Klouie
Gift
My heart raced as I got out of bed. Driven by a playful impulse, I followed Shentel's footsteps. My laughter echoing through the hallway.
"Careful, Klouie." Pahabol pang sambit sa akin ng abogada.
Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya at hinanap si Shentel sa labas. She paced the kitchen anxiously, her hand brushing against her cheek as if she had seen something she wished she hadn't. Her eyes darting around the room, searching for answers that could never be found.
I held to keep my chuckles to a minimum so I could get her attention.
"Yow!" She quickly spun around to face me, her eyes widening in even more disbelief.
"This is not happening!" She exclaimed to herself.
I rolled my eyes in her direction and attempted to act like it was no big deal.
"What are you doing here?"
Mabilis siyang bumaling ulit sa akin, napa-amang ang labi na parang ang kapal kong magtanong.
"Where'd you get the nerve to ask the owner what she's doing in her own house?" She shouted, still bewildered.
Ako na naman ngayon ang nanlaki ang mata. Sa kanya ang bahay na 'to?
Shit.
"At ano 'yong nakita ko, Klouie? Ano 'yon? B-bakit... Oh my gosh, this is unbelievable!" Naiiyak niyang turan, muling napahilamos ng mukha.
I gave myself an imaginary slap to keep my mind from being blown away that this amazing, magical bungalow belonged to her!
"Nothing happened, kumalma ka nga." Saway ko sa kanya bago lumapit but umatras ito sa akin, hands in the air, stopped me from moving forward.
"Don't get near me, baka amoy sex ka pa."
Binato ko siya agad ng baso na nasa lamesa malapit sa akin, buti na lang she was quick to catch it too.
"Tangina nito." Inirapan ko siya nang humalakhak ito bigla.
"What? Don't tell me walang nangyari?"
"Wala," agad kong sagot.
"Sure? Hindi niyo bininyagan ang bahay ko? Dito pala kayo tumuloy." She gets water from her refrigerator, mukhang nahimasmasan na.
"Hindi," pagsisinungaling ko at kumuha na rin ng tubig.
"Top ka?" Bulong niya nang nakalapit ako sa kanya at salinan ako ng tubig.
Mabagal ko siyang tinitigan. She stares at me with a spark of enthusiasm in her eyes, taking a sip of water as she anticipates my response.
"Walang nangyari." I make my voice so firm to show that I'm not lying.
She nibbled on her lower lip, nodding with a mischievous smirk.
"Pero top ka?" Tanong niya ulit na kinatigil ko sa paglunok ng tubig.
"Ang inutil mo!" Singhal ko.
"Okay lang sa akin na bininyagan niyo ang bahay ko basta top ka." Potangina, masasampal ko 'to.
I clenched my jaw and stared her down, my eyes narrowing with intensity.
"Wala nga'ng nangyari!"
"Okay! Okay! Don't be defensive." She attempts to hide her amusement afterwards. I can tell that she doesn't believe me and I'm sure she's concocting some untrustworthy theory! Patuloy ako sa pagdeny sa kanya.
Wala naman talagang nangyari no'ng dumating siya. Kagabi oo, pero kanina wala. We're only hugging each other while having a teasing conversation.
"Mariano," pareho kaming lumingon ni Shentel sa pintuan ng kusina nang pumasok ang magandang abogada na pagmamay-ari ko na.
"Sell this house to me. I want it." She proclaimed it firmly that Shentel and I nearly sprayed our drinks all over the place!
"What!?"
"Thyl!"
We both exclaimed in synchronization, having surprised faces and both gasping.
"I'm captivated by the designs and intrigued by the craftsmanship of the house. Let me be the proud owner of this wonderful bungalow."
Naloko na. Tumingin ako ng diretso sa abogada, giving her a look at what she's doing.
"Woah? Why are you interested in this bungalow? Eh, ang bilis magiba ng hangin ang portiko tapos wasak na rin 'yong door knob, kahit 'yong hindi pa tapos na gate ay kasing rupok ng mga kaibigan ko dahil mabilis manghina sa malakas na hangin. So tell me, ano ang nakaka-interesado sa bahay na 'to?" Mahabang pahayag ni Shentel, putting the glass of water on the surface of the table, looked so serious in front of us.
"Atmosphere? It's so welcoming, and I felt so comfortable here." She reasoned it out, still serious about her proposal.
"No, rest house ko 'to." Pagtanggi ni Shentel.
Lumingon ako sa katabi dahil naging salubong na ang kilay niya.
"At bakit ka pala may bahay sa Galician Subdivision? Paano na ang unit mo sa Enchantment Tower?"
She was taken aback by my question, turning her gaze to me with a sense of surprise. I ran my tongue over my lower lip, pondering why this woman had chosen to purchase a home in this particular spot.
"Tito Vuitton didn't inform me that someone bought a bungalow here." Thyl looked at her suspiciously too.
She's firmly planting her arms under her chest, her stern face indicating she's ready to question my friend like an interrogator in a hot seat.
"He's the one who recommended to me that I should buy a house here, and I just renovated the whole house."
"Bakit dito pa? Ayaw mo sa subdivision ko?" May pagkatampo kong tanong.
Pinag-aawayan pa namin 'to dati ni Chasey kung saan namin si Shentel patitirahin tapos nalaman namin sa Enchantment Tower siya bumili ng unit. Tapos ngayon... ang inutil, traydor talaga.
"I don't want to live inside your subdivision, maraming chismosa doon."
I immediately shut up. Well, for the record, totoo naman talaga. Make sense.
"Answer me, Mariano." Kuryuso pa rin ang abogada ko.
"Rest house nga!" Napupuno na si Shentel sa amin.
"Baka gusto mo lang malapit sa ex mo ha." Wala sa sariling sambit ko.
Hindi siya makapaniwalang napatingin sa akin, glancing at m as if I had struck a chord deep within her. She tried to cloak her shock with a show of surprise, but it was too late.
"Of course not! Hindi ako marupok."
"Okay," I nonchalantly agreed, which only seemed to make her more sour-faced.
"I'm telling the truth, Klouie!"
"Oo na nga,"
"So magkano ang bahay mo, Shen?" Balik ng abogada. "Name the price, I will buy it."
"Bakit ka ba interesado?"
"Because I want it. " She said seriously, no supporting details.
Napabuga ng malalim na hininga si Shentel, napupuno na sa amin.
"No, " she said with finality.
"Sa akin mo na lang ibenta. Magkano ba? " Pagsali ko.
I felt like I had been hit with a double-barreled death ray when the two of them glared at me. Despite this, I still had my eye on that bungalow - I felt like it was something that I was meant to own.
