Bitter Sweet (COMPLETED)

Labing siyam

"I am not jealous. Why would I?" Charles said while kissing the top of my head. "Mas gwapo naman ako dun." He said while laughing. Hinampas ko lang siya sa braso. "Yabang."

I've never been this comfortable to a man, even to Jorge, my bestfriend since highschool. I feel so comfy, so happy and so contented. I also feel so safe. We've been seeing each other for just about six months but it felt like we've known each other for so long. Honestly, I can stay like this forever.

"What did you say?" He suddenly asked.

"Huh? I'm not talking kaya. Sinasabi mo." Kunot noo kong tanong at saka lumipat sa tabi niya.

"I just heard forever. Patay na patay ka na ba sakin?" He teased then went to his table again.

"Kapal." Bulong ko. Hindi ko alam na nasabi ko pala ng malakas 'yung kanina. Sinasabi ko lang kasi 'yun sa isip ko. Nasapok ko tuloy bigla ang sarili.

"What do you want to eat? Except from me ha." Biro niya habang inaayos ang mga gamit sa table.

Tumayo ako at lumapit dito. "What if it's you that I want?" Hinawakan ko ang dibdib niya at hinatak ang necktie nito.

Nang malapit na ang mukha namin sa isa't isa ay bigla akong tumawa at lumayo. "Such a tease. Make sure that you won't come near me. Yari ka sa'kin." He said in a warning tone.

Hindi ko alam pero bigla akong tumakbo. Naghahabulan kami dito sa opisina niya na parang mga bata. Nang mahuli niya ako ay may biglang pumasok dito. Bigla tuloy kaming umayos ng pwesto at bumati sa taong pumasok. "Good evening dad." Charles said. "Good evening po." Sabi ko naman saka tumungo.

Kinuha bigla ni Charles ang kaliwang kamay ko saka ito pinisil. Parang binigyan ako nito ng lakas ng loob kaya tumunghay na ako at tinignan ang dad niya na nakatayo sa harap namin. He seems familiar. I don't know where and when but I am sure that I've already met him.

"You seems familiar." Aniya na tila nag iisip. Pareho pala kami ng iniisip. Tipid ko lang siyang nginitian.

"What's your name hija?" Malumanay niyang tanong.

Ngumiti ulit ako bago sumagot. "Sweet Fuentes po." Magalang kong tugon.

"I knew it. Do you still remember me? I still have your painting in our house. My wife loves it so much." He happily said.

Medyo nawala ang kaba ko nung ngumiti 'yung dad ni Charles. Halata kasing masungit ito. Sa kaniya nakuha ni Charles 'yung mga matang tila ang tapang tapang at ang sungit sungit.

Naalala ko na ngayon kung saan ko siya nakita at nakilala.

"Of course po. You're the first one who bought my painting po." Nakangiti kong sagot.

"Wait. Did you two know each other?" Biglang singit ni Charles sa usapan.

"She's the one who painted the painting that you always criticize in our room." Biglang napataas ang kilay ko at tumingin ng matalim kay Charles.

"He's just joking." Malambing na ngiti ni Charles.

"I'm inviting you over dinner. My wife will be glad to meet you. Come with her Charles." He said then left.

"Parang napilitan lang si dad na isama ako." Pagbibiro ni Charles nang makasakay na kami sa elevator.

Hindi ko siya pinansin at umabante ng kaunti kaya ngayon ay nasa likuran ko siya. "Hey. Don't believe my dad. He's just joking earlier. Why would I always criticize your painting? C'mon." Aniya at yinayakap ako habang ako ay nakatalikod.

Hanggang sa makarating kami sa harap  ng sasakyan niya ay sinusungitan ko lang siya. "How about my car?" Tanong ko dito.

"Ipapahatid ko nalang sa inyo. Tara na."

"Wala akong gagamitin pauwi. Let's do convoy." Tumalikod na ako para makapunta sa kotse ko. Hinayaan niya lang ako kaya mas lalo lang akong nainis.

Sinundan ko lang siya hanggang sa makarating kami sa isang malaking bahay. Masiyadong moderno ang pagkakagawa sa bahay nila. Tila isang resthouse sa loob ng isang executive village. Ano pa nga bang aasahan ko eh pamilya nga pala sila ng mga engineer.

Bigla siyang sumulpot sa gilid ko matapos kong makalabas ng sasakyan. He cornered me then kissed me. "'Wag ka ng magtampo. Bati na tayo ha." Lambing niya bago ako hinatak papasok ng bahay nila.

Dumiretso kami sa dining at naabutan namin doon ang kaniyang mga magulang. "Good evening po." Magalang kong pagbati.

Nagulat ako nang ibeso at nang yakapin ako bigla ng mommy ni Charles. Sa gulat ko ay napangiti nalang tuloy ako. Umupo kami sa upuang katapat ng mag asawa. Tahimik kaming kumain at nag-usap lang nang matapos ang hapunan. I still feel so nervous and I don't know why. It's like meeting the parents kasi. I didn't expect it to be this early. Charles and I are still taking our time to be in a real deal. Kaya hindi ko maipaliwanag ang kabang nararamdaman ko ngayon.

"I finally met the one behind the beautiful painting inside our room." Panimula ng mommy ni Charles.

"Thank you po." Matipid kong tugon.

"It's my wedding anniversary gift to my wife. I still can't forget that day... when I bumped into a student who happened to be the answer to my problem that time." Nakangiting kwento ng daddy ni Charles.

"What problem dad?" Kuryosong tanong ni Charles.

Hinawakan muna nito ang kamay ng kaniyang asawa bago patuloy na nagkwento. "Your mom wants something different for our anniversary that time. She said that she wants to have a painting in our room. Since it's our anniversary naghanap ako. But it's already ten in the evening and yet I can't still find a painting.... until I saw a student who was carrying so many things. I helped the student then saw a painting in her hand. Then that's how it goes."

"And everytime that you look in that painting you always have something to say like why it seems so sad. The color is not good and so on." Charles' mom said kaya inis kong tinignan si Charles na nasa tabi ko.

"What's your inspiration that time hija? Your painting seems to tell a lot of stories and emotions." Tanong nito.

"It's about a girl who had a secret crush in a guy po but the guy likes the sister of the girl. It's a story of a girl liking and admiring someone from afar." I shyly explained.

"I know now why I hated it." Biglang sambit ni Charles dahilan para mapatingin kami sa kaniya with our questioning look because of what he said.

"I am the guy in that painting. You made me a bad person there without knowing the real story."