CHAPTER 3

“Oh, that’s great to hear ma’am!”

I approached the woman who had been looking at me. “Hi! Miss.” 

“Hello... Mr.” Ngumiti sya sakin.

She has braces. Damn! I hate girls who have braces but it suits her though. She looks sexy and beautiful.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Tinuro ko ang isang lalaki na nasa di kalayuan.

By looking at her, she’s kinda confused about what to tell. “Y-Yeah.” She flipped her hair.

Oh, I thought she’s going to say ‘No’ 

It's kinda amazing that she didn’t deny him being her boyfriend, but still, she looks like she wants to flirt with me.

“You guys, look great together....”

“T-Thank you--“

“Not to brag but I think we’re cute together.” Sabi ko at kinindatan pa sya.

“Babe, what took you so long?!” Her boyfriend is now beside her. 

That guy looks at my face, down to my feet. He smirked and shook his head.

What the f**k is he thinking right now? Is he insecure because I’m more handsome than him?!

“Uhm, nothing. Bumalik na tayo don sa table natin.” She grabbed her boyfriend’s hand.

“Napaka babaero mo talaga! Nikolai, when they already have a boyfriend, don’t flirt or seduce them okay!” Tinignan ko si Eya na nakatayo ngayon sa gilid ko.

“It’s the woman’s decision if they will just let me do that. They just prove that they don’t love their boyfriends. Because if you love someone, no matter how much other people try to seduce or flirt with you, you don’t care at all, because you’ll only think of the person you love, that person only matters to you.”

"And lastly, I am just helping them. I am making them realize that both of them are not meant for each other." Peke itong tumawa pagkatapos ng mga sinabi ko.

“Gosh! You speak well when it comes to things like that but, I’ve never seen you take a woman seriously, Nikolai. You didn’t even experience being in love with someone for real." Napairap ito sa hangin.

“You should call me Kuya, because I’m 2 years older than you Eya.”

“Oo nga pala! Sorry kuya... Uhm, kuya ang gwapo mo!" Ngumiti sya sakin.

That smiled again, it looks like she needs something from me again.

“Can I borrow some money? Hehe please?” I laughed when she blinked her eyes twice, trying to be cute.

“Yeah! No problem, because you just called me handsome, you don’t need to pay me, I’m giving it to you for free.” Sabi ko.

“Ang bait-bait mo talaga kuya, babaero nga lang! By the way, I’ve not seen Nadya for a few days?” Natawa ako sa unang sinabi nya.

“Well, she’s been busy lately with her work.” Sagot ko sa tanong nito.

“Hmm, I miss her.” Dinig kong mahinang sabi nito sa sarili.

“I’ll tell her that you miss her. Oh, you can just come over to our house so that you can see Nadya. You know that anytime you can just visit our house Eya, you’re like our family.”

"Ayos lang kuya Nikolai. We can meet when she has time.” Tumango na lamang ako.

“I gotta go now, take care Eya. Call me if you need anything or if there’s a problem.”

Umalis na ako at pumasok sa kotse. Pinaandar ko na yun, habang nag mamaneho ay may nakita akong nag titinda ng bulaklak sa gilid ng kalsada kaya huminto muna ako at bumili bago tuluyang umalis.

Nang makarating ako sa bahay ay dumeretso ako sa kusina para uminom ng tubig.

Bigla namang may tumawag sakin at nang tignan ko yun ay Babe #11 ang nakalagay sa caller.

Babe #11? Hindi ko maalala ang pangalan nya at mukha niya pero siguro kong makita ko sya ulit eh, medyo hmm, di ko alam kong makikilala ko talaga sya siguro pamilyar lang ganon.

“Hello! Babe?"

[Hello, babe! Kamusta ka na? Are you busy lately?] 

I can hear another person’s voice, is she with someone else? Oh, right! I almost forgot she’s a flirty woman. I mean, all of them.

“Yeah, I’m really busy babe hope you understand.” Busy with new girls and of course with my family. 

[I understand babe, but I miss you! I want to see you now.] 

“Me too babe! Maybe tomorrow, we can hang out!” Sabi ko sakanya at ipinalibot ko ang paningin sa paligid.

Wala si mama dito. Hmm, siguro na sa kwarto sya ngayon? Balak ko ibigay sakanya itong bulaklak kase binili ko naman talaga ko para sakaniya.

[Really? Thank you, babe! I love you very much!]

“I love you too.” Just kidding, if I say I love you, I only mean it to my Mom and Nadya.

[Okay bye babe, I still have something important to do right now!]

Narinig kong may biglang nag salita sa likuran ko. “Ibang babae na naman ba 'yan?” I smiled. It's a guilty smile.

“Tigilan muna yang ginagawa mo sa mga babae anak. Wag mong kalimutan na babae rin yang kapatid mo na si Nadya. Wag mong antayin na ang kapatid mo mismo makakaranas kagaya ng mga pinaggagawa mo sa mga babae. Alam mo naman na ang karma--"

“Nah! It will never happen, mom. Hindi ko naman kasalanan kong ipinangak akong gwapo.” Pabiro kong sabi at tumawa naman sya.

“Nag mana ka talaga sa daddy mo na gwapo at babaero din. Mabuti talaga at buhay pa ang gagung 'yon pagkatapos nya tayong iwan at ipagpalit sa babaeng may mga anak na sa iba't-ibang babae!"

“Wag mo na syang isipin mom! Nadya and I are here for you always, and always remember that we love you so much.” Niyakap ko sya at hinalikan sa noo nya.

“I know, I love both of you too, son. You two are my everything, I don’t know if I can live without you and Nadya. But soon you’re going to leave me alone because you two are both old enough and you two are going to have a family.” 

“Mom, that will never happen! We will never leave you, we’re just always here even if Nadya and I already have our own family.” I wiped those tears from her cheeks.

I promise that to you, mom.