Chapter 32
953 Words
Ang ingay sa karaoke bar ay parang isang battlefield. Habang sina Roble at Dim ay todo kanta ng sintunado, sina Kath at Yvonne naman ay abala sa pagkuha ng video ng kanilang mga kaibigan na mukhang nakalimutan na ang salitang tama.
Sa kabilang banda, naroon si Sophia Laurel, pilit na iniwasan ang mapansin habang nakaupo sa isang sulok. Pinipilit niyang huwag pansinin si David Horan, na ngayon ay nakaupo sa tabi niya, na parang may kung anong balak sa mga tingin niya.
"One more glass, Sophia!" ani Dim habang iniabot ang bote ng beer.
"Hindi na, ayoko na talaga," sagot ni Sophia sabay iling.
"Isa na lang!"
"Enough na. She can’t take it anymore," biglang sabat ni David sa mababang boses habang binubuksan ang wallet niya.
Naglabas siya ng limang libo at ibinigay kay Dim.
"Ang daya mo, David!" ani Dim sabay tawa, pero kinuha rin niya ang pera.
Sophia rolled her eyes. Talagang binayaran mo pa para lang hindi na ako pilitin?
Si David ay umupo nang mas malapit kay Sophia. Inunat niya ang mahahabang binti sa kabilang sofa, mistulang sinadyang hadlangan ang sinuman mula sa paglapit kay Sophia.
"David, cheers!" ani Roble sabay abot ng beer kay Sophia.
Tumanggi si Sophia, pero nanatiling tahimik.
"Halika na! Walang saya kung hindi ka malasing," sabi ni Roble na parang hindi narinig ang pagtanggi ni Sophia.
"Drunk na siya," sagot ni David.
"Paano mo naman nasabi? Halika na, Sophia. Ang saya eh!"
Tahimik si David. Pero kahit walang salita, nabasa ni Sophia ang kanyang labi.
"f**k you," bulong niya kay Roble.
Napatawa si Sophia pero pinigilan niya. Hindi nakatiis si David; itinulak niya si Roble sa sahig gamit ang paa.
"Ouch!" sigaw ni Roble habang tumatawa pa rin, parang walang nangyari.
Nagtawanan ang lahat. Muli silang bumalik sa kanilang pagkanta, pero si Sophia ay nanatiling tahimik.
"Bakit mo sinabi sa lalaking ‘yon na single ka?" biglang tanong ni David habang nakatingin kay Sophia.
"Huh? Kailan ko naman sinabi ‘yon?" tanong ni Sophia, kunwari ay walang alam.
"Nakita ko," sagot ni David habang pinipigilan ang ngitngit.
"Eh, busy ka namang magpa-flirt sa mga babae sa bar kanina!" depensa ni Sophia.
"Hindi ko sila nilapitan; hinila nila ako."
"Okay. So, bakit ka naman nagseselos?"
"Oo nga. Sobra akong nagseselos," prangkang sagot ni David.
Naiiling si Sophia. "Ikaw, nagseselos? Hindi mo ba gets, ikaw ang dahilan ng lahat ng kaguluhang ito?"
Napatahimik si David. Pero sa kanyang mga mata, kitang-kita ang totoong nararamdaman niya.
Sa huli, lasing na lahat at halos hindi na nila maalala ang nangyari. Si Sophia ay kinailangan nang buhatin palabas ng karaoke bar ng mga kaibigan ni David, habang si David ay tumatawa lang.
Diyos ko, anong pinasok ko? Napapikit si Sophia habang iniisip ang lahat ng nangyari sa gabing iyon.
Sophia Laurel was too drunk to even stand properly. She felt like her legs were jelly as Roble carried her out of the karaoke bar.
"Roble, bitawan mo na siya. Ako na ang bahala kay Sophia," David Horan said, his deep voice filled with annoyance.
"Okay lang. Gusto kong tumulong sa’yo," Roble replied, laughing drunkenly.
"Shut up. Let her go."
"Ang dami mong sinasabi. Eh ako ang nagbuhat sa kanya palabas."
"Do you want to die?"
"Tangina, ang possessive mo naman! O, ayan, kunin mo na siya!" Roble huffed and let Sophia down, almost throwing her toward David like she was some sort of package.
Sophia wanted to protest, but the alcohol in her system made her head spin. She knew walking on her own wasn't an option unless she wanted to humiliate herself further.
Their other friends were in no better condition, all drunk and stumbling around the parking lot.
"Ano'ng gagawin sa mga kaibigan ni Sophia?" Dim asked, scratching his head as he looked at the other girls.
"Hatid na lang sila sa bahay nila," David replied coolly.
"Okay, sige!" Dim quickly agreed, and they all started heading in separate directions.
David guided Sophia to his car. As always, he played the reluctant yet responsible bodyguard for her whenever she got too drunk.
Sophia felt a hand on her thigh, jolting her awake. She groaned softly, then blinked her eyes open to see David rummaging in her pants pocket.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" she muttered.
"Hinahanap ko ‘yung susi," he replied, his tone nonchalant.
"Sa gilid ang bulsa, gago!" Sophia snapped, pushing at his hands.
"Relax. I’m just checking thoroughly," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips. Finally, he found the key, unlocked the door, and dragged her inside like a sack of rice.
Pagkapasok, he tossed her onto the bed without so much as a hint of gentleness.
"Hoy! Tao ako, hindi ako unan!" Sophia exclaimed, glaring at him through her exhaustion.
Ignoring her protests, David began tugging at her pants.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" she asked, her voice slurred.
"Basa na ang damit mo. Tatanggalin ko lang para hindi ka matuyuan," he explained, his expression deadpan.
"Hindi na kailangan. Matutulog na ako," she muttered, trying to swat his hands away.
"Ang kulit mo," David muttered as he yanked her pants off in one swift motion, leaving her in her cycling shorts.
Next, he grabbed the hem of her shirt.
"Tangina, David! Ano ba?!" Sophia shouted, though she had no energy to fight him off.
He didn’t even respond. He removed her shirt and tossed it aside before grabbing a blanket and covering her.
"Matulog ka na. Sweet dreams," David said as he lay down beside her, his arm casually resting behind his head.
"Hoy, ‘wag mo akong manyakin, ha," Sophia mumbled, her eyelids drooping.
"Kahit hindi mo sabihin," David replied sarcastically, closing his eyes.
Sophia wanted to retort, but sleep claimed her before she could.
- Writer
