The Mistress

Kabanata 11

I was looking at my phone while Mike bombarded me with texts since last night. I did a lot of research about that freaking flower! But there's nothing. Puro mga walang kwentang qoutes lang ang nakita ko.

Bakit hindi na lang kasi sabihin 'di ba? Kung ano ba talaga ang meaning niya no'n. I wonder, ganito ba ang medyo may edad na mga lalaki? Mahilig sa mga pa-misteryosong bagay? O baka siya lang? O baka naman, hindi lang talaga ako makasabay sa trip niya dahil na rin sa agwat namin sa edad?

No. It can't be.

Napaigtad ako sa gulat nang biglang tumunog ang aking cellphone. It's dad. I sighed before picking it up.

"Dad"

"Lana, do you have any plans on enrolling? Hindi ka pa ba uuwi?" I knew it.

"I'm coming home. Maybe this week, dad."

I heard him took a deep sigh.

"Who is this boyfriend of yours, Lana? Wanna tell me something about it?"

Oh fuck! Alam kong si Mike ang tinutukoy niya pero hindi ko pa naman siya boyfriend!

"Dad, hindi ko siya boyfriend. And how did you know, anyway?" I asked curiously.

"Did you forget how close your mom and Marky is?"

Great! Bakit hindi ko naisip 'yon?

"Hindi kami, dad. I'm coming home. Ibababa ko na. I love you," narinig kong may sinabi pa si Daddy pero pinatay ko na ang tawag. Without hesitation, I walked exaggeratedly outside my room. Nakita ko agad ang taong gusto kong makita.

While sipping his coffee, Tito Marky looked at me with puzzled look. Humalukipkip ako sa harapan niya.

"Tito, sinabi niyo ba kay mom na boyfriend ko si Mike? You knew he isn't," iritado kong sinabi.

"I didn't. Sinabi ko lang na baka magka-boyfriend ka na rito. He's courting you isn't he?" tanong niya.

Well, he is. Courting is way different from a boyfriend. Bakit ba ang hilig ng mga taong ibahin ang totoong storya?

"Yes, he is. Pero hindi ko pa naman siya sinasagot, Tito," sagot ko at naupo na sa upuang nasa harapan niya.

The corner of Tito Marky's lips rose. He looks amused.

"What?" I mouthed.

"Nanliligaw siya. So, sasagutin mo? Advance lang ang sinabi ko kay Reonn." He reasoned out.

"Still! Huwag kayong mag-kwento kay mommy dahil aabot talaga 'yon kay daddy," pairap kong sagot. Ayoko lang talagang pinapangunahan ako. I could tell my parents that I have a boyfriendif ever.

All of my life, I'm nothing but a good daughter to them. Hindi ko sila binibigyan ng sakit sa ulo. Lahat nang bilin sa akin ni mommy ay sinusunod ko. Like how I should choose my man, wisely. Hindi ko raw dapat basta-basta sagutin ang kung sino lang na manligaw sa akin. Obviously, I'm a picky person in terms of choosing a guy.

Simula highschool, hanggang nag kolehiyo ako ay marami nang nanligaw sa akin. Pero ni isa ay wala akong sinagot. There's this matalino but payatot, masculine but bobo. Last guy who courted me was a seminarian. Like, seriously? Baka pabasahin pa ako no'n ng bibliya! I'm a catholic, but not that religious. Unlike my parents.

In college was the worst line of suitors I got. Sa school namin halos mga korean or japanese ang nanliligaw sa akin. Buti na lang talaga at na-orient na ako ni Tita Veronice na those kind of guys has smallnotches.

Hindi naman na ako bata para manibago sa mga ganyang bagay.

I smirked when I suddenly remembered my mom's vibrator when I was 5. That was hella big! Si Mike kaya? Sure he has this body that will make girls drool. Gwapo rin siya. Hindi basta-basta gwapo lang, hindi nakakasawa ang mukha niya. Kahit ano pa man, kailangan ko pa ring makasigurado tungkol sa kanya. I wanted my first boyfriendto be my last.