The Lady In The Red Dress

CHAPTER 5

Maingay at pinaghalong amoy ng alak at sigarilyo ang loob ng club na kinaroroonan ni Kean.

Iginala nito ang kaniyang mata sa at walang iba itong na kita kundi ang mga babae at lalaking mga magagaslaw ng sumayaw dahil sa kalasingan. Mayroon pang nag make out sa kabilang table.

Ang ganitong tanawin ay normal na sakaniya. Pero ang pinagtataka niya ay ang nararamdaman niya ngayon. Hindi niya magawa mag saya. Pakiramdam nito ay kailangan niya muna talaga ng katahimikan.

Pinagbigyan lamang nito ang kaibigan ngayon. It has been weeks already since he got married then now he have to deal not just with his parents but with Letisha's conditions.

And yes. He really did follow the agreement after all. He couldn't imagine himself doing the dishes. Naalala pa nito kung ilang beses siyang nakabasag ng plato at baso sakanilang kusina. Tanging nalusutan lang ata nito ay ang pag lalaba dahil nagkasundo sila na ipa-laundry na nga lamang ang mga damit nila since they both have no time to do it. He succeeded convincing her that it will not affect their privacy since sabay naman nila ipapadala mga damit nila sa shop.

"Hindi ka ata mag papakalasing ngayon?" May panunudyang tanong ni Clarence sakaniya. Napakalawak ng ngisi nito dahil mukhang nakabingwit na naman ng bobolahin.

"I need to go home with a clear mind, dude. Malayo na ang bahay ko remember?"

Kita nito na napailing ito sabay simsim sa ala na nasa kamay nito.

"Oo nga pala you are a married man. Married man partying?" Saad nito sabay hagalpak ng tawa. Mukhang may tama na talaga ito.Biglang dumating naman si Gustav, ang totoo ay kanina pa nila ito inaantay. Bihira na rin kasi itong sumama sakaiya, bukod sakaniya ay isa rin itong abala sakanilang tatlo. sadyang si Clarence lamang ang may maraming oras na aaksayahin.

"Dude!" bati nilang pareho s a bagong dating.

"You were talking about married man?" sumilay ang isang naakalokong ngisi sa labi nito.

"Kadarating mo lang gagatungan mo na naman pang aalaska nitong si Clarence."

Mahina itong tumawa sabay salin ng alak sa nakahanda ng shot glass sa lamesa nila.

" I was just curious about something, bro."

Uminom muna ito bago muling nagsalita, " You've been married for almost a month already, hindi mo na rin nababanggit yung about sa babae na naka pulang dress. Does that mean you already gave up searching for her?"

That made him stopped from drinking. It is true that it has been a while, hindi niya alam kung dahil lang ba sa marami siyang isipin nitong mga nagdaang linggo pero hindi pa sumagi sa isip niya ang tungkol sa pag tigil sa pag hahanap sa babaeng ito. But to think about the situation right now, it will just be useless. He is now married, kahit pa magkita muli sila ng babaeng iyon hindi na rin naman niya pwedeng malapitan pa ito. Just for what? To ask her how she was doing and thank her for the great f**k last 2 years ago?

" I haven't thought about it yet. But I still wanted to see her," pag-amin niya. Wala na rin naman siyang matatago sa mga kaibigan niya he was damn well sure that the know how big his interest with this girl is.

"Wouldn't be a big problem in your marriage? Dude, you married the daughter of Mr. Rafael Servente."

He stared at Gustav remembering how it will make things complicated for him. Kahit wala sa usapan ang tatay ni Letisha ay komplikado na rin ito dahil sa naging kasunduan nilang dalawa, and never in his life would he want to put shame beside his name. Kahit arrange marriage lang sila ay gusto pa rin niya na maging maayos ang pagtakbo ng pagsasama nila. Never in his life did he had a girlfriend just for the sake of his image and reputation, that is maybe why he was so desperate to find that girl from the past because it was his first intimate interaction.

" I know, but yeah, I think I have to stop looking for her."

Umiwas na ito ng tingin sa kaibigan. Binalingan naman siya ng tingin ni Clarence na nakikinig lang pala, wala na ang babaeng katabi nito kanina.

" Why do you sound so dismayed? You really like her, don't you? Weird mo, you had an interest sa babaeng hindi mo manlang nakita ang mukha."

He was sure he is, but what can he do? He had this feeling that he must look for her.

Muling nagsalita ang kaibigan, "but on the bright side you can use her to get you out of your situation, dude. I'm sure your parents would understand if you wanted an annulment after, iyan lang naman ang gusto ilang marinig sa'yo. Iyong may babaeng makakapag patino sa'yo."

That night ended when he decided to go home thirty minutes before midnight.

Nadatnan niya sa kusina si Letisha na nagliligpit, nakatalikod ito mula sakaniya. By the looks of it, papatulog na siguro ito dahil nakapantulog na ito. It was a baby pink shorts and top. He is pretty sure that he was not that drunk to feel that heat building inside of him, so he was silently cursing.

Fuck my hormones.

It was just a simple sleep wear, so why the hell it was acting up?

Hindi niya namalayan nan ilang minuto na pala siyang nakatayo roon at hindi manlang talaga gumagalaw. Nabalik lamang siya sakaniyang sarili nang mag salita ito.

"Kanina ka pa?"

Sa reaksyon palamang ng mukha nito ay alam na niyang nagulat ito sakaniyang presensya. Napalunok muna siya bago nakasagot.

"H-hindi naman. Taas na ako."

Hindi na nito inantay ang pag sagot nito at tumalima na. Pagkapasok pa lamang niya sa kwarto niya ay rekta sa banyo upang ibaad ang sarili sa malamig na tubig. Kailangang maibsan ang init na nadarama niya.

Is he sexually attracted to her? Geez what the hell?

He needs to get off of his mind. Hindi pwede iyon, hindi niya pwede hawakan si Letisha. Their marriage is just for convenience. Iba ang sitwasyon nila. Thinking of her in that way is just not right. They actually barely talk and see each other, tapos ganito pa?

Hindi pa man din siya nakakatagal sa pagbabad ay nakarinig na ito ng katok. Nagtapis lamang ito ng tuwalya at binuksan na iyon. Tumambad sakaniya ang mukha ni Letisha na medyo antok na.

"U-Uhm I just wanted to remind you about the family dinner on Friday. Your dad dropped by the office to tell you that since he couldn't reach your phone kaso hindi ka niya naabutan."

Nagsalita ito pero hindi naman ito nakatingin ng diretso sakaniya, he looked at himself why. He then just realizes that he's just wearing a towel around his waist. Hindi niya alam paano aayusin ang sarili dahil huli na rin naman. Hindi naman din pumasok sa isip niya na maiilang ng ganito ang babae. He could literally tell it by the looks of his eyes, Letisha is blushing and gulping.

"O-Okay."

Iyon lamang ang naisagot niya at sinarado na agad ang pinto. Naihagod na lamang niya ang mga daliri sa basang buhok niya. simpeng interaction lamang iyon pero nagkakailangan na sila, o baka siya lang din ang nagpaparamdam dito na nakakailang talaga ang sitwasyon?

Shit!

He really needs to divert his mind. Maybe Clarence was right?

Maybe if I found that girl it will save my ass from this situation? Maybe my mind was just diverted to Letisha since I couldn't find her?

Thinking of him touching Letisha makes him sick and disgusted of himself. He really needs to find a way to distance himself from her while he can't find that girl. Letisha's present is not helping him but just adding fire to his shits.