The Taste of Trouble of Skinny Dipping

Chapter Twelve

First Fight

His grip is so tight that it hurts me already. Kulang nalang masubsob ako sa madadaanan namin palabas ng bar dahil sa bilis ng lakad niya at higpit na magkakapit niya sa kamay.

I felt the intensity of his anger. I don't know if that is from the man who harrassed me or from me. Nang makarating na kami sa labas binitiwan niya na ako, agad ko hinimas- himas iyon.

I heard a long and deep sigh. He even massage his head like he is very angry and dissappointed.  Bakit parang kasalanan ko? I didn't do anything. I am not even drunk. Pabalik na ako sana sa pwesto namin ng bigla na niya lang ako hinapit. I was harrassed pero bakit feeling ko sa akin siya galit.

I am grateful that he came and rescued me pero kung ipaparamdam niya sa akin ang ganito pwes mas gusto ko ng nasa America siya. And again, why me?!

"What the heck are you wearing?!" Asik niya sakin sabay pasada ng tingin sa suot ko.

My forehead creased. What the hell is he talking about? At yun talaga ang bungad niya sa akin? Ang sitain ang suot ko? Hindi man lang "kamusta ka?" Or much better kung tatanong niya sa kin "are you okay?" Even though I am not okay from what happened earlier. For fucking validation!

I bit my lower lip suppresing the annoyance I have for him. This time I am really pissed.

"What about my clothes?" Nakataas ang kilay kong tanong sa kaniya.

He ruggedly wipes his finger on his lips. Tinapunan niya ako ng seryosong tingin. I saw his forehead creased, maybe he was taken aback with my question.

I am not being sarcastic right now. It was just that I don't like his question not because he didn't ask the things I wanted him to ask me, but because of the tone of voice he used to asked that question and that's what it boils me up. Why would you ask a woman that question after she was sexually harrassed.

Pilit kong pinipigilan ang luhang gustong kumuwala sa aking mga mata. This is the first I was disappointer to Adi.

"Look.." bumuntong hininga siya. "I don't like men looking at you that way because—"

"Because of how I dressed tonight?" Sarkastikong akong ngumisi. Unbelievable.

Instead of further disappointing myself for this senseless argument. I turned around and ready to walk away from him  but he quickly grab my arm and pinned me to face him again.

"Ano ba!!" Singhal ko sa kaniya.

"Now you are walking away!" He fired back.

"Yes, because I felt like you are discriminating me!" I said to him with full force.

Kumunot ang noo niya. Di maunawaan ang simabi ko.

"Women are being discriminates by many because of how they dressed. Not because I wore something provocative doesn't give men an advantage to sexually harrassed us. Kahit magsuot pa ako ng pajama dito kung ang lalake bastos talaga then walang makakapigil sa kaniya na gumawa ng kabalbalan. You know, I thought you're different from the others. How ironic it is that you were raised in a country where liberty dominates and women are very provocative when it comes to clothes, heck some even not wearing a bra but you dared to ask me a question that totally degrade me as a woman" wika ko sa kaniya. Mas nilaliman ko pa ang tono ng boses ko para iparinig sa kaniya ang hinanakit ko.

Women all over the world experienced sexually harrassement and most common reason is how they dress. What is wrong when you were something like this? Is it wrong to be proud of what you have? Is it inappropriate? What should I wear then? Long sleeves and pajama? Or sweater? Fuck them to forced us to be someone we are not. Men and women may dress whatever they want because they have their own sense of identity. What we wear is our identify. You can identify me as Ruth Laila Fortaleza because I am known to be bold and provocative when it comes to dressing myself. You can identify Queen Elizabeth because of the elegant gowns and dresses she wears. Let's stop the stigma of degrading women because of their clothes and how they will wear it. No matter how provocative or conservative it is, if a guy is a jerk then nothing can him from doing lewd things to women.