C3's Surrender

III

Faye can't help feeling like na nanalo siya sa round na iyon. Especially that Clyde's gaping at her as if she's a different person.

"A-are you saying—?"

"Yes." She smiled sweetly. "Pwede rin namang for free na. Sa'yo na lang yung twenty pesos mo, bili mo ng cornetto." She giggled.

Mas lalo itong napanganga. She smirked at his reaction. Napatiimbagang ito bago natatawang umiling. "Stop messing around, Faye. I'm serious. I'm not driving you around in that piece of clothes."

"Who said I'm going out on this clothes?" Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "Really, Clyde Ano'ng tingin mo sa'kin?"

"Then why are you dress like that?"

"I was changing clothes noong tinawag ako ni Mam para ibaba ang mga files na dadalhin." It was partly a lie. Pwede naman siyang magpalit agad. Hindi niya lang ginawa because she  want to see Clyde's reaction. And currently, her inner self is celebrating. She remember how Clyde hates it kapag nakikita siya sa maiiksing damit. Kesehodang malate sila dati sa lakad nila, he'll never allow her to leave the house hanggat hindi papasa dito ang suot niya. "I didn't know someone conservative is gonna be here kaya hindi na ako nag-abala pa—"

"And why were you changing clothes here?"

She sigh. "Natalsikan ng tubig baha ang suot ko kanina. Nagko-commute po kasi ako. That's why. Hindi kasi ako kagaya ng iba diyan na may sariling kotse."

Hindi ito sumagot pero napansin niya ang bahagyang pagkawala ng iritasyon sa mukha nito. Pasimple siyang ngumiti. "May iba ka pa bang katanungan, kamahalan? I'll go and change kung wala na." 

Nag-iwas ito ng tingin bago nagsalita. "I'll take this files. Mauna na ako sa labas. Ihahanda ko lang ang sasakyan."

Malapad ang ngiting nasundan na lang niya ito ng tingin at umiling. Bibigay ka rin, Clyde. I'll make sure of that and it'll be the sweetest surrender you'll ever make.

****

"Cuervo," tawag ni Mrs. Fuentes kay Clyde noong paalis na siya sa villa nito. "Wait up."

"Yes, Mam?" Lumapit si Clyde. Hindi pa nakakasagot ang boss niya at nagmamadali ang hakbang na humangos si Faye palabas ng bahay.

"There she is..." Malapad ang ngiting sabi ng ginang. "I was about to tell you na baka pwede mong mahintay si Faye para makasabay siya sa'yo atleast hanggang sakayan."

"Yup." Ayon ni Faye, habang inaayos ang nakalugay na buhok. "Malayo-layo din kung lalakarin iyon. Baka matalsikan ulit ako." Kumurap-kurap ito. "Please?"

Clyde shrugged at tipid na ngumiti sa boss niya. "Sure."

"Thanks Cuervo. Drive safely."

Iyon lang at pumasok na ng bahay ang ginang. Walang imik namang pumasok sa driver's seat si Clyde. Halos kasabay ng pag-upo niya ay ang pagbukas ng pinto ng passenger seat at pagpasok din ni Faye.

"Put your seatbelt on."

"Bakit pa? Hanggang labasan lang naman ako di ba?"

"Put the damn seatbelt on or get out of my car, Faye."

Sumimangot si Faye at tila napilitang sundin ang gusto niya. Pagkatapos ng buong araw na abala ang mga ito sa palipat-lipat ng opisina— salamat sa dami ng negosyo ng mga Fuentes— ngayon lang ulit sila napag-solo ni Faye. It's awkward and his heart is beating abnormally loud and fast and he hates it.

Tumikhim si Faye. "So, how did you end up working at Bloodhound?"

Hindi siya umimik.

"So, how did you end up working at Bloodhound?" Ulit nito.

He pressed his lips tight. Pati kamay niya sa manibela ay humigpit din sa pagkuyom.

"So, how did you end up working at Bloodhound?"

"Am I obliged to answer that?" Naiirita niyang sabi na hindi ito sinusulyapan, hindi na rin siya magtataka kapag nagka-stiff neck siya sa lagay na 'yon. He's trying not to look at her dahil masyado na namang revealing ang suot nito. Where is she off to anyway? May date ba ito at kailangang ganoon ang suot? It's a maroon offshoulder dress na umabot hanggang sa kalahati ng hita nito. The color highlighted her complexion. And her shoulders and slender legs were all there for him to see. Clyde shook his head. This girl is really testing him.

"Yes. Kung ayaw mo akong sagutin bilang katrabaho, maybe you can give me an answer bilang kababata mo na curious sa kung ano ang naging buhay mo these past five years?"

He scoffed. "I cut our ties five years ago. You're a stranger to me from then on, why should I tell you how I lived these past five years?"

Hindi nakaimik si Faye sa narinig. Hindi niya alam kung dapat ba siyang magpasalamt na hindi nakikita ng lalaki ang reaction niya. His words hurts at sigurado siyang naka-reflect iyon sa mukha niya. Malungkot niya itong tinitigan. "What exactly did I do, Clyde? Because I still remember that night, we're okay. We're more than okay."

For the first time at bumaling ito sa kanya. His face unreadable. "That's what I thought too."

Kumunot ang noo ni Faye sa sagot ni Clyde. She sense the bitterness and anger in his words.  "Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin, Clyde? Tell me... please."

"What for, Faye?" Nag-iwas ito ng tingin. "I'm not interested about being your boyfriend anymore.  Teenage love lang 'yon. I've moved on. Matagal na."

"Liar." She mumbled.

He shrugged. "I'm sure I'm not the only one. Hindi ba nga mas magaling ka pa ng di hamak kaysa sakin?." Itinigil nito ang sasakyan. "We're here. Bumaba ka na."

"No." Humigpit ang kapit niya sa seatbelt.

"Out, Faye. Now!" He glared at her.

"Bakit, nagmamadali ka ba dahil may date ka pa?"

"It's none of your business."

"You tell me first what I did wrong, Clyde." She stubbornly said at nakipaglaban na ng titigan dito. "You left without saying goodbye right when I thought we're about to begin a new stage in our relationship. Ang alam ko lang nagalit ka dahil iyon ang sabi ng mama mo. Ano sa tingin mo ang mararamdaman ko? O kahit hindi na lang yung Faye na inlove sa'yo, sana naisip mo man lang yong ako na nasanay na kasama ka buong buhay ko.  Hindi mo ba naisip na mami-miss kita? " Nabasag ang boses niya pero nagpatuloy siya. "Na mag-aalala ako? Alam mo ba kung gaano kahirap mangapa? You have no idea how maddening it is to be left behind with no reason or explanation at all. Why, Clyde? Why?"

"Talaga?" Nang-uuyam ang boses nito. "Nahirapan ka nga ba, Faye? Bakit? You have your friends, right? At ako, sino ba ako? I will never reach their level, you'll never need me like you need them. They're more important than me, so bakit ka mahihirapan when you have them?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naguguluhang tanong niya.

Sa halip na sumagot, he grabbed the seatbelt na hinahawakan niya at pilit iyong tinanggal. "I leave because I got sick of having you aroud. That's it. Now get off my car."

"You don't mean that." Iling ni Faye at muling ibinalik ang seatbelt.  Pakiramdam niya, ginawang chopping board ang puso niya sa ilang minutong kasama niya ito. "You love me, Clyde. And I know that kind of love is never easy to forget. So please... Stop saying things you don't actually mean and tell me what I did wrong. I'll fixed it." Nakikiusap ang tinging binigay niya dito.

He leaned once again at inabot muli ang seatbelt habang natatawang umiling. "Thank you, Faye. But there's nothing broken and you don't need any fixing—"

Faye grabbed Clyde's neck and meet his lips. Tila natuod ang lalaki sa ginawa niya, his hands na magtatanggal sana sa seatbelt ay hindi na gumalaw, nanatili na lang iyong nakalapat sa tiyan niya. She pulled him closer while her tongue traced his lower lip which earned a groan from him. Bumuka ang labi ni Clyde na sinamantala niya naman. She snake her tongue inside his mouth habang nananalanging sana ay tugunin ng lalaki ang halik niya. She missed him. Sobra.

Gusto niyang maiyak ng tugunin nga nito ang halik niya. He was even kissing her with so much passion, like he missed her for being gone for so long.

Napasinghap si Faye ng maramdamang gumalaw ang kamay ni Clyde. One hand massage her right breast while the other caressed her legs. Tila kinikiliti ang tiyan niya sa naging kilos ng lalaki and she's pretty sure she need to reapply her lipstick later. 

Bumaba ang isang kamay niya to feel his chest as he let go of her lips and trailed kisses on her neck. Naiarko niya ang katawan ng maramdaman ang kamay nito na umaangat pataas sa gitna ng hita niya. Ipinikit niya lalo ang mga mata at inihanda ang sarili sa gagawin pa nito.

Pero napamulat siya ng bigla itong bumitaw at tila diring-diri na bumalik sa pwesto nito kanina. "s**t!" Hinampas nito ng makailang beses ang manibela. "Damn it!"

"Clyde..."

"Get the f**k out of my car, Faye!" Madilim ang mukhang sigaw nito.

"Clyde..." Gustong maiyak ni Faye.

"And tell Mrs. Fuentes to find a replacement for me. She can fire me for all I care, basta ayokong makasama ka sa trabaho."

"What exactly is your problem with me?" Hindi niya napigilang hindi sumigaw pabalik.

Tila hindi siya narinig na bumaba ito ng kotse. Umikot ito sa pwesto niya at sapilitan siyang pinababa ng sasakyan. "I told you. I got sick of having you around."

******