DARK CHOCOLATE SERIES 5: BITTER BLUNDER, SWEET SURRENDER

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Oh, shit! Oh, shit!"

Natutop ni AJ ang noo. Pinakiramdaman muna niya ang sarili at nang masigurong walang nasaktan anumang bahagi ng katawan niya ay saka siya bumaba sa kotse. Napangiwi siya nang makita ang rear bumper ng sasakyang nabangga niya. Wasak na wasak ang tail lights niyon at may yupi.

It was an old Mercedes, but still a Mercedes.

Shit.

Bumukas ang pinto ng bahay kung saan nakatapat ang kotse. Iniluwa niyon ang isang lalaki. Kunot na kunot ang noo nito. Calm down. Put the blame to him no matter what happens. Hindi na kaya ng budget mong bayaran 'yan! Kahit old model 'yan, libu-libo pa rin ang gastos niyan at tandaan mong hindi covered ng insurance ng bulok mong Corolla 'yan.

"Do you own this car?" mataray na sabi niya. Mukhang kayang-kaya niya ang lalaki. Mas matangkad pa siya rito ng isang pulgada. He was short and chubby.

"Yes, I do." Hindi nawawala ang kunot ng noo nito. "Are you blind? Did you not see my car?"

"You have a garage, why didn't you park there?" Pinamaywangan niya ito.

"Excuse me?"

"Ayusin mo ang park mo nang hindi ka nakakaperhuwisyo ng iba." Inirapan niya ito saka naglakad muli tungo sa kanyang sasakyan.

"Oh, I get it. You can't pay for the damage."

Agad siyang pumihit. Kahit totoo iyon, ayaw niyang marinig, lalo na sa Hobbit na ito. Sino ba ito? Hindi siguro siya nito kilala para insultuhin siya. Pinakaayaw niya sa lahat ay ang binibigyang-diin ang kakulangan niya ng salapi. Siguro nga ay conceited siya pero sensitibo siyang talaga kapag salapi ang pinag-uusapan. She used to have everything, and now she didn't even have her own driver, plus her car was cheap and second-hand. Kahit ayaw na ayaw niyang magmaneho, napilitan siya. At hindi pa siya bihasa kaya nakaaksidente siya.

At ngayon, ang tisoy na unggoy na ito'y akala mo kung sino. Wala naman itong alam sa pinagdaanan niya! Kung noon nito sinabi sa kanya iyon, tinapalan na sana niya ito ng salapi.

"What did you say?"

"You can't pay for the damage."

"You're a little over yourself. That's only a '95 Mercedes." I used to own one---back in '95! It's not exactly a Jaguar, is it?"

"That's right, 'cause it's a Mercedes."

Sa pananalita nito'y parang lumalabas pang isa siyang boba. She was the one who was supposed to be insulting him, not the other way around. The man was pissing her off big time!

"Just send me the bill, Teapot!" She guessed she would just have to sell an Hermes bag. Huling option niya iyon pero kaysa naman mainsulto siya ng lalaking ito, ibebenta na lang niya ang bag. She could register anonymously in the internet to sell the bag. She did it once before. Hindi niya kayang malaman ng owner ng site---isang kaibigan niya, na ibinibenta niya ang kanyang koleksiyon.

"I certainly will, Skinny Hag."

Nasagap tila ng umawang niyang labi lahat ng oxygen within two-meter radius. Marahas siyang pumihit at tahasang dinuro ito.

"What-did-you-just-call-me?!"

"I will send you the bill. Good day." Tumalikod na ito.

"FYI, I could've been a model had I chose to be! Who the hell do you think you are to tell me I'm a skinny hag? My weight is just right. My body is fabulous and my skin is perfection! You don't know a thing about beauty and figure! Look at you! You're a friggin' teapot---short and stout!"