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

23 - LDB (LONG DISTANCE BOYFRIEND)

23 Long Distance Boyfriend (LDB)

Gumaan nang husto ang pakiramdam ni Iris matapos nilang magkaayos ng kanyang ama. All the grudge she's been keeping were being slowly let go and it brought her mind peace. Finally, after long years of hating him, she had the strength to forgive him.

Ibinalita niya kay Andrei ang nangyari at ipinahatid naman nitong natutuwa ito para sa kanilang mag-ama.

Iris was happy. Everything in her life is starting to run smoothly. All the cracks and holes on her scarred hear were now sealed with love by people around her. Unti-unti nang lumuluwag ulit ang relasyon nila ng ama, at ang minsang nasawi niyang puso dahil sa pag-ibig ay nasa mabuting pangangalaga na ni Andrei.

Her only means of communication with Andrei right now is only through texting. Hindi pa rin ito nakakatawag sa kanya ulit mula noong huli nilang pag-uusap. Iyon marahil ay dahil magkabaligtad ang oras sa bansang kinatatayuan niya sa bansang kinaroroonan nito ngayon. Kung hindi abala ang isa sa kanila, malamang ay baka nagpapahinga naman o tulog. Umaga sa kanya at gabi naman para rito, vice versa.

It's only been a few days since Andrei left the country, but Iris was already starting to miss him like hell. She misses his sexy voice, his fevered touches, and his sweet kisses. Siguro masyado na siyang nasanay sa presensiya nito. Naging regular na bahagi na ito ng buhay niya at tila hindi na buo ang mga araw niya kapag wala ito sa paligid. May mga oras na talagang pinapainit ni Andrei ang ulo niya at mayroon ding mga oras na kilig na kilig siya kapag kasama ito na halos umikot pa ang matres niya sa tuwa.

Taking her phone out, she dreamily stared at his picture. Ginawa niyang wallpaper ang larawan nito. Kumurba ng maliit na ngiti ang mga labi niya. Andrei was her gorgeous man wrapped with sex and trouble and fun. She knew for sure that her feelings for him were real.

And it was bad.

It was very, very bad.

She was badly smitten in love with Andrei Leviste.

Nang sumunod na araw ay hindi na rin siya nakatiis. Napagdesisyunan niyang tawagan na ito dahil labis na siyang nangungulila na marinig ulit ang boses nito. Bago siya tumawag, maingat na kinunsidera niya ang kaibahan ng oras sa pagitan nilang dalawa. She made sure that it wasn't too early nor too late in his place when she calls.

After finishing her lunch, she didn't waste a drop of second and got back immediately to her cubicle.

Iris leaned on her hand with her phone pressed on her ear. Mabilis ang kabog ng dibdib niya dahil sa pananabik na muling makausap si Andrei. Pagkalipas ng ilang ring ay mayroon na ring sumagot sa tawag niya.

Magsasalita na sana siya subalit natigilan siya nang boses ng babae ang marinig sa kabilang linya.

"Hello?" anang boses ng babae.

Ibinaba niya saglit ang aparatong hawak upang tingnan kung tama ba ang numerong tinawagan niya. It was no mistake that it was her LDB's (long distance boyfriend) number she dialed. Nakakunot-noong muling ibinalik niya sa tenga ang cellphone. "Sino 'to?"

"Ikaw 'yung tumawag. I'm supposed to be the one asking you that. Who the hell are you?"

The sarcasm and rudeness of the woman on the other line made her fidgety and edgy. "Excuse me? The last time I checked number 'to ng boyfriend ko. Mind telling me where he is and who the fuck you are?" she retaliated.

"Andrei is your boyfriend, huh?" The woman laughed sultrily. "I think it's not a good idea to tell you where he is right now. Baka magalit ka sa akin, sweetheart. But I'll tell you anyway because I want to piss you off."

Her chest tightened. Just who the fuck is she talking to?

"He's in the shower."

Those four words raised red flags and rang warning bells. Bakit nasa shower si Andrei at naiwan sa babaeng iyon, kung sino man siya, ang cellphone nito? Altogether, the scenario seemed ugly. A hunch that things might get bad again between her and him made her fist clench and open and clench and open again nervously.

Airy noises that buzzed her speaker told her that whoever has Andrei's goddamned phone was moving from one place to another. Sa hawak na aparato, may naririnig siyang mahinang tunog ng paglagaslas ng tubig sa background.

"Baby!" tawag ng babae. "Hindi ka pa ba tapos? Nagugutom na ako."

"Just a minute, I'm almost done!" sigaw ni Andrei.

Iris's eyes were wide with utter shock and panic. Bumuka ang bibig niya ngunit wala siyang katagang mahanap para sabihin. The urge to hurt someone was slowly bubbling up in her. Gusto niyang sabunutan at ihilahod sa sahig ang pagmumukha ng babaeng kausap.

"See?" sabi ulit ng babae. "I told you, he's in the shower."

"Sino ka ba talaga?" muling tanong niya sa pagitan ng mga nagngangalit na ngipin. This person is really starting to get on her nerves.

Muling tumawa ang babae. "You can call me his bedwarmer."

Pumintig ang ugat sa noo ni Iris nang marinig iyon. Hindi siya naniniwala roon. That can't be real. Andrei is not that type of guy who would cheat, she thinks. The woman was probably bluffing. It's not true. Subalit medyo nadagdagan ang pagdududa niya nang maranig muli ang boses ng nobyo sa background.

"Anna, may tumawag ba?"

"No one did, babe."

Tila umikot ang paligid niya. But at the same time everything stilled in place, na para bang sandaling tumigil ang mundo niya upang irehistro sa utak niya ang nalaman. Kasama ni Andrei si Anna. Iyon siguro ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nito magawang tumawag. Masyado itong abala sa ibang babae para alalahanin siya.

The phone call went silent. She thought for a moment that maybe the line was already dead, but it was still working. Anna probably covered the sound receiver to prevent her from hearing more for their conversation. Pero pinutol na rin ni Iris ang tawag. It was enough. That one was too much already and she doesn't think she can handle hearing more bullcrap.

Tulala siya nang ilang minuto hanggang sa hindi na niya mapigilang mapatili sa inis. Her shrill sound of frustration gained turns and questioning looks from her co-workers. But she didn't care, she had too much in her mind to spare space for others' confused glares.

Her whole afternoon was bad. She felt sick, like a heavy rock was settled on the pit of her stomach. She still can't believe that Andrei was cheating on her over that Anna. Mas maganda naman siyang hamak sa babaeng iyon. Kusang tumitiim ang mga labi niya tuwing naaalala ang tawag kanina. Nanggigigil pa rin siya sa babaeng iyon. Sa sobrang inis niya gusto na niyang manakit ng kung sino at manira at magbasag ng kung anong bagay.

Kakauwi lang niya galing ng trabaho nang makatanggap siya ng isang makapal na envelope. Walang nakalagay kung saan galing iyon at kung sino ang nagpadala. Pinunit niya ang gilid at halos mabuwal siya sa nakita. Her world seem to have stopped, her walls were melting and her ceiling was caving in. Cold horror struck her while gaping on the photos that fell on the floor.

Mga larawan iyon nila Anna at Andrei na naghahalikan; sa mga bar, sa kama, at sa kung saan-saan pa. Pinakatimaan siya ng sakit sa mga larawang kuha sa kama. The two were barely wrapped by sheets, their eyes and faces were flush red which clearly said that they were just over with an earth-shattering climax. It hurt to see Andrei kissing someone else's lips. It hurt to see him groping someone else's breasts.

Tinigilan na niya ang pagtingin sa mga larawan at hindi na rin niya tinangan iyong iba pang hindi pa niya nakikita. She wanted to fucking vomit after seeing all those nasty shots. Nanginginig ang mga daliring napasuklay siya sa buhok. Kinagat din niya ang pang-ibabang labi upang pigilan ang panginginig niyon. Even if it was against her will, her eyes welled up with tears.

"Fuck..." she mumbled after a shaky breath. "Bakit ba lahat ng manloloko sa akin napupunta?" Pagktapos sabihin iyon ay umiyak siya nang walang humpay.