June ( Gugma Series 3)

Chapter 37: Avoid Him

Chapter 37: Avoid Him

When I awoke, it was already dark, and I couldn't remember anything that had happened to me until I saw an image of a man showering in the glass en-suite bathroom. I could hear him humming a song that I had long since forgotten about.

Ipinikit kong muli ang mga mata ko because I thought I was just dreaming, but when I felt the soreness and stiffness between my thighs, I opened my eyes again. Fuck! What was going on? Lumipad ang tingin ko sa taong naliligo sa banyo and my eyes widened in shocked!

Isn't everything a dream? Did we actually do it? Oh my God! And just like that, naalala ko na ang nangyari. The warm sensation of his touch, fingers, his skilled tongue, and his thick-long veiny thing hanging between his legs. While remembering our steamy sex, my face becomes extremely hot. Was it lovemaking, then?

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon ngunit humiga ulit ako dahil sobrang sakit ng nasa pagitan ng mga hita ko at ng buong katawan ko, parang binugbog ang pakiramdam ko ngayon.

I wandered my eyes and saw my reflection in the floor-to-ceiling glass window, and I was a mess! Ang gulo-gulo ng buhok ko. I could even saw many hickeys in my chest and my neck. Tinitigan ko ang suot kong damit. It was his white longsleeve shirt. Pinilit ko ang sarili kong tumayo at hinanap ng mga mata ko ang mga damit ko ngunit wala roon. Oh, God! Why did I end up here? I was only going to sign an agreement, so how did I end up with that guy?

Inis kong sinabunutan ang sarili ko. Hindi naman ako lasing. Bakit kaagad kong isinuko ang bataan? Ipinasya kong umalis na lang na ganoon ang suot ko tutal ay hindi ko na mahanap ang mga damit ko. I walked on tiptoes, clutching my lower abdomen because it was extremely painful. Kung puwede lang matulog na lang ako magdamag ngunit hindi ko magagawa iyon dahil hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa lalakeng nakaniig ko ng maraming beses kaninang hapon.

Nag-init ang pisngi ko dahil unti-unti na namang bumabalik sa alaala ko ang mga ungol at halinghing namin. I slapped my face twice lightly. Ang landi mo, Skye! Hindi ka man lang tumutol! Hayok ka, girl? Ugh!

As soon as I got downstairs, I grabbed my handbag. At the glass table, I noticed the Shareholder's Agreement and quickly read and signed it. Sinuklay ko lang ang buhok ko then I searched for my bandana inside my bag, ipinulupot ko iyon sa bewang ko para naman magmukhang dress ang suot kong malaking shirt ng lalaking iyon. Itinaas ko rin ng kaunti ang kuwelyo ng suot ko para itago ang mga hickeys na nasa leeg ko.

I rummaged through my phone while waiting for a cab that I had reserved through a transportation app. Wala pang ilang minuto ay nasa harap ko na agad iyon.

Pagtingin ko sa phone ko ay 1 missed call and two messages came from Angelo: Angela is crying right now. Where are you?

The second message is: Okay, I got it now. If you are not yet ready to take on responsibilities, use protection.

Wait, what?! Protection? As in rubber? Condom? Oh, shit! He didn't use protection, right? Oh! Paulit-ulit kong iniuntog ang sarili ko sa headrest ng upuan.

"Maayo ka ba, ma'am?" tanong sa akin ng driver. Napansin niya yata ang pag-untog ko sa sarili ko. Tumango ako at hindi siya sinagot dahil libo-libo nang senaryo ang naglalaro sa utak ko. I was able to get down and thank the driver. I was soon in front of Room 2310.

I rush in and see Angelo sitting on the couch with Angela in his arms. "Nakatulog ulit sa kaiiyak."

Nag-peace sign ako habang pilit ang ngiti ko. "Sorry," sabi ko. Then I entered the bedroom. I needed to take a bath because I could smell sex in my system.

"You left him?" Dinig kong tanong niya.

"I wasn't prepared for confrontations," I said as I rummaged through my luggage for a dress. Lumipad ang tingin ko sa bedside table clock and it's already 8pm. "Kumain na kayo?" Nag-init muli ang pisngi ko dahil ibang kain ang naglalaro sa utak ko.

I heard him laughing outside. "Iniiba mo ang usapan, Skye. Why did you left him? Matataranta iyon tiyak."

"Paano mo nalaman na galing ako sa kanya?"

"You forgot that there is a talkative male in that company."

I heard him chuckling again. 'Yong Argus talaga na 'yon! "Ako na naman siguro ang topic ninyo sa secret group chat ninyo." I rolled my eyes at pumikit ako ng mariin. Siguradong kakantiyawan ako ng mga iyon. My previous relationship with the professor is no longer a secret to them. I remember one time when I was on vacation and we were all drunk, and MJ asked me how I was doing without that guy in my life. Seriously, right? Naitago naming dalawa ang sekretong iyon, tapos bigla na lang niyang ibubulalas ng walang pasabi.

"Check your phone," he said. Gagawin ko sana ang sinabi niya pero pagtingin ko roon ay may incoming call from an unknown number. Parang napaso ko iyong binitiwan at agad na ni-turn off ang phone ko.

"Don't tell him where I am." I said before entering the bathroom. I soaked in a warm bath to relax my aching and stiff body. Ngunit habang nakapikit ako sa bath tub ay tila tuksong umuukilkil sa utak ko ang mga halik at yakap pati na ang maiinit na tagpo namin. "What are you doing, Skye?" tanong ko sa sarili ko. Years have passed, but he can still exert such control over my emotions. Agad akong bumigay sa kanya. Natatakot ako. Inilubog ko ang sarili ko sa bathtub and a nagging pain crept into my system. Nakakatakot ulit sumubok. I knew he'd want us back together because I heard him say he loves me while we were making love. When I remembered what he had said to me years before, my heart tightened. And he just left me hanging. Paano kung iwan niya ulit ako? Umiling ako ng maraming beses habang nag-iinit ang mga mata ko. "You should guard your heart this time, Skye. Baka hindi mo na alam kung saan mo pupulutin ang sarili mo kapag iniwan ka niya ulit ng walang paalam."

And with that thought, I decided to avoid him.

We returned home to Moalboal. I no longer stay in Santander because I'm afraid I'll run into him. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin at sasabihin ko kapag nakita ko siya ulit.

"Mommy, aren't you going to work?" Angela asked I approached the dining table. Naglaway agad ang bagang ko nang makita ko ang mga pagkaing nasa mesa. Angelo then motioned for me to take a seat while he served buwad bolinao from a hot skillet. Pumikit ako at inamoy iyon and it made my stomach churn. Agad akong umupo sa tabi ni Angela at inayos ang napkin na nasa leeg niya. I even wipe the side of her lips dahil may natirang sauce roon.

"I'm staying at home," I said, grabbing a chorizo and placing it on my plate.

"Are you going to play with me?" Her bright smile made me smile.

Tumango ako kaya itinaas niya ang mga kamay niya. "Yay!"

I saw my mom rolling her eyes in front of me. "Ako ang naloloka sa tawagan ninyo. Skye, ha? Kaya hanggang ngayon wala ka pa ring nobyo dahil ginagamit mo ang kapatid mo sa kalokohan mo. Isinasanggalang mo siya para pigilan ang mga lalakeng manligaw sa 'yo," she preached as she shoved the danggit in her mouth.

Lumabi ako at tiningnan ang batang nasa tabi ko. I pinched her rosy cheeks which made her giggle. "Hindi ako ang nagturo na tawagin niya akong mommy, mom. Remember? Ako ang nakamulatan niyang nag-aalaga sa kanya kaya akala niya ako talaga ang mommy niya."

We didn't speak for years because I found out she was pregnant and Angelo was the father. Hindi ko kinaya ang nalaman ko kaya I cut my communication with both of them. I was enraged at them. Pero hindi ko rin sila natiis noong nasa Japan na ako. I had to take an indefinite leave of absence because my mother was hospitalized due to a brain tumor. Luckily, naagapan nila but no one was taking care of their child kaya ako na ang nagprisintang mag-alaga sa kanya while Angelo is taking care of my mom in the hospital. When everything returned to normal, I returned to Japan.

Angelo was grinning like a fool in the kitchen. He then served as a hot sikwate and sat next to my mother. "Hayaan mo na sila sa trip nila. Wala namang naniniwalang anak talaga ni Skye ang Angela natin," he said while holding my mother's hand and looking her in the eyes lovingly.

I faked a cough while staring at their intertwined hands. "Please! Kumakain ako rito. Kung gusto niyong maglambingan, napaluwag ng kuwarto ninyo."

A/N: I am planning to make a mini series for her mom and Angelo pero plano pa lang. It's a good story, right? A woman who has lost her spouse and fall for her daughter's friend. Remember guys, nong dumalaw siya sila sa mausoleum? The scene na umiiyak si Mommy? Doon nafofall na siya kay Angelo. Actually, marami akong scenes na ni-cut. May scene na, pinuri ni Angelo yong mama niya kasi para lang daw silang magkapatid. Skye's mother is 38 years old. Basta! She made all the effort to avoid Angelo, pero nahulog pa rin sila sa isa't-isa.