Kabanata 1

Kabanata 1

TAHIMIK ang kalangitang pinagmamasdan ni Emeraudo mula sa bintana ng silid. Walang ulang paparating at tila nais niyang dumungaw ngunit hindi niya maaaring itulak ang salaming bintana. He needed the reminder that he is trapped here, so he will master controlling his mind even more.

"Emeraudo, I want to go out. Papa is not home."

Napabaling siya sa kapatid na nakatingin din sa bintana at may hawak na hawla ng ibong nahuli niya noong nakaraang linggo. The pigeon seemed lonely and sick, as if it's mourning for its freedom.

Inilipat niya ang tingin sa mga mata ng kapatid na kamukhang-kamukha niya. Ang siyang dahilan kung bakit kinailangan niyang patayin ang kanyang ina upang mailigtas ito mula sa kanilang ama.

The twins were separated when they were newly born. Nais silang itago ng kanilang ina mula sa kanilang ama ngunit siya lamang ang nagawang itakas. His twin was left in the hands of his father, but he grew up tougher compared to his twin.

Mas matibay ang kanyang dibdib na kumalabit ng gatilyo at pumatay, hindi gaya ni Tejano na nasa mga mata pa rin ang pag-asa sa tuwing natititigan niya.

He sighed silently as he placed both his hands in his hoodie's pockets. "If you will just want to go out to free the bird, you better—"

"I wanted to see a girl."

Natigilan siya at ang mga kilay ay nangunot. "A girl?"

Tejano's eyes looked away, but Emeraudo was able to see the loneliness in his twin's green pools.

"I wanted to give her the bird, in case Papa will soon find out we are switching whenever I'm sneaking out."

Napaigting ng panga si Emeraudo. "I didn't let you wander outside as me just to date some woman, Tejano. I told you how vulnerable a heart is. And what if Papa will find out about her? Can you handle the pain of losing her forever?"

Bumuntong hininga ang kanyang kapatid. Tumayo ito at inilapag ang hawla sa bedside table bago nagtungo sa kanya. Their built, it's really the same. Tila kapag nakaharap siya rito, para siyang nananalamin.

And he is seeing the alter version of himself. The hopeful one...

"I can get us out of this life. I just need to accept an offer." Pabulong ngunit seryosong ani ni Tejano.

Lalong nalukot ang noo ni Emeraudo. "What offer?"

Hinawakan nito ang kanyang balikat. "A spy wanted me to work with them. Both of us can. Mama used to be an asset, right? That's why Papa was so mad at her. If we will join them—"

"We cannot trust anyone, Tejano. You know that. How could you be so naive?" Dumilim ang tingin niya rito at inis niyang inalis ang kamay na nakahawak sa kanyang balikat. Tinalikuran niya ito dala ng sama ng loob. Nakalimutan na ba nito ang kanilang plano?

"But brother, this might be our shot in life." Tejano sighed. "Sometimes we must have a little faith in someone..."

Inis siyang natawa. Faith? Saan na naman ba napulot ng kanyang kapatid ang bagay na iyon?

Nilingon niya ito at matalim ba tinitigan. "Faith is for the weak, for those who cannot live by themselves."

Lumambot ang ekspresyong nakapinta sa mukha ni Tejano. "But we have faith in each other, Emeraudo."

"That's only because you are me, and I am you."

"But we both know we aren't the same. Even our eyes show our differences."

Gumalaw ang kanyang panga. Tama naman ang kanyang kapatid. Tejano can never beat his skills in deceiving people around them. Kung siya ang nananatili kapag dumarating ang kanilang ama, hindi nito napapansing siya ang kasama at hindi ang paboritong si Tejano.

Their Papa went to Germany for a transaction. Illegal transaction. Sigurado silang sa makalawa pa ang uwi nito. Tanging mga tauhan lamang ang kanilang kasama ngayon.

Muli niyang nilingon si Tejano. Malamlam na ang mga mata nito na tila nakikiusap na pagbigyan niya. Hindi tuloy niya napigilan ang paghugot niya ng hininga saka ito marahas na pinakawalan.

"What's this woman's name?"

Umaliwalas ang mukha nito at ang mga mata ay kumislap. "Veronica." His lips curved upward and his face flashed a different glow. "Veronica Medesa."

"Where did you meet her?"

"At a Cafe in the downtown of Mesidoni. She is a very beautiful woman, Emeraudo."

Tiniklop ni Emeraudo ang kanyang hulmadong braso sa tapat ng kanyang dibdib. "For a twenty two year-old man, you look like someone who caught a lovebug."

Tejano chuckled, a lively one. The kind of sound Emeraudo can never do. Kayang pekein ngunit hindi kailanman madarama ng kanyang puso ang sinseridad kung sa kanya manggagaling.

"I think I did." Tejano smiled genuinely. "I think I did."

Emeraudo sighed hopelessly. "Does she know you as Tejano or as me?"

Unti-unting napawi ang kurba sa mga labi ni Tejano. Napaiwas ito ng tingin na tila nahiya at nabalot ng lungkot. Napaismid si Emeraudo. He knows that look already.

"So she is actually dating me?" He teased.

Lumunok si Tejano. "I'm sorry. I cannot tell her the truth because someone might be following me. If they will find out I was the one exploring the city, we're both dead."

"I know." He nodded. "I know."

"Brother, please. I just wanted to see her tonight."

Nanatiling tikom ang mga labi ni Emeraudo, binabasa ang kapatid. Pinagmamasdan niya ang mga mata nitong nagsisinungaling at ang mga labing pilit sinasara upang hindi mabuking.

You can never deceive a deceiver, Tejano.

He pushed the corner of his lips upward. Alam na niya ang tunay na plano nito kahit hindi nito sabihin, at sisiguraduhin niyang mapipigilan niya ito sa sarili niyang paraan.

"I really got no choice but to let you, right?" He asked, his deceptive smile flashed at his own brother for the first time.

Nabuhayan ito ng loob. "You'll let me go?"

"Of course." He smirked and patted his brother's shoulder. "Everything for you..."

MULA sa madilim na bahagi ng second floor ng bar, pinagmasdan ni Emeraudo ang kanyang kapatid na nakaupo sa isang stool kasama ang babaeng tinutukoy nito. Unfortunately, Tejano's plans of just meeting her didn't go as it was supposed to be. Hinatak kasi ito ng babae sa isang bar upang uminom.

Emeraudo actually likes it better here. Maingay. Madilim. Walang makakapansin kaagad oras na gawin niya ang plano niya. 

With his glass of favorite whiskey, he leaned on the railing and watched his brother carefully. He doesn't trust the woman he's seeing. May kakaiba rito at hindi iyon gusto ni Emeraudo. Tejano has the tendency to be so naive when his heart is already working. That's the thing Emeraudo hates the most about his twin.

Tanga.

Sumimsim siya sa kanyang baso habang kinakapa ang kanyang pocket knife sa bulsa. He is here for one thing. Not to watch over his twin but to eliminate the woman who's occupying his mind.

That's the plan, ngunit nang may biglang yumapos sa kanyang braso saka siniksik ang sarili sa kanya, nabaling ang tingin niya rito.

Her sweet perfume filled his nose, it almost suffocated him in a beautiful way. When their eyes locked, his heart suddenly gone wild inside his chest in a way he never felt before.

Umawang ang mapula nitong mga labi habang malikot ang galaw ng matang tila may iniiwasan.

"Sorry to bother you but," she looked behind him. Nanlaki ang mga mata nito. 

Nagtaka si Emeraudo. Lilingunin sana niya ang tinitignan ng babae ngunit hinatak nito bigla ang kanyang ulo at walang anu-anong diniin ang malambot na mga labi sa kanyang mga labi.

His heart pounded loudly as the foreign sensation suddenly thrummed all over his body. Heat built up inside him and as the woman began kissing him deeper, he felt lost in the wild side for the first time.

Their lips parted only an inch away. Humigop ng hangin ang babae saka inikot ang mga braso sa kanyang leeg.

"Kiss me more...please." She whispered in a tensed manner.

Parang nalasing si Emeraudo sa kakaibang init na bumalot sa kanyang sistema. Hinapit niya ang babae at sinubunutan ang mahaba nitong buhok.

Their lips crashed against each other in a wilder and deeper way. Umalpas ang ungol ng babae sa kanyang bibig nang humigpit ang kanyang hawak sa buhok nito. Her lips opened and he took advantage of the chance to explore her mouth.

His tongue licked hers before he sucked her bottom lip. She groaned sensually and her body grinded against his, turning him on in a fiery way he cannot escape from anymore.

Nadinig niya ang ilang dumaan hanggang sa tuluyan na silang nalampasan, ngunit dala yata ng kalasingan sa mapusok na halik na iginagawad niya, halos hindi rin napansin ng babae.

They were both gasping for air when their lips finally parted. Her eyes were twinkling with the same desire she tried to hide as she looked around.

Bigla itong napabuga ng hangin nang makita ang grupo ng mga lalakeng lumabas ng bar. Ngumiti ito sa kanya saka bumitaw upang lumayo habang siya ay pinanonood kung paano nitong sinusubukang pigilan ang sariling pawiin ang nadaramang init.

"Thanks and sorry for that."

Her sweet voice echoed inside his head. Bigla niyang nalimutan ang pakay sa lugar nang akmang aalis na ang babae. Hinawakan niya ito sa braso at hinatak pabalik sa kanyang harap saka niya ito kinulong sa magkabilang brasong nakasankal sa railing.

The woman looked shock with his move but her eyes seemed to understand why he did it.

Umarko pataas ang sulok ng kanyang labi nang makitang lumunok ito, ang asul na mga mata ay matamang nakamasid sa kanyang mga labing namantyahan ng pulang lipstick nito.

"I'm sorry, darling but I don't trade kisses for a thank you." He declared.

She blinked and gulped again. "H—How do you want me to pay you back then? Drinks?"

Lumawak ang kurba sa mga labi ni Emeraudo. Napadpad ang isa niyang kamay sa baywang nito. She's wearing a tight white dress with low neckline and backless design. Naging madali sa kanyang hagurin ng kanyang palad ang exposed nitong likod.

He watched her gasp as her eyelids went heavy with the friction his hand caused to her body. "I think we both know what I'm talking about."

Desire flickered in her eyes. Umawang ang mga labi nito at ang tingin ay muling bumaba sa kanyang mantsa ng lipstick sa kanyang mga labi.

"Y—You wanna take me to bed?" Her voice sounded raspy, but Emeraudo didn't feel fear, but excitement rather.

He licked his lips and held her waist to give it a warning squeeze before he leaned his head to the side of her face and whispered.

"Yes, Miss. I'm gonna need to fuck you."