The Red Light Kiss

23

23

''Seat on my lap? Oh yeah?'' Unti unting tumaas ang gilid ng kaniyang labi. My heart pounded more because of it.

''Ayoko nga!'' Hinampas ko ang kaniyang hita. Nararamdaman ko ang pag-init ng pisngi dahil doon.

Seat on his lap?! Really?!

''Hindi ko nga kilala ang mga nandito, tapos gusto mo pa'ng mag-PDA! Mukha mo!''

I bit my lips as he smirked because of my shyness. The loud music of the club resonated more inside the VIP room. Hindi ako sanay sa mga nangyayari ngunit hindi naman ako pinipilit ni Hassen. Actually, mas nararamdaman ko nga na siya ang naga-adjust kaysa ako.

Hassen isn't drinking. Ihahatid daw kasi ako. He's not attending to his friends' call, baka raw kasi maramdaman ko na hindi ako belong. Which is true. His friends are intimidating. My god! Imagine being in a circle full of lawyers, doctors, and technically the rich?!

''Do you want to go out? Ang ingay dito. Are you still comfortable?''

Tinanguan ko siya. Muli kong narinig ang tawag ng kaniyang kaibigan. Nilingon ko iyon. It's a man who recently entered the room. He's wearing a suit with a drink on his hand.

''Hassen! You are alone?"

He turned to him. Iniwas ko ang tingin sa kaniya at uminom na lamang ng orange juice na nasa mesa. Hassen then stood up to accommodate him. Nagulat na lamang ako nang marinig ang pangalan.

"No. I'm with my girlfriend," I heard him said. Nilingon niya ako, moving his head like informing me that he will introduce me to a friend. Napalunok ako at saka tumayo. I immediately felt his hand on my waist. "She's Joshien."

"Oh! Finally! After so many years, Mayor?" nang-aasar na wika noong kaibigan. Napanguso ako. So he really was single for how many years, huh? "I'm Atty. Jeron. Just call me Eron."

He extended his hand. Tinanggap ko iyon. "Joshien Allyson. Joshien na lang."

Nginitian niya ako. I felt Hassen's hand on my waist more when he started to caress my back using his thumb.

"It took you years before finally having another girl huh? Scared of getting old?'' that Jeron smirked.

''Scared of losing my chance, yes,'' sagot ni Hassen.

Napanguso ako roon.

''Mukhang baliw sa 'yo ang kaibigan ko ah, Miss?''

Nakangiti ako umiling habang pinapanood ang dalawang mag-asaran. Jeron took another shot, at kumuha ng dalawa pa. Inabot niya ang isang shot glass kay Hassen na agad iyong tinanggihan.

''I won't drink tonight, Jeron. Maybe some other time.''

''Dude, you always drink! Just this one? Kanina mo pa raw tinatanggihan si Rous!''

''Hindi talaga puwede. Ihahatid ko pa si Joshien.'' I felt his thumb again.

Napanguso ako. He really won't drink today, will he? Kanina niya pa tinatanggihan ang alok ng mga kaibigan at pare-pareho ang kaniyang sagot: hindi. Hindi siya iinom dahil sa akin. I bit myself from smiling.

''You are badly smi-''

''Ayo! Anyone here who invited Terrence?''

Natigil ang pag-uusap namin nang umalingawngaw ang boses ni Rous sa VIP room. Napatingin tuloy ang lahat sa kaniya na kapapasok lang at nasa pintuan pa. Namumula na ang kaniyang mukha at mukhang nakainom na. He still has a drink on his hand though, and before he moved, he drank it. Pagkatapos ay tinapunan ng tingin ang katabi kong si Hassen.