SIMULA
Masochist
What are you willing to do for love?
If that is the inquiry, I already have an answer to that. I will beg. That's what I learned from my surroundings. Living with my Lola when I was ten years old and witnessed how she begged her beloved to visit her through mails. That even just one glance, she will be happy with that.
But Lola died without receiving anything in response. After years of sending him mails, he never, even once, tried to answer her. All she do is beg for him to visit her and she failed.
When Lola died, I had to live with my mother's family and I learned to beg for their affection. Tito Rue doesn't like me around and I can tell that my sisters were all annoyed at me.
Mommy had to talk to my father so he could pay attention to me too but it never happened. Noong nagpakilala ako, mabilis nitong sinabi na hindi maaring malaman ng publiko ang tungkol sa akin.
I am a fruit of adultery. Nabuntis ang mommy ko kay Daddy habang may asawa itong buntis din sa kapatid ko. Dad didn't took responsibilities of me and decided to pay Mommy a lot of money which she used to change her life and that's when she met her husband.
Basically, naiwan akong mag-isa at sa sarili kong pamilya, nagmamakaawa ako para sa kakarampot na atensyon at kaunting pagmamahal na bago ko pa matanggap, kailangan ko pang paghirapan ng husto. I have to beg for Mommy's attention and Daddy's approval of me as his daughter.
What are you willing to do for love? Beg. That's what I will do. That's what I'm good at. Kaya ganoon ang ginagawa ko. Nangungulit na mapansin niya. Naghihintay kung kailan muling matatapunan ng tingin niya. Kahit paulit-ulit akong madismaya, paulit-ulit pa rin akong aasa na balang araw, magtatagumpay din ako.
"Really, Avah? Gagawin natin 'to just for that bastard?" nakangiwing tanong ni Mekhyla.
She's my friend. Not best friend but a friend. I do really think that the two has a big difference. Best friend's break up is worst than friend's separation.
"Sandali lang naman. Mukhang paalis na iyong babae, eh." I fixed my hair and continued. "Kapag alis niya, papasok tayo at kunwari ay hindi alam na nandoon si Aurelios."
She snorted at me. Binalingan ko siya habang nakalabi. I clasped both of my hands and blinked my eyes repeatedly.
"Pretty please," pagpapa-cute ko.
Walang nagawa si Mekhyla kundi ang samahan ako. We waited for thirty minutes before the girl left while fixing her clothes. She is also having a difficulty of taking bigger steps. Lumabi ako. They probably did something inside.
Pumasok kami ni Mekhyla at nagsimula ako ng topic na hindi niya pa masundan noong una. Sa pheriperal vision ko, kitang-kita kong bumaling sa amin ang grupo nila Aurelios. I laughed elegantly at kunwari ay nagtingin nang nagtingin ng gamit doon.
"This is a f*****g kink store. Kunwaring coffee shop lang!" nangangalit ang ngipin ni Mekhyla pero nakangiti.
Her hand gripped mine and secretly pinched me. May tinuro ang nguso niya na binalingan ko. I thought it's just a design but it is actually a closet with doors widely open to present some unusual things.
There's a line of a men's d**k displayed there in different sizes and materials. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mata ko. Indeed! Akala ko ay coffee shop 'to at ito ang unang pagkakataon na tinangka kong pumasok para makita si Aurelios. He loves coming here and I really thought he loves coffee just like me. Bakit mas maraming bote ng alak dito? Mukhang mamahalin din at naka-display!
Sa hawak sa akin ni Mekhyla, masasabi kong hindi siya komportable sa ambiance at sa pagbaling ng atensyon sa amin. Ang klase kasi ng titig ng mga naroon sa loob ay tumatagos sa amin.
"Hehe... let's go na agad, Avah," nakangiti siya pero ang mata ay nanlilisik.
Sandali akong natigilan at hindi agad ma-process ang nakikita.
"Woah. woah! May bagong costumer si Morcan!" kantyaw ng isa sa likod at nasisiguro kong kaibigan ni Aurelios iyon.
Lakas loob akong bumalik at pinangatawanan ang plano kanina. Kunwari ay nagulat ako.
"Oh! Kayo pala..." ako sabay ngiti.
Naramdaman ko uli ang pagkurot ni Mekhyla sa braso ko pero hindi ako natinag. I took the chance to look at Aurelios at halos mapigtal ang hininga ko nang makasalubong ang malamig at matatalim niyang tingin.
He's holding a glass of liquor in his right hand while dipping it in his lips. Malaswa ang paraan nang pagdausdos ng basong iyon sa labi niya. Mistulang nakasandal siya sa bar counter at ang dalawang siko ay nakatapong doon. A grin crossed his lips after a minute of our eye locking.
"Look who do we have here," mapaglaro at nanunuya ang tono niya.
Umismid ako sandali at tapos ay binalingan ang mga s*x toys sa gilid ko. Naghahanap ang mata ko nang mas matino sa mga iyon pero wala talaga. Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga at dinampot ang isang isang tila hair curler doon. May bumps nga lang na paikot na parang design pa nito. It looks so fancy in shimmering dark red color.
"What do you think of this, Mekhyla?" I turned to her and smile fakely.
Nanlalaki ang mata niya at halos umiling na pero nahihiya lang.
"That's a vibrator, Avah," sinundan niya iyon ng pagtawa nang mahina.
I almost gasped and wanted so bad to bring it back to its place but a hand captured mine. Hinawakan din nito ang gamit na hawak ko.
"This a better choice, though," he uttered with his normal voice yet it sounds sensual to me.
Sinipat niya iyon at kumilos ang daliri niyang mahaba para pindutin ang switch noon. That thing vibrated that made me lose my grasp on it. Nang balingan ko si Aurelios, nakangisi na siya.
"It has buttons for different intensity. Why not buy it, hmmm?" he asked me and licked his lips while looking darkly at me.
I gulped and don't know what to do. God! Different intensity? Malakas na nga iyong vibrate kanina? Yumuko siya sandali at may kinalabit siya sa bandang ibaba at nang lumitaw iyon, sabay kaming napasinghap ni Mekhyla.
It's a silicon mannequin of a woman's lower body. Her legs are spread widely and her v****a is exposed. Aurelios moved the vibrator towards the mannequin's private part and gently slid it inside. Hindi niya pinatay iyon kaya ngayon, naririnig ang ingay na ginagawa ng vibrator sa loob ng mannequin.
Aurelios started pulling in and out of it like he's just playing a goddamn toy. It look so sensual.
"So..." he called my attention with only one word.
Binalingan ko siya at nakitang ang mga mata niyang nakapukol sa akin ay nag-aalab sa 'di malamang dahilan. He's licking his lips that made it more red. There's still a glint of smirk on that. Somehow, I feel like the air inside this place is hot. Or is it him?
"Will you buy it? Hmmm?" The vibrator's sound became louder and when I took a glance, it's now in its highest intensity.
"You'll have your release for I guess... well... after five or less than five minutes," he wiggled his brow at me after saying that.
"We're not buying it," si Mekhyla na halos nakalimutan kong kasama ko.
"Marami pang ibang items si Morcan," singit ng nakikilala kong si Seth Montero.
Aurelios throws him a quick glance before coming back at me.
"This will hurt if you're a virgin, Avah. You should leave now," biglang sumungit ang boses niya.
Agad akong umiling.
"H-Hindi! Bibilhin ko iyan!" napapalakas na sambit ko.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit mas nakakahiya na hindi ko iyon bilhin kaysa bilhin ang lintik na malaswang gamit na iyon. Lumunok ako ng ilang magkakasunod na beses bago kinuha ang hawak niya. Aurelios turned off the vibrator before letting me take it. Narinig kong ibinalik niya na rin sa pagkakatago ang silicon mannequin.
"How about d***o's?" tila nangungutyang ani ni Seth, kaibigan ni Aurelios at ng isa pa nitong kakambal.
Umismid ako.
"I don't need that," sagot ko. I motioned the vibrator in my hand. "This is enough. I'll take this," sambit ko bago ngumisi.
I heard Mekhyla's exaggerated sighs. I went to the counter and saw the man who just went out of a small door.
"Morcan, bagong costumer!" masiglang balita noong isang kaibigan pa ni Aurelios, hindi ko matandaan ang pangalan.
Halos nasa amin na ang atensyon nila at natutuwa ang mga reaksyon.
"Nabibilib pa rin talaga ako kapag may mga babaeng malakas ang loob na bumili ng mga ganiyan," ngisi noong Giovanni, isang kakilala rin sa university.
Aurelios hissed. Naramdaman ko ang pagdantay ng init sa likod ko na nagmumula sa kaniya. Nagtindigan ang balahibo ko.
"Magbayad ka na at umalis, Avah," mas seryoso ang boses nito ngayon.
Nagtindigan ang balahibo ko dahil ibinaba pa talaga niya ang labi niya sa mismong tenga ko para sabihin iyon. Dinig ko ang panganib sa hiningang dumadampi sa balat ko. Aurelios' hand found its way to my waist and gently pinched it for a warning.
Nanginginig ang kamay na kinuha ko ang card sa wallet ko at iniabot iyon sa lalaking tinawag nilang Morcan. The guy smirked at me before using my card. Ilang sandali lang, ibinalik na ito sa akin at ang vibrator ay inayos sa isang fancy box at inilagay sa loob ng plain paperbag.
Aurelios traced my nape down to my shoulder with his pointed nose. My heart pounded ruthlessly.
"Do not come here again, Avah, or you wouldn't like what I'm going to do to you," he grumbled dangerously.