Prologue
Isang minuto na akong nakatayo sa gilid ng study table ko, at tinititigan ang hubo't hubad kong boyfriend ng isang taon na may kahalikang ibang babae.
Wala silang malay na kanina ko pa sila minamasdan, dahil nakapatay ang ilaw ng apartment ko. Nakatulog ako buong magdamag kakaaral ng lessons namin sa Surgery II at Psychiatry II, kaya hindi ito nabuksan. Pero sige pa rin sila sa paglalaplapan sa harap ko, na parang hayok na hayok sa laman ng isa't isa.
If it's mad enough that he is doing it in a property that I own, they are also that dumb to not turn on the lights before doing anything else. I don't know, maybe it's wise to check if Troy's current girlfriend is around or not, and isn't watching his cheating ass?
The motherf*cking audacity.
I bit the insides of my lower lip while staring at their naked bodies in front of me, but for some reason, I feel okay. I am not crying while seeing him with someone else, because I've somehow sensed this coming. Or maybe, I'm only having a hard time processing that he doesn't actually love me like I believed him to. Mahirap lang sigurong iproseso na ang taong minamahal ko nang buong-buo, ay inaahas lang pala ako.
"Troy, your hands are so firm," the girl breathlessly whispered in between her soft m*ans. I saw Troy, my soon-to-be ex boyfriend, slid two fingers between her legs. Napasinghap ang babae, bago malanding tumawa. He is touching her skin, and gripping her flesh in a heated manner, like he did not claim to be committed to me last night.
Like he did not say that I am the love of his love, and he's going to marry me.
"Do they fit you well enough, babe?"
"Can you do three?" She gasped once again, and pushed her lower body to Troy's right hand. His three fingers must be slowly entering her mound, as she is all sighs now. Makaraan ang ilang saglit, napaliyad ito na parang nasasaktan sa ginagawa ni Troy.
"Aw, babe, dahan-dahan muna, please?" suyo ng babae, bago ngumiti.
I scoffed lightly. Even in your most glorious attempt of being macho, Troy, you still don't know how to properly finger a woman.
Sa kinatatayuan ko, napansin kong maganda ang kinakalantari ni Troy—matangos ang ilong, singkit, at balingkinitan ang katawan. Oh, what a waste of genes, only to become someone's mistress. To have all that beauty just to settle on a man with half-assed promises, I can't imagine being in her place.
"Okay, babe. I'm sorry." Naging malumanay ang boses, pati na ang haplos ni Troy sa p*gkababae ng kabit niya, dahilan para magbago ang ekspresyon nito. Habang nakakunot ang noo, napapikit din ito makaraang magpakawala ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga.
"Right there, baby. . Yes, you're getting the hang of it. . ." Nang mas ginanahan silang dalawa sa posisyon nila, kinuha ni Troy ang tatlong daliri niya sa entrada ng babae, at walang pasens'yang ibinalot ang malalaki niyang mga kamay sa dibdib nito. Pahigpit nang pahigpit ang pagpipisil niya rito, habang tumatagaktak ang pawis sa mga mukha nilang nauulol sa sarap.
Hindi ko namalayang nanginginig na pala ako, nang makalasa ako ng kalawang sa bibig ko. For the entire time, I was biting my lips too hard. My breath hitched with every sigh and moans they're making.
F*ck Ruby, you were so dumb for not minding your boyfriend's subtle hints of infidelity! All those cold messages, and his tired responses when he's with you, why didn't you bother checking if he's f*cking someone else?
"Wait." Hinihingal silang pareho, pero hinabol ng kasama niya ang hininga nito para sabihan si Troy. "Sigurado ka bang hindi tayo mahuhuli ni Ruby?"
"Yes, babe. Very sure. But even if she catches us, it won't matter, angel. Ikaw ang pipiliin ko."
"What happens to your girlfriend?"
Yes, Troy. What will happen to me? At least your little mistress is paying me an ounce of concern.
"Don't worry about Ruby, babe. Alam mo namang matagal ko nang gustong iwanan siya. And you also know why I just can't afford to end it yet. She had no means of staying somewhere else, but in this apartment that I own, as she finishes her studies."
Son of a b*tch.
"Okay, babe. I believe you."
They kissed once again, but I am having none of this already. F*cking Troy. This lying, manipulative piece of sh*t! Nararamdaman kong sasabog na ako sa galit, kaya pinakalma ko muna ang sarili ko, bago umusal.
"More lips, less tongue, darling."
Hindi maipinta ang pagmumukha nila, nang narinig nila ang boses ko. At mas lalong bumilog ang mata ni Troy pagkahagip ng paningin niya sa pigura kong kanina pa nakapuwesto sa kanilang likuran.
"Rub—”
"It has more than one million nerve endings. You might want to make use of that more," kalmado kong sabi, na diretsong tinititigan ang babae ni Troy na tinatakpan ang bibig sa gulat. Mabilis silang tumalon mula sa pagkakaupo, at dinampot ang mga damit nilang nagkalat sa sahig.
"R-ruby!"
The lump in my throat feels like giving up, so I had to turn my back on the two of them, and walk towards God knows where. Lumalabo na ang paningin ko habang lumalakad palayo sa kanilang dalawa, at pinipilit ipirmi ang dalawang kamay na mas nanginginig sa galit, muhi, at sakit.
Maybe the reason why I was only acting fine watching him with another woman earlier, is the shock of it all. Troy is the worst man imaginable for doing this to me, but the betrayal still hurts like a motherf*cker.
Huminga ako nang malalim, sa kabila ng boses ni Troy na tinatawag ang pangalan ko. Ayaw kong makita ang sariling iniiyakan siya. Over my dead body.
I felt my phone vibrate, and immediately know that it is my mother's called ID. Mas lalo akong nawala sa sarili. Habang ikinukuyom ang isang palad, hindi ko na alintana kung magdurugo ulit ang labi ko sa kakakagat nito.
Mama wants me to spend the weekend at our province, but I don't want to go there. And it's ultimately because he is there.
I am just so sick of watching him treat her like a spare tire. Binabalikan lang kung nagsasawa na sa mga babae niya, humihingi ng patawad kapag nahuhuli sa akto, kasi alam niyang papatawarin siya. Nakakagalit na sa isang haplos, isang halik, tinatanggap ulit siya nito. Ipagluluto ng masasarap na pagkain, pagsisilbihan, na para bang karapat-dapat pa rin siyang handugan ng pagmamahal sa kabila ng kasalanan niya.
I am just so, so tired of seeing her wear herself out, because I know she deserves so much better.
I closed my eyes. With what just happened, I felt myself yearning for my mother's embrace. But I'd rather be alone in my misery, than go home, and face that man whom I am disgusted to call my father.
"Ruby, baby. Are you listening to me?" The edge in Troy's voice is more evident, now that I've realized that I'm already enveloped in his embrace. Dagli kong iwinaksi ang mga braso niya mula sa balikat ko, na parang nandidiri sa hawak niya.
"F*ck! Can't you even hear me explain my side? I'm not the one at fault here. I was drugged, baby. Baby, listen to me. This b*tch—”
"T-troy. Anong pinagsasabi mo?" Mugto na ang mata sa kaiiyak, sinisikap ng babaeng laliman ang tingin kay Troy, para itanggi ang pang-aakusang ginagawa nito sa kaniya.
He hesitated for a bit, but when he noticed me listening, he started cursing her. "Stop talking to me, you wh*re! You were the one who seduced me!" Hindi nito mapigilang humikbi, at kapagdakang umusal muli, pero mas namayani ang sinabi ng lalaking nangako ng pagmamahal sa kaniya. Silence stretched, as Troy finally registers what he just did inside his thick skull.
"Are you done?" Diretso lang ang blangko kong tingin sa mukha ni Troy. Nagsusumamo ang mga mata niya, na dahilan para paigtingin ko ang panga ko. Stop looking at his eyes, Ruby.
"Jesus Christ, baby. Ganito lang ba kadali sa 'yo sumuko sa relasyon natin? With everything we've been through? Come on now—"
"Pack your things now!" Sa isang sandali kong pag-aalinlangan, napalitan kaagad ito ng pagkamuhi, nang napagtanto kong ang lalaking minahal ko ng isang taon ay isa palang estranghero. Gusto ko siyang sigawan, sikmurain, sampalin, ipatikim sa kaniya ang hinanakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon, pero ayaw kong mag-aksayang ng oras sa mga taong katulad niya.
More than anyone else, Troy knew about my father’s situation, yet he still chose to hurt me like this.
Sa pagkakataong ito, tiningnan ko muli siya sa mata, at mariing dinugtungan ang sinabi ko. "We're done, Troy. Don't ask me for an explanation, because you're. not. worth. any.”
I felt vibrations coming from inside my pocket once again, as I forcibly flushed flashing memories of our one year relationship down the drain.
Hindi ako magiging katulad ni Mama.