Prologue

It was almost ten in the evening ng makarating sina Lissa, Judy at Niña sa ilang hanay ng clubs sa Q.C. Kalalabas lang nila from a dreadfully long evening, and oh boy, was this the longest one they've ever had.

As they say in the business world. It's time to lay-off some dead-weight.

"So san ba tayo ngayon, mga Ladies?" Tanong ni Niña sa dalawa habang naglalakad sila sa 'Nightlife district' ng Pilipinas. "Sa Adonis, sa Rocks, Cumshot or sa Cube?"

"Adonis is boring!" Maarteng sagot ni Judy. "And too many gay men."

"Kaya nga Gay Bar, diba?" Pilosopong sagot ni Lissa sa kaibigan. "Shunga."

Agad naman siyang kinurot ng kaibigan sabay sagot ng. "Whatever, bitches. Let's just go wherever."

Tuloy-tuloy silang maglakad, their high heels clacking against the paved floor until Niña spotted a bar they've never been to before. Mabilis pa sa alas kwatro niyang hinigit ang braso ng dalawa at kinaladkad ito.

"Ouch----Niña! What the hell!" Reklamo ni Lissa sabay pa simpleng tinulak ang kanyang sadistang kaibigan palayo. "What is it?"

Tinuro ng dalaga ang pangalan ng Bar. "Chrome!" She happily explained with a sneer on her highly tinted lips. "Yan siguro yung Bar na sinasabi ni Maria. Red lights daw kalimitan jan!"

"So." Was Judy's short and uninterested answer. "Ngayon ka lang ba nakakita ng ilaw na pula?"

Maski naiinis na ang dalaga sa sobrang pagka-pilosopo ng mga kaibigan, hinayaan na lang nya ito at nagpatuloy maglakad papasok sa Bar."Tara na kasi, i-try lang natin to!" was all she said before leaving her friends to go inside the said establishment.

Judy sighed at her friend's impulsiveness. Hanggang kailan talaga, bano at buang pa rin si Niña sa lahat ng bago niyang nakikita. "Let's go." Hudyat nya kay Lissa. "Tutal sya rin naman magbabayad ng Entrance natin eh."

Lissa laughed at the thought. Pag-kuripot nga naman ang dalawa at may isang rich-kid, laging may nagtatagumpay.

.

.

.

*****

.

.

.

Chrome wasn't bad, halos katulad lang rin ito ng ibang Bar. It was hot, fun and there were a lot of singles, hot or not, they're ready to meet someone to mingle with.

And this was the night for Lissa.

Kanina pa pansin ni Niña at ni Judy na may minamata ang dalaga, and they can't help but think. There she goes again. Ang kanilang kaibigan na mala Santa ang pag-nguya, pero parang diyosa ng kalibugan ang pag kagat.

Tiningnan muli ni Judy ang lalaking minamata ni Lissa. Even she can't deny the fact that the guy is good looking.

"Mga sampung segundo mo pang titigan yan, Bes. Tiyak na tunaw na yan."

Lissa clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was happily fantasizing her way with the man ng bulabugin sya ni Judy, foreplay na sila sa imagination nya, sayang. "Huwag kang daot jan ah!" Mataray sa sagot nito. "Kita mong nag-eenjoy pa akong mag-sightseeing."

Then Lissa visually and mentally shut out everything but the guy in front of her. He was not that masculine but he was slightly defined, and she can see his biceps through the folded sleeve of his shirt. He was tall, about six feet tall or maybe five foot eleven and boy did she like how long his legs were. May kasabihan nga ang mga bakla, ang lalaking mahaba ang binti ay mahaba rin ang...

.

.

I want him.

Hiyaw ng isip ni Lissa. And again, for so many times since she turned eighteen, the nasty sex-fiend inside of her came out. In one shot, ininum nya ang Smirnoff Ginger Ale na nasa harap nya at biglang tumayo, minding her hips to define how good her figure is.

Hindi na niya pinapansin ang patuloy at parang nahihiyang sit-sit at tawag ni Judy at Niña sa kanya na "Huy babaeng higad, tumigil ka nga jan, upo!" and "Naku po, K! Baka juntisin ka nyan, yari kami sa nanay mong bungangera!" as well as "Lissa, iiwan ka talaga namin ditong p*****a ka! Ikaw magbayad ng Entrance at drinks mo!"

But of course, like every single time Lissa spots a man that she likes, walang magawa sina Judy kung hindi panoorin na lang ang kaibigan na ipahiya ang sarili nito.

"Bahala na nga sya sa buhay nya." Bitteret na reklamo ni Judy ng tumayo ito sa kinatatayuan nya. "Tara Nins, let's go get some more drinks."

*****

Her line of vision never wandered away from the man habang naglalakad sya papunta sa dance floor. He was smoking. Hot. And he was dancing to the beat in a good rhythm, all more the reasons why halos hubarin na ni Lissa ang kanyang underwear at tumuwad sa harap ng lalaki.

She was about two steps away sa lalaki ng biglang umalis ang binata sa dance floor at naglakad ito papunta sa isang table na malayo sa table na kinakatayuan nila.

It was a bit embarrassing, but it wasn't enough to stop her.

So she continued to pursue the man. Nararamdaman nyang alam na ng lalaking na kasunod sya dito and it made her excitement run up to her core. Eto na yun oh!

Finally, she talks. "Uhm..." And she made sure that her voice was a bit more sultry. "Excuse me, hi." Tinapik nya rin ang lalaki sa balikat to make sure that she was noticed, and thank heavens he did.

And when he looked at her, boy was Lissa more desperate to get him to bed.

"I'm Lissa." She said with a smile as she studies his features. Aba kilay goals din si pogi. Sambit nya sa sarili.

"I'm Anthony." Sagot nito.

And his voice was deep.

Damn he's sexy... But still, something is still fishy.

Pero hindi yun binigyang pansin ni Lissa. "Kakarating niyo lang?" Hindi na alis ang ngiti sa labi ng dalaga sabay ng saglit na daplis ng kanyang kamay sa braso ng lalaki. "Maybe you want to share tables? Kasama ko rin mga kaibigan ko. Maybe your friends will care to join us as well?"

The man chuckled, then he took a hit from the cigarette. "Sorry, miss." He politely declined with a smile. "I'm not interested.

Ganern? Pakipot. Reklamo ng dalaga sa sarili. Pero dahil nag mana ang katigasan ng ulo nya sa nanay nya, she doesn't give up. "Ah... Really?" Maarteng sagot nito. "Sayang naman, are you sure? My friends say that I'm a good drinking buddy."

"Sure you are." Mabilisang sagot ng lalaki, and as rude as it may seem, obvious na ayaw niyang nilalandi sya ng dalaga. "But we won't work out, honey."

Kumunot ang noo ng dalaga, sabay hawak nyang muli sa bisig ng binata na syang kinainis naman nito. "Why is that?" Painosenteng sagot ng dalaga.

Na pahinga ng malalim si Anthony sabay napangiti. Humarap sya kay Lissa at dahan-dahan tinanggal ang mga malalambot na daliri na nakahawak sa braso nya. "Because..." Nilapit nya ang kanyang labi sa tenga ni Lissa, tsaka nya hiningahan ito ng saglit, sending shivers up to Lissa's spine, enticing her lust even more.

"...I'm gay sweetie."

.

.

.

*****

.

.

.

Hindi na tumugil sa pagtawa ang dalawa habang nag-tatravel sila pauwi. Their laughter filled with mockery at kung paano halos mabuga ni Judy ang iniinom nitong alak ng bumalik si Lissa sa table at sabihin ang dahilan kung bakit nakasimangot ito.

"Yan, sige! Landi pa more!" Sigaw ni Niña habang nagmamaneho. "Landi Kasi ni bes eh, yan tuloy, hindi napansin na naka-fleek yung kilay nung lalaki."

"Kasi naman, bes." Habol hininga na sinabi ni Judy. "Isip muna bago landi, ha?"

Lissa stayed silent all throughout the drive, and she thinks, Siguro hanggang ikasal sya hindi titigil ang dalawang ito sa pang-aasar sa kanya.

.

.

.

*****

.

.

.

It was precisely nine o'clock in the morning ng mag-time in si Lissa sa kanilang office. As usual, the bodyguard was there to check her belongings, the janitor was there sweeping the floor. But there was really something odd that she couldn't figure out and it made her forehead scrounge-up and her nose wrinkled.

"Umagang-umaga ang asim ng mukha mo." Mapang-asar na bati ni Grizzel sa kanya kaya napa-ngiti na lang sya. "Good morning din sayo, Griz." Maiksi niyang sagot dito.

Another boring day at the office.

Akala kasi nya she'd get a sense of relief Last night. But, no, it was the complete opposite. The guy that she had her eyes on had to be gay. Nawalan na sya ng choice kung hindi gawin ang lagi na lang nyang routine. Her only source of comfort was Jimmy, a vibrator.

Tahimik na umupo si Lissa sa kanyang rotating chair at binuhay ang kanyang desktop. She was about to start-up her system ng biglang...

All employees, please proceed to the meeting room. Upon request of the director, all employees, please proceed to the meeting room.

Lissa sighed and then she stood up from her seat. Ano ba yan meeting na naman. Saglit nyang inayos ang kanyang corporate uniform sabay talikod para pumunta na sa meeting room ng biglang may nakabunggo syang lalaki.

"Aray!" Hiyaw ng dalaga ng muntik na itong mapa upo sa sahig.

Agad naman syang nakaramdam ng kamay sa kanyang braso, a gesture that stopped her from completely falling. And then...

"Sorry." Narinig nyang paumanhin ng lalaki. A voice that sounded so familiar that it took her a few seconds to look up. "Nag madali kasi ako."

Tangina, sabi na nga ba't pamilyar ang boses na yan. Nahihiyang hiyaw ni Lissa sa kanyang isip. She didn't even dare to look up, for she knows who it was. That perfume, that standing and that black nail Polish is something that stuck to her easily, dala-dala na rin sa nakakahiya na ala-ala na gusto na nyang makalimutan.

"So dito ka pala nagtatrabaho." Muling nagsalita ito, and his voiced oozed with amusement.

Lissa had no other choice but to look up.

And there it is. The devil himself. Boy was she stupid last night. Tanga Talaga.

"Yep." Maikling sagot ni Lissa. "Ikaw rin? I've never seen you here before, bago ka?"

Ngumisi si Anthony at tinapik ang ulo ng dalaga. "Yes." He answered smoothly then he reached out his hand formally. "I'm your new supervisor..."

Napalunok si Lissa at di nya mapigilang matawa sa kanyang sarili. At dahil jan, simula ngayon, never na syang sasama 'pag niyaya sya ni Niña sa Chrome.

"...and I'm so glad to meet you."