Risks and Chances

4

Kabanata 4

Judgement

Hindi ko naiwasan ang irapan siya matapos niyang sabihin na mangloloko ang lahat ng babae.

Seriously? Bakit parang ang lalim naman ng pinaghuhugutan niya? Was he cheated on by someone? Probably his girlfriend? I was also cheated on by Kris. Worst is I caught them f*****g but I made sure that I'd never ever look dramatic in front of everyone. That's out of my character.

But this man, it's obvious that he's currently down.

"You sound like you're in hell..." I chuckled sarcastically. "You're right. Women are cheaters, but not all."

Tinungga ko ang huling likodo sa aking baso bago pumikit at dinama ang init nito sa aking sikmura. I placed it over the counter and sighed. Iminulat ko ang mga mata ko at tumingin sa gilid nang maramdaman na may nakatingin sa akin.

And there... I found this man staring bitterly at me.

I shot my brow up. "What?"

"You never cheated with someone?"

I scoffed. "Do I look like a cheater to you?"

"Honestly? You look like someone who wants everyone to kneel in front of her like a f*****g royal queen," he smirked tauntingly. "I hate your guts."

Napaawang ang bibig ko sa mga sinabi niya. I feel like the spirit of alcohol suddenly left my body. Napatuwid ako ng upo at matapang siyang tinitigan. Still drumming his fingers over the glossy countertop, he bit his lower lip while still smirking.

"Did I just push some buttons?" he mocked.

Naningkit ang mga mata, ramdam ko ang pagkapikon sa mga sinabi niya na hindi naman dapat. Hindi ko ugali ang mapikon. Even when Zadriel and I were still little, hindi kailanman ako naiinis sa tuwing inaasar niya ako. Kahit kapag nag-aaway kami, siya ang unang nagso-sorry dahil alam niyang hindi ako magpapakumbaba sa kaniya. It's not that my pride is too high. Sometimes, I just don't want wasting my energy on something or someone who isn't even worth my attention.

But this guy? I don't know why he's already making my blood boil. He's just some stranger who's trying to judge me just because he's probably cheated by someone. Kung makapagsalita ay akala mong galit na galit sa mga babae.

"Well, I really am a queen of my own kingdom. Every woman is, actually. Got a problem with that?"

He shook his head, removed his hawlike gaze from me and took another shot from his glass. I watched how he purse his pinkish lips. I witness how it became moist.

And it was damn attractive.

"I made her feel like a queen. But that b***h still looked for someone else who isn't even a f*****g king..." he chuckled roughly and I can clearly hear the bitterness from his voice. "Still love her though."

Natawa ako. "Now that's idiocy."

"I know. And I can be worst than that," he sighed. "I still want her back. Can you imagine that? This love is making me really stupid."

"No. You are just plainly stupid. Niloko ka na nga, gusto mo pang balikan."

Nilingon niya ako at tinaasan ng kilay.

"You have been cheated on by your boyfriend based on your reaction that first time we met. You still love him?"

That question caught me off guard. Naiwan akong nakatitig sa kaniya, panadaliang humulas ang taray sa mukha. It's just a short period of time when I immediately wore my usual cold facade back and averted my eyes from him.

I hate to admit it but yes, I still love Kris even after of what he did to me. Minahal ko siya sa kabila ng pangloloko niya sa akin. Hindi madaling kalimutan lalo na at kung totoong pagmamahal ang nararamdaman ko para sa kaniya. But I wasn't born to be just cheated on. Hindi ako tanga para mag-stay pa sa loob ng isang relasyon na may lamat na. He wants to play with someone, then he's free to do it. Just don't expect that I'd still choose to be with him and act like a martyr girlfriend.

No way.

"I do. I still do. But that doesn't mean I want him back."

"Then you don't love him that much-"

"How could you even say that? Not because I love him I'm gonna tolerate his bullshits. Don't you think it's too much? You may want to learn some self-love, dude." I shook my head.

He chuckled, don't even know why his chuckling.

"I just can't believe that she cheated on me for some mediocre. I gave her everything," he let out a dry laugh. "And I'm still not f*****g enough."

"I ain't enough, too. But don't you think it's just your ego who's talking? Baka hindi mo naman talaga mahal-"

"Mahal ko. Mahal ko pa rin. Ikaw? Bakit parang baliwala lang sa'yo?"

I breathed. "I just know how to control my emotions."

"And it's better to let it out when it's hurting you so bad."

"And what? Let everyone see that I'm weak?" Nilingon ko siya at malamig na tiningnan. "Not gonna happen."

He chuckled. "What's wrong with that? You're a woman and it's just normal for you to cry-"

"Not for me. And that asshole doesn't deserve my tears."

"Hmm. What a brave woman I got here," tumango-tango siya. "Don't you think it's destiny's way that we met that night?"

I rolled my eyes, already feeling irritated at him. "What?"

"We have the same situation. We're both cheated on by our partners and here we are, sitting with each other."

Itinaas-baba niya ang kaniyang kilay habang nakaangat ang sulok ng labi.

"And what are you trying to imply?"

"That we are soulmates!" His laugh thundered.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa mga pinagsasabi niya. I think alcohol has already taken its toll on him. Hindi ko lubos maisip na ang gwapong katulad niya at halatang may sinasabi sa buhay ay nagawang lokohin ng isang babae.

Kung sa bagay, ako nga na maganda at mayaman rin ay niloko rin.

And I think I already know this man just by staring at his face for a little long while. He's a Trajano. The owner of the infamous Peridot Hotels. I've seen his billboards across the highway. He's the son of the hotelier Russell Trajano, Dad's business colleague for sure.

"You're hopeless." I said, shaking my head.

"And you have a bad attitude."

Matalim ang mga mata ko siyang nilingon. May nakakalokong ngisi na naman siya sa labi. Behind his heavy and intense feature, he looks jolly, a man with sense of humor.

"Are you judging me?"

He suddenly leaned closer to me that I can already smell his bubblemint breath. Mataman niyan tinitigan ang mga mata ko. I just c****d my brow and paid his stare a cold one.

"I am. Like the way you judged me the first time we met."

My lips twisted into a sarcastic smirk. "Just telling the truth. You are really hopeless. Stop being a cry baby. Baka kaya ka iniwan, masiyado kang madrama."

This time, it's him who rolled his eyes on me. Umayos siya ng upo at tinungga ang natitirang likido mula sa kaniyang bote.

Can he still drive home?

What do you care, Ania?

"This is the first time I became this..." He breathed frustratingly. "... Pathetic! Can't f*****g even figure out why she betrayed me!"

I chuckled. "Baka kulang sa s*x?"

Agad niya akong nilingon. "I gave him multiple orgasms. I made sure she's satisfied when it comes to that!"

Nawala ang ngisi sa labi ko at agad na nag-iwas ng tingin. Hearing from a stranger talking about his s*x life is really new to me. Not to mention that I'm still a virgin.

Bumuntong hininga ako at inayos na ang sarili. I jumped out of my high chair and grabbed my hand bag.

"Baka maliit?"

Muli ay natawa ako. Bakit ba ganito ko biruin ang lalaking ito?

I saw how his menacing eyes narrow at my words like what I said is really foul.

"That's the worst judgement I've heard all throughout my life. This is huge and thick. Try me and you will have the best o****m of your life."

Ramdam ko ang paggapang ng apoy sa aking pisngi habang sinasamaan siya ng tingin. The monkey only raised his brow up and winked at me. Ako ang nangaasar pero sa huli, ako pa ang napikon.

"Damn you, Trajano." Pagkasabi noon ay nilagpasan ko na siya at nang may ilang metro na ako mula sa kaniya ay narinig ko ang baritonong halakhak niya.

"See you around, hun."