Time to Claim What’s Mine

“Tati! I really think na may planong magpropose sa’yo si Jack!” masayang wika ni Rai, my friend. I don’t know where she came from, basta na lang siyang pumasok sa condo ko. “Eh? Pa’no mo naman nasabi?” nagtatakang tanong ko. “Hindi mo ba pansin? Kasi everytime na binubuksan ko yung i********: and f*******: apps ko, lagi akong may nakikitang posts na nila-like niya. And those posts are always about marriage!” she giggled. “And guess what? I saw him kanina sa isang jewelry shop, nagtitingin ng mga rings!” she added. My heart skipped a beat. Ito rin ang inakala ko noon, but I discarded this thought dahil baka naga-assume lang ako. But now that Rai stated another evidence, I think I am not just assuming things. “That’s also what I thought. Sa tingin mo, time na ba para mamili ako ng wedding dress?” I laughed. “Ang advance mo namang mag-isip! But if you’re planning to do that na, don’t forget to inform me ha!” she laughed. Hindi pa lang nakakapagpropose sa akin si Jack, hindi ko na maiwasang isipin kung anong klaseng pamilya ang mabubuo namin in the future. Jack is very kind and loyal, in short, he’s a walking green flag. Napakaraming characteristics niya ang kahanga-hanga talaga. Well, hindi naman kami tatagal ng five years kung hindi siya worth it. Thinking that we’ve comepp this far in spite of all the problems we’ve faced before, it’s making me cry in happiness. I am very lucky to find a guy like Jack. Lumipas na ang isang linggo ay hindi pa rin nagpopropose si Jack, but I didn’t feel anything bad about that. In fact, masaya pa nga ako dahil naiisip ko na baka pinaghahandaan niya talaga ang gagawing marriage proposal. Kasalukuyan akong nagmamaneho papunta sa isang restaurant kasama si Rai. We planned to go on a friendly date habang nasa trabaho pa si Jack. Nang nakarating na kami ay bumaba na kami sa sasakyan. “Mukhang naka-reserved ang buong restaurant.” Rai said. Dumako ang tingin ko roon. May couple na mukhang nagde-date. Then suddenly, the man kneeled and the woman covered her mouth in surprise and happiness. Mukhang nag-propose ang lalaki. “They look very sweet.” sabi ko nang wala sa sarili. “Tati, don’t worry. Malay mo bukas, mag-propose na sa’yo si Jack.” Rai said. “I’m not envy of them, I’m actually happy for them. Isa pa, habang tumatagal ay mas lalo akong na-excite sa gagawing proposal ni Jack.” I replied. Nakita kong tumayo ang couple at nagsimulang magsayaw. There, I saw the face of the man. “Tati…” Rai uttered. “Am I seeing things right?” I asked. I even scratched my eyes to check if my eyesight is still normal. “We’re seeing things right.” wika ni Rai. “What’s your plan?” she asked but instead of answering her, I bravely walked to the restaurant. A staff stopped me by saying, “Ma’am, our restaurant isn’t available for some costumers right now, someone made a reservation.” “Kasama ako nung nagpa-reserve.” I smiled sweetly. He’s hesitant but still let me in. “Oh what a sweet marriage proposal!” I said in a very loud voice while clapping my hands. “Who are you? Why did the staff let her in?” the woman asked. Dali-daling lumapit sa akin ang ilang mga staff ngunit nagsalita ako. “Jack, what are you doing? Bakit mo hinahayaang paalisin nila ako? Hindi mo na ba ako kilala ngayon?” I turned to Jack who’s surprised at the moment. “Tati, what are you doing here?” Jack tried to go near me but I stopped him. “You’re asking me what am I doing here?! Well kung ikaw ang tatanungin, what the f**k are you doing here?!” wika ko. “Don’t go near me!” “Please calm down—” hindi na niya natapos ang sasabihin nang magsalita ang babae. “Jack, who is she?” she asked Jack. Jack didn’t answer so she faced me. “Who are you? Why are you here?” her voice is very calm, I think that she didn’t know that Jack is cheating. “You’re also a victim of that f*****g bastard?” I looked at Jack in disgust. “Well, he’s cheating on me. We’re together for five years already.” “Five years?” she turned to Jack and slapped him, then turned to me. “Miss, he’s not cheating on you.” “What do you mean?” I asked in confusion. “He’s cheating on me! We’re together for seven years!” my jaw dropped. The pain in my heart was doubled. Hindi lang dahil pinagmukha niya akong third wheel, kundi dahil hindi lang ako ang nasasaktan ngayon nang dahil sa kanya. Sa sobrang galit ay sinugod ko siya at sinuntok. I didn’t know how to punch but I tried dahil alam kong mas magiging masakit iyon kaysa sa sampal lang. Napahiga siya sa sahig but I didn’t stopped there. I punched him for the second time. “Those punches are not just for me but also for this woman.” pigil-luha kong wika. Mabilis siyang bumangon. “Please Tatiana, calm down!” sigaw niya. “Maraming tao dito, let’s talk in private!” “Wala akong pakialam! Hindi ako ang mapapahiya rito kundi ikaw dahil isa kang manloloko!” I slapped him but I made sure that my hand will left a print. “Magpasalamat ka na lang at restaurant staffs lang ang nandito ngayon, walang costumers.” “You, cheater.” kalmadong wika ng babae at agad na sinugod si Jack upang sampalin at sabunutan ito nang paulit-ulit. I admire this woman. She’s been with Jack for seven years so it must be very painful to realize that she’s been cheated on for four years, but despite that, she still had the strength to give him physical pain. Mas masakit pa yata ang mga sampal at sabunot na ginawa niya kaysa sa mga suntok ko. “Staffs, iligpit niyo ‘to.” wika niya nang hindi na makatayo sa panghihina si Jack. “Miss, let’s talk.” hinila niya ako papunta sa isang sulok. “Sa apat na taong magkasama kayo, hindi ka nagkaroon ng kahit anong kutob na mayroon siyang ibang babae?” she asked. Bakas pa rin ang mga luha sa kanyang mukha. “Hindi kailanman.” I answered. She held my hand. “Miss, salamat dahil napunta ka rito. Kung hindi dahil sa’yo, baka habang buhay na akong maitali sa lalaking manloloko.” I gave her an assuring smile. “That is nothing to be thankful for. I congratulate you for realizing it now before you exchange vows with him.” “Sige, aalis na ako ha. I can’t hold my tears anymore.” she laughed a little bit. We introduced ourselves to each other. Her name is Freya. Then we bid our farewell. “Are you feeling better now?” Rai asked, ngayon ko lang nalaman na nandito pala siya. “Not yet.” I asnwered. “I know where to go to forget that pain.” she pulled me to the car. She didn’t let me drive because she’s worried that we might encounter an accident. Habang umaandar ang sasakyan, hindi ko na napigilan pa ang aking mga luha. Ngayon lang tuluyang nag-sink-in sa akin ang panlolokong ginawa ni Jack. We used to plan our future together at sobrang sakit isipin na ako na lang pala ang nagmamahal sa relasyon namin. Umasa ako, na ako lang. I thought I got the perfect man but I was completely wrong. Ngayon, ayaw ko nang magmahal muli dahil sobrang sakit na. Gusto kong maglaklak ng kahit ano basta makakalimutan ko ang sakit nang kahit sandali. “We’re here!” Rai declared. Bumaba kami sa sasakyan at nakita ko ang isang bar. “Bar?” I asked kahit alam ko naman na ang sagot. “Exactly. Now, it’s time to throw your inhibitions away by drinking different kinds of beverages. You can also find a guy to flirt on.” hinila niya ako papasok sa bar. Malakas na tugtog ang sumalubong sa amin at hindi ako sanay rito. Hindi pa ako nakakapasok sa isang bar kahit 23 years old na ako dahil akala ko, hindi masaya sa ganito. But now that I am here I can see how happy the people are. Gusto ko ring maranasan ang sayang nararamdaman nila. Napunta kami ni Rai sa bar counter. Agad siyang nag-order ng alak at ipinainom sa akin. “That’s vodka, mapait ‘yan kaya mabilis kang malalasing.” I answered her with a nod. Agad kong ininom ang alak at ramdam ko agad ang init sa aking lalamunan. I don’t usually drink beverages like this, pero habang tumatagal, nagiging masarap ang panlasa ko rito. Marami akong nainom na vodka at lumalabo na ang paningin ko. I tried to call for Rai pero wala na siya sa tabi ko. I decided to find her kahit nahihilo na ako. Pumunta ako sa dance floor dahil baka nandoon siya since hilig niyang sumayaw. Maraming tao rito at hindi ko alam kung saan ako dadaan. Agad akong napatalon sa gulat nang may humawak sa baywang ko. “Hi, are you lost?” the owner of the hand whispered. I felt shiver down my spine, causing my unstable breathing. “I… I don’t know.” halos maubos ang aking hininga nang haplusin niya ang baywang ko pababa. Humarap ako sa kanya upang pigilan siya ngunit bigla niya akong hinalikan. I want him to stop but my body says no. I have a boyfriend… No, he’s not my boyfriend anymore. He cheated on me, and what I’m doing right now cannot be called cheating because I already ended our relationship. I throwed eveything that is stopping me. Isinabit ko ang aking braso sa balikat ng lalaki, at hinapit ko siya papalapit sa akin. His kisses are drowning me. His kisses are wild but not so fast. I feel that I’m getting wet. Ang isang kamay niya ay humaplos sa baywang ko pababa sa dulo ng aking fitted dress na five inches above the knee ang haba. I felt his hand caressing my legs. “Ohhh.” I moaned when his hand reached my underwear. “You like this?” he asked but I can’t answer it because he started caressing my cl-t. “Ohhh.” I hugged him as I moan. “Let’s go to a private place.” he said, at wala akong ibang magawa kundi ang tumango. Wala na ako sa tamang katinuan. Hinila niya ako palabas ng bar hanggang makarating kami sa harap ng isang sasakyan. Pinasakay niya ako roon at sinimulan itong paandarin. He drove so fast kaya madali kaming nakarating sa lugar na nais niyang puntahan. When we got out of our car, I realized that we’re in a hotel. Dali-dali siyang nagcheck-in at mabilis akong hinila papunta sa isang hotel room. “You ready?” he opened the room. I’m not sure what he’s talking about but I nodded. He then kissed me, wilder than what he did earlier. Tinulak niya ako pahiga sa kama saka kinubabawan. He ripped my dress and underwears until I wear nothing. Kita na niya ang buong katawan ko, ang lahat ng itinatago ko. He kissed my lips down to my neck and chest. He nipped my n*****s so hard but I can’t feel any pain but s****l tension. He nipped and sucked both of them until I can see red marks. Then, his lips went down to my belly until it reached my p-ssy. Sinubukan kong ilayo ang katawan ko ngunit mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang dalawang legs ko at saka dinilaan ang ibaba ko. I’ve never felt something like this in my whole life. I am already an adult and what I’m doing isn’t wrong but this is not the right time. But gosh, I can’t resist him. “Oh my gosh!” I screamed as he swril his tounge in every part of my p-ssy. The moment I let him touch every inch of my body, I already gave up myself to him. Yes, I’m a virgin and it will hurt but I don’t care anymore. Pleasure comes after pain, right? So let be it.