YOUNIVERSE SERIES 7: Waves Of Forbidden Pleasure (R18+)

Chapter 5

Nnyx Lucas Carson Portano

I was never afraid of death, ang dahilan ko palagi ay kung mamamatay, mamamatay. We are all going to die, iyon nga lang hindi mo alam kung sa langit ka mapupunta o sa impyerno. And as for me, I know very well where my soul would go--in Hell. Kaya naman talagang araw-araw ko nang nilalasap ang langit dito sa lupa.

"I heard that you almost die, idiot."

I was busy on my phone when one of my friends--Arthur suddenly appeared. Tumingin pa ako sa likod niya kung may kasama siyang mga abnoy pero wala, siya lang.

"Hey, it's so nice to see you!" ngiting-ngiti ako pero sinamaan niya lang ako ng tingin.

I don't know but, sa lahat namin na magkakaibigan? siya yung parang may portal na nakakarating agad pag may hindi magandang nangyari.

"Sino naman ang nagsabi sa 'yo na muntik na akong mamatay?"

"Your lola called my mom and said that her playboy grandson almost die. Sinisingil na daw ata ang mga kasalanan ng apo niya. She asked mom for advice paano ka mapapatino and then my mother who was worried about you said that I should come and check on you. Hindi niya pa sinasabi kung sino pero alam ko na dahil sino lang ba sa tatlong lalakeng apo ni Lola Nyla ang babaero?" sagot niya at naupo sa sofa sa harapan ko, ang sama ng mukha.

Akala ko pa naman concerned siya sa 'kin talaga. Ts.

"So you went here because Tita Asha asked you? sinasaktan mo naman ang puso ko, Arthur. Bakit kila Sancho hindi ka ganiyan? pagdating sa akin ay parang walang pagmamahal... walang malasakit."

I even acted hurt, my voice cracked and I placed my hand on my chest.

At tumalim lalo ang tingin niya sa akin. I actually appreciate him coming here. His place is a 4-hour drive away from our mansion. Tapos sa aming magkakaibigan, He was the one who works as if he has ten kids to feed. I don't know how he manages his time with his family, his work, and us, his friends.

Arthur was like a father, a mother and a brother to us not just a friend. Kung kailangan siya, he would act like he was forced to help us but no. Siya palagi yung available na tumulong.

"Sa ating lahat pinakapasaway ka, eh. Baka mamaya ang dahilan ng 'kamuntikan nang pagkamatay' mo ay may ikinama ka pa lang babae na may asawa na tapos binalikan ka ng asawa," he said.

I scowl. As if I would let anyone bruise my handsome face.

"It's not like that," mahina kong sagot sa kaniya, sinabayan ko pa ng pag-iling.

I suddenly remembered how I come back here in this mansion. Well, I asked Miguel and Graze to visit me. Bored na bored na kasi ako dito at hindi ako makaalis dahil nagalit sa akin ang lola, may nagpadala kasi sa kaniya ng mga pictures ko kasama ang anak ni Governor Matias sa isang bar at naghahalikan.

The woman is pretty, sexy, paano ko naman matatanggihan kung nakahain na sa harapan ko at kakainin ko na lang?

And for I don't know how, my grandmother Nylandra Ttula Portano throw me shots where the woman and I are doing nasty things. Galit na galit siya, she was shouting at me.

"Hindi mo na ako binigyan ng kahihiyan, Carson! you are already 32! when are you going to grow up, huh?! ganiyan na lang ba talaga ang buhay mo? ang mambabae ng mambabae? look at your friends! nakakabuo na ng pamilya! and you?"

Nahilot ko ang sintido ko. That was the first time Lola got so mad that her voice echoed throughout this huge mansion. Natakot rin ako, I was trying to reach her that time thinking she might get a heart attack but she is shoving me away.

"Hindi ko alam! pakiramdam ko ay mali ang pagpapalaki ko sa 'yo, Carson! hindi ata maganda na nagpumilit akong iwan ka noon nila Lucia dito sa Pilipinas because you begged me to help you stay! sana ay ipinasama na lang pala kita sa Canada, baka hindi ka pa lumaki na ganito!

Lola was the one who took care of me when I was young. I refused to go with my parents and brothers. Ang tanda ko ay pitong taong gulang ako, kaya mas close ako kay lola. And hearing her say that, I wanted to make her feel that she raised me well, poured me so much love that I didn't get to my parents before because they were all so busy with their works. At alam ko naman na kung sumama ako noon sa Canada, magiging mag-isa lang rin ako dahil hindi ko makuha ang trip ng dalawa kong kapatid. Nygel and Nyzon. They are into business, siguro kaya si Dad tuwang-tuwa rin sa kanila.

"I f-felt, I felt like a failed on raising you!"

But actually, that night when lola got mad, I decided to stop going out with different women. I deleted all their contacts, I even deleted my social media accounts and made a new one na ang mga kaibigan ko pa lang ang nakakaalam. I was so worried of my grandmother's health. And while I was looking at her, letting all out her emotions, nappansin ko na oo nga, tumatanda na siya, nahihirapan na rin siyang maglakad. Kaya rin nagdesisyon akong dumito muna sa mansion para may kasama siya.

I was so busy partying, enjoying my bachelorhood that I forgot my lola is getting old here and alone, worrying about me always, asking when I should visit. At dumating pa sa punto na nagalit siya sa akin ng sobra bago kona-realize ang lahat ng 'yon.

"What happened? natahimik ka bigla tapos hindi ka na nagsalita. Minsan gusto kong buksan iyang ulo mo para makita kung buo pa ang utak mo."

Nang marinig ko ang sinabi ni Arthur ay umangat ang tingin ko sa kaniya at ngumiti ako ng malawak, the usual smile I always give them.

"I was thinking about what happened! inaalala ko bawat detalye para maikwento ko sa 'yo ng maayos, ano ka ba!" I went to his side at inakbayan ko siya.

"What the fck, Nnyx? move away!" angil niya at itinulak ako pero nagpatuloy na ako sa pagsasalita rin at ikinwento kung ano ang nangyari.

"You know that Graze and Miguel visited me, right?"

He nodded. Lumayo na ako sa kaniya, bumalik ako sa pwesto ko at nagsalin ng alak.

"Where are those two by the way?"

"Home. are you expecting them to stay here longer? saka, pinagtawanan pa nila ako nung muntikan na akong mamatay, edi pinalayas ko ang mga gago agad."

Arthur shook his head while smiling, nagsalin na rin siya ng alak sa kaniyang kopita.

"That's normal. I mean, we all expect na matagal kang mamamatay kasi masamang damo ka."

I raised my middle finger at him.

"I was... lucky, I think?" I said in a low tone.

"We went to Maraveles, may ranch kasi doon ang anak ng kapatid ni Lola. Uncle Sabian also invited me a week before to visit his ranch. Nung dumating sila Miguel at Graze doon ko sila dinala and uncle said that we should go to the sea. Pinahiram niya kami ng mga kabayo at iniwan namin ang mga sasakyan sa ranch. Sayang nga wala si Sancho."

Naisingit ko pa ang gagong 'yon.

"Iba na ang may pamilya, Nnyx. Soon you'll understand too."

Coming from him na engaged na. Napaisip tuloy ako sa sinabi ni lola, kaya rin siguro ganoon na siya kabothered para sa akin dahil totoo nga, ang mga kaibigan ko ay bumubuo na ng sari-sarili nilang pamilya.

"So, what happened after?" tanong ulit ni Arthur.

"Uhh, nilibot nga namin yung place, the sea was good. It looks like a private place actually, walang masyadong tao, kaunti ang mga bahay at ang sabi nung mangingisda sa amin ay halos lumipat na raw sa bayan ang mga nakatira dahil pag tumataas ang tubig, inaabot ang bahay ng mga ito."

"We enjoyed the place. Naligo kami sa dagat. Miguel wanted to stay to swim until night but then we noticed the dark sky, uulan ng malakas kaya naman nagdesisyon na kaming umalis na at bukas na lang bumalik. But then going back to the ranch when I touched my neck I noticed that my necklace that lola gave on my 10th birthday was gone. I told the two idiots to go home first sa mansion, sumang-ayon naman silang dalawa dahil nagugutom na rin daw sila. It's just an hour drive kaya nauna na rin sila. Bumalik naman ako sa dagat para hanapin ang necklace ko, naalala ko kasi na hinubad ko 'yon bago kami maligo."

"Nahanap ko naman kaagad at isinuot ulit but then when I was about to turn my back to leave, I noticed the beauty of the moonlight, the sea and the sound of the waves... then I just found myself in the water, enjoying the place."

"So, nalunod ka na non?"

Umiling ako.

"No... hindi ganoon kalalim sa pwesto ko but something--no, someone caught my... attention."

Nagsalubong naman ang mga kilay ni Arthur. He sipped on his wine and rested his back on the sofa.

"Someone..." he whispered, shaking his head as if he knows what I am talking about. Then he continued to speak again.

"A woman, I guess."

I snapped my fingers. "You got it."

"Tangna mo, Nnyx. Ang pagiging babaero mo talaga ang papatay sa 'yo."