Tell Me A Lie [R-18] [Completed]

19 - NOT A JOKE

19 Not a Joke

Lumipas ang gabi ni Iris na malamig si Andrei sa kanya. Sinubukan niyang kausapin ito kahit sa text o tawag man lang subalit hindi siya nito sinasagot. Nag-iwan na lang siya ng voice messages para rito sa pag-asang baka kinabukasan ay may makuha na siyang sagot. Ngunit hanggang sa sumunod na araw ay hindi pa rin siya nito nirereplyan. Kahit sa trabaho ay hindi siya nito kinikibo.

On that very morning at work, she greeted him "Good morning" with a sweet smile on her lips when she saw him coming her way but he just passed her like she didn't exist.

She seriously felt hurt but she endured it. Kasalanan naman niya kung bakit siya nito iniiwasan. It was his birthday yesterday and she fucking ruined it. Sino ba naman ang matutuwa kung habang nagtatalik kayo ng kasintahan mo ay ibang pangalan ang iungol nito?

Malamig na sampal iyon para kay Andrei kaya nga labis na kinakain si Iris ng konsensya niya ngayon. No guy wants a recovering slut for a girlfriend.

Gusto niyang humingi ng tawad dito. Pero hayun nga't hindi siya nito pinapansin. He just wouldn't talk to her. Naiintindihan naman niyang galit ito at kailangan nito ng space at magpalamig muna ng ulo bago silang mag-usap. But fuck those things, she needs to talk to him even if her stand isn't good. It wouldn't be easy for sure. The fact that she's thinking about Troy while she's having sex with Andrei is inexcusable. Naroong nakapatong sa ibabaw niya ang boyfriend niya pero ibang lalaki naman ang laman ng utak niya. Just what the fuck is wrong with her?

Apologizing to him wouldn't guarantee that everything between them would come back to normal immediately, yet it sure is a start.

Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga bago naglakas loob na katukin ang pinto ng opisina ni Andrei. She didn't wait for his permission, she opened the door and saw Andrei seated in front of his desk. His laptop was open, but his eyes were focused on his cellphone screen while he was reading some things in it. She wondered if it were her text messages that he was reading.

Iris leaned on the door frame with her arms crossed around her chest. "We need to talk about that blowjob."

Mabilis na napalipad ang tingin sa kanya ni Andrei dahil sa napakagandang entrada niya. Ibinaba nito ang cellphone sa tabi ng tasa ng kape nito. Pagkatapos ay ang laptop ang hinarap nito sa halip na si Iris.

"I'm very busy right now, Iris. Wala akong oras para makipagbiruan sa'yo."

"Sino ba ang nagsabing nakikipagbiruan ako? What I said wasn't a joke. Trust me, it's not a joke. It's a blowjob."

He seemed like he was in a pensive mood when he stopped writing. "You want to talk about how long you were cheating on me?" he retorted with slightly squinted eyes.

"Cheating?" Nalaglag ang panga ni Iris. Hindi niya inasahan ang akusasyon na iyon. "Anong cheating? Kahit kalian hindi kita niloko!"

"Sigurado ka ba d'yan?" mahinahong tanong nito. Tumayo ito at naglakad sa gilid ng office desk nito saka sa gilid niyon umupo. "If I'm not mistaken, you've been cheating on me for a long time. You're just using me as a rebound, baby. Iyon lang ba ako sa'yo, isang panakip-butas?"

She was taken aback by all his accusations. "Saang hukay mo naman napulot iyang mga ideya mong iyan?"

Hindi ito sumagot bagkus ay kinuha lang nito ang cellphone nito nang magvibrate iyon. Dahil sa ginawang pag-abot nito sa aparato, nasulyapan ni Iris ang regalo niyang silver bracelet na nakakawit sa may pulsuhan nito. Seeing him wearing her gift was a good sign. But when Andrei caught her staring at it, he hid the bracelet under the long sleeve of his polo as if he was ashamed of wearing it.

Binagtas niya ang distansya sa pagitan nila. Nang makalapit ay ipinatong niya ang mga palad sa hita ng nobyo. She lifted her gaze and bravely met his hazel eyes. "I never cheated on you. You have your eyes on me from morning 'til office hours are over. Nababantayan mo ako. You know well that I'm your girl. And you know well too that I. Never. Cheated. On. You."

Hinawakan siya nito sa batok. He stared down her lips. His eyes were heavy and dark with something she couldn't lay a finger on. He looked like as if he was torn between the choice of kissing her or not. Iris licked her lips in temptation. Lalo niyang inilapit ang mukha upang paikliin ang pananabik subalit binitiwan siya ni Andrei. Nag-iwas ito ng tingin, yumuko, at bumaling sa ibang direksyon.

"You should leave."

Her throat felt dry and it was rough and painful when she tried to swallow the lump in her throat. "Excuse me?"

"Leave," ulit nito. Sa pagkakataong iyon, mas malamig na ang boses nito.

Hinawakan ni Iris ang magkabilang pisngi nito upang pilitin na salubingin nito ang kanyang mga mata. "Please, Andrei. Pag-usapan na natin 'to. Ayoko ng nag-aaway tayo."

"I just can't fucking look at your face right now!" he roared. His voice loud enough to shake her.

Ikinagulat nang husto ni Iris ang pagtataas nito ng boses. Malalaki ang mga mata niya habang pinanonood niya si Andrei na humiwalay sa kanya at maglakad palayo ng ilang talampakan. His reaction deflated all the confidence she gathered before entering his office. Nasasaktan na siya sa ipinapakita nito sa kanya.

"Pakiusap, Iris. Marami akong ginagawa ngayon. I don't want to deal with you yet."

Malalim ang kanyang paghinga at nanggigilid na rin ang mga luha niya. "Fine, kung 'yan ang gusto mo." She stomped her feet on the way to the door.

Maagap na pinigilan siya ni Andrei sa braso bago siya tuluyang makalabas ng silid. "Jesus Christ, babe. It's not like that. Galit lang ako sa'yo dahil nagseselos ako. Hayaan mo munang lumamig ang ulo ko. At saka talagang marami lang akong ginagawa ngayon kaya wala ako sa tamang timpla para pag-usapan iyong ginawa mong paglapastangan sa akin kagabi. Fuck, I'm sorry for raising my voice on you, I didn't mean it."

Kinalas niya ang pagkakagapos ng kamay nito sa braso niya. "Putang-ina ng sorry mo," sikmat niya bago padabog na isara ang pinto ng opisina nito.