The culmination of my two-week vacation with my boyfriend's family will be happening tonight and I am going to face it feeling a little bit naked.
"Betty," nakangiwi kong tawag kay Bettina na noon ay naka-talungko habang pinapantay ang slit ng gown ko sa harapan. May pinagbubulungan sila ng kanyang assistant na hindi ko marinig pero mukhang seryoso ito. Sana it is not about this dress.
"May problema ba?" muli kong tawag sa attensyon ng couturier and finally she looked up at me.
"What do you say about cutting this higher?" sabay angat ng slit para makita ko kung ano ang tinutukoy niya.
Natigilan ako. "Hahabaan mo pa 'yan?"
Hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala na magka-wardrobe malfunction ako mamaya dahil sa pinaplano niya. Abot na to mid-thigh ang slit ng gown na ito. Kapag hinabaan pa niya, baka pati singit ko ay makikita na.
This gown is beautiful. Stunning even. Bettina outdid herself in making this dress. Mukhang hindi gawa within two weeks lang. Iyon nga lang, this structured halter gown with an A-line silhouette is backless sa likod and mile-high ang slit sa harap.
As I've said, I feel naked in it. The halter neckline starts at my waist and is flimsily held by four little hook buttons at the back of my neck. The only think that's covering my upper body is the embroidered pleated bodice. But that illusion of modesty will be gone as soon as I walk. The curve of my boobs peek daintily from within the V-neckline.
Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang confidence ni Bettina na I can pull this off. Has she mistakenly given me a dress made for Rachel? Pero hindi eh. Lapat na lapat ang damit sa hubog ng katawan ko. The invisible line that zips up this dress from the back sits exactly at curve of my spine. So this dress is really made for me.
"Let's just bring it two or three inches higher."
"Betty, baka maling galaw ko lang at mahubaran ako nito mamaya," angal ko. "Hindi makakabayad ang kagandahan ng damit na 'to sa kahihiyan ko kung sakali."
"Baliw!" natatawang sagot niya sabay tayo ng matuwid. Pati ang assistant niya ay ganoon din ang ginawa. "My team and I made this by hand. I personally checked every stitch on this dress kaya sigurado akong mawi-withstand nito ang normal wear and tear of a party. The only way this can be torn off you is kapag sinadya talagang hubaran ka with force. Kaya, please, pakisabi sa kuya sa kabila to take it easy with this dress. Pinaghirapan ko 'to."
May himig ng panunudyo sa boses niya pero nagmaang-maangan ako. "I don't know what you mean."
"Ay, secret ba?" sabay halakhak nito na lalong ikinasingkit ng mga mata ko habang nakatitig sa kanya.
"Has Rachel been blabbing?" Makakatikim talaga sa akin ang tsismosa kong kapatid na 'yon.
"Hindi naman pero I heard some whispers that a certain Oliver San Martin is involved. I knew who that is." Kumindat pa siya na ikinairap ko.
"You and you're big ears."
Bago pa man siya makatugon ay biglang tumunog ang telepono sa bedside table. Sabay pa kaming tatlo na napalingon doon sa pagkagulat. I don't expect anyone to call me kaya hindi ko agad iyon sinagot. Pero when it rang three more times, I was forced to pick it up.
"Hello?" nag-aalangan kong bati sa phone.
"Naman, Bree! Ang tagal mo talagang sumagot." Puno ng pagkayamot ang boses sa kabilang linya pero hindi ko iyon alintana. Napangiti na ako. I missed this voice.
"Paano mo nalaman ang number na 'to?"
I can imagine Rachel's eyeroll nang sumagot. "Siyempre tinawagan ko ang lalaki mo dahil you're not picking up your phone. Hindi ba kayo magkasama? Parang may party na agad 'yong dinadaluhan ah."
BINABASA MO ANG
Housemates With Benefits [COMPLETE|PUBLISHED]
RomanceGENRE: Erotic Romance (M/F) LANGUAGE: Taglish (sprinkled with Akeanon dialogues) DISCLAIMER: This work is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes between two consenting fictional characters of legal age (under P...