JUST A ONE NIGHT STAND

Chapter 8

ELYES felt disappointed when they reached Zaired Restaurant. He liked the feeling of Fiona's breast against his back. Libreng tsansing na nga, bitin pa, he thought.

Fiona quickly got off the motorbike and gave him a smile.

"Salamat sa paghahatid," she said with a grin.

"No problem."

Fiona was about to say something else when they both heard a man's voice. A guy came out from a Ford car. He looked well-off, but Elyes knew he was richer.

"Any! Who the hell is this guy!?" the man barked as he walked toward them. "Siya ba ang ipinalit mo sa akin? Wow naman!"

Was this Kyle?

Fiona shot Elyes an apologetic look. "Sorry, Elyes. Please, umalis ka na."

Elyes ignored her plea. "I'm staying."

"No." Fiona shook her head, clearly scared. "No. Umalis ka na, please. Ayokong madamay ka sa gulo—"

"I'm staying, Fiona. That's final," he insisted.

FIONA couldn’t deny the relief she felt knowing Elyes was by her side, facing off with Kyle. She froze for a moment when Elyes took her hand. She glanced at him.

"Huwag kang manerbiyos," Elyes said in a calm voice. "Gago 'yung kausap mo, kaya dapat gaguhin mo rin."

"Lei!" Kyle had reached them. "Sino 'tong lalaking 'to, ha?" he asked arrogantly while pointing at Elyes. "Ito ba ang pinalit mo sa akin? Wow naman."

Fiona took a deep breath and raised an eyebrow at Kyle. "Puwede ba, Kyle. Umalis ka na. Ayokong makita ang pagmumukha mo rito."

Kyle smirked, clearly unfazed. "Hindi naman ako nagpunta rito para sayo e." He jabbed a finger at Elyes again. "Ang hindi ko lang matanggap ay may ipinalit ka kaagad sa akin." He turned to Elyes, who was still seated on his Ducati, not saying a word. "Anong habol mo kay Fiona? Virginity niya? Save your strength. Hindi ko nga nakuha, e. Matigas ang babaeng yan. Tsaka, may itsura ka naman. Sigurado akong makakahanap ka ng sexy at hindi baboy na katulad ni Fiona. At saka, Fiona is so clingy and demanding. Feeling naman niya ang ganda-ganda niya."

Elyes didn’t say a word, but his grip on Fiona's hand tightened. There was no emotion on his face as he stared Kyle down, but Fiona knew Elyes was irritated.

Kyle's words crushed her heart all over again. It hurt. It hurt so much, and she felt like she was about to cry.

Kyle was the first to break eye contact in his stare-off with Elyes. Elyes was still gazing at Kyle as her scumbag ex-fiancé looked away.

Elyes shook his head and glanced at her. "Oh nga pala, Any, hindi naman ako pumunta rito para sayo. Pumunta ako rito para sabihin sayong magbalot-balot na kayo kasi bibilhin ko na kay Mrs. Lopez ang lupang kinatatayuan ng restaurant niyo."

"What?" Fiona was shocked. "No! May kontrata kaming pinirmahan!"

Kyle turned toward his car and motioned for someone to come out. Mrs. Lopez emerged from the vehicle. Fiona’s knees started trembling as the older woman approached. *No! This can’t be happening!* Her parents were out of town, and they trusted her with the restaurant. What would she do if Kyle was telling the truth? She needed to review the contract!

"Please, Mrs. Lopez, tell Any here what we talked about last night," Kyle said smugly.

Mrs. Lopez looked at Fiona sympathetically. "Pasensiya ka na, hija. Malaki ang offer ni Mr. Menzon. Hindi ko matanggihan. He is also opening a restaurant, kaya naman makakatulong na naayos niyo na ang gusali—"

"No! We signed a contract, Mrs. Lopez. May usapan kayo ng mga magulang ko! Maayos naman ang renta namin, ah. We’ve always paid on time," Fiona's hands shook with anger as she faced Mrs. Lopez and Kyle. "You can't do this to us. Mrs. Lopez naman e. Hindi kami basta-bastang lilipat kasi maguguluhan ang mga customer namin. And besides, we still need to find a new place—"

"Pasensiya ka na talaga, hija. I need the money," Mrs. Lopez replied, her voice tinged with regret. "Even if you read the contract, it's stated there that the land is for sale, and I was renting it out until a buyer came. Your father signed that contract. Mr. Gonzales also knew. We had talked about him buying it, but he didn’t have enough funds. And it’s in the contract that I have the right to sell it at any time. I’m really sorry."

Fiona felt her knees give way as Mrs. Lopez's words sank in.

Her eyes, filled with rage, darted to Kyle. "You! Bakit mo 'to ginagawa sa akin?! Ano ba ang nagawa ko sayo!" She pulled her hand free from Elyes and pounded her fists against Kyle’s chest. Tears streamed down her face. "After you cheated on me, now you're doing this to me? To my family? Letse ka! Punyeta ka!" She sobbed uncontrollably.

"Nothing personal, Any," Kyle laughed, seemingly amused by her tears. "I'm just a businessman, and I want to venture into something different aside from the hotels and resorts I own," he said arrogantly. "Pasensiyahan na lang tayo."

Fiona stepped back, hugging herself as tears continued to fall. *Why is this happening? What did I do to deserve this?* She felt so lost, depressed, and helpless.

In the midst of her mental turmoil, she heard Elyes's voice.

"Magkano ba ang lupa?" Elyes asked.

Fiona quickly turned to him. His face was dark and his jaw clenched.

"Elyes," she whispered his name.

Elyes got off his Ducati and walked over to her side.

He gently wiped her tears away with his hand.

"Stop crying. I told you, kapag gago ang kausap mo, gaguhin mo rin," he said, facing Mrs. Lopez and Kyle.

"Magkano ba? I'll double it."

Napanganga si Mrs. Lopez pero nakuha pa rin nitong magsalita. "Five million."

Elyes snorted. "Five million? Wow, super mura naman. I'll double it. Like, kaya mo ba 'yon?" Nanghahamon na tumingin si Elyes kay Kyle. "Can you top that?"

Nang-iinsultong tumawa si Kyle. "Huwag kang maniniwala sa kanya, Mrs. Lopez. He's just kidding you. Wala siyang ganoong kalaking pera. Ang five million nga, mahirap hanapin."

"Bro, for you maybe mahirap," Elyes smirked tauntingly at Kyle. "But for me, like, ilang days lang 'yan."

Kinuha ni Elyes ang cellphone sa bulsa ng leather jacket nito at may tinawagan.

"Hello? Joanna? Yes, it’s me, Elyes Kostas Williams. I need you to talk to someone, okay? She’s gonna tell you how much her lot is, and then just wire the money to her account. Chill lang." Iniabot nito ang cellphone kay Mrs. Lopez. "Don’t forget to speak in English, ha. Joanna’s from my bank in Cali, she’s super professional. Name your price."

Nakapagtatakang tinanggap ni Mrs. Lopez ang cellphone habang nagkatinginan sila ni Kyle kay Elyes.

"Yes, this is Mrs. Lopez and... it’s ten million," nanginginig na sagot ni Mrs. Lopez. "B-Bank account?" Mabilis nitong sinabi sa kausap ang bank account number at ibinalik ang cellphone kay Elyes.

Pagkuwa'y binuksan ni Mrs. Lopez ang cellphone nito para tingnan kung pumasok na ang pera gamit ang mobile banking app.

Biglang napasigaw si Mrs. Lopez at niyakap siya nang mahigpit. "Ang suwerte mo!" tili nito. "Dapat siya na ang pakasalan mo!"

"Mawi-withdraw mo lang 'yung pera kapag ibinigay mo na ang titolo ng lupa kay La Fiona," sabi ni Elyes kay Mrs. Lopez na bakas ang kasiyahan sa mukha.

"Ipapadala ko agad sa ’yo ang titolo ng lupa," mabilis na sabi ni Mrs. Lopez at tumingin kay Kyle. "Sorry, wala na ang usapan natin." Pagkasabi niyon, umalis siya kaagad.

Halatang galit na galit si Kyle habang masama ang tingin kay Elyes.

Nagkibit-balikat si Elyes, nang-uuyam na ngiti sa mukha. "Bro, walang personalan ha? Pasensiyahan na lang, pero like, richer kasi ako sa 'yo."

Nagmumura ang galit sa mukha ni Kyle. "Magsama kayong dalawa! Bagay naman kayo!" Nagmamartsang umalis si Kyle.

Alam niyang napahiya ito. Well, that’s what you get, bro. Gago!

Take that, Kyle. In your face!

Biglang nawala ang lungkot at kaba na nararamdaman niya kanina. Nilingon niya si Elyes at nahuli niya itong nakatingin sa kanya nang mataman.

"What?" tanong niya.

"You do realize na like, you're indebted to me now, right?" Elyes grinned. "Ten million, agápi mou. Ten million pesos."

Umingos siya at tinaasan ito ng kilay. "Excuse me, Elyes, hindi ko sinabi sa 'yo na bilhin mo 'yong lupa, okay? Ikaw ang nagkusang bilhin iyon sa halagang ten million, kaya wala akong utang sa 'yo. Sayo na kami magbabayad ng upa ng lupa. Kapag natanggap ko 'yong titolo, I’ll give it to you."

Nangingiting napailing si Elyes. "Hmm... smart girl." He gently tilted her chin up and pressed his lips on hers for a couple of seconds.

Nang pakawalan siya ni Elyes, may masayang ngiti ito sa mga labi.

"Bakit ba panay ang halik mo sa akin?" Namumula ang pisngi niyang tanong. Hindi ba nito alam na iba ang epekto nito sa kanya?

"Well, like, you let me kiss you all the time so I got used to it. Plus," niyakap siya nito sa beywang at bumulong sa kanyang tainga, "I thought, why not give your employees something to talk about, di ba?"

Naguluhan siya, ngunit nang lumingon sa pintuan ng Zaired Restaurant, nakita niya ang mga empleyado nila, nakangiti habang nanonood sa kanila.

Namula siya at sumimangot kay Elyes. "Ang sama mo. Siguradong pagtsi-tsismisan nila ako buong linggo."

Mahinang tumawa si Elyes saka pinanggigilan ang pisngi niya. "You’re so cute." Pinakawalan siya nito sa pagkakayakap at sumakay muli sa Ducati nito. "By the way, kapag tinanong ka ng mga empleyado mo about us, don’t forget what Kyle said before he left, ha?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Ano?"

"Na bagay tayong dalawa." Malapad ang ngiti nito habang kinindatan siya, pagkatapos ay isinuot ang helmet at pinaharurot ang Ducati palayo.

Sinapo niya ang dibdib kung saan naroon ang puso niya at pinakalma ito na mabilis pa rin ang t***k dahil sa sinabi ni Elyes. Hindi niya mapigilang mapangiti at mapailing. Ang lalaking 'yon talaga.

Humugot siya ng isang malalim na hininga at naglakad papasok sa Zaired Restaurant. Sana naman walang maglakas ng loob na tanungin siya tungkol kay Elyes. Kasi, honestly, hindi niya alam ang isasagot. Bigla lang namang sumulpot ang Elyes na ’yon sa buhay niya. Ang pinagdarasal niya ngayon ay sana hindi ito basta ring mawala na parang kabute.