar, just a liar.

“Fine. To answer your question, hindi na yun darating. And please, don’t hook up with anyone anymore tonight ha.”

Thank God for being considerate Beth, nasabi ko na lang sa sarili ko. At least, hindi na siya nag-insist na sabihin ko ang tunay na nangyari. That’s what real friends are. Kahit hindi na sabihin, alam na kung ano ang gagawin. And anyway, I don’t know what to tell her naman talaga. I didn’t even know what happened last night diba? Kaya nga hinahanap ko ang damuhong yun. Grabe siya kung maka-sweet talk yun pala! Sabi ko na nga ba eh. Sabi ko na nga ba. Hindi talaga mapapagkakatiwalaan ang damuhong yun. Wala talagang ginawang matino yun sa buhay. I should have learned my lesson a long time ago.

“Excuse me, Miss.”

“Yes po?” sabay harap sa nais kumausap sa akin. For once, I thought it was Vic playing tricks on me again just like before.

“Hi!” I saw Alfred once I turned to face the man talking to me.

Oh my god! What is he doing here? I mean, my boyfriend, este fiancé, ay andito. In this very room where we are having a conference. If he will know na isa sa mga participants si Vic, oh my, hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. Not that he's the jealous type, hindi naman siya ganun. Minsan lang. But… “What are you doing here?”

“Aren’t you happy to see me?”

“No! No!” agad akong lumapit sa kanya to give him a kiss on his cheek.

“I’m just around town for business. I just stopped by. By the way, sabay na tayo umuwi later. Dadaanan kita sa hotel mo mamayang hapon so we can also visit your parents. Okay ba yun?”