Adoring Your Soul

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

Ring

Agad akong napalunok at muling binalingan ang totoong Archer. Mukha namang wala siyang pakialam sa mga narinig dahil nilampasan lamang kami. And why did I think that he would get mad or whatever? He won't, Lohana! Kakikilala ninyo lang! Of course, he doesn't care. Nahihiya tuloy ako sa ginawa ko kay Ivar. Kung si Archer nga 'yon talaga bang gagawin ko 'yon sa kaniya? I am not like that. I am not like that. I am just doing this to earn money. Paano na lang kung hindi niya ako magustuhan? Surely, Alicia Mercedes will shoo me and rush off to find someone else!

Tinapik ako ni Ivar at sinenyas na humingi raw ako ng tawad na kailangan ko naman talagang gawin.

Kahit na hindi sinasabi, sumunod naman si Perlita sa akin. Nadaan ko ang hapag na punong-puno ng pagkain. Archer stopped in the kitchen and drank water.

Unti-unti kong nilingon si Perlita at binulong na umalis muna siya pansamantala.

"Ah . . . ." Wala akong masabi. "Hindi ko naman . . . sinasadya, Archer. Ano, pasensiya na." I pursed my lips and looked at him apologetically.

Hindi naman nakaharap ngunit sigurado akong nakikinig siya.

"Pasensiya na talaga. Babawi ako—"

"Through what? Through brushing your breasts on me, like what you did to my brother?" Humarap siya, galit na.

Agad akong umiling. "H-Hindi—"

"Paano ka napapunta rito ni Mama? Paano ka napilit?"

Napanis ang ngiting gusto ko sanang ipakita. Bagkus, nanginig pa ang aking labi at tila nawalan ng mga salita na sasabihin. Bakit naman parang galit na galit siya?

"Hindi naman pinilit, Archer. Ano—"

"You are an Anoñuevo and they aren't into arranged marriages. You are rich. Ano ang ipinangako ni Mama sa'yo? O baka naman . . ." hindi niya tinuloy ang kaniyang sasabihin.

Bumigat ang aking paghinga at agad na nag-angat ng tingin. Wala pa mang sinasabi ay ramdam ko nang makakasakit ang babanggitin niya kaya naman agad na akong nagsalita.

"Hindi! Hindi ako katulad ng iniisip mo, Archer!"

He chuckled. "I haven't said anything yet. All right. Tell me what's on your mind?" Inilapit niya ang kaniyang mukha sa akin at madilim akong tiningnan. May panunuya man, bakas pa rin ang galit sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Tingin mo pokpok ako, e hindi naman!" banat ko.

Nagpapakumbaba na nga ako. I am sorry for acting like a whore. Gusto ko lang galingan sa ginagawa kong ito. Tiyak, hindi ko siya makukuha sa lambing-lambing, o sa mga lutong pagkain dahil hindi naman kami mag-asawa.

"I didn't say anything, Leilohana. But it was your first thought, right? Kaya . . . baka gano'n ka nga?"

"W-What-"

"You know, we aren't close. I haven't met you, and you're proudly going to brush your breasts?"

"I thought you would like it! I didn't know that it was Ivar! All right. Let's do it again right this time. Sa'yo naman. Hawak-hawakan mo pa—"

"What did he say to you?" galit niyang aniya, binaliwala ang aking mga tinuran.

I smirked, but my tears wanted to come out so badly. "He stated that it was quite large for a 19-year-old girl. It was nice to have these boobs. I've already given you my permission. You can touch it! Kung 'yan nga ang ikinagagalit mo at naiinggit ka!"

"Hmm." He nodded. He took a small step closer to me and wrapped his arm around my waist, which surprised me. "You want this?" he said, and slid his hands into the hook of my bra and pushed me harshly towards him to feel my boobs. Kinunot niya ang kaniyang noo, pinakiramdaman ang aking dibdib. "It's not even that big. Maybe my little brother wants to compliment you, so you won't get offended." Nilapit niya ang kaniyang labi sa aking tainga at bumulong. "We just met Leilohana. Stop playing with me. H'wag mo rin ibida ang dibdib mo. It's like it was owned by a junior high school. Furthermore, you appeared to be a kid your age. You'll never impress me," he said, then let go of me.

Galit ko siyang nilingon habang unti-unti nang naglalakad papalayo.

Bigo akong tumalikod at hindi sinasadyang makagat ang pang-ibabang labi. Now that we have argued, surely he will never like me. Kakikilala lamang namin, at nag-away agad kami. We wouldn't argue if I hadn't done it to Ivar! How will I win him again?

Ang tanga-tanga ko.

I didn't really brush my breasts to Ivar. I just made him feel it. Hindi ko naman alam na si Ivar pala iyon at hindi si Archer. Remembering it embarrasses me! Paano pa kung nandito si Nathan? He would get mad.

"Kain na po muna kayo, Miss Lohana." Si Perlita na biglang sumulpot.

"No." Iniling ko ang aking ulo. Matapos ang nangyari'y wala na akong ganang kumain. Ni hindi na ako nagugutom dahil sa nangyari.

I was about to walk, when Tita Alicia showed up on the stairs. Kaharap si Archer.

No. Not this time.

She spread her lips when she saw her son. "Where have you been? Your fiancé is here. Nagkausap na ba kayo?"

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin.

"Galing sa Palmos, Ma," wika niya at lalagpasan na sana ang ina ngunit may sinambit pa si Tita Alicia.

"Palmos? Oh . . . . So you went outside? You bought a ring for your fiancé, right?"

Nakuha noon ang atensyon ko. Agad ko siyang nilingon at hinanap kung mayroon bang singsing sa kaniya. Ibinagsak ko ang aking paningin sa kaniyang kamay at may hawak siyang kung ano roon. I didn't notice it earlier because of the argument. My heart pounded harder when I realized that it was a box with a ring! Mas lalong lumakas ang tibok ng aking puso at tila gusto nang kumawala dahil sa lakas ng pagtibok!

Marahan niyang hinanap ang bulsa ng kaniyang pantalon at itinago ang singsing.

"Hindi ako bumili, Ma. I was with Aries and other friends. Nakalimutan kong ngayon ang dating niya." Nilingon niya ako.

"Archer Thaddeus! How could you forget that?! Kagabi pa lang ay naghahanda ka na sa pagdating niya—"

"Ma."

Natikom ni Tita Alicia ang kaniyang labi. "W-Well.... You may rest in your room, kung pagod ka nga. Nariyan naman si Perlita at Ivar para kay Lohana. But later, you should bring Lohana outside. Ipasyal mo siya, Archer."

"Hmm," iyon lang ang kaniyang sagot at nilagpasan na ang ina.

Tita Alicia eyed me. Ramdam ang kakaiba sa kaniyang anak. Mas namomroblema tuloy ako. So he bought a ring? And we argue?

Nakita ko si Ivar na papunta na sa aking gawi.

"Sorry sa nangyari. By the way, Lohana ba talaga ang pangalan mo?"

I parted my lips. "Yes. It's Leilohana, Ivar."

Kinunot niya ang kanyang noo ngunit agad na ngumiti. "Kung hindi ka sasamahan ni kuya, puwedeng ako na lang." He winked.

"Ah . . . ." I tucked the extra hair behind my ears. "Hindi ba lalong . . . magagalit ang kuya mo? Tatanggihan ko muna ang alok na 'to, Ivar."

Natawa siya. "Hindi, Lohana. Sigurado akong hindi bababa si kuya para ipasyal ka," he said. "Mataas pa ang araw. Your skin will get burnt kung ngayon tayo aalis. You should rest first at tatawagin na lang kita," aniya pa at handa nang umalis nang ako'y magsalita.

"Thank you, Ivar. Pasensya na pala sa . . . nangyari."

"It's nothing." Ngumiti siya ngunit hindi ako sigurado kung may kasama itong panunuya.

Ivar may seem scruffy, but he doesn't act like Archer does.