Tequila Baby

THREE

THREE 

Maagang nagising si Gab. She hurriedly cleaned her surroundings. She miraculously cooked her food for later. She’s a bit confused of her energetic aura this day. Maybe it was because finally, she can make her plans on schedule.

Nang matapos niya nang linisin ang kanyang unit ay nagdesisyon siyang pumunta ng salon para magpaganda. Nagpa-spa na lang siya para din pagbalik niya ay maginhawa na rin ang kanyang katawan. Bumili na rin siya ng damit na susuotin sa pagkikita nila ni RPM123. She chose to wear a black crop-top with red flannel, skinny jeans, and black shoes.

Pagkarating sa bahay ay saktong 5:30PM na. Nag-umpisa na siyang mag-ayos at nag-makeup na rin siya. Nag-Grab lang siya papunta sa nasabing restaurant na pagkikitaan nilang dalawa. 

Mula sa kanyang kinatatayuan ay nahagip niya ang estranghera na nagpakilala bilang sekretarya ng kanyang nakausap sa dating app. That stranger pointed to her a man in a formal suit as ‘RPM123’ sitting on a comfy chair inside a fancy restaurant where they should meet. Iilan lang ang tao kung kaya’t agad niyang natumbok ang itinuturo nito. After that, the woman left her while looking at the guy. Ni hindi man lang siya nito hinatid sa table. Kaya agad niyang iginala ang sarili, pumasok siya sa loob.

It was a restaurant with a marvelous theme design inside. It was one of the famous restaurants in the country. Someone came to her, one of the restaurant staff. Nagtanong ito kung may reservation ba raw siya, o kung ano mang kaek-ekan ng pangmayaman ang kailangan. At nang makuha na nito ang sagot ay saka siya nito iniwan.

Tiningnan niyang muli ang lalaki. His chinky Asian eyes compliments his fair glowing skin. Her brows arched as soon as she caught a glimpse of his hard-frame eyeglasses. 

So, he’s a nerdy? Pero okay na rin at panalo naman sa pangangatawan ang lalaking ito. She started to tease every inch of him in her mind, imagining him marveling his nakedness to hers.

She snapped out of her trance when she saw him raised his hand. Gosh! Nakilala siya nito. She began to approach and joined him on the seat adjacent to him.

“So, 143? Introduce yourself.” He spoke, in serious tone. 143 kasi ang username na ginamit niya sa dating site.

She almost bit her lip upon seeing his moving lips while speaking. Para bang inaakit siya ng labi nito at parang gusto naman niyang tugunan ang imbitasyon nito.

O my gosh! Kalma, Gab! She scolded herself.

“I am Gabriella Tolentino, Gab for short.” She introduced herself, smiling, while raising a hand for a shake. She waited as if she really needed that handshake.

Kinakabahan siya. Pinipilit niyang maging kalmado kahit na ang totoo ay natatakot siya. It was indeed her first time for a blind date, especially to meet a man he hardly knew. Paano pala kung serial killer ito na tulad ng kanyang napapanood? Paano kung itatapon na lang siya nito sa bakanteng lote? Paano kung chop-chop-in siya nito at pagkatapos ay isasako na lang? Maygad!

The dating site guy had a crease on his forehead. Halata sa mukha nito ang pagtataka. Siguro ay dahil sa kanyang galaw.

Was it a turn off? 

Sa kabila no’n ay hindi naman siya nito binigo. He accepted her hand. His big palm was warm. Napalunok na lamang siya at muli ay pinagpantasyahan niya ito. 

Napasinghap na lang siya at agad na binawi ang kanyang kamay. She wasn’t even sure if they’ll give it a go but her mind keeps on playing with her. It’s not her thing to fantasize after all. 

Jeez . . .

Agad siyang nag-iwas ng tingin. From her peripheral sight, she saw his brows creased again. It did subside and he started to show a long brown envelope. He pulled a paper from it and prompted it to her at the table. 

She turned to him.

“Ano ’to?”

“A contract.”

Her brows creased in disbelief. “A contract?” ulit niya.

Natawa na lamang siya nang unti-unti niyang mapagtanto ang salitang contract. “Bakit kailangan pa nito?”

“Aren’t you going to ask for what I need?” His serious face beamed at her.

Hindi niya alam pero bigla na lamang siyang kinabahan. Para bang may kung anong bumabagabag sa kanyang kaloob-looban. Well, inaamin niyang ngayon, gusto niyang mag-backout, pero ang kagwapuhan lang talaga ng isang ’to ang nakakapagpapigil sa kanya. She inhaled a lot of oxygen before she spoke. “So, ano nga ang kailangan mo?”

They looked at each other for long. Medyo pamilyar ang mukha ng binata. She just had a hard time recalling it to when and where. 

“I want a fubu.”

Now, her forehead creased even more. She’s trying to recall but somehow it was not listed in her vocab bank. 

“A-ano’ng ‘fubu’?” 

Napayuko ito at palihim na tumawa.

She felt annoyed at what he did. Pero sa ilang minutong lumipas, ngayon niya lang ito nakitang ngumiti. At least naman nalaman niyang may iba pa itong ekspresyon maliban sa pagiging cold at serious face nito. 

He, then, brought back his sight to her. “Fubu means f**k buddy,” he said, sternly.

Gab’s eyes widened and her jaws dropped in shock. Was she hearing it right? O baka naman pinaglalaruan na naman siya ng kanyang utak?

“H-ha?” was all she could say.

“I know you heard what I said.” He smirked at her. “And that’s also the answer to your question about this contract. I’m a lawyer. What we are actually talking about is something risky that it can ruin my profession in just a snap. I hope you understand that.”

“By the way, I’m Attorney Ralph Molina,” he added.

“Ah . . .” She nodded to her realization, very dumbfounded.

Kung kanina ay sa hitsura lang nito, ngayon ay pati ang pangalan ng lalaking ito ay pamilyar na rin. She knew she really did hear his name somewhere.

Her curiosity fell into another realization.

“Wait! You mean, you’re Attorney Molina? One of the famous lawyer brothers?!”

“Yes, I am,” he calmly answered. “So, what’s your decision, Miss Tolentino?” 

Para ba siyang na-starstruck na hindi niya maintindihan kung ano ba ang dapat niyang magiging reaksyon. Ramdam niya ang paghihintay nito ng sagot. But she didn’t know how to answer. There’s something inside her that keeping her silent for a while after hearing the meaning of ‘fubu.’ She felt ditching the plan. 

No words came out of her mouth. She heard his deep breath while rubbing his temples. 

“Okay, I will give you twenty-four hours to think of it. After that, tell me your decision.” 

Natulala na lamang siya rito. Hindi niya akalain na ang taong kausap niya sa dating app ay isang sikat na lawyer sa Pilipinas. Na-link na rin ito sa mga sikat na artista. Hindi niya rin naman maitatangging may maipagmamalaki ito, idagdag pang habulin ito ng mga babae. 

***

Nag-alok ito na ihatid siya sa kanyang condo. May sarili itong driver at pareho silang nakaupo sa backseat. Nagulantang na lamang siya sa sasakyan nitong Mercedes-Benz. Yayamanin talaga ang lalaking ito.

Halos hindi siya mapakali sa kanyang kinauupuan. Siguro ay dahil katabi niya lang naman si Attorney Molina. Nakadiretso ang tingin nito sa daan at hindi man lang ito nagsasalita.

Hindi niya namalayang nakarating na pala sila sa kanyang destinasyon. Nagtaka na lamang siya nang makahinto na sila sa building kung nasaan ang kanyang condo. Ni hindi niya maalalang nagtanong ito sa kanya. At higit sa lahat ay hindi niya nabanggit kung saan siya nakatira. 

Matagal silang natahimik sa loob ng kotse na tila ba naghihintay kung sino sa kanilang dalawa ang unang magsasalita. Nilingon niya ang kanyang katabi nang nakakunot ang noo. Tahimik ito at nakikiramdam. Magsasalita na sana siya pero nauna ito.

“Gabriella Tolentino, 24 years old. Nurse sa St. Fabian, at mayroong kapatid na lalaki. Patay na ang magulang dahil sa airplane crash at ten years old ka pa lang no’n,” biglang salaysay nito saka tumingin sa kanyang gawi. 

Napabuga na lamang siya ng hangin. Hindi niya alam kung matutuwa ba siya o hindi.

“Pina-background check mo ako?” 

“I’m a lawyer so dapat lang talagang magpa-background check ako,” he seriously said. 

She bitterly smiled. 

“Hindi ba’t dapat ako ang gagawa no’n dahil sa black picture mo?”

“I told you already that I’m not a bad guy unlike what you’re thinking, Miss Tolentino.” 

Ilang beses siyang napasinghap dito. She doesn’t like what she just heard. She was about to open the door when suddenly the lawyer spoke again. 

“Don’t tell me you’re declining my offer just because I had you background-checked? Remember, you also needed something.” 

She didn’t answer back.

“Anyway, call me after twenty-four hours. Think twice, Miss Tolentino,” habol nito.

She finally opened the door and let herself out. As soon as she slammed the door shut, the car drove away quickly.

She’s in her room now. Nakaupo siya ngayon sa kanyang higaan habang nakatulala sa kawalan. Dalawa lang naman ang kanyang pagpipilian; ang tumanggi sa alok nito at tanggapin na lamang na isa siyang talunan, o kaya naman ay tanggapin niya ang alok nitong maging isang f**k buddy at magiging matagumpay ang kanyang plano. 

Bigla na lamang nanayo ang kanyang balahibo. Naalala niya muli iyong ginawa ni Ralph no’ng nasa Resto sila . . .

Ralph stood up and walked behind her back. Napaigtad siya nang maramdaman ang kamay nito na para bang kinikiliti ang kanyang leeg, at ang mainit na hininga nito sa kanyang tainga. 

“Believe me, you won’t regret this.” Gosh! He’s seducing her. At sa tingin niya ay nagtagumpay ito. Naghahabol siya ng hininga habang ginagawa iyon ng binata sa kanya. Ngayon niya lang naramdaman ang ganitong sensasyon dahil lang sa simpleng paghaplos nito. May kung ano na gusto niyang ulit-ulitin.

***

She suddenly woke up back into her senses. It was like catching her breath after reaching the surface from an endless sea. Unang pumasok sa isip niya ay ang kanyang ex. She was desperate to avenge her pride. Hindi siya makakapayag na basta-basta na lamang maliitin ng mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya.

Agad niyang kinuha ang maliit na card mula sa kanyang bag. Calling card ito na ibinigay ng binata sa kanya. She dialed the number despite of her second thoughts. She began to close her eyes softly and exhaled. 

Ilang segundo ang nakalipas at sumagot na ito. 

“Miss Tolentino, nakapagdesisyon ka na ba?” His voice was husky and bewildered. 

“Oo . . .” 

“And, what’s your decision?”