Montereal Bastards 3: To Chase A Playboy (COMPLETED) #WATTYS2017

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Ruzz

I woke up to find that she was again plastered to my side. Her hands are wrapped around my middle, her legs thrown over at my legs and her face snuggled closely to my armpit.

It was a gloriously awesome feeling all in all. Enough to make me smile despite the fact that I didn't sleep well due to a bad dream.

A very bad dream.

But there was the benefit of having her near, na kahit gaano pa kasama ang panaginip ko, ang makita ko lang siya sa tabi ko ay sapat na upang gawing maliwanag ang madilim kong mundo.

It was so worth it. Lahat ng hirap, lahat ng sakit. Lahat ng hindi maganda.

I used the early hours of the day to study her face. Dahil sa ilang araw niya nang mapapalagi dito, unti-unting bumabalik ang kulay ng kanyang balat, ganun din, nagkakalaman na ang kanyang katawan at habang tumatagal ay lalo siyang bumabalik sa dati.

The only difference with this Dee and my Dee from before was that, this Dee doesn't care about beauty. My Dee would kill to have a pair of stilleto shoes to add to her height, this Dee wouldn't mind walking around barefoot. She doesn't even seem to mind that she can't put on an ounce of foundation while my Dee would have been doubled over in mortification knowing that she's not perfect in front of me. And truth be told, I liked this better for her. Iyong tipong walang inhibitions, hindi siya nacoconscious sa sarili niya at lalong hindi siya tinatamaan ng self-doubt.

This Dee knows her worth and she flat up doesn't care if you like her or not.

Napangiti ako.

Sa mga ganitong oras naman lumalakas lalo ang kompyansa ko na siya nga si Deireen. At hindi iyong Isabelle na tinatawag niya sa sarili. Her cat-like eyes and her finely shaped brows are so the same as before, kahit ang haba ng kanyang pilik-mata at ang pagpilantik nito palabas na animo'y isang malapad na pamaypay ay parehong-pareho. The same contoured cheekbones and my favorite part of her face, the little cleft chin. I used to slide my tongue over that little imperfection and make her aware that for me it was so amazing. In fact, hindi naman ako nagkulang ng pagpapaalala sa kanya kung gaano siya kaperpekto sa paningin ko, flaws and strengths combined.

Hindi ako naniniwala na kahit ang kokonting parte ng kanilang mukha ay pareho kung talagang magkaiba silang tao.

Which leads me to my conclusion that this woman is Dee. And that she's just making me believe it.

I touched my knuckles over her face and pulled her close so that I can kiss her forehead.

"Morning baby."

Ritwal ko na ito araw-araw simula ng magkasama kami dito. Kapag gigising ako, pag-aaralan ko ang mukha niya, sasabihin sa sarili ko na ito si Dee, ang babaeng mahal ko at babatiin siya ng magandang araw kahit hindi niya naririnig.

And then, I arranged her body so that I can quietly slip away without her notice. It has been successfully done that first few days but today, nang kumilos ako, gumalaw din siya.

Naghintay ako hanggang sa bumalik siya sa pagtulog ngunit isang inaantok na pares ng mga mata ang dumapo ng tingin sa akin. Inaantok at may bahid ng sakit.

Nangunot ang noo ko.

"What is it? Anong masakit?" nag-aalala kong tanong.

Halata ang pagkagulat sa kanyang mga mata ng muling bumalik iyon sa akin. Hindi niya siguro akalain na malalaman kong may dinaramdam siya. But I am so tuned to her, I can notice even a slight change in her expression.

"My..." nakita kong lumunok siya bago nagpatuloy. "I think I'm having my period." mahina at halatang nahihiya niyang turan.

Napangiwi ako.