Under My Skin

8

"Why do I feel like Dr. Gonzales have a crush on you?"

"Don't be silly, Ellexis Rivera. Sabi ko na sa'yong tigilan mo na kung ano man yang sinisinghot mo, tingnan mo naghahallucinate ka na!"

"Anthurium Reyes, I'm not blind. I see him staring at your ass all day."

"You're imagining things."

"Why is he here anyway? Diba hindi naman siya ER doctor? He's a consultant for Christ's sake!"

"Nagseselos ka ba?"

"Ayoko lang na tinititigan ka niya na parang anytime, sasakmalin ka niya."

Pinigilan ni Drae ang mapangiti sa pamamagitan ng pagkagat sa labi niya. He shouldn't be amused that Uri's boyfriend is thinking that he likes her. But it was hilarious because he was f*****g on point. He really is one minute away from jumping her and f*****g her for the whole hospital to see.

It was wrong in so many levels but that's what makes things interesting, right? Now, he's that f****d up in the head.

Draegan was really into this woman. He's hell bent on having her. But on certain conditions. Siguro kung hindi ito virgin at kung magiging submissive lamang ito sa kanya. Yung madaling manipulahin. Madaling kontrolin.

But Anthurium Reyes was nowhere near being submissive.

He remembered the fire in her eyes when she confronted him. Damn, it was so freakin amusing! The way she glared at him and threatened that she will hurt him? Tangina, wala pang ibang babae na nakapagsalita ng ganoon sa kanya. Bukod sa kapatid niyang si Phae. She had this certain fire on her. No woman had ever made him feel something except Uri. She excites him.

Kaya lang virgin.

Maybe if she could just lose her virginity to someone else. Willing na willing siya na ipagpatuloy ang nasimulan ng iba rito.

But the the thought of someone else touching her...

It's pissing him off. Even her sorry ass of a boyfriend pisses him the fck off. Gusto niyang suntukin ito dahil hindi nito magawang bantayan ang girlfriend nito. If she was his girl, he would never have let anyone lay his fingers on her. Or tongue, for that matter. But she wasn't.. And she will never be.

Coz he may be fcked up in the head but he was not completely heartless. He wouldn't drag anyone in his mess of a life, most certainly not this woman.

Uri's good. She wouldn't deserve someone as fcked up as Draegan is.

Muli siyang napatingin sa babae. She was attractive alright.

No, she's beautiful.

He remembered how Liam took notice of her. And Scor, too. He knew his best friend was just messing with him. But Liam... Hindi biro ang taste nito. His friends all have exceptional tastes. Kahit si Ram ay nagpahayag ng paghanga kay Uri. Mabuti na lamang at mga taken ang mga ito. Except for RD. Kailangan sigurong ilayo dito ang dalaga.

What the f**k are you thinking Draegan?!

Hindi niya pag aari ang babae. She even have a boyfriend! Pero kung makabakod siya dito ay ganoon na lang.

Well, sabi nga nila, mas madaling hulihin ang manok pag nakatali.

Uri obviously wants him, too. Hindi lang niya kayang sikmurain na sirain ng tuluyan ang kainosentehan ng babae kahit pa willing itong ibigay sa kanya iyon. Like he said, he wasn't heartless, may konsensya siyang tao kahit papaano. Nice to know he wasn't that evil after all. Siguro hihintayin na lang niyang tubuan ng bayag ang boyfriend nito, saka niya aagawin.

Fck you, Draegan! Siraulo ka!

He can think of a lot of reasons for him to stay away from Uri but his d!ck just wouldn't fcking cooperate. Eh tangina naman kasi, magsuot ba naman ang babae ng masikip na palda na humahakab ng husto sa bilugang puwit nito! It makes him want to fck her mercilessly. Hanggang sa magsubmit ito sa kanya. She obviously needed to be fcked into submission. Kailangan lang nito matuto. He cpuld ease her into that.

Napapikit siya ng mariin.

Tangina ka, Drae! Hindi na niya mabilang kung ilang beses niyang minura ang sarili. If only someone would hear all the dirty things running in his head. All the dirty things he wanted to do with sweet, but not so innocent Anthurium Reyes he'd probably go to jail. Or a mental institution.

He was too lost in his thoughts that he actually flinched when a woman with eyeglasses and long hair tied in a braid approached her.

"Good evening, Dr. Gonzales,"

"What do you want?" hindi napigilan ni Drae na imaginin ang babae sa isang compromising na sitwasyon. He knew he met this woman somewhere. He just couldn't figure out where.

"I am Frida delos Santos, secretary of Dra. Manalastas, dean of college of nursing." may iniabot na sobre sa kanya ang babae. Napako ang mata niya sa singsing nito. He smirked. He have the same ring, though he never wore it outside the club. Illicit. So, she's one of those women. Tumaas ang kilay ni Drae. Who would have thought one was actually working for him.

"We would like to invite you sir, to an out of town event. Graduation party po for the graduating batch. You attemdance would mean so much po for Dean Manalastas."

Drae's eyes drifted towards Uri. Graduation party, huh? That means she's going there, too.

"Okay." he shrugged.

Frida's eyes lit up. "Okay? As in you will go?"

Tumango si Drae sa babae. There was a naughty glint on her eyes when he looked at her. Oh no, babe. I'm not interested on doing some hanky panky in a college graduation party. His eyes strayed towards Uri who seems to be listening to their conversation. But that woman over there... She's a different story.

Keep your c0ck to yourself, Draegan, panunupil ng rasyonal na parte ng isip niya. Ngunit kahit anong gawin niya ay walang ibang tumatakbo sa isip niya kundi ang makuha ang babae.

Maaga siyang nag-out sa hospital. Nakita niya kung paanong ang sama ng tingin sa kanya ng dalaga. He knew she still wasn't over their conversation yesterday. Basta na lamang kasi niya itong tinalikuran at alam niyang hindi pa tapos sa kanya si Uri. She's one feisty woman alright, we'll see if she's still got that fire going on once he have her bent on all fours. What a lovely sight!

Sa sobrang frustration na nadarama, he decided to get some fix. He texted his favorite girl, Sab. Na agad namang nagpaunlak sa imbitasyon niya.

That night, he ended up sprawled in one of his couches in his condo's veranda. With a cigarette between his fingers and a bottle of whiskey sitting on the side table. Humithit siya ng sigarilyo at muling tumingin sa tanawin sa harap niya. It was almost two in the morning and the sheets on his bed were crumpled on the other side of the sliding glass door. He sighed heavily.

Narinig niyang bumukas ang sliding door at niluwa niyon si Sab na suot na ang itim na dress nito at hawak ang dalawang sapatos sa isang kamay. "I'm leaving now, Drae, but just in case you change your mind.."

"I'm really sorry about tonight, Sab."

She perched herself on the couch's arm. "It's okay, I know all people have their off days." humalakhak siya. Sab have short blonde hair and voluptuous body na hindi basta basta mahihindian ng kung sinong lalaki. Kung bakit bigla na lang siyang nawalan ng gana na sipingan ito ay hindi nya maintindihan. She came prepared actually, with matching cuffs ang whipped cream. She's been a regular in Drae's bed. May ilang taon narin niya itong kilala. He met her at Illicit and since then they've been s*x partners. Alam nito ang setup niya and she was okay with it so Drae kept her around.

Frustration crept up when Sab started caressing him. Wala talaga siya sa mood and now he's pissed. Umiling siya sa babae.

Sab just smiled. Thank god, she understood. Humalik muna sa leeg niya ito bago tuluyang magpaalam.

Napahagod si Drae sa magulo niyang buhok. He went home early for a fix but ended up feeling a lot shittier than he was before he came home. Putangina naman kasi. He kept seeing Uri. Feeling her. Hearing her moans. Nakakatangina na talaga!

He took another shot of whiskey. If he keep up this pace...ayaw na niyang isipin kung anong pwedeng mangyari kapag nagpatuloy pa ang kagaguhan niyang ito sa babaeng iyon.

Isinandal niya ang ulo sa head rest at ipinikit ng mariin ang mata. This is fcking ridiculous! Dinampot niya ang telepono niya sa tabi ng alak at nagscroll sa telepono niya. Hindi niya alam pero naging habit na yata niya ang pestehin ang mga kaibigan niya tuwing nagkakaganito siya.

"Anak ng tupa, Draegan Gonzales, anong oras na ah?!"

Medyo natawa siya sa sagot ni Ram sa kanya.

"Bakit parang di naman yata kita nagising sa tawag ko? Anong ginagawa mo, ha?" biro nya dito.

"Wala ka na dun. f**k you!" he heard some rustling of sheets on the other line.

"Si Drae ba yan?" narinig niyang tanong ni Charlie sa asawa nito.

"Yeah--teka, hon! Baka importante!"

"Importante my ass! Wala nang mas importante pa dito--"

Napamura si Drae nang maputol ang linya. Pero sa huli ay natawa din siya. Maybe they're in the middle of something. Well, knowing Ram he is always in the middle of something. Namely, his wife's legs. Wala na syang pag-asa sa isang yon. So, he called Liam instead...

"Hello? Drae?"

Nanlaki ang mata niya nang marinig ang boses sa kabilang linya. He double checked his phone to see if he miss dialed. It says, Liam Sy. What the fck? Bakit si Ika ang sumagot sa telepono nito? It's freakin two in the morning. Tarantang ibinaba niya ang telepono. He's freaked out.

He's too busy mulling over why Liam's best friend answered Liam's phone when his own phone vibrated. He winced when he saw his best friend's name on the screen. Does he really want to talk to him right now? Napailing na lang siya at nagdesisyong sagutin ito. He wouldn't stop calling him anyway.

"Hey."

"Ram texted me and told me you called him. Problem?"

Drae groaned inwardly. He's not a fcking kid! Bakit ba kailangan siyang i-baby ni Scor? He was about to lash out on his friend when he remembered all the things Scor did for him. Damn. It was so embarrassing because it was so bromantic, but Scor had been there for him everytime he needed him. He had always had his back. At kahit pa madalas na maginisan silang dalawa nito, there was never a time when his friend had let him down. Not once. Naalala niya kung paanong ipinagpaliban nito ang pagbalik sa states dahil namatay ang mommy niya.

Drae staggered on the frat house's stairs drunk as hell. Halos hindi na niya maihakbang ang mga paa dahil namamanhid iyon at duling na duling na rin siya sa kalasingan.

Malakas ang tugtog sa background at natatawa siya. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pero kanina pa siya tawa ng tawa. Maybe because of the thing he smoked earlier? Hindi na niya alam. Hindi niya alam kung alin sa mga tinira niya ang nagdulot sa kanya nito. Earlier, he was hallucinating. He saw his mom. He talked to her. He even sort of cried.

He laughed once again when he tripped and fell down the stairs. Maraming tao sa Frat house nila pero wala ni isang tumulong sa kanya. Dinaan daanan lang siya ng mga ito. Dahil gaya niya, mga nakatira din ang hinayupak. Until one hand grabbed his arm and picked him.

Hinila siya nito paakyat sa kwarto niya. Kinaladkad would be a more apt term. His best friend kicked the door of his room and hastily dropped him on his own bed. Tumawa siya ng malakas.

"Motherfcker! Are you high?!" hinagis nito sa kanya ang mga paraphernalia na hindi niya alam na nasa kwarto pala niya. "What the hell is happening to you?!"

He watched as Scor checked all nook and crannies of his room. Searching for more drugs.

"What are you doing here, bro? Akala ko ba babalik ka na sa amerika?"

"What the fck did you take, Drae?!" he threw another set of things on his bed.

Tumagilid siya sa kama at hinila ang comforter niya sanhi upang malaglag ang mga iyon sa sahig. "I honestly don't know and I don't give a fck." he said. He felt better when he's drunk or high. Unlike when he's sober..lahat ng alaala bumabalik sa kanya.

"Tarantado ka ba? Do you even know how dangerous that is? You could die!"

"Then maybe I should. Maybe I shouldn't be alive right now. Dapat ako na lang yung namatay."

Nagulat na lang siya nang biglang umangat ang katawan niya mula sa kama. Next thing he knew, Scor's hand is wrapped around his chin. "Tangina mo, Drae! Gago ka!"

"Ano bang problema mo?!" tinulak niya si Scor.

"Gusto mong mamatay?! Pano ang kapatid mo ha?! Pano si Phae?!" namumula sa galit ang mukha ng kaibigan niya. "Naiintindihan ko kung bakit ka nagkakaganyan. God knows I do! Pero please! Utang na loob lang! Find a different way to cope with the pain! Don't kill yourself. Maawa ka sa kapatid mo. She already lost her mom, don't make her bury her brother, too."

Noon siya tila nahimasmasan. Saka siya natawa ng pagak. "You love her, don't you?"

It took several moments before Scor was able to nod his head.

"I see now." he said. Feeling grim. He was about to be the cruelest person on her. The most selfish. "Don't worry, bro, she wouldn't lose her brother. Not now. Not yet at least."

Scor was visibly relieved.

"But I already lost my mom. Please don't let me lose my sister, too."

Hanggang ngayon nagiguilty parin siya sa mga sinabi niya kay Scor noon. He could think of alot of excuses, like, he was hurt, he was young and grieving and scared. But there was never an enough justification for being selfish. Pinigilan niyang maging masaya si Phae at Scor noon. And whatever happened to the two of them after that, it was all on him.

"Drae?" untag ni Scor. "May nangyari ba?"

He sighed. "Wala, bro."

"Anong problema?"

"Wala nga."

"Cmon, Drae--"

"Phae's somewhere she said she isn't." there.. He said it. Tapos na siyang maging hadlang sa dalawa. They deserve the happy ending he was keeping them from having.

"Drae..."

"Go find her."