Delectable Men 2: Brentford Montgomery

Chapter 5

Charmel had thought it wasn't possible for the night to get any worse. Dancing in front of a room full of men who wouldn't know art if it hit them over the head was bad enough. But then she'd spotted Brent and the rest of her friends. Tuloy parang gusto na lang niyang lamunin siya ng entablado sa mga oras na 'yon.

She braced her hands at the edge of the make-up bench and looked at herself in the mirror. All she wanted was to wash off her make-up and lock herself away until humiliation lost its brutal edge. The shock on his face had been enough to destroy whatever confidence she'd managed to build up. Parang hindi kasi makapaniwala ang lalaki sa nakita nito.

Akmang tatanggalin na sana niya ang kanyang make-up nang may tumawag sa pangalan niya. Nakita naman niyang papalapit sa gawi niya ang kaibigang si Emmy.

"You were fantastic!" Emmy threw her arms around Charmel and gave her a friendly squeeze.

"Thanks." Pilit siyang napangiti rito. "It's just a small gig."

Sana lang hindi magmukhang lame ang alibi niya. Subalit alam niyang hindi na mawawaksi sa isipan nito ang kanyang imahe na nakita nito kanina lang. If they knew how bad things were right now...baka kaawaan lang siya ng mga ito. At iyon nga ang iniiwasan niyang mangyari.

"No judgment here." Emmy held up her hands. "Halika, mabuti pang sabayan mo kaming mag-inuman sa labas. Halos kumpleto ang barkada natin ngayong gabi."

"Ahmm...gusto ko sana, pero..." tipid siyang napangiti rito. "Kailangan ko na kasing umuwi ng maaga kasi may audition pa ako bukas."

Halos nauutal na nga siya sa kanyang palusot, pero kailangan niya kasing gumawa ng excuse na hindi na makapagtanong pa si Emmy. There was no way she could go out there and face them - no way she could keep her head high after what they'd seen.

"Dito rin ba sa Subic gaganapin ang audition mo?"

"Hindi. Sa Maynila. Kaya mahaba-haba ang biyahe ko bukas."

Emmy grinned and grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the door. "Pwes, may magandang solusyon ako para diyan. Alam mo bang sumakay kami sa cruise ship ni Brent papunta rito. And if your rehearsal is in Manila it would be perfect. Hindi mo na kailangang magmaneho papunta roon, si Brent na ang bahala sa'yo papunta roon at pabalik dito."

"Pasensya na Emmy ha, pero pagod na pagod na talaga ako, kailangan ko ng umuwi." She shook her head and pulled her hand from Emmy's grasp.

"Sige na, kahit dalawa o tatlong shot lang." Napakindat sa kanya si Emmy. "Come on...gaya na lang no'ng dati ba."

Charmel stole a glance at her reflection. Kailangan na talaga niyang magpalit ng damit. There was no way she'd go out there and stand in front of Brent wearing just only a piece of cloth.

Eh nakita ka na nga ni Brent kanina na nakasayaw na ganyan lang ang suot mo, Charmel.

"Okay, just one shot," she said, sighing. "Hindi ako pwedeng magpalasing ngayong gabi at may audition pa ako bukas."

"Great." Halos mapatalon na wika ni Emmy. "Sige, hahayaan muna kitang magpalit ng damit. Meet us out in a few minutes, okay?"

"Sure."

Nang tuluyan ng makalabas si Emmy, napangiti na lang si Charmel. Sinong may sabi na makihalubilo siya sa mga ito ngayong gabi? Kailangang dumistansya muna siya sa mga ito bago niya mabangon ulit ang kanyang imahe na nakita ng mga ito sa kanyang social media. For sure, ang itatanong ng mga ito sa kanya ay 'kumusta na ang lovelife niya?', 'kumusta na ang karera niya sa pagsasayaw?' at alam niyang hindi maiiwasan na hindi siya maiilang sa mag bestfriend na sina Brent at Thompson. May alitan kasi noon ang dalawang lalaki ng dahil sa kanya.

Pero siniguro naman sa kanya ni Wendy na matagal na raw nagkaayos ang mga ito...sana nga. Basta naiilang lang talaga siya na makaharap niyang muli ang dalawa.

She contemplated looking for a back exit to slip out. Maybe if she disappeared they might get the hint that she wasn't feeling social right now.

Ngunit parang nakakahiya naman kung tatakasan na lang niya ang mga ito, kaibigan pa rin naman niya ang mga ito at may mga pinagsamahan sila dati.

She frowned at herself in the mirror, taking out the fake lashes, and sultry make-up. Mukhang budol yata ang pagmumukha niya ngayon. Napabuntong-hininga na lang siya. Saka mabilis siyang nagpalit ng damit. She didn't have time to remove all of her make-up - matatagalan na siya masyado kung gagawin pa niya iyan.

Outside the crowd, she had to dodge the patrons who thought their ticket to the show meant they had a right to paw at her. Hindi ito kailanman naging pangarap niya, subalit dito pa rin siya bumagsak.

Her skin crawled. She wanted out of this damn filthy bar. Perhaps a potential lawsuit was worth the risk if it meant she never had to come back.

Nasa kalagitnaan siya sa kanyang pag-iisip nang mamataan niya si Brent. Nakatayo ito sa hagdan na mag-isa. Nasaan na kaya ang iba pa nilang mga kaibigan?

Biglang lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib niya. As always, nakakapanginig talaga sa kanya ang presensya nito. His broad shoulders and muscular arms were barely contained in a fitted white T-shirt; his tanned skin beckoned to be touched. His dark hair slightly shorter than it had used to, though messy, but touchable.

But it was his eyes that always got her. It was gray, like the colour of the ash. Nang mapatingin ang lalaki sa kanya, pakiramdam tuloy niya sa mga oras na 'yon na silang dalawa lamang ang nag e-exist sa mundong ito.

"Nasa barko na ang mga kaibigan natin," he said, motioning her to join him. "Ayaw naman kitang maglalakad dito na mag-isa lang."

She followed him, watching the way his butt moved beneath a pair of well-worn jeans. Ang laki na talaga ng pinagbago nito physically. She licked her lips, hating the attraction that flared in her and threatened to burn wild, like a fire out of control.

It was strange to be attracted to someone again. Hindi niya na kasi ito nararamdaman pa sa mahabang panahon.

They made their way out of the bar and into the cool night air. The breeze caught her sweat-dampened skin and caused goosebumps to ripple across her arms. She folded them tight, feeling vulnerable and exposed in the sudden quiet of the outdoors.

"Hindi mo naman ako kailangang hintayin," she said, falling into step with him.

Their steps echoed in the quiet night air, their strides perfectly matched.

He turned to her and shook his head. "Of course I did. I was worried you wouldn't make it out of the bar on your own."

The disapproving tone in his voice made her stomach twist. The last thing she needed was another overprotective man in her life.

"Kaya ko ang sarili ko."

"Nakakahanga nga 'yang katapangan mo, but pointless." His face softened into a smile. "Not to mention those skinny little chicken legs of yours."

"I do not have chicken legs." She gave him a shove.

The bubble of anxiety in her chest dissolved. Brent always had that effect on her. He was an irritating, lazy charmer, who talked his way through life, but he was fun. Tuloy nakuha niyang mapangiti rito kahit naiinis siya sa lalaki.

"Parang wala na nga no." Malapad itong napangiti sa kanya, iyong ngiti na pang toothpaste commercial. "Nag matured ka na nga."

"Ikaw din," sagot niya, but the words were lost as motorcycle raced down the road.

Limang taon na ang nakalipas at maraming issues ang namagitan sa kanila noon. Issues, of course, was a code word for attraction.

"Akala ko nandito rin 'yong husband mo at pinanood ka." He was back to being stern again. "He should be keeping you safe."

"Siguro iba 'yang tinutukoy mo at hindi ako." Napabuntong-hininga siya.

"So ibig sabihin ba na single ka pa rin?"

Napatango siya. "Yes, malaya ako gaya ng ibon at kuntento ako bilang single."

"All the more reason to have someone look out for you."

Napakagat lang sa pang-ibabang labi niya si Charmel. Wala ng kabulohan pa na makipagdebate siya nito sa pagiging single niya, para lang may makapagprotekta sa kanya. Hindi naman siya kahapon lang ipinanganak, may mga alam din siyang self-defense.

They walk in silence for a moment, the thumping bass from the bar fading as they moved farther away. The yacht club glowed up ahead, with one large cruise ship amongst a row of yachts. Hindi na niya kailangang magtanong pa, syempre alam na niya kung kanino 'yong cruise ship.

"Are you over-compensating?" Charmel asked, using sarcasm to hide her nervousness at being so close to him...at being alone with him.

"Huh?"

"The ship." Turo niya sa malaking barko. "Ang laki pala ng barko mo."

"Alam mo ba kung anong sabi nila sa mga lalaking may malalaking barko?" malapad itong napangisi sa kanya.

Pilya naman siyang napangiti rito. "Na may malalaki rin silang manibela?"

Napahalakhak ito ng tawa saka inakbayan siya.

Ang pagiging malapit nila bigla ay nagpailang tuloy sa kanya. Pero in fairness, ang bango nito. He smelled exactly the same as she remembered. The scent that haunted her for so many years.

Her hip bumped against his with each step. The hard muscles of his arm pressed around her shoulder, making her insides curl and jump.

"Hindi ko personal na barko 'yan. Ang kumpanya ko ang may pagmamay-ari niyan."

"May kumpanya ka?" di makapaniwalang saad ni Charmel.

Hindi kasi tipo ni Brent na magpapatakbo ng kumpanya, ni wala nga itong kahilig-hilig noon sa negosyo. Sa katunayan nga, gusto nitong magbabad na lang palagi sa dagat at mag surfing buong araw.

"After I left Siargao I bummed around for a while until I got work with a cruise ship company. It was a lot of fun. Hanggang sa na promote ako, and eventually the owner offered me a stake in the company. I bought the controlling share about a year ago, when the owner was ready to retire."

"At ngayon nagmamay-ari ka na ng cruise ship company?"

He nodded as their conversation was interrupted by a loud shriek as they strolled onto the port. The girls had clearly got into the champagne and were dancing. Wendy waved down to her and motioned for them to join the party.

Charmel's old doubts and fears crept back. Alam kasi niya na alam na ng mga ito kung ano talaga siya. Siguro napag-isip na rin ng mga ito na isang napakalaking budol ang katauhan niya.

Her breath caught in her throat, the familiar shallow breathing returning and forcing her heart rate up. Gusto niya tuloy na tumakas na lang, at bumalik na lang doon sa bar kung saan talaga siya nabibilang.

Hindi siya napabilang dito sa mga sosyal niyang kaibigan. Kahit nga kay Brent, na ngayon ay matagumpay na sa buhay, at kay Thompson na pinagpalit niya noon sa pinapangarap niyang pagsasayaw.

She sucked in a deep breath, her feet rooted to the ground. Mukhang hindi talaga niya kayang harapin ang mga dating kaibigan.

"Charmel?" napatingin sa kanya si Brent, his hand at the small of her back, pushing gently.

Napakagat-labi si Charmel, mas inunahan kasi siya ng hiya kaya halos hindi na niya maigalaw ang buong katawan.

Ba't ka pa kasi sumama kay Brent? Gagawin mo lang katawa-tawa ang sarili mo sa harap ng iyong mga kaibigan. You're a failure. Ikaw lang ang hindi nagtagumpay sa buhay, Charmel.

"Come on." Hinihila na ni Brent ang kamay niya para humakbang. "Hindi tayo dapat magpahuli sa kanila."

*****