IV. The Arrogant Beast

Napakalamig ng panahon, napakasarap matulog lalo na kung ang  kumot mo ay napakabango, smooth na, makapal pa.  Ngunit iba ang pakiramdam ni Trisha nang imulat niya ang kanyang mga mata. Umiikot ang paningin at tila ba may maliliit na dwendeng pumupukpok sa kanyang ulo.  Dim ang light na nanggagaling sa lamp shade kaya naman hindi niya gaanong makita ang paligid.  Nakaramdam siya ng ginaw ngunit nang hilahin niya ang kumot tila ba may nakadagan ditong nagpapabigat.  Bigla siyang natigilan, bumalik sa kanya ang mga pangyayari kahapon.  Nasaktan siya sa pagtatraydor ng pinsan at ng kanyang nobyo.  Gusto niyang makalimot kaya naman pumunta siya sa isang bar at naparami ang inom.  Ngunit hanggang d’on lang ang clear na naaalala niya.  Lumalala lamang ang sakit ng kanyang ulo sa pagpipilit na maalala ito.  Her heart suddenly beats fast, her headache is getting worse.  Oh my God!  Ganito ang mga nangyayari sa pelikula, malalasing ang babae at magkakaron ng one night stand! Naalarma niyang bulong sa sarili.  Dahan-dahan siyang lumingon sa katabi at nang masilayan ang malapad na likod ng isang lalaking mahimbing na natutulog ay napasigaw siya, sabay biglaang upo.

Dahil dito napaupo bigla ang lalaki at gulat siyang hinarap.  “My God woman, you’re killing me! Give me a moment please,”  sabay higa ulit nito at nagpatuloy sa pagtulog.

Pinigilan niya ang kumot ng maramdamang nahihila nito. Shocked was she on what he said yet what’s more shocking is the fact that she’s naked under the sheet.  Well, not really naked but she only wore one tiny thing—her sexy little panties. Dala ng sakit ng ulo, kahihiyan, pagkalito, kaba at sari-saring emosyon hindi niya napigilang mapaiyak sa lahat ng kamalasang dumadating sa kanya.

“Hey–“ hindi natapos ng lalaki ang sasabihin nang makita siyang umiiyak. 

Umupo ito and shoved his hand through his hair.  “I’m sorry, okay?  I didn’t mean to shout at you.  It’s just that I lacked sleep and my head aches…”

Pinahid niya ang mga luha, huminga ng malalim at malungkot na humarap dito.  The most rational thing to do in this kind of situation, which she encountered only just now, is to tell or beg him to forget it.  “Sorry din kung pati ikaw dinamay ko.  Please, whatever happened last night, can we just forget it?” pagsusumamo niya dito.

Nakatitig lamang ito sa kanya at tila naguguluhan.  Nakakunot ang noo nito habang minamasahe ang sintido.

“I mean, let us pretend that we…we…you know haven’t done the thing,” ilang na turan ni Trisha.  Nang mapatingin siya sa hubat-hubad nitong dibdib, agad niyang iniiwas ang tingin.  She blushed like an innocent little girl caught red handed.  He deserves an A+ for the gorgeous built and manly figure.  With those muscles and six packs abs that are worth drooling for!  That is if she was that type of girl.  Trisha closed her eyes.  Faithful siya sa boyfriend niya and is definitely not interested in other men’s manly factor.  Well, not anymore dahil wala na siyang boyfriend but still she’s so ashamed just to look at it.

“The thing?”  Ginising siya ng magandang boses nito.

“Oo, hindi naman talaga kasi ako ganito, alam mo ‘yon, f-first time ko ‘to and I know you knew it,” she bit her lower lip and she noticed how his eyes lingered there.  “Nadala lang talaga ako kasi ‘yong walanghiya kong boyfriend, I mean ex-boyfriend niloko ako at sa pinsan ko pa!  Tapos–“ natigilan siya sa pag lilitanya nang marinig ang napakalakas nitong tawa.  When he sobered up he looked at her with a smirk.

“Well, hindi madaling kalimutan ang mga ganitong pangyayari.”  Inilapit nito ang mukha sa kanya and seductively gave attention to her luscious lips.  “Those lips that made me so wild last night.  Indeed, so unforgettable!”  Nawala ang ngiti nito when their eyes met.  Those eyes staring at her sending sparks as if he wanted to eat her alive starting on her lips which were just a hair breath away from his own.        

Trisha looked away at Itinakip ang mga palad sa namumula niyang mukha.  Mas sumasakit ang ulo niya sa pag-uusap na ‘to nang biglang may marealized.  Ilang minuto rin siyang tahimik at pinapakalma ang sarili.  She doesn’t feel anything in her body especially down there.  Even though she’s a virgin she heard things about sex.  She’s not sore and her muscles don’t ache just like what Joyce shared about her first time with Brix.  She glared at the smirking face of the lying bastard.  Buti naman at nawala ang ngiti nito nang makita ang makamatay niyang tingin. 

“Jerk, lier, bastard, crazy, beast, cretin, dirtbag,” malakas ang boses niyang turan dito.  “How dare you lie to me like that tapos pangiti-ngiti ka pa as if your not lying at all,” galit niyang turan sabay tapik sa balikat nito.

Tila sandaling natigilan ang lalaki on her outburst but he recovered quickly.  He smirked, that devilishly smirk she hated because it made him looked like a fallen angel daring humans to sin.  He bended his knee under the blanket and perched his elbow over it while his hand busily massage his temple.

“You could have ended with the first adjective babe, it says everything you wanted to express.”

Inirapan niya ito and concentrated on gripping the blanket tighter to protect her bare body and soul. He was enjoying this at the expense of her humiliation.  A few seconds passed,       “I’m sorry,” seryosong tugon nito at naiilang na tumingin sa nakakuyom niyang kamay gripping the blanket.  “I think I enjoyed teasing you that much not realizing what you’re feeling right now. I’m as what you said, a jerk.”

Hindi niya maintindihan pero biglang gumaan ang pakiramdam niya.  He looked sincere and she appreciated the apology, she felt like smiling despite her brokenheart.  Her head was aching, reminding her how drunk she was last night. She tried to ease the pain by massaging her temple when she saw  her dress hung in the wall in front of her.  She gasped and was so embarassed when she vaguely remembered what she had done last night, puking not just in front of a stranger but directly at a stranger, definitely completing her humiliation.

“You took off my dress,” mahinang tugon ni Trisha sa katabi.  She should not have sounded accusing.  She was to blame not him but to think that this man undressed her without knowing if he had taken advantage made her hate herself for being so careless.

Meanwhile, Marsden looked at her and then at the dress,  he was debating whether to tell the truth or lie.  “I did, I have no other choice, I can’t sleep with you reeking of alcohol and puke so…don’t worry, I did it as fast as I could and definitely didn’t linger anywhere.” Just glanced at a sexy little mole between your breasts. But how could I not see it when you kept on moving while I respectfully undressed you from behind.  Marsden almost laugh at what he's doing.  Never in his life does he have to defend his actions especially with women.  Well, this is the first time that he undressed a woman with the intention of falling to sleep.  “And besides, you don’t have any choice it’s either me or our utility.”

Arrogant Beast!  “And what made you think I will choose you?” she annoyingly said.

The guy chuckled.  “Ouch! That hurts woman.  I’m quiet a gentleman if I wanted to.”

But despite her words she was thinking, the guy was good enough to wash her dress and hung it overnight so she can still wear it today.  Well, she had forgiven him for being so arrogant.

Nang mapasulyap siya sa wall clock na nasa itaas mismo kung saan nakasabit ang kanyang damit, she panicked ng mahinuhang 6:00 am na at kung hindi siya magmamadali tiyak na mala-late siya sa trabaho kaya naman bigla siyang tumayo kasabay ng kumot.  When she looked back agad kinuha ng lalaki ang unan at itinakip sa parteng hindi niya dapat makita.  Hindi agad makagalaw si Trisha at nakatutok lamang sa puting unan above well muscled thighs bago namumulang tumingin sa mukha ng lalaki na ngayon nga ay nakatingin sa itaas at pilit pinipigilan ang ngiti.

“Teasing!” he smirked. “Lucky you, I’ve decided to sleep with my boxers on or else you’ll be scarred for life…or not?!  Maybe some other time?” sabay kindat sa kanya.  He’s a flirt but surprisingly hindi na rin niya napigilan ang ngiti at tuluyan ng tumawa kasabay nito.  A hearty laugh she didn’t expected despite of all the pain and anger she still feels.

“I’m Marsden,” pakilala ng lalaki sabay lahad ng kamay nito for a handshake.  Nasa loob sila ng BMW nito na nakapark sa harapan ng 2-storey apartment ni Trisha.  Nag-offer itong ihatid siya after giving her coffee and medicine for the hang-over.

Agad siyang napalingon dito.  “Marsden?” kinuha niya ang kamay nito for the handshake pero hindi niya ito agad binitiwan.  Sinuri niya ang kabuoan ng mukha nito.  He looked familiar and she remembered the Marsden she knew from her childhood yet she’s not sure.  Matagal na rin ‘yon pero hindi niya maiwasang sabihin that he looks familiar.

“I’ve been waiting for you to say that, maybe an airport and a kiss ring a bell?”  Nakangiti pa rin ito nang bigla niyang binitawan ang kamay nito at napatakip sa bibig when she uttered the word, “Shit!”

“It’s you, hindi ako makapaniwala.  What a coincidence,” nagdududa niya itong tiningnan sa mga mata to assess his honesty.  “Are you stalking me?”

“What?”  gulat nitong turan.  “Ikaw ang pumunta sa bar ko, I don’t even know you.  You’re the one who kissed and used me to piss off your boyfriend without even saying a thank you and now you’re accusing me of stalking?”  inis nitong saad.  Iiling-iling ito, tiyak na iniisip nitong baliw siyang tao.

Nakonsensya siya sa mga sinabi.  “Pasensya ka na and thank you by the way for the airport incident, you actually gave me the strength in facing them.  Thank you for not letting me go until the end,”   nahihiyang tugon ni Trisha.  Trying to suppress the image of them kissing.  So embarassing, what a small world!

When he just nod, she opened the door and thanked him once again before closing it and ran towards the apartment, remembering just now that she’s already late.

Nakatingin na lamang si Marsden sa babaeng nagmamadaling pumasok sa gate ng maliit pero magandang apartment.  Yups, babae dahil nakalimutan niyang hingiin ang pangalan nito.  When she thanked him in regards to the airport incident, bumalik sa kanya ang betrayal na nadarama ngayon ng babae.  He’d been there five years ago.  She pitied her and hated the guy but he should mind his own business.  He cleared his thoughts at pinaandar ang sasakyan pauwi ng sarili niyang bahay to rest his aching head which amazingly just reminds him now.  This day maybe the last time they may cross paths…

But destiny has a different plan for them and it’s just the beginning of a story that will give a different turn in their lives.