Infidelity

1

Ramdam ko ang paninigas ng katawan ko habang pinagmamasdan si Arthur na bumibilis ang pag-indayog sa ibabaw ng babaeng hindi na mawari kung saan ibabaling ang tingin.

Pinipiga ng todo sa sakit ang puso ko dahil sa aking nasasaksihan kaya minabuti kong ialis ang tingin sa kanila at tumalikod na lang, dahan dahan kong ginalaw ang aking mga paa paalis sa kwarto.

Hindi ako makahinga sa pagpigil ng sama ng loob.

Pilit kong pinapakalma ang aking sarili. Kitang kita ko ang ginagawa ni Arthur! Nakahubad siya at nakapatong sa ibang babae! Paulit-ulit bumabalik sa isip ko ang bawat halinghing nila sa kanilang pinagsasaluhang kademonyohan.

Palad ko ang sumalo sa mga luhang hindi ko na napigilan.

I need to calm myself. I need to calm down!

Tumayo ako ng ayos at pinunasan ang luha.

I'm sure my husband will be surprised, lalo na't hindi niya alam ang pag-uwi ko rito sa bahay.

I decided to go. I don't want them to see me like this. All this time I thought my husband will be faithful as he has promised but I was wrong.

Palagi niya ba itong ginagawa? Palagi ba siyang nag-uuwi rito ng babae? Mababaliw na ako sa sobrang daming tanong na gumugulo sa isipan ko!

I texted Kycel, my best friend.

Cel, are you free today? I need someone to talk to. I'm totally broken and devastated right now

And she replied.

What happened, cyst? I'm sorry, I can't come. I'm not in Manila right now. I'm still here in Macao with Greg

Nasapo ko ang noo ko. Oo nga pala! Kasama niya ang business partner niya sa Macao.

I understand, Cel. Take care and enjoy sa trip!

After typing these words, I put my phone back in my pocket bag and decided to drink alone.

Iyak lang ako nang iyak habang umiinom. Hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ko ang imahe ng asawa kong may kasiping sa kwarto namin. Para na akong timang dito sa edge ng bar, mag isang umiinom habang umiiyak.

Habang patuloy ako sa pag-iyak ay may naglahad ng panyo sa harap ko. Tumingala ako ng tingin upang makita kung sino iyon. He's a stranger. Hindi ko kilala.

"I think you need someone to cry on?" He stated the fact while grinning at me which makes me irritated by his presence.

"My best friend's not here in Manila. Kahit gustuhin ko mang may maiyakan hindi niya rin ako mapupuntahan."

"I see," he nodded as if he understood. "Are you just going to ignore my handkerchief?" He pouted a little.

I slightly smiled at him before I took his handkerchief. I am repeatedly wiping my swollen-eyed using his handkerchief.

"Thanks for this,” I thanked him.

"Would you mind me sitting here with you, Ms. Crybaby?"

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Ano’ng tinawag niya sa akin? Ms. Crybaby? I'm not a crybaby!

I was about to speak when someone took his attention.

"Tristan," inakbayan siya nito. "Hinahanap na ako ni Lean, I need to go home."

"Nako delikado ka tol!" narinig ko ang mapang-asar na tawa ni Tristan.

"Tangina ka kase 'tol! Kapag ako hindi naka-score mamaya, ibubuking kita!"

"Tangina! Walang ganyanan! Umuwi ka na baka malambing mo pa si Lean, kaya pa yan,” natatawang sabi ni Tristan.

Saglit na sumulyap sa akin ang lalaking kausap ni Tristan at kita ko kung paano ito ngumisi sa kaniya tapos bahagyang sumuntok sa braso niya.

"Gago ka talaga 'tol."

"Gago umuwi ka na."

"Sila Jared nandoon pa sa pwesto. Mukhang may balak mag-uwi ng babae ang mga ‘yon at sasabay sa iyo,” anito sabay umalis habang umiiling.

"I feel embarrassed,” nahihiyang sambit niya at napayuko.

"Kapag kausap mo tropa mo para kang taong kalye." I laughed silently. By the way, it’s not a judgment, it’s a statement. “But when you are talking to me alone, you are very professional."

He just shrugged.

"Seriously, are you just going to stand up there for the whole time?" I don't know why I am entertaining this stranger man. but I'm feeling comfortable with him. It’s so natural to talk to him. It feels like normal. It feels like we have known each other for a long time. I know it’s kinda weird.

"Have a drink with me?" he asked.

"That's why I'm asking you to sit here with me."

He laughed a little. "I can be your best friend tonight," he said before he sits down.

"Ikaw ang may sabi niyan. panindigan mo,” nginisian ko siya dahilan ng pag-ngiti niya.

"Let’s have a drink?" he offered.

"Sure!” I happily agreed. Mukhang may tama na nga ako, medyo napaparami na rin kasi ang inom ko kaya sa tingin ko ay lasing na ako.

I called a waiter and asked for another tequila and an extra glass for him. There’s a silence between us while we are waiting for the waiter to come back. After minutes of waiting, the waiter came back with what I needed. Great! I looked at Tristan and gave him the glass with tequila but he refused.

"I don't drink tequila,” he says.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko sa sinabi niya. "What? Why didn't you told me earlier?"

He just apologized.

He called the waiter again and asks for his drink. I thought he was going to ask for a Vodka or wine or something hard liquor but I was wrong.

"Water please," he said to the waiter.

"Are you serious?" I was so shocked.

"I'm not really into alcohol. I just want to enjoy things and forget my problems that's why I'm here."

"Seriously?"

He nodded. "Yep. No joke."

"Poor you," I told him and drink my tequila. Ugh! This feels good!

"Hmm care to tell me, why are you drinking?" he asks.

My husband's cheating on me. "I just want to enjoy it."

"Really? But why are you crying? Is that a part of your happiness?"

"Yes, I got so much joy that leads me to cry." I lied and I think he noticed. He’s obvious. Halata sa mukha niyang hindi siya naniniwalang parte lang iyon ng kasiyahan ko ngayong gabi.

"Talaga lang ha?”

This time, sa bote na ako uminom. tutal ako lang naman ang iinom nito.

"By the way, anong pangalan mo?” tanong ko sa kaniya. “Kanina pa tayo nag uusap pero hindi pa tayo nakakapagpakilala sa isa't-isa,” ramdam ko na ang hilo dahil sa dami ng nainom kong alak.

"I'm Tristan."

"Tristan," I looked at his eyes. “Nice name,” I can't see anything but lust and full of desire. his eyes shouting for some reason that surely I can't give.

“And you are?” he patiently waiting for my answer.

“I’m Samantha. You can just call me Sam for short, baka kasi nahahabaan ka sa Samantha, so Sam na lang if gusto mo, okay lang naman sa akin.”

Ang dami kong sinabi! Napakadaldal ko talaga kapag nalalasing.

“Samantha,” huminto siya saglit para isipin ang pangalan ko. “I like your name, Samantha, it’s beautiful, just like you.”

Napairap ako sa sinabi niya. Mga lalaki nga naman, napakabolero. Pero sa una lang naman magagaling.

"Bakit mo ako nilapitan? Are you interested in me?" pranka kong tanong sa kaniya.

Diretso lang ang mapupungay niyang mata sa akin. "No. Um, actually,” hindi niya malaman kung ano ang sunod na sasabihin sa akin, para bang nag-iisip siya ng kung anong palusot.

Tumaas ang isang kilay ko sa pag-stutter niya. Huli na pero itatangga pa niya. Boys will be boys. “I know. You’re hitting on me, I’m not dumb as you may think of me,”

“No! No, I’m not hitting on you, Sam. I saw you crying earlier kaya nagdesisyon akong lapitan ka. Baka kasi kailangan mo ng someone tonight.”

“And you think you can be that someone that I need tonight?”

“Yes,”

“Well,” hindi ko natapos ang gusto kong sabihin dahil nagsalita pa ulit siya.

“Ayaw ko kasing may nakikitang umiiyak na babae kaya nilapitan kita. ‘Yon lang. Promise wala akong ibang balak. I just really want to help you. I’m here to wipe your tears if you will just let me,”

“You’re kidding,” I laughed sarcastically.

“I’m sorry to tell you that I’m not, I’m dead serious. Here,” he taps his shoulders. “You can cry on my shoulders tonight. Hindi kita pipigilang umiyak, dito lang ako para punasan ang luha mo, nothing else,”

“I don’t believe you. Walang lalaki ang lalapit sa isang babae na wala siyang binabalak.”

“I’m not like them. You can trust me,”

“You know what?”

“What?”

“People here are not trustworthy, so don’t expect me to believe in you, you are just like everyone else, you’re a bad guy,”

“Geez. You’re drunk.” Naiiling niyang statement.

“I’m not drunk!” I shouted at him.

“If you’re not then why are you yelling at me?”

I just rolled my eyes at him. “Just leave. Don’t waste your time and don’t waste my time, stop talking to me, and mind your own business because I’m not f*****g interested in you. Go find someone who has the same intentions as you, go find someone you can f**k the whole f*****g night. Just f*****g… leave. Leave me alone, you bastard!”

”Are you o..kay? Kanina ayos ka pa sa akin tapos biglang ganito.”

Hindi ko na siya pinansin, sa sobrang hilo ko hindi ko na minulat ang mata ko. Ilang beses din akong muntikang masuka dahil sa dami ng alak na nainom ko.

“Wala ka ba talagang kasama, miss? Saan ka ba nakatira? Ako na ang maghahatid sa ‘yo,” dinig ko pang nag-aalala niyang tanong.

Hindi ko siya masagot dahil pinipigilan kong mailabas sa bibig ko ang lahat ng ininom ko.

“Miss!”

That’s the last word I heard before everything went black.