Chapter 2

As I sensed the guy dragging his new girl inside the club, I quickly pulled away. The girl in front of me still had her eyes closed and her lips still half-open. I smirked. Looks like someone liked my kiss huh? I took it as a chance to stare at her.

Her lashes were long and naturally curled. She had thick brows. Her nose was not that pointy, but it fits her. And her lips, it was soft. Her height is probably about five foot four or something. Kailangan ko pang yumuko para halikan siya.

I wonder why that jerk cheated on her. Clearly, her face is not the reason at all. In fact, her face looks like a walking heart-breaker.

“Bro, ba’t mo naman ako iniwan do’n?” Wayne entered the scene. The girl immediately opened her eyes. Her face flushed after realizing what just happened. Well, me too. What was I even thinking?

Muli kaming nagkatinginan. Dude, I think the word beautiful will not be enough to describe her. Alam na alam ko ang mga ganyang mukha. Girls like her are dangerous. I don’t want to get involved with her, again. Hard pass on that.

Ako na ang naunang umiwas ng tingin. I have to stop the urge looming inside me to kiss her again.

“Dude, did I miss something? Ba’t ang tahimik niyong dalawa?” Sa halip na sagutin si Wayne, naglakad na ako paalis. Naiwang nakatayo roon ang babae. I did not bother looking back. It’s just a mistake. A stupid mistake.

Upon reaching the parking lot, I quickly hopped inside my car. Not minding the shattered glasses. My grip on the maneuver tightened upon realizing what I just did. I want to punch myself for what happened. What the fuck was that, Michael?

Soon after, Wayne was already outside. He was about to sit on the passenger’s seat when I stopped him. There were glasses all over. He had no choice but to take the seat at the back. Tiningnan ko si Wayne mula sa rearview mirror. Bahagya akong natawa nang makitang tulog na tulog na ang gago. Humanda ka sa ‘kin bukas. Papasikatin kitang hayop ka.

Monday came. My head was throbbing in pain from the alcohol last night. Fuck. Despite the headache, I dragged myself inside the bathroom to take a shower. I can’t afford to get demerit on our first day. I took the subway since kailangan kong ipaayos ang sasakyan ko kagabi.

The moment I step foot inside the Pulmonary Department, Wayne showed himself up. His brows were furrowed, and his lips were on grim line. Tiningnan ko siya mula ulo hanggang paa. “What now?” I said and sat on the couch. 7 a.m. pa lang naman ngayon. May thirty minutes pa kami bago ang call time.

He stood in front of me and handed me his phone. Tumawa ako nang makita kung ano iyon. It’s the video that I took last night. Iyong hinahalikan niya ‘yong map ng club. In-upload ko kasi iyon kagabi sa social media bago matulog.

 “Michael naman, delete mo na nga ‘yon. Siguradong pagagalitan na naman ako ni daddy ‘pag nakita niya ‘yong video,” he pleaded.

Ngumisi ako. “Aba hindi ko naman kasalanan na may fetish ka pala sa mga maruruming bagay. Nakakadisappoint ka ‘tol.” Umupo siya sa tabi ko saka siniksik ang sarili sa ‘kin. Agad akong ngumiwi sa paglapit niya.

“Hayop ka, Wayne. Lumayo ka nga. Tatamaan ka talaga sa ‘kin, makikita mo.” Inis na sambit ko.

“Sige naman na daddy Michael, delete mo na ‘yong video. Punish mo na lang ako sa ibang paraan,” sambit niya. Hindi nakalagpas sa ‘kin ang malanding boses niya.

“Putangina, oo na!”

Tumawa siya saka ako hinalikan sa mukha. Bago pa ako makapagreact ay kumaripas na siya ng takbo.

“Ang baboy mo, Wayne!” sigaw ko saka pumasok sa restroom para maghilamos.

So basically, what happened for the first week of our Internship was just orientation and all.  Hindi pa kami pinayagang tumulong sa treatment hanggang sa masaulo namin ang mga equipment.

Nasa ikalawang linggo ko na rito. So far, I am enjoying my stay here in St. Luke Medical City. The staffs were friendly.  Wala ring toxic na mga pasyente. My duty starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. It was around eight in the evening when our head staff allowed us to take a break since we’re already done with our treatment.

I decided to go to a nearby convenience store to grab some snacks. Wala si Wayne ngayon since pang-umaga yung schedule niya. Hula ko’y tulog pa rin iyon hanggang ngayon. When I got inside the store, I sashayed my way towards the beverages’ section.

Kumuha ako ng isang canned coffee at isang bottled water. Tinungo ko naman ang snack section. I grabbed one cup noodles and two potato chips. Matapos makuha ang lahat ng gusto kong bilhin, I made my way towards the counter.

Umupo ako sa isang bakanteng mesa sa loob. Nilapag ko ang cup noodles saka sinimulang kumain. May napansin akong umupo sa tabi ko, but I did not bother checking who it was. Ganoon naman talaga rito sa convenience store. Sharing table is not new at all.

Nangunot ang noo ko nang mapansing hindi naman ito kumakain. Sa halip ay parang nakatingin pa ito sa bandang gawi ko. Hindi ko na mapigilang lingunin ang katabi ko.

I started coughing upon realizing who it was. Si Addy. Nakangiti siya habang nakahalumbaba. I tried to open my bottled water but failed because of too much coughing. She opened it for me instead.

I quickly snatched it from her saka uminom. . Damn, I don’t want to die yet. At least not because of me getting choked while eating. I can almost imagine Wayne’s ugly face as he delivers his last speech at my funeral. Tangina mo, Wayne. Pati sa pagkain ko binabangungot pa rin ako ng mukha mo.

Tumawa si Addy sa nasaksihan. Nang mahimasmasan, I shot her a glare. Ano bang ginagawa ng isang ‘to rito? Gabi na ah?

“May nakakatawa ba?” I asked her. She’s still wearing a hoodie, this time a gray one.

She shrugged as she reached for the potato chips I just bought. She opened it and ate one. My brows furrowed.

“Go buy your own, it’s mine,” I said as I grabbed the chips back. She shook her head and smiled. Revealing her perfectly aligned white teeth. Umiwas ako ng tingin. Hindi ko siya kayang tingnan nang matagal. She’s just too pretty. Pakiramdam ko’y mapapaso ako ‘pag gagawin ko ‘yon.

She’ll break me. I know.

God’s playing some favoritism here.

I wonder if she got some flaws?

“You’re cute,” she said. I raised my brow as I looked at her. This is the first time someone has told me that. Well, I used to hear that when I was a child, but no longer now. People nowadays tell me I’m good-looking.

I don’t want to sound so conceited, but yeah, I had some fair share of girls liking me in the University. I am well-built too. I’m like 6 foot three. So being called cute is not my thing at all.

“I’m not, and stop talking to me. We don’t know each other.”

She nonchalantly shrugged. “That’s the reason why I’m here. I want to know you.”

I know that line, I heard that a few times already. She’s playing with me. I crossed my arms saka sumandig sa upuan.

“You do? What do you want to know?” Let’s see how good she is on this game.

Ngumisi siya saka muling inabot ang chips na hawak ko. “What’s your name?”

Instead of answering her, inalis ko ang mga braso ko sa aking dibdib, revealing my name embedded on my scrub suit. Tiningnan niya iyon saka tumango. Hinagod niya muli ako ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa saka ngumiti.

“First of all, why do you look so hot in a scrub suit? Secondly, your name suits you. Feeling ko babagay ang last name mo sa pangalan ko. Pati na rin siguro ang mga magiging anak natin.”

“Lastly, can I just call you baby or do you want other endearments? Daddy, perhaps? May daddy-issue ka ba?” matapang niyang tanong. Halos mawalan ako ng hininga sa narinig.

Pinilit kong itago ang kabang nararamdaman sa pamamagitan ng pekeng pag-ubo. Damn. She’s good. This is not the first time that a girl makes the first move between us. But not to this extent. This girl, she’s… she’s just too brave.

“My name’s Michael Lawrence, not baby. Also, bold of you to say that I’m having babies with you. I don’t even know you.”

She giggled at my response. “Fine, will baby Milo work for you?”

Milo? What the fuck!

“Since you said you don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Adaleyza Duran. Bet it will be changed to Abaroa soon since I’m going to be your wife,” she added.

Now I know what her flaw is. God sure is being equal.

She’s nuts. I’m a hundred percent sure. Takas ba ‘to sa ward nine?

My lips are struggling to mask the smile I’m hiding. I can’t help but get amused by her. She’s crazy, I know. But I’m, well, enjoying it.

Putangina, bro. Kinikilig ako.

“What made you think I’ll marry you?” I challenged her.

She smiled widely, “Because you kissed me. You have to take responsibility for that. You have to father our kids. Unless…” she stopped midway.

“Unless what?”

“Unless you’re an asshole.”

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. The last time I checked, sperms don’t thrive in mouth. Did I miss something?

Dude, this is fun.

“Oh yeah? We just kissed though. And there was no tongue involved, so technically, it wasn’t a kiss.”

Bahagya siyang natigilan sa sinabi ko. Lumingon siya palabas, tila may iniisip. Ilang sandali pa’y muli niya akong sinalubong ng tingin. “Hindi naman problema ‘yan eh. Edi gawin natin ngayon. Halikan mo ako.”

Ako naman ngayon ang natigilan sa narinig. What the fuck. Seryoso ba siya?

She leaned forward, totally closing the gap between us. Her warm breath brushes my jaw.

I stared at her lips. Memories of us kissing last time flooded my thoughts. I wanted to feel her lips again. Bahala na.

I held her neck as I tilt my head sideward.

Hahalikan ko na sana siya nang may magsalita mula sa bandang likod ko. Siya ‘yong babae sa counter kanina. Her hands were on her hips, kunot na rin ang kanyang noo.

“Hindi ito motel. Ang mabuti pa’y umalis na kayo,” sambit niya saka kami iniwan.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Addy. Inilayo ko ang mukha ko sa kanya at tumayo. Addy’s face turned red, totally embarrassed with what happened. I, on the other hand, chuckled. I’ve been caught kissing girls a few times, so this is not new to me.

I glanced at my wristwatch. I’ve been here for almost thirty minutes already. Tumayo na ako saka lumabas ng tindahan. Addy followed me from behind.

Before I could cross the street, she held my hand.

“What about the kiss? You can’t just leave me hanging.”

I chuckled and handed her my plastic bag. “You’re just hungry, go home now. It’s getting late.” I crossed the street without looking back. Hindi ko na siya nilingon pabalik. Ang akala ko kasi’y umalis na siya dahil wala naman akong narinig na ingay mula sa likod.

Upon reaching the other side of the street, biglang sumulpot si Addy sa harap ko. Before I could utter a word, she tiptoed and gave me a peck on the lips.

“If you don’t want it, ibalik mo na lang sa ‘kin ulit next time.” She giggled and ran away. I was left there, stunned. A Minute later, my lips started to curve to form a smile. Damn. That girl sure is crazy.