CHAPTER 15
1532 Words
“PAKIULIT ang tanong mo, mahal kong pinsan?” wika ni Noreen pagkatapos niyang matahimik sa loob ng ilang segundo. Siguro nagsink in na ang tanong niya rito at nahimasmasan na.
“How do you seduce a man?” Neriah asked again.
Noreen burst into loud laughter. “So, ‘yun ang tanong mo?”
“Yes.”
“You called me… to ask that?”
“Yes.”
Naiiling na natatawa si Noreen sa kabilang linya. She was trying hard not to laugh loudly. Then she cleared her throat.
“Okay.” Noreen cleared her throat again. “Let’s start with the obvious.”
Nakinig naman si Neriah.
“Neriah…” Noreen’s voice softened with amusement. “You’re one of the most straightforward women I’ve ever met.”
“Is that bad?”
“No.”
“It’s just…” Noreen chuckled again. Seduction isn’t exactly your art.”
Neriah frowned. “What does that even mean?”
“It means you’re the type who’d skip all the subtle hints and just say whatever’s on your mind.”
Napaisip naman si Neriah. “…that’s true.”
“Alam ko,” sabi ni Noreen.
“So, ano'ng gagawin ko?” tanong niya.
Noreen pretended to think. “Hmm…”
“I need serious advice.”
“Seryoso ako.” Then Noreen said matter-of-factly, “Maybe you should just ask him directly.”
“Directly?”
“Yes.”
“Like what?”
Noreen rolled her eyes. “To have s*x, of course. Ano pa ba?”
Napakurap si Neriah. “…That’s it?” she asked, as if Noreen’s advice was just casual.
“Well, you’ve never been the mysterious type.”
“I suppose not.”
“Kaya huwag kang magpanggap na ibang tao,” payo ni Noreen.
Humiga si Neriah sa kama. “Hm.”
Then Noreen suddenly became curious. “Wait…”
“Ano?”
Bahagyang nakakunot ang noo ni Noreen. “Who caught your attention?”
Ngumiti si Neriah. “Hindi mo na kailangang malaman.”
Napailing si Noreen. Alam niyang hindi sasabihin sa kaniya ni Neriah kung sino ang nakakuha ng atensiyon nito. Inaasahan na niya ’yon.
“Noreen, just tell me.”
Noreen sighed dramatically. “Matalino ka. Alam mo na ‘yan, Neriah. But if you want the man to know that you wanted to do that kind of thing with him, buy some condoms.”
“Puwede siguro?” sabi ni Neriah. Hindi siya siguro. “Can I joke about it?”
“Hmm… subukan mo. But don’t try to impress him with tricks.”
Napatango si Neriah.
“Neriah, if you ever decide to take your relationship to the next level, have an honest conversation first. No games, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Pero ayos lang kung akitin mo siya.”
Neriah blushed. Fortunately, Noreen was only on the phone; otherwise, she would have already teased her non-stop.
“Being yourself is already more than enough, Neriah.”
“Thanks for the advice, Noreen.”
After ending the call, Neriah stared thoughtfully at her phone.
Ngumiti siya. “Yeah…” Napatango siya sa kaniyang sarili. “I can do honesty.”
Knowing herself… She probably couldn’t do anything else.
But seducing Lucien… naipikit niya ang mga mata… bakit parang nahihiya na siya?
“Neriah, you’re bold. You can do that,” she cheered herself.
Later, there was a knock on her door.
“Neriah.”
It was Lucien.
Mabilis na bumangon si Neriah. “Bakit?”
“Nakaluto na ako. Kumain na tayo.”
Hindi sumagot si Neriah, pero tumayo siya at lumapit sa pinto. Binuksan niya ito at nakita niyang pabalik na si Lucien sa kusina.
She stared at Lucien.
Lucien was a definition of a handsome man—muscular chest, six-pack abs, broad shoulders, tall, not too dark… not too white… just tan, which made him more handsome.
Marami na siyang naririnig tungkol kay Lucien noon, na kung saan maraming babae ang nagpapantasya tungkol rito, pero hindi niya pinapansin dahil hindi naman niya ito kilala.
But now, looking at him, she finally understands those women who were fantasizing about him.
Naningkit ang mata ni Neriah dahil sa isiping ‘yon.
“Fantasize?”
Ngumisi siya. Then let them fantasize, because the man they were fantasizing about is already hers.
“Lucien is mine,” she muttered. “And no one will take him away from me.”
Anyone who will take him away from her… shall face hell and will taste her wrath.
ONE DAY, Lucien and Neriah decided to rent a flat for them to save expenses. Though money is not a problem for both of them, masyado pa ring mahal ang bayad sa pananatili nila sa hotel.
It was just a simple flat with two rooms.
Though they flirt with each other, they still want to have privacy.
And of course, hati sila sa mga gastusin sa pagkain, renta ng flat at iba pang gastusin.
It was Saturday.
At ito ang araw na pinakagusto ni Lucien. Hindi dahil wala siyang trabaho, kundi dahil hahatakin siya ni Neriah kung saan niya gusto.
Today, it was a supermarket.
“You know,” Neriah said as she grabbed a shopping basket, “this is probably the most normal thing we’ve done together.”
Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Lucien. Napaisip siya—they have attended an underground auction, traveled across cities, and Neriah broke a man’s arm… she even killed someone when they first time they met. Well, that drunkard deserved it. Neriah was not an ordinary woman.
Thinking of it—
“Yeah, indeed.” Napatango si Lucien.
A few minutes later, Lucien became immersed in choosing ingredients while pushing the shopping cart.
He’s the cook, so Neriah just stayed quiet and followed Lucien.
Lucien put fresh tomatoes, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms into the shopping cart.
Sumilip si Neriah sa loob ng basket. “So healthy.”
Ngumiti si Lucien. “I’m cooking.”
“I know.”
Mahinang napabuntong-hininga si Lucien. “You complained that hotel food was getting repetitive,” he said.
Kapag hindi siya nakakapagluto, umu-order sila ng pagkain sa hotel.
And sometimes, Neriah was being grumpy when she didn’t like the food.
Yes, Neriah complained a lot when it came to food. Hindi lang halata.
Lucien continued toward the meat section.
After carefully inspecting several cuts, he finally picked premium beef and chicken.
“Ano sa tingin mo?”
Nagkibit ng balikat si Neriah. “I think it’s good.”
Napailing na lamang si Lucien at mahinang pinisil ang ilong ni Neriah. “You really don’t know how to cook.”
And Neriah was not offended because that was true.
While Lucien remained focused on comparing different cuts of meat, Neriah quietly wandered toward another aisle.
At natuon ang atensiyon niya sa maliit na shelf.
A mischievous smile slowly appeared. “Oh…”
Without hesitation, she picked up a small box.
Sinulyapan niya si Lucien. He was still studying labels with complete concentration.
Hindi nawala ang pilyang ngiti sa labi ni Neriah.
And with practiced innocence, she gently placed the box inside the shopping cart beneath a bag of vegetables. Then she walked away as though nothing had happened.
Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, nasa checkout counter na sila.
The cashier began scanning their groceries one by one.
“Vegetables.”
“Chicken.”
“Beef.”
“Pasta.”
Then the cashier reached for a small box.
Bumaba ang tingin ni Lucien at lumaki ang kaniyang mata. “What the hell?”
The cashier, maintaining remarkable professionalism, simply scanned it.
Tumingin si Lucien kay Neriah. “Kailan mo ‘yan inilagay sa cart?”
Neriah looked up at Lucien with the picture of innocence. “When you were busy buying meat.”
Napakurap si Lucien. Wala siyang masabi. He looked at the box, then back at her. “You were gone for… what, thirty seconds?”
Painosenteng ngumiti si Neriah.
Hindi naman makapaniwala si Lucien. “Kailangan natin ‘yan?”
Neriah shrugged casually. “Just in case.”
Lucien rubbed his temple. “Woman…” His voice was barely above a mutter.
He knew that Neriah was bold in her actions, but not bold like this.
Neriah bit her lip, trying not to laugh. “It was just a joke.”
Napailing na lamang si Lucien. “You have a very unusual sense of humor,” he said. The corner of his mouth lifted. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
“May mga ideya ako.”
“Neriah.”
“I’m kidding.”
“Were you?”
Ngumiti lamang si Neriah.
The cashier handed over their receipt and said, “Have a wonderful evening.”
“You too,” Lucien replied, still shaking his head.
As they walked toward the parking area, Neriah bumped her shoulder lightly against his. “So, are you embarrassed?”
“A little.”
Tumawa si Neriah.
“Stop laughing.”
Pero mas lalo pang natawa si Neriah.
Lucien could only sigh.
But he smiled.
Because despite what happened at the supermarket, he was glad that Neriah was happy. And Neriah’s happiness matters.
- Writer
