Behind Curtains (ONGOING)

Kabanata 11

Kabanata 11

Kwarto

"You shouldn't stoop down to my level," I pointed honestly, as I turned to look at him. "And, taking into account the chances of us meeting, shouldn't you be suspicious of me? For all you know, I could've been sent by... businessmen who... are against you. To spy on you, or something."

He glanced at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you?"

I pursed my lips, "No..."

He nodded then went back on looking at the road.

Ganoon lang? I say one word, and he believes me?

Napahilot ako sa aking sentido.

"Why are you like this? Filthy rich people like you should be the most distrustful, but here you are," I stated tiredly. "It is worrisome."

Tumawa naman siya sa tabi ko.

"I could say the same thing about you," siya, naiiling. "Leaving important documents in a bar, when you are single—"

"Hey, how are you even sure that I'm single?"

"Would've you let me fuck you if you weren't?"

I frowned at him. Tipid naman na siyang ngumiti nang hindi ako tinitingnan.

"And letting a random stranger take you to his hotel room, too..." dagdag niya pa.

Uminit ang mga pisngi ko sa mga naaalala.

"That was my spur-of-the-moment promiscuity," I muttered, shaking my head a bit, forcibly erasing a certain thought. "Blue Hawaiian always made me terribly horny. That night was just bad timing."

"Bad timing?" his eyebrows shot up. "You were vibrating noisily that night. I even thought you'd pass out on me in a second."

Napasinghap ako, at hindi na mapigilan ang pag-igkas ng kamay.

I thumped my fist on his thigh, like we were close friends.

Pero ako lang 'yong nasaktan sa galaw na 'yon! Nagrereklamo ang isipan ko sabay bawi ng kamao. What? I did not know thighs were allowed to be muscular!

"Sorry, that was rude," he chuckled under his breath. "Anyway, aren't you hungry? We can drive-thru, or stop by any restaurant. What do you want?"

Sinulyapan niya ako.

Napatingin naman ako sa dinadaanan namin.

Sa pagkakaalam ko ay malapit lang naman 'yong condo niya sa village nila. Natatagalan lang talaga 'yong byahe namin, dahil sobrang traffic.

"Did you not eat at the party?" tanong ko at napalinga na. "Tonight's a Friday. Ma-traffic at mahirap mag-hanap ng parking. Kung mag-papa-deliver ka naman ay isa hanggang dalawang oras din."

"Hmm,"

Nilingon ko siya.

"Hmm?" I inquired

Umiling naman ito na para bang napakalalim ng iniisip.

I did not prod him further after the obvious silence.

Ilang minuto rin na tahimik lang ang sasakyan. He did not turn the radio on, at wala naman na kaming iba pang pag-uusapan.

Instead of thinking about unnecessary things, I let myself be engulfed by the white noise created by the honking cars around us. Minsan natutuwa na ako sa sarili dahil medyo kalmado na ang pakiramdam ko kahit nasa gitna kami ng ingay ng syudad.