“I came to see my girlfriend.” Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang hawakan ang kamay ko. Is he out of his damn mind? How dare he introduce himself as my boyfriend! Talagang sa mismong barangay hall at sa harapan ng lola ko pa siya magsasabi ng kasinungalingan. No one will believe such nonsense.
“Girlfriend?!” Inis na hinila ko ang aking kamay mula sa pagkakahawak niya. “Ang kapal talaga ng mukha mo!”
Hindi niya ako pinansin. The sweet smile remained on his lips as he bows in front of my grandma. “My girlfriend lives around this neighborhood and Khaela is helping me to find her.” Napakunot ang noo ko. Who’s helping who?
Wala siyang girlfriend, I know that for sure. Sa sama ng ugali niya, sigurado akong walang baliw na babae ang magtitiis na makasama siya. Besides, magaling lang siyang mang-insulto, I bet he doesn’t know anything about flirting. Just imagining him courting a woman, I already feel like throwing up.
Pero ano raw? Tinutulungan ko siyang hanapin ang girlfriend niya? I mean, why would I fucking do that? I am not an idiot who would help the person I hate so badly. Cursing him is better that lending him a helping hand.
“Let me get this straight, sir Adrian. Kung tinutulungan ka nga ni Khaela, bakit naman kayo nag-away?” Sabat ni kapitan.
“We fought?” Gulat niyang tanong at tiningnan ako. Animo’y inosenteng tupa na walang kaalam-alam sa mga kalokohang ginawa niya. Inirapan ko lang siya. Bahala siya kung anong gusto niyang sabihin.
“We were just fooling around and then suddenly, Khaela became aggressive and started to hit me.” Adrian said while trying so hard to prevent his laughter. “Nevertheless, we weren’t fighting.” Turan nito.
“Kung ganoon ay magkakilala na pala talaga kayo ng apo ko?” Tanong ni lola. It looks weird to me, seeing her smile at Adrian as if she sides with him and doesn’t even care about the argument I had with that man.
“Opo, pasensya na nga po pala kung hindi ako nakapagpakilala sa inyo noong huli po tayong nagkita.” Hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga salitang lumalabas sa bibig ni Adrian. Bakit ang galang niya? Anyway, magkakilala sila ni lola? Since when? Ang daming tanong na pumapasok sa utak ko pero alam ko rin na hindi ‘yun masasagot ng sarili ko.
“Ayos lamang iyon hijo, maraming salamat pala sa ginawa mo.” I cannot catch-up with the topic they’re discussing right now. Silang dalawa lang ang nag-uusap, maging si Kap at ang mga kagawad ay bumalik na sa kani-kanilang opisina dahil masyado silang na-ignore ng dalawang ito.
“Siya nga pala, paano ka napunta dito sa aming barangay?” Dagdag pa ni lola.
“Actually, ako po ‘yung bagong lipat niyong kapit-bahay.” Pag-amin ni Adrian na halatang ikinagulat ni lola. “Thank you po doon sa mga pagkaing pinabigay mo sa akin. It was really delicious.” My jaws almost dropped in astonishment. He knows how to say nice words? This is unbelievable! I must be hallucinating right now.
“Wait up!” Sabay silang napatingin sa akin. “Lola, kilala mo itong lalaking ‘to?” Nagtataka kong tanong at itinuro si Adrian.
Bahagyang natawa si Lola. “Hindi mo ba talaga maalala apo? Siya ‘yung sinasabi ko na naghatid sa’yo sa bahay noong gabing umuwi ka nang lasing.” I thought my mind is going to explode when I heard such dumbfounding news. Did I hear it correctly? Si Adrian ang naghatid sa akin?
I slowly turned my head towards Adrian’s direction. The awkward atmosphere enveloped the entire room. “Do you have anything to say to me?” Bigla niyang tanong.
“I-ikaw ‘yung taxi driver?” I asked, hoping that my grandmother had mistaken him for someone else.
“First and foremost, I am not a taxi driver. Second, I have my own driver’s license. Third, I have numerous cars under my name. Lastly, everything I said is certain facts.” I darted my gaze away from him. I can’t stand his stares. It makes me anxious.
“So, do you have something to tell me?” Pag-uulit niya.
Huminga ako ng malalim bago siya muling tingnan. This is way too shameful to handle. I know that I did something wrong but I just can’t force myself to admit it. I won’t put my pride aside just to meet his satisfaction. “Wala! Wala akong sasabihn o gustong sabihin sayo! Naiintindihan mo ba?” Ngumisi lang siya sa akin. He is so annoying!
“Lola, mauuna na po ako sa bahay. Hindi ko kaya ang hangin sa lugar na’to.” Muli kong inirapan si Adrian bago ko tuluyang lisanin ang lugar.
Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko nang makarating ako sa bahay namin. Hindi ako mapakali dahil sa magkahalong inis at kaba na nararamdaman ko. Paano ko na lang haharapin ang lalaking ‘yun? Knowing na may kasalanan pala ako sa kanya. I remember getting into his car, thinking that he is a taxi driver.
Fudge! I even throw up inside his car. That was the most mortifying part. I feel so horrible right now. Wala na akong mukhang ihaharap sa kanya. I don’t have the rights to even talk back at him, for I am the one who started this fight between us. Pero anong magagawa ko? Maramdaman ko pa lang ang presensya niya ay kumukulo na agad ang dugo ko.
Kaya ba galit siya sa akin at lagi niya akong iniinis?
Great! I guess kailangan ko na siyang layuan ngayon. Seeing him after knowing what I did, feels like entering a cavern full of creepy monsters. Surely, having future encounters with that man will make me super uncomfortable.
--
Tuesday morning, inutusan ako ni lola na mamili sa market dahil naubos na ang stock namin ng pagkain. Currently, nasa loob ako ng dry market kung saan mamimili ako ng mga instant food products like ramen, canned goods, dried plums, breads, spreads and many more. Favorite ko rin ang chocolates and yogurts kaya hindi ko nakalimutang bumili ‘non. As for lola, binilhan ko siya ng cornicks dahil mahilig din siya sa ganon.
Matapos ‘kong mamili ay dumiretso na ako sa bus station. Ilang minuto lang ang biyahe bago ako makarating sa destination ko. Dalawang mabigat na box ang dala ko kaya medyo natagalan ako na ibaba iyon sa bus. Mabuti na lang at mabait ‘yung driver at hindi ako pinagmadali.
Akmang aalis na sana ako sa bus stop nang biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan. I wasn’t expecting this dahil maaliwalas naman ang kalangitan kanina. Wala akong dalang payong, mabuti na lang at may shed dito kaya may shield ako sa ulan.
Naupo na lang ako sa bench. Hihinto rin ito maya-maya, hindi na masama ang maghintay. “Do you have an umbrella?"
Napatingin ako sa nagsalita. Omy! What do you guys do in situations like this? When you always bump into the person you literally don’t want to see. Of all the places na pwede niyang puntahan, bakit dito pa sa lugar kung nasaan ako?
“W-wala.” He just nodded upon hearing my answer.
“You bought a lot of things but you don’t have an umbrella?” I frowned. Gumagana na naman ang very offensive niyang bibig. Kung may stapler lang akong dala, baka hindi na siya nakakapagsalita ngayon.
“You said you own numerous cars, pero wala kang pambili ng sarili mong payong?” Banat ko. I saw him smile a bit while he watches the dramatic display of raindrops. He seems captivated by what’s in front of him, though hindi naman ganito ang pagkakilala ko sa kanya. Is this even real?
“Weird right?” Saad niya. He extended his arm and let the rain fill his palm. “We tend to do things that are not suitable for our own characters.” Hindi ko siya maintindihan. Anong ibig niyang sabihin?
“Wanna bet?” Tumingin siya sa akin.
“Bet on what?” I asked.
“You will never like me, my personality and my attitude. You’ll continue hating me and you’ll end up pushing me away from your life.” Seryoso niyang sabi na ikinatahimik ko lang. I can feel the sadness in his voice. He seems to be suffering from something that I am unable to explain nor to see.
“Why would I like you? You never liked me either.” I answered. Ngumiti lang siya at tumango. Minsan lang siya ngumiti, smirks and grins suits him better, but this time, all I know is that I see pain on those smiles. It was sincere, yet wounded.
Tumayo na ako nang sa wakas ay huminto na ang ulan. Binuhat ko na ang mga pinamili ko saka siya iniwang mag-isa sa lugar na iyon. What is this that I feel right now? Sounds weird but after seeing him like this, I feel like carrying a heavy burden on my chest. Where did that rude side of him go?
Alas-singko ng hapon, lumabas ako ng bahay para magpahangin. Brown-out kasi at sobrang nababagot na ako sa loob ng bahay namin. I need something to do.
“You look screwed.” Komento ni Adrian na bigla na lang sumulpot sa tabi ko at sumabay sa paglalakad ko. Saan kaya siya pinaglihi ng nanay niya? Sa nakakalasong kabute?
“Wala kang pakialam.” Mataray kong sagot. Nandito na naman ba siya para inisin ako?
“I have decided on something.” Sinulyapan ko siya at nagulat ako nang makitang nakatitig siya sa akin. “You were the second person to treat me this way. Are you not scared of me?”
“Why would I be afraid of you?” Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at ganoon din siya.
“Yeah, you have no reason to.” Napatango siya sa sarili. “And that’s why I want to do this.” He faced my direction and stepped forward without any warning. Napaatras ako dahil sa ginawa niya.
“Y-yah! Stop joking like that, hindi nakakatawa.”
“Hate me more.” Muli siyang humakbang kaya napaatras na naman ako. What is he doing? “Push me further away from you.” Parang sasabog ang puso ko dahil sa kaba. Hindi ko na siya maintindihan. “Always shut your door when it comes to me.” Naramdaman ko ang malamig na poste sa likuran ko. He finally got me cornered.
His gaze makes my heart beat triple times. His eyes were as cold as the first day I met him, but I feel like melting because of it. He moved his head closer to me, making me close my eyes in an instant. “Never let your guard down.” Naramdaman ko ang mainit niyang hininga sa bandang tainga ko.
“Never let me enter your world, because I might be the biggest mistake that ever comes into your life.”