Mistaken for Pleasure

DOS

DOS

IT’S ALREADY seven in the evening, and I’m still here at the corner of a bar watching all the people get wasted. It’s been one week since that incident on Casa El Pecado. And since that day, I can’t stop coming here, secretly. I don’t even know what I was doing here, but something here keeps pulling me back to this place.

At sa kakatambay ko sa lugar na ito ay napipilitan din akong magsalita ng Tagalog gaya ng gusto ni Yaya Tessa. May curfew ako hanggang eleven ng gabi iyon lang ang oras na pinayagan ni Yaya Tessa. Ang tanda ko na pero hindi pa rin nila ako pinapayagang maging malaya kaya nakakainis. If I don’t come home at that time, Yaya Tessa will look for me, and I’ll be grounded for sure the next day.

I smiled when I saw Rin happily laughing with some of her acquaintances. Casa is beautiful because every detail of it seems to have been thought through. From the entrance to its interior inside, it looks elegant and very minimalist. It’s just a bar, and there’s a big resort on the other side that’s just next to the bar.

“Wala ng lasa ang alak na iniinom mo sa kakatulala mo,” sita sa akin ni Rin.

“I’m sure it is her, Rin.”

“Ayan ka na naman sa English mo eh! Oo na nga naniniwala naman ako. Pero isang linggo na tayo dito wala pa ring nangyayari.”

I know that, and even I had second thoughts about what I saw. I’m not sure, but I keep coming here to prove that she can’t do that to my Dad. But no matter how I convince myself that she’s not doing anything behind my father’s back.

Napailing nalang akong sumandal sa kinauupoan ko bago muling ininom ang alak na nasa harap ko. I don’t want to stress myself over some things I can’t control. But it still bothers me plus that asshole guy who ashamed me are working here on the Casa. Napatiim bagang ako ng mahagip ng mata ko ang lalaking ‘yon na nakaupo sa bar stool sa harap ng bartender at abala sa telepono niya. Mukhang seryoso ang binabasa nito na hindi man lang namalayan na halos sumampa na sa kandungan niya ang babaeng lumapit sa kanya.

I wonder what they saw in him for them to be crazy like that.

“Saan ka pupunta?” maagap na tanong ni Rin nang tumayo ako.

“I will go to the powder room. Like duh! You always make bantay on me,” kunot noo kong baling kay Rin.

I also got confused about what words I should use. I need to work on my Tagalog immediately.

I was walking for a minute already looking for the washroom. But I couldn’t find it, and when I asked the staff, I bump into a woman who said it was on this alley. But until now I still couldn’t find the washroom.

Instead of the washroom, I found something else.

“Oh… Faster. Don’t stop, please! Ah…”

I heard a series of moans that made me stop when I passed by on a closed door on my right. I cringed hearing them exchanged phrases on how good they are in bed. I feel like I can see them through these thick walls beside me.

Omg! Omg! Are they having s*x?

Aren’t they even ashamed of what they are doing in this public place?

Like duh! This place is a public place. They should have rented a place the hotel is just near the area. How disgusting!

Napapailing nalang akong nilagpasan ang lugar na ‘yon kahit na pagpasok ko sa washroom ay dinig na dinig ko pa rin ang maingay nilang mga daing mula sa loob. Pagbalik ko sa lamesa namin ni Rin ay may bago na naman siyang alak na inorder. Malakas ang tolerance ko sa alak, and I used to party a lot. That’s what I do in the US. But Dad won’t allow me to do it here, so I need to behave.

After an hour, I seemed to feel dizzy with the mixed drink Rin had ordered. There are also messages from Yaya Tessa that we can’t stay up late and get drunk, but now I’m dizzy from drunkenness. I said goodbye to Rin, who was busy flirting with whoever that man was. I walked to the back of the Casa because there were benches and a large garden there. I will go for a walk first because I might lose my dizziness and drowsiness.

As I was walking into the garden, I saw a couple kissing on the corner. And I was no longer surprised to see the stupid man I argued with the last time I went here.

It’s funny that it’s like his kissing that woman like a hungry man. My head tilted and suddenly changed my gaze as he suddenly stopped what it was doing and turned to me with a smirk on his face. My lips parted when he pulled the woman in front of him and kissed her while looking at me intently.

What is this man doing?

Is he crazy?

Tsk! What an asshole!

Naglakad nalang ako pabalik kay Rin at inaya na ito pauwi dahil nakakaramdam na ako ng pagkahilo. Pero pagdating ko sa mesa namin ay wala na akong Rin na naabutan. I don’t know where she goes or if she goes out with someone. I don’t have a choice but to go home without her.

Maaga akong nagising para i-meet ang isa sa mga client ko na aayusin ko ang condo. I was not just a tambay and spoiled brat like what people around me say. I’m a freelance interior designer, and I always accept a VIP client most of my time here. I’m on my way to meet my new client in a café. But this woman tags along for the reason that she’s bored.

“Ya, hindi ka ba nagsasawa sa akin?” baling ko kay Yaya Tessa ang sarap ng kain sa tabi ko.

“Wala akong gagawin kung wala ka. Saka anong gagawin ko doon bukod sa makipagplastikan sa madrasta mo?” natawa nalang ako sa sagot niya.

Kung maarte ako ay mas maarte si Tita Carina at naiinis si Yaya Tessa dahil doon bukod pa sa naging ex ng asawa niya si Tita Carina. Habang naghihintay kami ay abala si Yaya sa paghahanap ng kung ano ang pwede naming orderin ako naman ay nag check lang ng mga designs at schedule ko for this week.

Ilang minuto na mula ng dumating kami ay wala pa rin ang kausap kong kliyente. Naubos na nga namin ni Yaya Tessa ang pagkaing inorder niya pero hindi pa rin dumarating ang client ko. “Sigurado ka bang darating ang kliyente mong ‘yun?” pangungulit na naman sa akin.

“Yeah, he called me last night to confirm. Ya, you are asking me like your lugi pa about this, noh? Like duh! You won’t stop ordering the foods you want, kaya.”

Ilang minuto pa ang ibinigay ko sa customer na ‘yon dahil baka sakaling dumating pa siya at may rason naman kung bakit siya late. Kailangan ko rin naman maging reasonable kung gusto ko itong tanggihan lalo na at nirefer pa ako sa kanya ng isang kaibigan ni Daddy. 

When we were ready to leave, a man ran into the cafe. Still chasing it's breathed when he stop in front of us. I thought I was just mimicking but when he walked closer to me my lips parted.

“I'm sorry I'm late. It's nice to see you again, Aurora Marasigan. Did I keep you waiting?” he greeted with a sly smile on his lips.

I considered myself lucky. But these past few days I don't know why misfortune befell on me.