Seven

Nagising si Kassandra sa sikat ng araw na tumatama sa mukha niya. She opened her eyes and found the guy who occupied her mind last night busy preparing the food.

Shocks! Alam kong hindi pa siya naliligo pero bakit gwapo pa rin? Nahalata yata nito na gising na siya dahil bumaling ito sa kanya. 

"Good morning," anito. 

"G-Good morning," aniya sa nahihiyang tinig. She pulled the blanket up to her neck. 

"Let's eat." 

Natakam siya sa mga niluto nito. Teka, saan ba ito kumuha ng mga niluto nito? Hindi pa naman siya nakakapag-grocery. Bumangon siya at sakto namang tumunog ang cellphone nito. 

"Yes?" Nagsalita ang kabilang linya at nakinig naman si Xerez. Nagpatango-tango din ito at pinatay na ang tawag. "I have to go." Lumapit ito sa kanya at hinalikan siya sa noo. 

Her heart raced and her mind went blank. 

"Did he just kissed me?" Wala sa sariling tanong niya. She reached for the pillow he used and buried her face and shout his name to her heart's content. 

KASSANDRA was walking to school when a car pulled over behind her. She didn't looked back and continued walking. Bigla itong bumusina kaya nagulat siya. 

She faced the goddamn driver- "Xerez?" 

Xerez opened the passenger's seat. Hindi na siya nagdalawang-isip at sumakay. 

"B-Bakit ka bumalik?" Tanong niya. Epic talaga pag magkasama silang dalawa sa kotse. If she won't say something, he won't open his mouth either. 

"To bring you to school." 

"Bakit?" 

He just shrugged. Saan ba ito pinaglihi ng ina nito at isang tanong isang sagot lang? 

"Salamat sa paghatid," aniya. 

He nodded and started the ignition again. Gusto niyang mainis dahil sa tinuturan nito. What's the reason behind his every action? Does he feel the same way? Is he bored and I'm his toy for the mean time? She wanted to ask him questions but she doubt it if she can get proper answers. He's way too unpredictable.

PIA grabbed her arm and pulled her to the corner. She was about to change her clothes when Pia just popped somewhere.

"Ano pa ang ginagawa mo dito, bruha ka?" He asked, his eyes searching for something. 

"Magvi-vigil?" 

Pabirong sinabunutan siya nito at inabot ang isang sobre sa kanya. "Pera mo." 

She didn't accept it. She doesn't know who gives her money and that makes her a real prostitute. 

Tinabig niya ang kamay nitong may hawak na sobre. "Magbibihis pa 'ko." 

"Please, Kass. Maawa ka sa club na 'to. Baka ipasara nang wala sa oras," anito at pinagsaklop ang dalawang kamay. 

She shook her head. No one can threaten her. "Adios, bakla." 

Iniwan niya ito at dumiretso sa backstage. 

KASSANDRA was waiting for her name to be called when the host mentioned Pia's name. Pia is also an entertainer in that club. Pia stepped in and the crowd cheered. He is a very good entertainer. There's no dead air whenever he's speaking. No dull moments everytime he's around. 

Naguguluhang sinalubong niya ang host na kabababa lang. "Anong nangyari, Kris? Ba't hindi mo tinawag ang pangalan ko?" 

The gay named Kris looked for her name in the paper he's holding. "Your name is not on the list, dear. Baka nakalimutang ilagay?" 

"Nakalimutan?" 

"O baka naman pinalitan ka na?" 

"What?" Salubong ang mga kilay na tanong niya. Paano at bakit siya aalisin? She's one of the assets of the club. 

"Tanong mo na lang kay Pia mamaya, dear. Ciao!" 

Kassandra stayed for a minute motionless. Sinadya niyang hintayin si Pia na makababa ng stage at dinala ito sa hindi masyadong maingay na pasilyo. 

"Bakla, ano na? Tinanong ko si Kris, hindi daw niya alam kung bakit wala sa listahan ang pangalan ko." She isn't allowed to lose this job. Not now when another problem rose up. 

Huminga nang malalim si Pia. "Ganito kasi iyon, bakla. Si Madam na mismo ang nagsabing hindi ka na pasayawin." 

"W-What?" 

"Yong lalakeng nagbibigay ng pera sa 'yo, kinausap niya si madam na kapag nakita ka pa niyang sumasayaw, ipapa-raid niya ang club na 'to." 

"S-Sino ba ang nagbibigay ng pera sa 'kin?" Tanong niya sa mahinang boses. Para siyang tinakasan ng lakas dahil sa narinig. Hindi ba alam ng taong 'yon na ito lang ang trabahong alam niya para may ipantustos sa sarili at kapatid niya? 

"Ang lalakeng palagi mong kasama." 

"Si Xerez?" 

Tumango ito. "Siya ang nagbibigay ng pera sa 'yo." 

"B-Bakit?" 

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Tanong mo sa kanya. Malamang nasa tabi-tabi lang 'yon at binabantayan ka."

DALI-DALI siyang nagbihis at lumabas ng club. She tried to look for Xerez but he's nowhere to be found. Badtrip. Ba't ba kasi wala siyang number ng isang 'yon? Hindi kaya baliw talaga iyon at siya ang napiling paglaruan?She erased all the negative thoughts. Although Xerez might look like a cold and ignorant guy, alam niyang wala itong masamang hangarin. Nararamdaman niya iyon. 

Pinara niya ang taxing dumaan pero may pasahero iyon. Malalim na ang gabi kaya madalang na rin kung magpakita ang mga jeep sa harap ng club. Someone touched her shoulder and she flinched as she turned to whoever goddamn creature he was. 

"Hi, miss. Free ka ba ngayong gabi? Baka gusto mo akong samahan?" Ngumisi pa ang panot na medyo may katandaan na rin. He tried to reach her shoulder again when a miracle saved her. 

Someone punched the old guy's face and pushed him to the corner of the club. Hindi agad ito nakabangon dahil siguro sa kalasingan.

"Thank you-Xerez?" 

She remembered the first time they saw each other. Ganitong-ganito din iyon. Déjà vu.

She was shocked to see Xerez in front of her. Sigurado siyang wala ito kanina doon dahil sinuyod niya ang labas at loob ng club. Totoo nga kaya ang sinabi ni Pia na binabantayan siya nito? In some other situation, the victim will most likely look for help. But in her case, parang nagliwanag pa ang gabi dahil binabantayan siya nito. 

"May itatanong ako sa 'yo." 

His eyes is as cold as ice. Hindi din niya mabasa kung galit ba ito o ano. He gripped her arm and forced her to get inside his car parked near them. 

"Aray! Ano ba?" Angil niya. 

Mabilis ang pagpapatakbo nito sa sasakyan hanggang makarating sa bahay nito. 

"Xerez! I have something to ask!" Habol niya dito as he went inside the house. Naabutan niya itong umiinom ng tubig sa ref.

He was controlling himself not to burst out dahil halata ang panga nitong naggagalawan. Inilapag nito ang baso at unti-unti siyang nilapitan. Humakbang naman siya paatras. He's like a predator ready to eat his prey any minute the moment she'd lost focus on him.

"Why do you want to show your body like that?" Naaninag niya ang lamig at galit sa boses nito kahit mahina lang naman ang pagkakasabi nito. 

"W-What?" One last step backward and her back hit the wall. Xerez put his hands just above her shoulders.

Now, she's imprisoned by him. "I-Ikaw ba ang nagbibigay ng pera sa 'kin?" She stayed calm despite her knees turning to jellies. 

Natigilan ito at dagli ding bumalik ang malamig na awra. 

"Why? Hindi mo naman ako kilala para bigyan ng pera. Bakit mo ginagawa 'to?" 

"This is why," he kissed her fully on the lips. Her eyes widen as he kissed her like there's no tomorrow. Kusang umawang ang mga labi niya at sinamantala nito iyon. Pumalag siya pero ni hindi man lang siya makagalaw dahil hindi niya namalayan na nakayakap na pala ito sa kanya.

Xerez. Her heart is telling her otherwise. She didn't want to be freed from him. God knows how much she dreamt of this moment. To kiss him. To feel him. 

Unconciously, she closed her eyes and encircled her arms around his body. She doesn't want him to stop pero kusa itong kumalas. Pareho silang humihingal nang matapos ang mainit na halikan nila. She couldn't look straight in his eyes. 

Embarrassment filled her whole being.

God! This is her first kiss! 

I didn't know this heavenly feeling exists when you finally kissed the guy you like!

"I don't want to see you doing that kind of stuff again. Your body is worth a fortune that's why everyone are not allowed to see it. It's for my eyes only, understand?" 

Napatango siya nang wala sa oras. Narinig niya ang sinabi nito pero hindi niya maintindihan dahil ang atensyon niya ay nasa halik pa rin na pinagsaluhan nila. 

"From now on, I don't want you entertaining men. Don't even look at them." 

Nanatili lang siyang nakatitig dito. Hindi ma-process ng utak niya ang sinasabi nito. Ganito ba talaga ang epekto ng halik nito? Nakakawala ng huwisyo at parang hindi tumatakbo ang oras.

"Answer me," he said and carressed her neck. 

Napaungol siya sa sensasyong idinulot ng ginawa nito. "Y-Yes." 

How can she say no if she's under his spell, anyway?