Bridgetine Trilogy II Be Still, My Heart

Chapter 2

Yanna

Hinawakan nya ang siko ko at itinuro ang kotse nya. He's driving the latest Benz. THAT.IS.EXPENSIVE

Okay, baka hiniram nya lang sa Tatay nya. He's not wearing any jewelry except for a F1 Tag men's watch. Even that is expensive. Is there anything cheap with this man? Even when he talks, he's got a little accent parang laking Amerika. He screams elegance and confidence. Para syang modelo na lumabas sa cover ng magazine. He didn't try to put his arms around me or anything, every inch a gentleman. May pagkahambog nga lang kapag nagsasalita. Napapikit ako at napaisip kung tama ba ang ginagawa ko ngayon.

"Hey, are you okay?" He sounded worried.

“I'm fine." Maikling tugon ko sa kanya.

"I saw you close your eyes." He chuckled. "You're probably thinking if spending the night with me is a good idea." He's smiling.

Pusang gala! May sa Madam Auring pa yata ang lalakeng ito. Palagi na lang nahuhulaan ang iniisip ko. "I'm not gonna lie, I was thinking exactly that." His smile became wider. "I don't usually go out with a man I just met." I said it with furrowed brows.

"What's wrong with being spontaneous sometimes? It's fun!" Natatawa nyang sabi.  I have to complement his driving skills. Kung nasa driving test sya, hindi man lang mabububo ang iniinom ng pasahero nya. "You need to loosen up a bit."

"I'm fine with who I am. Thank you very much." Pasuplada kong sabi sa kanya. Ano bang tingin nya sa sarili nya? Hulog ng langit? Argh!

He chuckled. "After tonight, your barriers are going to crumble and you'll be a little carefree."

"Ows? Talaga lang." I raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure of it."Feeling confident talaga.

"Teka, san ba tayo pupunta? Malayo pa ba?" Baka mamya kung saan pang impyerno ako mapunta. Nasa purgatoryo na nga ako kanina kay Andrei.

"We are almost there. We're just going to a bar. It is classy so don't worry. My friends own it."

"Okay." I looked at him again. Mukha naman talaga syang disente. At weird na kung weird, pero palagay ang loob ko sa kanya kahit na ngayon pa lang kami nagkakilala.

"We're just going to have a few drinks and talk. I promise I won't do anything without your permission."

We arrived at the bar and he is right. It is  classy. Halatang mga alta ang pumupunta at kilala sya dito. We went to the VIP lounge and we ordered some drinks. He asked me if I wanted some food since hindi daw ako kumain kanina. Chismoso talaga! Alam nya na hindi ko ginalaw ang pagkain ko kanina. Hmp! I hate to admit though, he's caring too. He ordered a variety of appetizers para daw may laman ang sikmura ko bago uminom kahit tumanggi akong mag order ng pagkain.

Hindi masyadong maingay dito kaya nakakapagusap kami na hindi parang mga bingi. I like music and I used to sing for our high school band. I miss going to places like this sometimes. Mula ng umalis si Gabe ay bihira na kaming pumunta ng barkada sa mga ganitong lugar. Madalas ay sa coffee house na lang. Ganoon siguro kapag nagkakaedad.

Wala naman akong plano na mag lasing. I just need enough alcohol to dull the pain. Although, this guy has been sending me unfamiliar sensations. The fact of the matter is I just got dumped a few hours ago.

"So, Yanna. Tell me about yourself." Even when drinking, I haven't seen this man slouch his back.

"Anong gusto mo malaman?" Pilit akong ngumiti.

"Anything you would share with me. Family, friends or anything about you." He smiled.

"Okay, I'm twenty five. Ilang taon ka na ba?"

"Twenty four."

My lip parted. Mas matanda pa ako sa kanya. Ano ba namang buhay ito? I swallowed, it's just a date. Hindi mo naman aasawahin. No biggie. Parang nabasa na naman nya ang iniisip ko.

He chuckled. "Twenty four is not that far from twenty five."

"Uh huh." Uminom ako. Hindi pa ako kahit kailan nagkaroon ng interes sa mas bata sa akin. Feeling cradle-snatcher kahit isang taon lang ang agwat.

Uminom din sya. "What else?"

"I work as a Pharmacist. I’m an only child and my friends from high school are like my siblings." There, I think I hit his questions earlier. Dumampot ako ng nachos. I like cheese.

"What's so special about your friends? Parang gusto ko silang makilala." He seemed interested.

I smirked. "At bakit mo naman gusto pang makilala? Remember, we're only dating once. Ngayong gabi lang."

"Ang sungit mo.” He winked at me so I smirked at him. “But you're still beautiful even when you smirk." Nakangiti nyang sabi sa akin. He's got kissable lips. Ang gwapo ng hinayupak.

“Whatever.” I smirked even more and he grinned at me. "Since you are so interested, there's five of us. Gabrielle, Anne, Jerry and Rafe."

Kumunot ang noo nya. "You have guy friends?"

Napakunot noo na rin ako. "What's wrong with guy friends? They're the best!"

"Did you date any of them?" Bahagyang dumilim ang mukha nya. Ewan ko kung bakit at wala akong pakialam.

"No." Uminom ako ulit. Bakit parang mukhang nayayamot pa rin. "But I remember Jerry having a crush on me back in grade school." Napahalakhak ako sa alaalang yun. Sinusulatan nya ko sa korteng puso na papel. It was a silly crush na hindi na yumabong pa. Kaya nagkakahiyaan kami noong umpisa ng first year.

"What?!" Mukhang nasaniban na ng kung anong masamang element at parang nagbabadya ng bagyo ang mukha nya. Nagseselos ba sya? Hindi naman kami magkarelasyon.

"Relax, will you?" Natatawa kong sabi, medyo nagtataka na ako sa behaviour nito. Usually, mga boyfriend ang ganitong magbigay ng unang reaction kapag nalaman na ang girlfriend nila ay may mga kaibigang lalake. Odd. "We are just friends. His silly crush ended in grade school. Besides, he's dating Anne." Napangiti ako ng maisip ko ang mga kaibigan ko. Who knew they would be dating each other exclusively? Parang aso't pusa pa ang mga ito noong high school kami at maging noong college.

"Oh." He doesn't look tense anymore at lumabi pa. Napaka erratic naman ng mood nito.

"Who's the other guy friend? Is he dating your other friend too?"

"Ah, si Rafe. No." Napangisi ako dun. Just thinking about Rafe and Gabe dating together is like incest. Very close din ang dalawang iyon like Gabe with Jerry. Wala kasing kapatid na babae si Rafe, just an older brother kaya very protective rin sya. "Rafe is dating a banker, her name is Shelly."

"And this Gabe, is she dating anyone too? Or is she married?"

"Nope. She's in Canada for the last few years, mending her broken heart." Parehas pa kaming iniwan ni Gabe. We're probably cursed. Kambal ng tadhana, parehong iniwan ng minamahal.

"What happened?"

"Curious ka?" I chuckled. Nakaka dalawang bote na ako ng San Mig Light.

"Your friends are interesting. I would like to meet them someday. I have a feeling you're very close to Gabe compared to Anne."

"Meet them someday? Wow!" Napabuga ako ng hangin at pahapyaw akong mahinang nagkomento ng ambisyoso. 

"I heard that." He's grinning kaya napatawa na din ako.

"Yes, I'm very close to Gabe. Curious ka na din lang naman. Well, Gabe dated Matteo. You could say they were high school sweethearts. Dose anyos pa lang sila noon at hindi magkakilala, sa jeep lang nagkita at magkaiba pa sila ng school. Gabe's a transferee while Matt, Rafe, Jerry and I have been in St. Bridget since we were kids. Matt waited for her 18th birthday. They even went to the same Nursing school. Talagang binakuran na nya ang kaibigan ko. But then one day, bigla syang nawala. No explanations, vanished without a trace."

"Did he die?" Gulat nitong tanong.

Napahalakhak ako. "No. He didn't die. The last I heard, he is in New York according to some of our highschool classmates.”

"Wait, you said Matt?" Nagiisip ito. "Is Matt's full name Matteo Blanco?"

Ako naman ang nagulat. "Uh, yes?" Kilala nya si Matt?

"Maputi, mestisuhin, sad eyes. Come to think of it, he said he hailed from Batangas." Parang tanga itong dinedescribe si Matt na kausap ang sarili nya.

"Kilala mo?" Tanong ko sa kanya.

"Uh, yes. I met him in New York. He's the CEO of his late mother's empire."  Seryosong sabi nya sa akin.

"What?!" Gulat na gulat pa rin ako. Kilala nya si Matt. They met in New York. The way he talks about business sounded like they belong to the same circle.

"Wait, I'll show you. I think we're talking about the same person but I want to be sure." Nagbuklat ito ng phone nya at pinakita sa akin ang group photo ng mga lalakeng nakasuot ng black suit. It looked like a corporate event. Itinuro nya sa akin si Matt.

"That's him. Definitely him. I saw his social media account one time but I don't think he's active. He doesn't even have one post and everything is private."

"The technology is so advanced now. Why didn't Gabe reach out to Matt?"

I rolled my eyes. “When hell freezes over probably. You don't know Gabe. She runs when she's hurt. And it's not like her to give second chances. Besides, someone's pursuing her now. I just don't know if they're together."

"How about you? Do you give second chances too?"

"What?"

"Your ex-boyfriend of a d**k head, kapag nagbago ang isip nya at binalikan ka, are you going to take him back?" May halong inis ang tanong nya at kung bakit ay hindi ko rin alam. It's not like he's the one who got dumped a few hours ago. Ako naman ang ipinagpalit sa iba hindi ba?

Mukhang nakakarami na ako ng inom. Apat na bote na pala ng beer. Sh*t! Nagiging madaldal na rin ako. "No way! Ano iyon, ping pong lang? Tapos kapag ayaw nya na uli sa akin babalikan uli yung babae nya? Huwag na lang uy! Besides, I am not sure if you heard our conversation — he said the reason why he slept with someone else is because I didn't want to sleep with him. Can you believe that guy? I can't even believe I stayed with him for so long. Such a waste of my time."

"He's a d**k. He doesn’t deserve you." I saw him clenched his teeth.

"You are right. Sila ang magkabagay ng chichirya na yun. Magsama silang dalawa." Naiinis pa rin ako kapag naaalala ko ang nangyari kanina.

"Chichirya?" Bigla itong natawa ng malakas.

"Yes, chichirya ang naisip kong related sa pangalan nya. Jack and Jill, yung  mga chichirya like Tortillos. Malapit sa pangalan nya - Jillian." I smirked. Ang daldal ko na talaga at pang limang bote ko na.

"You're so funny." Lumapit sya ng upo sa akin.

"Uh, thanks? I'm glad I amuse you. I'm not a clown though." I pouted. Nilapit nya ang mukha nya sa akin.

"If you're a clown, then you're the most beautiful clown I have ever seen." Hindi ako makahinga. Halos hibla na lang ang layo ng labi nya sa akin.

"Uh, wh-what are you d-doing?" Nagkanda utal utal na ako. Masyado syang malapit sa akin at hindi ako makahinga ng ayos dahil bumibilis ang pintig ng puso ko.

"I want to kiss you. Is that okay?" Pabulong na sabi nya. He is asking for permission. Hindi ako makaimik.

For once, I was lost for words. Lasing na nga yata ako pero mas nakakalasing ang dayuhang sensasyon na binibigay nya sa akin ngayon. "Silence means yes." He said and kissed me. It was a different kiss. Soft and yet passionate like he's hungry for me. Like he can't get enough of me. I just closed my eyes at hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong magpatangay sa halik nya. Nababaliw na yata ako.

He ended the kiss at parehas kaming naghahabol ng hinga. Nasa batok na rin nya ang kamay ko at ngayon ko lang napagtanto yun. Inalis ko agad na parang napaso ako.

Nakatingin sya sa akin. Parang inaaral ang mukha ko at may gustong sabihin.

He cleared his throat and he said "Do you want to spend the rest of the night with me?" Seryoso ang pagtatanong nya. He caught me off guard again.

Tipsy ako pero hindi naman ako ganoon kalango sa ininom ko. I don't think I can drive though. Don't drink and drive palagi ang bilin ng mga magulang ko sa akin. Kung mag iinom daw ako ay magtaxi na lang pauwi o matulog na lang sa bahay ng kaibigan. But the thing is, Leo is not my friend. Kakikilala ko pa lang sa kanya.  It is weird to say that even though we just met, my heart is telling me that he is a good guy and I can trust him?

I looked at him with longing. He gave me a quick kiss and called the staff for the bill. He said to put it in his tab. Napansin ko, naka isang bote lang sya ng beer habang hindi ko naman naubos ang pang limang bote ko, hindi pa umabot sa kalahati. Bumaling sya sa akin pagkaalis ng staff. He kissed the top of my head and said "Let's go."

We got up and he took my hand. Whatever happens tonight, I won't forget it. No room for regrets.