The Stranger Fiance

CHAPTER 6

ROHAN

It's good to be back, I muttered to myself as I was already driving my Chevrolet out of the airport. At ngayon nga ay nasa biyahe na ako papunta sa loft na tinutuluyan ko kapag umuuwi ako ng 'Pinas.

It was already midnight when I arrived here in my home country. I didn't tell anyone that today was my arrival. Though, I know that the old man already knew about it by now even if I didn't tell him. Ang sinabi ko naman kahapon kay Desmond ay baka umuwi na ako one of these days. I don't want anyone to fetch me at the airport.

Unti-unti kong binagalan ang pagda-drive nang makapasok na ako sa private subdivision at matanaw ang two-storey building na may karatulang 'The Sweet Cafe'.

Last week, I already contacted the manager of the cafe and had a meeting with him through Skye call. He was already informed by my father about me being the new owner of that place. Whatever I do or decide what to do on that place was already on my hands. I'm still thinking if I would keep that place as it was or I would replace it with my own restaurant. Sabi naman kasi ng manager, stable naman daw ang kita ng lugar na iyon.

I don't settle for less. Once I visit and see that place for myself, that's when I would decide if the place was to keep or replace.

Muli kong pinaharurot ang sasakyan ko nang lagpasan ko na ang cafe. Ala-una na ng madaling-araw nang makarating ako sa loft-style house ko. Hindi ko naiwasang sulyapan ang katabing bahay. It was Desmond's. Pag-aari ng ama ko ang subdivision na ito at talagang binili namin ang mga lupa at bahay na ito mula rito.

Sarado at walang ilaw ang bahay ng kaibigan ko. Ang alam ko kasi ay hindi rin niya natitirhan ang bahay na ito dahil may sarili na siyang penthouse. At mas malapit iyon sa LPH na pinamamahalaan niya.

Hila-hila ang dalawang maleta ko, pumasok na ako sa loob ng bahay ko. Iniwan ko lang ang mga gamit ko sa sala at umakyat na sa hagdan para tunguhin ang kama. Dahil sa pagod at jet lag, mabilis kong naramdaman ang pagbigat ng mga mata ko sa antok. Hinubad ko ang mga damit ko at nagpalit lang ako ng pajama pants bago ibinagsak ang katawan sa kama. Ilang sandali pa ay nakatulog na ako.

~~~

Naalimpungatan ako nang may malakas na tugtog akong marinig. Hindi ako nagmulat, pero bahagyang nagsalubong ang kilay ko at pinakinggan ko munang mabuti kung tama ba ang naririnig kong ingay sa labas.

"Sayang na sayang talaga! Dating pag-ibig na alay sa iyo..."

Halos mapabalikwas ako ng bangon nang umalingawngaw sa tainga ko ang malakas na boses na hindi ko maintindihan kung kumakanta ba iyon o tumutula. And I don't even recognize if that voice was from a guy or a girl.

"Sayang na sayang talaga! Pagmamahal na 'di ko makakamtan sa iyo..."

"Goddamnit!" I cursed.

I sat on my bed and tightly closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. Mas lalong sumasakit ang ulo ko dahil sa boses na iyon. Dinampot ko ang phone ko sa bedside table at muling napamura nang makita ang oras doon. Madaling-araw pa lang. Dalawang oras pa lang akong nakakaidlip. At sinong matinong tao ang magvi-videoke nang ganitong oras? It was only past three in the morning for f*ck's sake!

Nang muling umalingawngaw ang nakakasakit sa tainga na boses na iyon, tumayo na ako at sumilip sa glass window ko. Nakita kong may ilaw sa katabing bahay at doon nagmumula ang malakas na tugtog at boses. I gritted my teeth. Hindi ko nabalitaan mula kay Desmond na may nakatira sa bahay niya.

May babaeng ibinabahay na ba siya roon? Wait. Was that person even a girl? Boses lalaki kasi ang kumakanta at wala pa sa tono.

Napapikit ako nang pumitik na naman sa sakit ang ulo ko dahil sa nakabibinging boses na iyon. Hindi na ako nag-abalang magsuot ng t-shirt bago lumabas ng bahay ko at malalaki ang hakbang na tinungo ang kabilang bahay.

I don't f*cking care who the hell was the person living next door. Ang gusto ko lang ay tumigil at manahimik siya para makapagpahinga ako nang maayos.

Dahil malakas ang music na nagmumula sa bahay, I doubt kung maririnig iyon ng taong nasa loob kung kakatok lang ako kaya tatlong beses kong kinalampag ang pinto. Nang walang nagbukas, muli kong binayo nang malalakas na katok ang pinto. Bigla iyong bumukas at tumambad sa harapan ko ang isang babae.

Ang babaeng nakatayo ngayon sa harapan ko ay hindi man lang umabot ang height sa baba ko. Hanggang balikat ko lang yata siya. I doubt kung umabot man lang ba ng five feet ang height niya. Sa kanya ba galing ang maingay at parang boses-lalaki na kumakanta kanina?

Maliit man siyang babae, pero kapansin-pansin naman ang hitsura niya. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun na bumagay naman sa maliit niyang mukha. And she had an interesting face. Manipis lang ang shirt at hakab sa hita niya ang short na suot niya kaya alam kong may itinatago siyang curves sa katawan niya. Actually, she had curves on the right places.

F*ck! I cursed when I noticed I was staring too much on her small figure and sexy body.

Kumunot ang noo ko nang hindi man lang siya nag-angat ng tingin sa akin. Instead, her eyes were looking directly at my bare chest. And her gaze lowered down on my abs, making her mouth formed an 'O'.

So, she was checking me out, too, huh? And based on her reaction, I want to think that she liked what she was seeing in front of her.

I couldn't help but stare at her lips. It looks so soft. And I have this urge to taste them to know how sweet of her lips are. And how good it feels like when her mouth was on my...

Kinastigo ko ang sarili ko bago pa man mapunta sa kung saan ang iniisip ko sa mukhang malambot at mapupulang labi niya.

"Eyes on me, Miss."

"Uh-huh. My eyes are on you," she answered, nodding.

She had a nice and sweet voice, I give her that.

Imbes na tumingin sa akin, hindi niya inalis ang mga mata niya sa hubad na katawan ko. Particularly on my abs.

Hindi ko naiwasang tumaas ang isang sulok ng labi ko. And I don't know, but the way she was staring at my body was somehow turning me on.

Sa dinami-rami ng babaeng nakilala at naikama ko, siya ang bukod tanging nakitaan ko ng kakaibang tingin habang nakatitig sa katawan ko. On those women, I only saw pure lust in their eyes as if they really wanted to eat me whole.

But with this girl in front of me, I didn't see lust in her eyes even a little bit. Instead, I saw admiration in her eyes as if my bare upper body was the most interesting thing to look at. And that awe and innocent look on her face was just turning me on even more. Was this the result of not getting laid for more than two weeks now?

I had an active s*x life until that call from Desmond happened. At iyon din ang huling araw na nagkama ako ng babae. After that day, nawalan na ako ng gana sa mga babae. Even if they initiated it and do all the works, in the middle of making out, I would stop and leave them. For some unknown reason, I couldn't bring myself to do 'it' unlike before. Hindi ako nag-iinit at lalong hindi nabubuhay ang alaga ko kahit gaano pa kaganda at ka-sexy ang mga French women na naghuhubad sa harap ko.

Kapag kasi ginagaawa ko na iyon, palaging umaalingawngaw ang sinabi ng kaibigan ko tungkol sa fiancee ko.

"Be faithful and a loyal fiancé. And at least until you're married to her."

Not having s*x with other women doesn't mean I was trying to be faithful and loyal fiancé to her. No, I'm not. It's just that, I was not really in the mood to do it with them. Dahil talaga namang mas nag-iinit ang ulo ko sa itaas kaysa ang ulo ko sa ibaba kapag naaalala ko ang mga salitang iyon. That was the only reason.

But, this girl in front of me... She made me feel something and clearly turning me on even if she was just staring at me. What more if I feel her touch on my body?

Oh, f*ck! I cursed silently when I felt my 'buddy' down there twitched just by thinking how it feels like when she touches me. I was starting to get a hard on.

Bago pa man niya mapansin ang nagsisimulang bumukol sa ibaba ko, hindi ko na napigilan pang hawakan ang baba niya at itaas iyon para salubungin ang tingin ko. "I'm up here."

And I wasn't prepared when I met her gaze. Halos hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko sa namimilog at nanlalaking mga mata niya na nakatingin sa akin. I admit, she had the most beautiful pair of eyes I had ever seen.

Bago pa man ako tuluyang mahipnotismo sa mga mata niya, nagsalubong ang kilay ko at mariin siyang tinitigan. "Who the f*ck are you?"

Who is this girl exactly? And what was she doing here? This place was supposed to be not occupied. Hindi ito tinitirhan ni Desmond.

Natigilan ako nang maalala ko kung nasaan siya. She was here in Desmond's place. Is she my friend's girlfriend? Pero, hindi ko naman nabalitaan sa kanya na may girlfriend na siya. Na may ibinabahay siya rito.

The mere thought that she's Desmond's girl, I felt somehow disappointed. Because if that was the case, she's off-limits. And I was hoping it wasn't really the case.

She still stared at me, blinking her eyes multiple times. "Tama nga si Desmond. Someone as good-looking as him."

Kung naiba-iba lang ang sitwasyon, baka matuwa ako sa papuri niyang iyon. Though, sanay na ako at hindi lang naman siya ang nagsasabi tungkol sa bagay na iyon. But, coming from her that she finds me good-looking? I felt proud and satisfied.

But, wait. She really knows Desmond. What was her connection with my friend? And how the hell was she connected to him?

Bago pa man ako makapagtanong, tumalikod siya at may kung anong kinuha sa center table sa living area. I took that chance to peek inside the house. Baka nandito rin ang kaibigan ko at kasama niya.

Napatingin ulit ako sa mukha ng babae nang bumalik siya sa harapan ko. My forehead creased when she handed me a calling card. Desmond's calling card to be more specific. "What's this?" takang tanong ko.

"Hm... Calling card?"

Mariin akong pumikit nang may kung anong pumitik na naman sa sentido ko. Nang muli akong magmulat ng mga mata ay sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "I know what the f*ck is this. Do I look like a fool to you?"

She pouted her lips. "Alam mo pala, pero bakit tinatanong mo ako kung ano 'yan? Tsk."

Mas tumalim ang tingin ko sa kanya. "Why the hell are you giving me this f*cking calling card?" At aanhin ko itong business card niya? I have Desmond's personal number.

"Tawagan mo raw siya."

"Why?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. If someone as good-looking as him appeared in front of my door, just told that someone to give him a call. Iyon lang ang sinabi niya."

Nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa babae at sa hawak na calling card. As expected from Desmond. He knows that I would go to his place. And maybe he also f*cking knows that this girl was playing loud music at this early f*cking hour!

I should really call him about this. No. I must really talk to him about this little woman.

Without saying anything, tumalikod na ako at naglakad pabalik sa bahay ko. Pero, bago pa man ako tuluyang makalayo, huminto ako at lumingon sa direksyon ng babae. And I saw the surprise on her face as if she was caught in some crime. At mukhang tama ako dahil nasa ibaba ang tingin niya bago iyon mabaling sa mukha ko nang lumingon ako sa kanya.

Bahagyang tumaas ang isang sulok ng labi ko. Was she staring at my butt while walking away?

"Do me a favor, Miss. Lower down the volume of your music. Or much better if you could stop playing loud music," I said. "Nakakaistorbo sa mga taong nagpapahinga at natutulog pa," mariin ko pang dugtong sa kanya.

Pilit siyang ngumiti at nag-peace sign sa akin. Pumalatak lang ako bago muling tumalikod at pumasok na sa loob ng bahay ko. I climbed upstairs and walked straight to my bed.

And without thinking twice, I picked up my phone on the bedside table and dialed Desmond's number. I don't f*cking care if I would disturb his f*cking sleep. Sa babae na mismo nanggaling kanina. If I appeared in front of that door, I should call him. And I'll do that now regardless of the f*cking time. Tsk.

Just five rings and he answered my call. "Desmond Garett Hererra," mariing bigkas ko sa buong pangalan niya. I know he was already expecting me.

"It's you, my friend. Welcome back."

Without beating around the bush, I asked him. "Who the hell was the girl living next door?"

"Huh? The girl living next door?"

I tightened my grip on the phone. "Don't ask as if you don't know who the girl I was talking about. That little woman who just told me to give you a f*cking call," I answered through my gritted teeth.

"Little woman? Yeah. Maliit na babae nga siya. But, she's cute and funny." At tumawa siya sa kabilang linya.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. What the f*ck? Ano bang meron sa kanilang dalawa? Tsk.

"So, how was your first meeting with her?"

"F*cking annoying. She disturbed my f*cking sleep! Who the hell was on her right mind to sing and play loud music at this f*cking hour? Tsk," naiinis na sagot ko. "And mind you, Desmond. She handed me your f*cking business card when she told me to give you a call."

Mas lalo pa akong nainis at nag-init ang ulo nang tumawa na naman siya mula sa kabilang linya. "That was funny. I didn't know she would give you my business card."

Bahagya akong tumikhim. "Who is she, Desmond?"

Ilang sandaling katahimikan bago siya sumagot. "You didn't recognize her?"

"I only saw her just now," sagot ko. "Is she your girl, Desmond?" pagkumpirma ko. But, on the back of my mind, I was hoping she wasn't his girlfriend.

"She's not my girl."

I felt relieved when he said those words.

"Actually, she's yours."

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Huh?"

"She's your fiancée."

I was speechless and dumfounded. Fiancée? That noisy and little woman... is my fiancée?

You've got to be shitting me.