Her Rented Boyfriend

Chapter 3

JEN:

NABABAGOT akong nakaupo sa sofa hawak ang champagne ko. Wala ako sa mood pero heto at hinila ako ng mga kaibigan ko dito sa hotel. It's Bea’s bridal shower was in full swing, the air thick with the scent of expensive perfume and the low thrum of a bass-heavy playlist. My four best friends– Zoe, Kate, Bea and Alex, were perched on the edge of their seats, their eyes glued to the stage where a line of macho dancers had been performing for the past hour.

Kilig na kilig pa ang mga gaga at nage-enjoy sa pinapanood namin, habang ako? Wala lang. How can I enjoy the show? It had only been a week since Arman and I broke up, and the ache of it was still raw, a constant throb behind my ribs. The last thing I wanted was to be surrounded by giggling women and half-naked men, celebrating a love I’d just lost. But my friends had insisted, their voices soft but firm, telling me I needed to ‘get out of my head’ and ‘have some fun.’ So here I was, playing the part of the supportive friend while my heart felt like it was still in pieces. Wala ako sa mood pero dahil minsan lang ito, sumama na ako. Nakakainis, ikakasal na ang isang kaibigan ko. Lima kami sa grupo at lahat kami ay taken– well before pala. Dahil ang magaling kong nobyo, nakipaghiwalay na sa akin. The nerve of him.

As the next dancer took the stage– his hips swaying to a latin beat, his abs glistening with sweat. I took a slow sip of my champagne, my gaze drifting to the ceiling. I’d seen enough. The guys were attractive, sure, but they were just. . . guys. None of them could hold a candle to Arman, not in my eyes. Not yet. I'm not yet ready to fall in love again. Kung gwapo at macho lang naman? Napapalibutan na ako ng mga ganyan sa pamilya pa lang namin. Kaya para sa akin, normal na sa paligid ko na nagkalat ang mga gwapo.

The music shifted, the lights dimming until the room was bathed in a soft, amber glow. A collective gasp went up from my friends, and I looked up, curious despite myself. Nagsusundutan pa ang mga ito na kilig na kilig na nakamata sa harapan namin. Naiiling akong napasimsim sa champagne ko at tumingin sa pinapanood nila. The final dancer was emerging from a large box at the back of the stage, his movements slow, deliberate. Napalunok ako na mapatitig sa kanya at hindi maalis ang paningin sa kanya.

He was tall, 6’1 I guess or maybe more, with a broad, muscular frame that filled out the security guard uniform he was wearing in a way that should have been illegal. His skin was a warm, sun-kissed brown, and even from where I sat, I could see the definition of his biceps, the way his shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist. Naghahampasan na tuloy ang mga loka-loka kong kaibigan. Akala mo naman mga walang nobyo, malalantod din. Naiiling akong nakamata sa binata. A black mask covered the upper half of his face, leaving only his jawline and lips exposed, but even that wasn’t enough to hide the fact that he was devastatingly handsome.

My breath caught in my throat, and I felt a flutter in my chest that had nothing to do with champagne. I told myself it was just the shock of seeing someone so striking, especially in a uniform that was so out of place for a macho dancer. But as he stepped closer to the edge of the stage, his eyes locking with mine for a split second, I knew it was more than that. Ayokong aminin pero– this man has something. Something that I can't explain. Basta, natagpuan ko na lamang ang sariling natutuwa na pinapanood itong napaka-hot at sexy gumiling na sinasabayan ang sexy music.

“Holy s**t,” Zoe whisper. “Look at him.”

Bea nodded, her eyes wide. “He’s the hottest one yet. Look at that build, gosh.”

Napailing ako na nagpatay malisya. Ang mga gaga. Makakita lang ng gwapo, kilig na kilig na. Akala mo naman mga single pa. I forced myself to look away, my cheeks heating up. I couldn’t be attracted to him. I was still in love with Arman. I was still hurting. But as the dancer began to move, his body swaying to the music in a way that was both graceful and powerful, I found myself unable to look away.

He was like a storm, this stranger all raw, unbridled energy and quiet intensity. And for the first time in a week, I felt something other than pain. I felt– alive again. Seriously, Jen? Isang linggo pa lang magmula nang hiniwalayan ka at ngayon. . . kinikilig ka na?

I took another sip of my champagne, my gaze drifting back to him. Maybe my friends were right. Maybe I did need to get out of my head. Maybe, just maybe, this night was about to get a lot more interesting. Lihim akong napapangisi at nakamata lang din ito sa akin. Na kahit may ilang metro pa ang layo niya sa akin, damang-dama ko ang matiim niyang pagtitig na tumatagos sa buto ko!

Hanggang sa nasa harapan na namin ito. Hindi pa rin naaalis ang paningin sa akin. Nakahalata naman ang mga kaibigan ko na ako na ang tinukso.

"You're the queen, JM," panabay nilang irit.

Naiiling akong sumimsim sa champagne ko at napataas ng kilay dito.

"I'm not the bride, baby boy. But if you want me to take you? You have to remove your mask in front us. Deal?" I challenge him.

He swallowed and I can see in his eyes that he's nervous a bit. Hanggang sa inalis nga nito ang maskara na ikinaawang ng labi naming magkakaibigan.

"Not bad," I murmured in my mind.

"Oh no! JM, he's mine, 'di ba?" ungot ni Bea sa akin at sa akin nakamata ang binata.

Napangisi ako. "Ask him, bestie. Mukhang. . . sa akin niya gustong sumama tonight," I replied.

Kumawala pa ang nagrereklamong ungol sa mga labi nito. "Pagbigyan mo na, bestie. Si JM 'yan." Bulong ni Zoe dito na napanguso.

"Fine. Kung sabagay, I'm getting married na rin naman. Nice to meet you, baby boy. Bet kita pero-- mukhang bet ka nitong best friend ko," sumusukong pagsang-ayon ni Bea na ikinailing ko..

Matapos nilang sumayaw, tumayo na kami. Napahagod ako ng tingin ditong napapalunok at hindi maalis-alis ang paningin sa akin. Gosh, ang sarap haplusin ng mga pandesan niya sa tyan! It feels like. . . they are seducing me! Ang sarap nila sa mata!

"Let's go. I need to breath some fresh air outside." Aniko ditong natutulala na sumunod sa akin.

**

We made our way up to the hotel’s rooftop, the elevator ride thick with a silence that felt heavier than the air outside. When the doors slid open, the cool night wind hit me sharp, biting, carrying the faint tang of rain and distant traffic. The stranger walked ahead, his steps quiet, and I followed, my heels clicking softly against the concrete. We drifted to the far edge, where the metal railing overlooked the city sprawled below. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit ko ito ginagawa. I don't even know his name. Wala pa mandin dito ang mga bodyguard ko. Hindi ko pa alam kung mapagkakatiwalaan itong kasama ko. Although, he looks innocent and nice cute guy, he's still a stranger to me. I'm a girl and he's a man. Pero nakakatuwang. . . wala akong pangambang nadarama kahit kaming dalawa na lang ngayon ang magkasama.

It was past one in the morning, and the world had softened into stillness. No more thumping bass, no more shrieks of laughter– just the low hum of a city winding down, and the glow of a million lights stretching to the horizon. The sky was a deep, inky black, streaked with wispy silver clouds, and the buildings below looked like tiny, glowing islands in a sea of darkness. Ang sarap pagmasdan ng kailawan dito sa syudad, lalo na't narito kami sa rooftop ng hotel namin. May presidential suite naman ako dito sa hotel kaya kahit hindi na kami lumabas at doon magpalipas ng gabi, walang problema.

I wrapped my arms around myself, the cold seeping through my thin dress. The stranger stood beside me, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants, and I could feel his gaze on me. Steady, unwavering, like he was studying every line of my face. I didn’t dare to meet his eyes. Mahirap na. Kaming dalawa lang ang nandidito at higit sa lahat? Nakainom ako. The silence between us was a wall, thick and unyielding, and I didn’t know how to break it. For a week, I’d been drowning in the wreckage of my breakup with Arman, replaying every fight, every word, every moment that had led to us ending. Now, here, with this stranger, I felt small, fragile, like a glass about to shatter.

Then, a warmth settled over my shoulders. I looked up, startled, to find him holding out his jacket– soft, worn, smelling like cedar and something else, something warm and alive. Napalunok ako na mapatitig muli sa mga mata niya. Bigla kasing bumilis ang t***k ng puso ko na mapatitig muli sa mga mata niya. Napakaamo kasi ng mga iyon, bumagay sa kanya ang medyo chinito niyang mata na may makapal at itim na kilay, malalatik at may kakapalang pilikmata, na kahit sinong babae, mamamangha sa ganda ng mga iyon.

“N-nilalamig po kasi kayo,” he said, his voice low, rough, like he hadn’t spoken in hours.

I hesitated, my fingers hovering over the fabric. I should have said no. I should have walked away. But the cold was biting into my bones, and his jacket felt like a lifeline. I slipped my arms into the sleeves, and the warmth wrapped around me like a hug. Napangiti ako na ikinalunok nitong napasulyap sa mga labi ko. Hindi ko alam pero– he looks so cute there. Para siyang batang nagniningning ang mga mata at mabilis mabasa sa mga inosente niyang mata ang kanyang naiisip at nadarama.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He nodded, his eyes locking with mine for a heartbeat, and in that second, the silence didn’t feel so heavy anymore. It felt– like a pause. Like something was about to start. Magkatabi kaming nakatayo dito sa dulo ng rooftop. Nakamata sa harapan namin.

“Uhm, H-hajie po pala, ma'am.” Saad nito na naglahad ng kamay.

Napasulyap ako sa kamay niya. Malaki iyon at malinis naman. Hindi ko alam pero. . . kusang gumalaw ang kamay ko na inabot iyon at sabay kaming napalunok na natigilan.

"J-Jen, I'm Jen Madrigal. JM for short, baby boy."