Responsibility
Hirap akong matulog ng gabing iyon. He walked away after what he said while I am left anxious and afraid. Hindi man sumagi sa isip kong mangyayari ito, lihim kong inasam na sana hindi. I expected him to be angry with me. Sa biglaan kong pagkawala nang hindi malinaw sa aming dalawa ang lahat. I can't blame him. Pero ang makitang ganoon nalang ang galit niya kanina, hindi ko inasahan.Hindi ko alam kung alin ba sa dalawa ang mas pipiliin ko. Ang makita siyang tila wala nang pakialam o ang harapin ang galit niya. I thought he'd moved on. I expected him to be. Lalo lang tuloy akong natakot sa posibilidad na malaman niya ang tungkol sa anak ko. It's much easier to deal with him myself. Pero ngayong maaaring madamay ang anak ko, nahihirapan ako."Ano'ng sinabi niya sa iyo?"I took a sip on my drink and turned to Bailey. Hindi ako dumiretso ng condo matapos ng nangyari. I would be too nervous he'd follow me so I stopped by at Bailey's placDadIt took me a while to calm and compose myself. I can just pretend we're strangers, right? Tutal ay iyon din naman ang ginawa niya noong una kaming magkita. Besides, I bet it's about work. Ang kaalamang iyon ang nakapagpanatag sa akin. Even though I am still so embarrassed with what happened awhile ago. I should still be given the benefit of the doubt dahil kakaumpisa ko pa lang naman. But now that I am in the position, I have to take responsibility of everything. Had I known that something is wrong sana nagawan ko agad ng paraan. Maybe I was too confident with the idea that the deal has been closed months ago."If this is about the report, I will take care of it and proceed with the initial plan.""And your team? What are you gonna do about them?" He scoffed."I still have to sort things out, Mr. Lopez kaya ako magpapatawag ng meeting ngayon. Rest assured hindi maaapektuhan ang project."I looked at him straight in the eyes. I must say I would have
EngagementPinilit kong alisin sa isip ko ang sinabi ni Callar ng nagdaang gabi. I tried to reason out in my own head that he was asleep that time and doesn't really know what he's talking. Kahit pa sa loob ko, labis ang takot at pangamba ko.I was mindful when I brought my son to the academy. He would normally talk about random things pero iba ngayon. He's silent and continues to look at the window."Baby, is there something wrong?" Tawag ko sa atensyon niya.He looked at me briefly then resumed his gaze outside the window. Hindi ko maiwasang mag-alala. Ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganito at natatakot ako."Is there a problem, Callar?"Umayos siya ng upo at panandaliang tumitig sa akin. I can feel something is wrong."Mommy, do I have a dad?" Nag-aatubili niyang tanong, bakas ang lungkot sa boses.I lost focus for a moment that I almost stepped on the breaks in haste. Agaran kong ibinalik ang atensyon sa pagmamaneho kahit na nanginginig na ang kamay sa nerbyos. Ito na iyon. Dumating
MineEverything happened so quickly that I wasn't able to react that fast. Pilit pa rin pinoproseso ng utak ko ang narinig kani-kanina lang. Most of the guests are shocked too. Sino ba naman ang hindi? Gayong ibang babae ang kasama ni Xander nang bigla nalang iyong inanunsyo ng matandang Del Rio.Sinapo ko ang ulo ko sa matinding hilo. I can't think of anything else but to go home and forget what I just heard. I just want to go home to my son.Naalimpungatan lang ako nang mapansin ang mahinang komusyon sa table nina Xander. He was trying to get away from his parents. Wala na rin sa table nila si Aurora. I didn't even notice her disappearance."Did you both know it was going to happen?"Iyon agad ang ibinungad ko nina Mama at Papa nang makauwi kami ng mansyon. It was a relief the party ended peacefully despite of the announcement of Donya Esmeralda. Kung may nakapansin man sa tensyon ng pamilya ni Xander ay iilan lang. Ni hindi man lang nga pinansin ng Donya ang apo niyang kating-kati n
GirlfriendNapakapit ako ng husto sa braso niya. His kisses are slow and soothing. Wala akong maramdamang galit sa paggagad ng labi niya. His kisses went deeper and I lost myself. I didn't realize how much I missed him until now. Ngayong hawak niya ako at hinahalikan, ang damdaming akala ko ay ibinaon ko na sa kaibuturan ng aking puso ay muling nangibabaw. Na kahit pa gaanong galit ang maramdaman ko, siya pa rin ang mahal ko.I gasped for air when his kisses went from my lips to my cheeks, down to my jaw. I tilted my face to give him access. Para akong malalagutan ng hininga sa init na hatid ng labi niya sa balat ko. He pulled me closer to his body."Answer me. Is it still him? Hmm?" He asked between his kisses.I groaned in protest when he stopped kissing me at bahagya ring lumuwag ang pagkakahawak niya sa akin.Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig nang marealize kung gaano ako kapusok pagdating sa kanya. I pushed him but he held me tighter. Naiangat ko ang tingin sa ginawa niya.
So BadIlang sandali pa bago ko nahamig ang sarili. Tuluyan kaming nakalabas ng mansyon nang bawiin ko ang kamay mula sa pagkakahawak niya."What was that all about?" I spat.He breathe hard at ilang sandali pa bago tuluyan akong hinarap."What do you mean?" Maang-maangan niya."Pwede ba, Santi? If this seems like a joke to you then it's not funny at all!" Galit ko nang sambit."I am not kidding around," he said grimly."What are you even doing here in the first place? At ano'ng girlfriend pinagsasabi mo?"He was obviously taken aback with my remark. Ngunit agad din siyang bumalik sa pagiging seryoso. I know he's provoked. At hindi ko rin naman intensyong gawin iyon. I'm just being realistic here."Damn, may nangyari na't lahat hindi pa rin girlfriend?" Angil niya.I felt my cheeks burned up with what he said! How dare he say that to my face! After all the efforts I exerted to forget my foolishness last night!"I-It was just-""And don't give me the one-night-stand-mistake bullshit ev
BelieveHindi ko matandaan kung kailan ang huling beses na kalmado kaming dalawang magkasama. We seemed so comfortable with each other that I want to get used to this. Then I snapped back to reality when his phone rang and I accidentally saw who it is.So they're still seeing each other, huh? He cancelled the call as if it was nothing and looked at me again. I gave him a cold glare. Muling bumabangon ang lamig ng sikmura ko. "Answer it. I don't mind," I said cooly as if it was nothing. Kahit sa loob-loob ko gusto ko nang magwala. "It wasn't important, Cian-" Muling tumunog ang cellphone niya na lalo ko lang ikinairita. I stood up and head towards my table. Napatayo rin siya nang magsimula akong maglakad palayo. "I'm done eating. Answer the damn phone and get out of my office. I still have work to do." He groaned painfully and picked up his phone. Ngunit hindi siya umalis sa kinatatayuan. I crossed my arms as I look at him, confused. Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay nang hindi man
DaddyMaaga pa lang ay inihanda ko na ang costing plan na kailangan ibigay kay Santi kahit na alas nuwebe pa naman ang appointment ko sa kanya. I keep pacing back and forth inside my office thinking about it. At ang lagi ko lang naalala ay ang nangyari ng nagdaang gabi.He might think I am really foolish and inconsistent dahil taliwas sa kilos ko ang mga sinasabi ko. Oh god. Kung bakit ba naman kasi palagi nalang akong tinatraydor ng sarili kong katawan?Hanggang sa byahe papunta sa building ng LHR ay wala ako sa sarili. Ilang sandali ko pang hinamig ang sarili sa loob ng sasakyan bago tuluyang kumalma. I strut my way towards the information para hingin ang floor ng office ni Santi."It's on the 10th ma'am."I just nodded at the girl and headed towards the elevator. At habang lulan niyon ay palaging nagfflashback sa isip ko ang nangyari ng nagdaang gabi. We didn't really talk about it. Kaya siguro ako napapraning ng ganito. Oh my god. Daig ko pa ang teenager na first time ma-inlove. Di
FearsMabilis na kinarga ni Santi si Callar at mahigpit na niyakap. Hindi ko naman sila matingnan ng diretso. My chest tightened at the sight of them. Gusto kong lumapit para hagurin ang likod ng anak ko na iyak nang iyak. But Santi is already doing it."Where have you been?! I waited for you!" Callar cried.Santi is whispering things to him I can't quiet comprehend. Hindi ko na nakayanan at lumapit na ako at hinagod ang likod ng anak ko at pilit din siyang pinapatahan. Hindi man lang natinag si Santi sa paglapit ko. They were focused on each other.I tried to suppress my tears once again as I look at them. Hindi ko kailanman naisip na ganito ang mangyayari. I was so prepared and sure Santi would never know about our child. Seeing this hurts me. Not for myself but for the both of them. I have been so selfish, I know.I held Callar's back as I whisper my apologies. Ngayon ko lang narealize kung gaano ka selfish ang mga desisyon ko. Ni hindi ko man lang naisip na kailangan ng anak ko an