His Wife Tears

Chapter 16

“Ang babaw naman ng kaligayahan mo.”

“This is the way I am.” Ngumiti na naman ito sa kanya. She looked straight to the counter to avoid his smile. “By the way, kanina pa tayong nagkukwentuhan pero hindi pa natin kilala ang isa’t isa.

“Paano kasi inuna mo ang kakornihan mo.” Buwelta niya rito.

“I thought girls love that moves but I could say now, that not all.” Marahan itong tumawa at muling inaro ang kamay sa kanya. “Hi! I’m Asher.”

“Ayana,” she introduced herself. They shook their hands and he smiled again. Marahas niyang binitawan ang kamay nito.

“Can you please stop smiling?” Her forehead creased.

“Why? Because you’re falling in love?” mapanukso itong tumingin sa kanya. “Don’t worry, I won’t let you fall.”

She can feel the hotness of her cheeks. “It’s not what I mean. Nakakasuka kasi ang ngiti mo,” pagsisinungaling niya. Baka isipin pa nitong may gusto siya rito.

“Alam ko namang na-attract ka din sakin dahil sa kagwapuhan ko.” Tumaas ang kilay niya dahil sa sinabi nito. “You don’t need to lie.” Malapad na ngiti ang binigay nito sa kanya.

She grimaced. Akmang babatukan niya ulit ito pero nasalo nito ang kamay niya at marahan siyang hinila dahilan para magkalapit silang dalawa.

“Once na batukan mo ulit ako, halik ko na ang babalik sayo.” Nakatingin ito sa mga labi niya at kakaibang kaba ang idinudulot nito sa kanya. Asher moved closer to her and any moment their lips will be as one. “Do it, Ayana. Hurt me and I’ll make you happy.”

Nakakalokong tiningnan siya nito. She gasped the moment Asher moved closer and closer to her. Konti na lang talaga at maglalapat na ang mga labi nila. There’s something tickling in her chest. She doesn’t know what it is.

Tinulak niya ito at umayos siya ng upo. Ramdam niyang namumula ang magkabila niyang pisngi pero hindi niya pinahalata dito. She heard him giggled.

“So, I guess, you still don’t have your first kiss?”

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. “Hoy! For your information, may humalik na sa`kin!” Pagyayabang niya dito na mas lalo nitong ikinangisi. Gavin popped up in her mind. Ang asawa pa lamang niya ang nakakahalik sa kanya at napilitan pa itong halikan siya.

“Really? Then, describe how it was.” He snickered. Nasisiraan na rin yata ito ng ulo. Hindi siya sumagot dito at umiwas lang siya ng tingin. “Nakalimutan mo na ang pakiramdam? Hayaan mong ipaalala ko sayo.”

Mabilis nitong nahagip ang mukha niya at akmang ilalapat ang labi nito sa kanya pero agad niyang linayo ang mukha niya rito.

“Are you f*****g i***t?” Inis niya sigaw dito. She’s about to leave but he grabbed her hand again.

“Hey! I’m sorry. I’m just kidding.” He sincerely apologized.

“Sorry your face!” Pagtataray niya.

“Hindi naman kita hahalikan. Ayoko ngang magasgasan ang labi ko.”

She closed her fist because of anger. Konti na lang talaga at masusuntok niya na ang lalaki.

“You’re bullshit!” Buong lakas niyang sigaw at tinawanan lang ulit siya nito. “Mukha ba akong clown at wala ka ng ginawa kundi ang tumawa ng tumawa?”

“Masama bang maging masaya dahil kasama kita?”

Natigilan siya sa sinabi nito. How she wish that Gavin was like him. His humor, his sincerity and his sweet voice, she wished that Gavin have those attitude. Muli na namang lumungkot ang mga mata niya.

“What’s the problem?” He can feel her sadness.

“I’m tired of fighting. For once, I want to be fought for.” Her eyes burning with hot tears and there’s something in her chest, bleeding.

“Let me fight for you, then.” Mahinang sabi ni Asher pero sapat na para marinig niya. Parang kumikinang ang mga mata nitong nakatingin sa kanya. He wiped her tears with his handkerchief. “You deserve to be happy, Ayana and not live on tears.”

PIKIT-matang bumangon si Ayana. Kinusot-kusot pa niya ang kanyang mga mata bago tuluyang imulat ito. Her eyes widened the moment she realized that she’s not in her room. The room was so manly. She started screaming the moment she remembered that she go out with stranger. She checked her body. Baka pinagsamantalahan siya nito pero `yon parin naman ang suot niya. The door opened and Asher hurriedly entered.

“What happened, Ayana?” He panickingly asked.

“Where am I?”

Asher took a deep breath, sign of relief. Umupo ito sa gilid ng kama.

“You’re here in my condo. Nakatulog ka kasi sa kotse ko kaya I have no choice but to bring you here. I don’t know where you live. Don’t worry I didn’t do anything bad to you.”

Naalala niya ang mga nangyari bago siya nawalan ng malay. Nagpahatid siya kay Asher sa mansyon nila pero dahil nga nakatulog siya sa kotse nito, dito siya nito dinala.

Inayos niya ang kanyang sarili. Paniguradong nag-aalala si Manang sa kanya dahil hindi siya nakapag-paalam dito.

“I need to go home now.”

“In a middle of dawn?” His forehead creased.

“There’s someone waiting for me and I know she’s worried.”

He took a deep breath. “Okay, let me drive you home.”

Nag-suot ito ng jacket tyaka sabay silang lumabas ng condo. Malaki ang condo nito. Maganda ang interior design at mga paintings na naka-display sa wall. Sa tingin pa lang sa mga ito mukhang mamahalin na.

Few minutes after, they were already on her mansion. Pinagbuksan siya nito ng pinto ng kotse nito.

“Thank you, Asher.” She sincerely said.

“Don’t thank me. May kapalit ito.” Bago ito sumakay sa kotse ay kinindatan pa siya nito na kanyang ikinatawa.

She entered inside their mansion. Dahan-dahan niyang sinara ang pinto. She was expecting Manang waiting for her but she startled when she bumped to a man’s chest. She was surprised because her husband standing in front of her.

****