Sex with Benefits

Chapter 29: Alyssa

Chapter 29: Dollface

Habang inaasikaso ko ang bills ng Heroine through online, panaka-naka akong sumusulyap sa pinto ng condo unit ko.

Halos isang linggo na hindi ako binubulabog ni Aleia. What is she up to recently?

Sa gitna ng pagkaabala ko kaharap ang aking computer ay biglang nagpop ang notification ng gmail.

I open it.

It's an email invitation for a reunion of our high school batch. Nagprint ako ng copy. Incase na maisipan kong pumunta. Inilagay ko ito sa side table ng kama para madaling mahanap.

What's up with them?

Bakit bigla silang nakaisip ng ganito?

Tumunog ang intercom.

Dali dali akong pumunta sa pinto at napagbuksan ko si Alyssa.

"Oh..."

"Hi! I brought you something to eat."

"Alyssa..."

"Are you expecting someone else?" Disappointed niyang tanong.

Natauhan naman ako.

"No... Come in. This is a pleasant surprise."

"Nasa malapit lang kasi yung lakad ko kanina kaya naisipan kong dumaan dito. I hope I'm not being a bother."

"No. Not at all." I smiled at her.

"What are you doing?" Tanong ni Alyssa nang maihanda na niya ang dalang pagkain.

"Just managing the bills of Heroine. Alam mo naman na hindi ko maasahan si Kuya Jiro sa mga ganitong bagay." Naiiling na paliwanag ko.

"You wanna eat first?" Alok ni Alyssa.

"Tapusin ko lang ito saglit." Sagot ko habang nakatutok pa rin sa screen ng monitor. "Make yourself at home."

"Okay."

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Habang abala si Jiro sa ginagawa ay sinipat ko ang ilang gamit niya sa side table.

May nakita akong photo album doon.

"Can I look at your photos?" Sabi ko sa kanya.

Napakamot naman siya sa ulo. Parang ayaw niya.

I pouted.

"Nakakahiya. Ang pangit ko." He said sheepishly.

"Please?"

He sighed. "Fine. No reactions okay?" Seryoso niyang saad.

Natawa naman ako. "Yes, sir."

I sit on the bed and start browsing the album.

I smiled upon seeing the first picture. It's a baby photo of him. He's such a cutie. May mga nasa crib, kumakain, nakasimangot, umiiyak tas meron pang nakahubad. I can't help but smile like I am reliving his memories.

Sobrang singkit niya pag nakangiti o tumatawa.

"Sabi ko no reactions eh." Ungot ni Shinji na nakatitig pala sa akin.

I return my poker face and started browsing again. It's like a timeline, tipikal na nanay kumbaga. She took pictures of him and Kuya Jiro and captured moments of them from being a toddler and as they grow older. Early pictures of them are when they're still in Japan and the later years are here in the Philippines.

I started seeing class pictures and maybe filedtrips photos. He's so cute because he's pouting in most of the photos. Halatang ayaw magpapicture. May mga pictures pa nga na parang burst kasi sunod sunod ang movements na parang hinahawi sa mama niya ang camera. Naalala ko tuloy na nasabi ni Shin na uuwi dito si mama niya galing sa Japan. It'll be my first time meeting her. Nakakakaba tuloy.

Will she like me? I wonder.

He used to wear glasses.

May nakapukaw ng atensyon ko habang binubuklat ko ang album.

There's a pretty girl with him. Same uniform. She's with him during classes, fieldtrips, birthdays and even family occasions.

Mukha siyang manika. Yung tipo ng bata na irerecruit na mag-artista.

Marami din ditong stolen shots nung babae. Ang unfair, ang ganda pa rin kahit hindi prepared.

Then I saw a birthday photo of that girl. A polaroid photo of her with her birthday cake.

Happy 12th Birthday, Aleia!

Wow. I shouldn't be surprise though. It's just the fact that they've been together for so long annoys me.

She's indeed blessed when it comes to physical appearance. She looks like a luxurious victorian doll even at a very young age.

Sinasabi ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako dapat magselos kasi matagal na silang magkaibigan pero paano? How can I not be jealous when she's everything a girl can be jealous of? She's pretty, famous, rich and she seems to be fun with.

The photos with her continues-- elementary graduation, middle school and junior high school completion and JS prom. They shared so much memories.

Naalala ko pa na kahit nung college graduation namin nandoon siya. Siya pa nga ang kasama ni Shinji sa stage dahil nacancel ang flight ng parents ni Shin papunta sa Pilipinas.

I remember how I look at them with envy. At hindi lang ako ang nakaramdam noon. Even the other guys at our school envy Shin for having Aleia by his side. Kahit kasi college palang kami nagmomodel na si Aleia.

I cannot bare the feeling so I decided to stop looking at the photo album.

Napansin ko ang isang printed na papel na nakapatong din sa side table. It's an invitation.

"Shin, umaattend ka pala sa mga ganito?" Tanong ko sa kanya dahil alam kong hindi naman siya mahilig sa mga social gatherings.

"Hindi ko nga sure kung aattend ako diyan." Sagot naman niya.

"Bakit?"

He shrugged. "Hindi ko naman kasi type mga kaklase ko nung high school."

"Did they bully you?" Sumeryoso ang mukha ko.

"What?? No." Natatawa niyang sagot.

"Eh ano?"

Siya naman ang sumeryoso ang mukha.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Nakangiti kong alok.

His expression brighten up. "Really?"

"Oo naman."

"Kaso baka maasiwa ka lang. My batchmates are mostly assholes. Alam mo na. Yung tipong puro payabangan lang pag reunion." He warned.

"I'll be fine. Kasama naman kita eh." I smiled at him. "I can rely on you, right?"

He looked at me and tilted his head. "Of course." He answered with a big smile.