Behind Curtains

Kabanata 43

Kabanata 43

Keith

Ilang minuto ko pa na sinuyo si Keith bago siya tuluyang bumigay.

We arrived at the beauty center just in time for our 4-hour spa appointment. Ako ang naunang pumasok sa double glass doors, pero hanggang doon lang ang angas ko. It was Keith who did all the instructing. Nakabuntot lang ako sa kanya.

Aniya'y I was to have a facial treatment. My eyebrows will be groomed; my entire body, fully waxed. My hair, cut, blow-dried and curled. And I was to have nail extensions, because he has not seen me ever have them, therefore, he decided it's about time that he did.

And while I was having all those for free, Keith was also to have his own treatments that are not exactly the same as mine. He asked for a body scrub, a full body massage, hair cut and nail grooming. Gusto ko sana ay pareho lang kami, pero ginawang prayoridad ni Keith ang wax para sa akin, kaya roon na naka-sentro ang buong hapon ko.

"Brazilian, ma'am?" tanong ng esthetician na naka-assign sa akin. She locked the door behind her while I nodded. Nag-aalinlangan niya akong tiningnan sa naging sagot ko.

"Oo..."

"Sigurado ka, ma'am? Twenty-four hours pa bago ulit pwede makipagtalik, ma'am..."

"Oo, ate..."

"Valentine's ngayon, ma'am..." anito na parang nakalimutan ko.

"Okay lang 'yan, ate..."

"Sige, ma'am..." naririnig ko sa boses niya ang pag-ngiwi. "Alam po ba ni sir na after twenty-four hours pa po pwede makipagtalik kapag mag-ba-brazilian po?"

Hindi ko na napigilan humalakhak.

"Okay lang 'yan, ate, alam niya na 'yan," giit ko pa na parang kahit hindi ako magpa-Brazilian ay may nangyayari nga sa aming ganoon ni Keith.

"Okay po..." parang ayaw niya pa na maniwala sa akin. "P-Pero uhmm... kung sakali po, ma'am, na... uh... hindi niyo po mapigilan... pilitin niyo pong pigilan, ma'am... malaki ang tsansa ng impeksyon after wax, baka po mairita 'yong ano niyo po ta's baka hindi po kayo maging kumportable..."

"Opo, ate, noted po," I leaned my back on the waxing table as she raised my spa gown and looked at what she'd be working on.

"Okay, ma'am," seryoso na siyang tumango. "Magsisimula na po ako..." aniya, before trimming my hair down there.

Hindi ko naman mapigilan na mapahalakhak ulit sa sarili. Masyadong seryoso si Ate at parang mas siya pa 'yong nag-aalala para sa kababaihan ko. Hindi ko na tuloy naramdaman ang pagka-ilang kahit na halos tatlong taon din simula noong huli kong magpa-wax ng buong katawan.

Hindi pa rin ako tuluyang kumportable sa sariling balat. I do not have the most perfect skin. At twenty four, I was still prone to having acnes all over my body. At kahit na maputi naman ako at makinis tingnan kapag may suot, some parts of my body still suffered from hyperpigmentation.

Kaya sa kadahilanang balbon at hindi totoong lubos na makinis, sampung taong gulang palang ako ay alaga na ako ng derma. But I gave up sticking to appointments after my sophomore year in highschool, dahil masyadong mataas iyong proseso ng skin care routine at napapagod ako. I maintained going to my derma's skin clinic though, to have my armpit hair waxed. And eventually having my legs fully waxed too, at sixteen, after I told my mother I was getting slightly bullied for being hairy.

I frequented dermatology clinics before kids my age even knew what they were, that's why experiencing all kinds of beauty services never intimidated me.