TAMED SERIES 1: RIGHAEL SAMANIEGO

Kabanata 18

Margarette

My hands became sweaty all of a sudden when Via's words started to sink in to me. Did I hear her right? Boyfriend niya si Rig? Ginawa akong kabit nang hindi ko alam?

Nalunok ko ang namuong bara sa aking lalamunan. "P-Pardon?"

Via sighed as if she finds me stupid. "I said I wanna talk to you about Rig. Do you have a minute?"

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa lagayan ng meds. "May duty pa ako pero . . . matatapos na rin in fifteen minutes. Can you . . . wait a bit?"

She smiled. "Sure. May coffee shop sa labas. Right across the street. I'll wait for you there."

Hindi niya hinintay pang makasagot ako. She walked away like a classy woman in her black stilettos, not caring whether I'd really show up later or not. Oh siguro ay ganoon siya kasiguradong darating ako dahil si Righael ang aming pag-uusapan.

Naibuga ko ang hanging naipon sa aking dibdib matapos niyang makaliko sa sumunod na pasilyo. I felt weak as if her words stole all of my strength. Naaalala ko na siya. She's that last woman Rig dated back then. Bago pa kami nag-Bali ni Rig. Akala ko ba ay walang sila? Is she lying? Pero bakit ganoon siya ka-confident para puntahan pa ako rito?

I had the urge to ask Rig if he made me a side chic but I ended up deleting my entire chat. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako natatakot tanungin siya nang direkta. Siguro ay dahil kahit totoo ang sabihin niya ay hindi ako maniwala?

"Huy. Kanina ka pa nakatayo diyan. Ayos ka lang ba?" I heard Nesleigh asked. Ni hindi ko na namalayang nakalapit na siya sa akin dahil masyadong natutok ang buo kong atensyon sa kaiisip kung ginawa ba akong kabit o hindi.

I pursed my lips and nodded. "Y-Yes." I swallowed. "Nes?"

"Hmm?" sagot niya habang humahakbang kami pabalik sa nurse station.

Nagdalawang-isip ako noong una ngunit nang tingnan niya ako ay hindi ko na rin napigilan.

"What would you do if . . . someone came to you to tell you that she's in a relationship with the man you're growing to like?"

Tumaas ang kanyang kilay. "Like lang ba talaga?" she asked. Kilala ko naman siya. She wouldn't ask me questions she knows I'm not ready to answer yet. Alam kong ramdam niyang ang tanong niya ay kaya kong sagutin.

I sighed. "Hindi ko pa masabi. I . . . don't know where I stand in his life but there's someone who came to see me because she wanted to talk to me about him. Masyado pang mababaw ang . . . mayroon kami para matawag kong pagmamahal ang nararamdaman ko."

"Eh, ano ba ang naramdaman mo noong sinabi sa'yo na may relasyon daw sila?"

Natahimik ako. Nag-isip at pinakiramdaman ang sarili. "Nanliit . . ." I lowered my head. "Nakaramdam ng kaba at . . . pakiramdam na niloko."

She put the records on the counter. "Kung sabagay, kahit naman hindi pa love ang nararamdaman mo, you would really feel betrayed when someone was dishonest to you. Hindi ko na itatanong kung sino ang tinutukoy mong lalake kahit na may hinala na ako. Hihintayin kitang ikaw mismo ang magsabi sa akin. Anyway, na-clarify mo na ba mismo sa kanya bago ka naniwala sa nagsabing may relasyon sila?"

I shook my head. "Hindi."

"Bakit?"

I chewed my bottom lip for a moment as I drew in some air. "Parang . . . hindi ko rin sigurado kung maniniwala ako sa magiging sagot niya. There's a part of me who's scared to hear him confirm it, too."

She held my arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Alam mo kasi, sis, kung hindi mo kayang pagkatiwalaan ang isang tao, mas mabuti nang huwag ka na munang sumugal. Sabi nga nila, pundasyon ng relasyon ang tiwala. Pwedeng mawala ang pagmamahal dahil hindi naman araw-araw, meron 'yon pero ang tiwala, dapat daw laging nandiyan. Kung gusto mo pa lang siya pero hindi mo na siya kayang pagkatiwalaan, then save yourself. Kaysa susugal ka tapos kapag mahal na mahal mo na, lamang naman ang pagdududa mo sa lahat ng sasabihin niya sa'yo."

Napalunok na lamang ako dahil alam ko sa sarili kong tama naman si Nesleigh. Habang hindi pa ako tuluyang nahuhulog, mas maganda sigurong itigil ko na ano man ang namamagitan sa amin. After all, I'm not even sure where I stand in his life.

Payak akong ngumiti. "Salamat, Nesleigh."

She smiled back. "Anytime."

I waited for our duty to end. Nang makalabas ako ng ospital at hindi ko nakita ang sasakyan ni Rig sa parking lot ay dali-dali akong tumawid para puntahan si Avi sa coffee shop.

I spotted her at the table in the far corner, obviously waiting for me. Sandali pa akong tumigil para pagmasdan siya. She's pretty with fierce features. Tila klase ng babaeng hindi basta-basta magpapatalo o magpapaapi.

I glanced at myself in the glass door and realized that . . . I look too soft. Kaya ba ako nauto ni Rig?

Bumuntonghininga ako't tuluyang itinulak ang glass door. I walked straight towards her. Payak naman siyang ngumiti at iminwestra ang kamay na tila sinasabing maupo ako.

I pursed my lips before I occupied the seat in front of her. Nang mailapag ko ang bag ko sa mesa ay umayos naman siya ng pagkakaupo. She then stirred her coffee as she spoke.

"First of all, I know that you've been sleeping with my boyfriend."

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. "A-Alam mo?"

"Of course." She smiled. "It was my idea."

Napakurap ako. Nahirapang huminga. What the hell did I just hear from a fellow woman?

"Your . . . idea?" halos wala nang lakas kong tanong.

She sighed. "Yes. Rig wanted to get rid of you. Hindi naman siguro lingid sa kaalaman mo 'yon, 'di ba?"

Hindi ako nakakibo. Parang naninikip ang dibdib ko at pati ang lalamunan ko ay sumara. The words I wanted to say were trapped in my aching chest, begging to come out but I have no strength to fight the pain clawing my heart.

She put the teaspoon on the saucer then lifted her cup with both hands. "Inis na inis na siya dahil hindi na gumagana ang mga pagsusungit niya sa'yo. I don't want to see him stressing himself out because of you so I told him that he should seduce you instead and then break your heart nang kusa ka nang umalis sa poder nila."

Uminit ang sulok ng aking mga mata. "Bakit mo naman ginawa 'yon? Babae ka rin naman."

She rolled her eyes. "I love Rig. Like I said, I don't wanna see him getting stressed out because of your presence. Babae nga tayong pareho, pero mahal ko ang boyfriend ko and I will always do everything for him."

Kumuyom nang tuluyan ang aking mga kamao. My heart wanted to reject everything that I've heard, especially now that Rig spends time with me without showing any interest to touch me in places he's not supposed to explore in the first place. Kaya lang paano kung parte pala iyon ng lahat? What if that was the final part of their plan?

She sipped on her coffee then put the cup back to the saucer. "Nakwento sa akin ni Rig na inamin niya sa'yo noong nasa Bali kayo ang tungkol sa kapatid niya. Do you remember that?"

Lalong nawalan ng lakas ang aking mga tuhod.

Bakit . . . alam niya iyon kung hindi totoo ang sinasabi niyang plinano lang nila ang lahat para mapaalis ako sa poder ng mga Samaniego?

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "Y-Yes."

She sighed as she stared at me. "He didn't tell you the whole story. Hindi niya sinabi kung sino ang taong umabuso at naging sanhi ng kamatayan ng kapatid niya, hindi ba?"

Wala nang lakas para sumagot akong umiling.

Avi rested her elbows on the table then entwined her fingers. "Why don't I do you a favor, hmm? I'm gonna tell you who it was at kung ano ang koneksyon mo sa kanya."

Napakurap ako. "S-Sa akin?"

A meaningful half smile made its way to her lips before she dropped the bomb that totally wrecked my soul.

"His name was Alexus Fernandez. Panganay na anak ni Alan Fernandez. Your half brother, Margarette, was the reason why Rig is imprisoned by grief . . . and seeing you every single day is nothing to him but torture . . ."