WICKED KISSES: Madness of Wanting Her

TEASE

I TOUCHED my girlfriend’s thigh when her hands went to my chest to caress me gently. Agad akong napangisi at mapungay itong tinignan. I am already dizzy from the alcohol that we have been drinking. I licked my lower lip when she reached for my cheek to kiss me.

“Your family’s beach house is huge and looks so nice, ang ganda rito, Malcom.”

I brought some of my classmates here, together with my family and friends. And when I saw family friends who include Santiago. I started having a girlfriend in junior high school, at kapag nag-girlfriend ako, seryoso ako. Tumatagal. Now that I am in senior high school, I have my second girlfriend. Hindi ako katulad ng kapatid ko, hindi rin ako katulad ng mga kaibigan ko. But still, despite having a girl and a steady relationship, it feels like I am still secretly committing mistakes. It seems that I am not wholly loyal to them.

Mariin akong napapikit nung marinig ang tili ni Meira sa dagat. Napahinto ako sa paghalik sa leeg ni Reyana. She continues caressing my arm but my urge to glanced and look to Meira is very tempting.

“Garreth! Give me that!” she shouted, making the peaceful beach come to chaos.

I chuckled in disbelief, she is ruining my time here with my girl. Hindi niya ba alam na hindi niya arkilado ang islang ito para magsusumigaw siya at makapukaw ng atensyon? I took Yana’s wrist to stop her. Lumayo ako at taka niya akong tinignan.

“I will take a shot, go and have fun with the girls,” malambing kong sambit sa kanya at hinalikan siya sa labi bago tumayo. Mabibigat ang hakbang ko at agad nahanap ng tingin si Meira na nakikipaghabulan kay Garreth.

I scoffed and shook my head. Mga bata. Bakit kasi sumama pa ang mga ‘to? Sabing bawal ang bata rito!

I went to our table, where my classmates are. Puro mga senior high ang nasa lamesa namin. Sa kabila naman ay naroon sina Garreth, Zafe, Vishnu at Meira. Tumabi ako kay Conrad tsaka kinuha ang alak para mag-shot.

“Ang ingay,” reklamo ko at napabuntong hininga. Agad alam ni Conrad ang tinutukoy ko, lalo pa at kay Meira na boses lang naman ang ngingibabaw dito. Tawa at tili niya kasama ang mga kaibigan namin.

“I saw you making out, sinong maingay? Si Yana ba?” he teased, but when he saw me glancing at Mei and Garreth’s, Conrad immediately pursed his lips and coughed a bit. “Bakit ba kasi sinama mo si Garreth? Alam mo naman na kapag nandito si Garreth, nandito rin si Meira.”

Hindi ako umimik.

“You always invite your brother, kahit hindi kayo nagkakasundo at minsan mainit pa ang dugo mo sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit sa kabila nun, lagi mo pa rin siyang iniimbitahan.”

I licked my lower lip. When Garreth is present… Meira will be there too. I took another shot and sighed harshly.

“Ganda ni Mei, ilang taon na siya? Kung mag-ayos parang mga kaklase rin nating babae.”

I heard from one of our classmates.

“She is still young, fifteen? Fourteen?” Conrad looks at me like I know the answer to that.

“Pwedi na ba yan ligawan?” biro ng isa pa kaya napabaling ako roon at rumiin ang titig. He chuckled awkwardly when he noticed my stares.

“Hindi pwedi, bantay sarado yan dito kay Malcom.” Biro ni Conrad at natatawa pang nilagyan ng alak ang inumin ko. My jaw clenched and I looked at Mei and Garreth again.

She is wearing white shorts and plain t-shirt, playing along with Garreth and Vishnu on the beach. She really is young, but I think that growing up with boys… her mind has already been exposed to some adult activities, advancement, because he is always with my brother. Their closeness brings alarm to Santiago’s family.

I can still remember that time, when Tito Stanfield, Meira’s father… talked to me and asked me a favor.

INAKBAYAN AKO ni Tito Stan at dinala sa kanyang opisina. We went there and after that he opened the door towards the balcony. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit pa kami pumunta rito para lang tignan ang pool area nila kung nasaan ang pagtitipon ng mga kaibigan ni Meira. Kasama kaming magkakapatid, Garreth and Prima.

“You know that I spoil Mei so much, lahat ng gusto niyan binibigay ko. Ito lang naman ang pinagtatalunan namin ng asawa ko. Stanley is studying abroad, hiniwalay ko siya kay Meira dahil lagi silang napagkukumpara. Stanley as high performing student with a good reputation. While Mei, who is always seen with boys… lately.”

I chuckled, ngayon lang nila napansin? Maagang nakipag-date si Meira, maagang nagkaroon ng lalaki.

“Sa lahat, ikaw lang ang may magandang reputasyon sa babae. I like it, Malcom. How do you have a steady relationship, unlike your… friends and brother?” He shook his head and pinched his eyes. He is proud of me because I have a steady relationship. Hindi ko alam kung bakit tila masarap sa pakiramdam yun. He likes me, he likes me among other boys. “And I can see lately that Garreth is very, very close to Mei.”

Bumaling siya sa kinaroroonan ng dalawa. Mei and Garreth have their own spot there on the side pool, talking and having fun.

“I can see that too, Tito.”

“Dito, pamilya tayo. Hindi man magkakadugo pero pamilya tayo.” I nodded my head. That is true. “Among all, my trust is completely leaning towards you. So I am going to request this secretly.” He put his hand on my shoulder.

“Ano ho yun, Tito?”

“I don’t like Garreth… I do not trust him, his closeness to Mei.” Nahihirapan niya akong tinignan. I pursed my lips, I do not like it too, Tito. “Pakibantayan ang kapatid mo, pakibantayan si Mei. You go to the same school, kung maaari… pagsabihan mo si Garreth. Him going inside Mei’s room, hindi ko na nagugustuhan iyun. Noon pwedi pa dahil mga bata pa lang kayo, ngunit lumalaki na kayo ay… iba na ang dating sa akin.”

I licked my lower lip and nodded my head.

“I should be the one telling this to Garreth, I should be the one confronting him about it. Pero ayokong gawin dahil baka kapag sinabi ko, I will corrupt his mind, and he might think about what I said and might… get more interested in doing things with Meira.”

Kumunot ang nuo ko.

“Na baka wala naman talaga siyang intensyon sa ganung bagay pero dahil nasabi ko ay mapaisip siya at mas magkaroon ng interes… you know what I mean, it is better if you said it and… look closely to Meira. Hindi lang kay Garreth kundi sa ibang lalaki, baka pwedi mong bantayan.”

He can no longer control Mei, because he spoiled her so much. Siguro mahirap na sa kanya na pagsabihan ito dahil mahal na mahal niya ang anak. To let Stanley study abroad, so Mei won’t be compared to her brother. Dahil ang kapatid niya ay responsabli habang siya… ganun niya kamahal si Mei, ganun niya kung alagaan ang damdamin.

“I will try, Tito.”

“I know you have your own life, but please… look after my daughter. Sayo lang ako magtitiwala sa kanya, na kahit saan basta kasama ka ay papayagan ko siya. I am so sorry if this is a burden to you—”

“It’s okay, Tito.”

“We are always out of the country, and it's probably hard to ask you this to… stay here at our home while we are away.” My jaw clenched, and the request became harder for me. Stay here. Sino lang ba ang nandito? Si Mei at kasambahay. “May anak din ako sa abroad na kailangan din kami. Kaya kung maaari, habang wala kami ay imbes na papuntahin si Garreth dito sa bahay ay ikaw na lang.”

She did this once, she invited Garreth to their house. Sila lang, at hindi iyun nagustuhan ni Tito Stan. My face hardened, and I looked at Meira, who was playfully playing with the tip of her hair while yapping to Garreth.

Fuck! Bakit ako? At kung iba man ang gumawa ng pinapagawa ni Tito Stan… ayoko rin. Gusto ko ako pero sana… huwag na lang.

“Of course, Tito. Pamilya na ho kayo sa amin, walang problema ang hinihiling ninyo.”

He sighed in relief and tapped my shoulder.

“That is good. Magco-college kana, anong kukunin mong kurso?”

We talked more, but my mind is not as attentive compared to awhile ago that we talked about Mei.

Hindi naman naging sekreto ang pagbabantay ko kay Meira, dahil alam kong napansin iyun ni Mei kalaunan. That I am always present wherever she is. That I am with her while her parents are visiting her brother abroad. That I... stay some nights with her at their home. No big deal, but she is f*****g tease. O baka... ako talaga ang may problema.