The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 18 =

The Bad Girl's Gentleman

= Code 18 =

MAHIRAP TALAGANG MAKATULOG NANG MAY BUMABAGABAG SA'YO.

"Girl, 'yang eye bags mo na naman. Halika nga dito!" sabi ni Stefan at tinapat ang mukha ko sa kaniya. He is looking at me like I'm a total disaster. Panic mode ang expression ng mukha niya. As usual, Stefan's face is all made up. On fleek ang kilay at eye liner. Kikinang-kinang pa ang highlighter niya.

"Si Basil na naman ba 'yan?" tanong sa'kin ni Via habang naglalaro ng kung anong game sa phone niya. "Drop him, girl! Puro problema lang dala sa'yo eh."

Umirap ako. "There's not enough reason para iwanan ko siya."

"Anong not enough? 'Yung simpleng wala siyang oras para sa'yo enough reason na 'yun para iwanan mo siya."

"He's working, Via. What can I do about that?"

"Yeah, he's working! Nakakapagtaka lang na halos puro babae naman ang nakabalibot sa kaniya."

"I can't touch he's work! What do you want me to do? Leave him just because of that?"

Napailing na lang sa'kin si Via. "Tanga," pagtawa niya. "Alam mo, Gwen, hindi ka naman namin ij-judge kung iiwanan mo siya. We know you just like him for the gifts. You like his status and everything. But... you can always have, I don't know? Enzo? For sure he'd be just like Baz in the future."

"You're not really helping." Binawi ko na ang mukha ko mula sa mga kamay ni Stefan.

"Tama naman kasi siya, girl," sabi ni Stefan habang nililigpit ang kaniyang mga makeup. "Why suffer when you can have more boys?"

Ewan ko ba pero napangiti ako. Oo nga naman, why suffer? Ilan ba ang lalaking kailangan ko para tumabasan si Baz?

"You know what, umalis na lang tayo. The Vibe mamaya?"

"It's only a Thursday."

"Eh ano naman?" angal ni Stefan. "Edi puro expert lasinggero lang maabutan natin. You can easily leave them afterwards."

Napatingin ako kay Via. Nakangiti na siya sa'kin. Oh well, hindi naman tumatawag si Baz eh. "G!"

==================================

Sinubukan naming magbilang kung ilang shot ang maiinom namin, pero napakamisteryoso dahil hindi nauubos ang baso sa bar. Hanggang sa pare-parehas na kaming hindi makatayo ng maayos tsaka kami pumunta sa dancefloor at nagkalat. Tawa lang kami nang tawang tatlo.

"Gwen!"

Napalingon ako sa malaking hulma ng tao sa may likudan ko. I thought it was Baz but then the lights flicker and it is not him. "Jax!"

"Hey, it's been awhile," he says and hugs me tightly for a few seconds. I introduce him to Via and Stefan. "Where's your boyfriend?" he asks as he dances with me.

"I don't know!"

"Baka mamaya sunduin ka naman no'n dito!"

"I don't care," pagtawa ko. I throw both of our hands in the air. Jax strikes me as the type of guy who gets friendly with everybody. I know I'm not the only girl whom he treats this way so I let him slip his arms around my waist as we dance. "I have a question!"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I ever told you I was a virgin the night we met. How did you know?"

He grins at me under the hot pink strobe light and pulls me flush against his body; my back on his chest. His fingertips stroke the inside of my thighs. "You had goosebumps when I touched you. Non-virgins' bodies would react differently."

Natawa ako. "Is that so?"

He spins me around and flashes me that good-boy-kind of smile. Hindi nga ako nagkamali noong huli ko siyang nakita. He really is cute.

I put my arms around his neck and put my lips close to his ear. "Will you do me good?"

Napatigil siya bago natawa. "Are you sure about that? You might wanna rethink your decision."

I clumsily shake my head at him which makes him laugh.

"Come, you need to clear your head for a sec before we proceed to anything."

"I thought you'd treat me right when I'm with you?"

"Sure," sagot niya habang tinutulungan akong makaupo sa isang booth dito. "But, let's make things clear first before I actually, you know, bring you somewhere."

"Let's skip the talk. I might change my mind."

Tumayo na ko at hinahanap ang exit. "Where's your car?"

"Gwen."

"Shh, where is it?"

A car beeps near me and I open the passenger door. "What's taking us so long?" reklamo ko kay Jax dahil nagpipindot pa siya sa phone niya pag-upo niya sa driver's seat.

"Shh."

My eyes close. I swear it is only for two seconds pero kapag bukas ko ng mga mata ko nasa ibang lugar na kami. "Where are we?"

"We're here."

Natatawa ako habang naglalakad kami ni Jax papunta ng elevator. Wait, ano nga palang sinabi ko sa kaniya? Bakit ko ba siya kasama? Inaantok na ko. Patutulugin niya na ba ko?

Kumatok si Jax sa isang pintuan habang nakasandal ako sa balikat niya. I am about to ask him why should he knock on his own house when the door suddenly opens.

"Baz?" I laugh. "What the f**k? Bakit ako nandito? Why did you take me here? I didn't know you were one to share girls," I say to Jax and slap his cheek. "Am I so lucky for my first time? Threesome, everybody?"

Baz sighs and pulls me inside. I tumble in. I tune out of their conversation and feel sweaty all over. I start stripping off my dress but the zipper won't budge.

When I hear the door close I say, "Can somebody get me off this dress?"

"What were you thinking?!"

Hinigit ako ni Baz papunta ng kwarto niya at nag-disappear somewhere. Naupo muna ako dahil nangalay na ko sa kakaabot ng lintik na zipper. Ayaw bumaba.

"Change clothes."

"I can't get out of this dress," I say and climb on his bed. Gusto ko na lang matulog. My legs hurt. Napatingin ako sa paanan ko at nakitang suot ko pa din ang mga sapatos ko. "Ugh, I'd take them off when I wake up."

Baz grabs an ankle and uses it to flip me on the bed. I can see his fingers working on the straps of my heels and he undoes both before dropping them at the foot of his bed.

"Come here," he says, reaching for the zipper of my dress. He yanks on it but it stays. He fumbles for a few seconds with it before giving up. "I think we should cut your dress."

"Fuck."

"I'm sorry. It's stuck."

"Just cut the zipper please."

He grabs a pair of scissors from the kitchen and sweeps my hair to one side. I feel the loosening of my dress as he cuts on the back of it. Nadidismaya na ko iniisip ko palang kung magkano ang aabutin ng pagpapaayos. But anyway, It helps me breathe. Baz pulls at the ends of the dress and I slip off it.

Then I realize I'm half-n***d in front of him. Medyo napayakap ako sa katawan ko pero inabot niya ako at pinasok sa loob ng isang malamig na t-shirt.

"Go to sleep," he says, standing up to put away everything. I wait for him to come back and hold his hand. "What?" he asks when I finally get him to sit beside me.

I smile at him. I don't know. I just like seeing him. The lights are now all off except for the two orange ones on either side of his bed. I poke on his cheek. Is he really my boyfriend? I might as well be in heaven.

"Why didn't you give me shorts?"

"You're hot. You're like on fire. Just how much you did you drink?"

I shrug my shoulders at him. "I tried to keep count but I couldn't. It feels so good," I say and laugh, scrambling to sit on his lap. I remember that I once said it is my new favorite place. Wait, sinabi ko na ba 'yun?

"Okay, what are you up to?"

"I just... want to see you."

He holds my hand and relaxes against the pile of pillows behind him. "Baby, you're drunk."

"I know. My head's swimming a little." I pinch his cheeks with my thumb and forefinger. "Heeey, I just noticed. Why didn't you shave?"

"I don't have the time."

"It's annoying because it looks good on you."

"Does it?"

"Yes," I say and run my hands on his chin and jaw. "But it makes you look old."

"I'm old. I'm twenty-two."

"No, you're not."

"Old for you," he mumbles and pulls me in to kiss my neck.

His chin brushes my skin. "It tickles," I laugh.

"You like it?" he chuckles and rubs his chin more on that spot.

I laugh some more. "Stop it."

He pulls away with a grin before swooping in to kiss me. This time, on the lips. It is meant to be just one kiss. But I miss him too much. I just realize so. His hands travels down and caresses my thigh.

He squeezes. "You're drunk, babe. You should sleep."

I laugh. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But I have to ask you something."

"Hmm, yeah?"

I ask quietly, since I'm a little embarrassed asking him that. "Would it would bother you if I take off my b*a? It's freaking annoying—I can't breathe properly."

He chuckles. "It won't."

"It will."

"Oh, yes. It will. But if it'll help you sleep why not?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He reaches behind me and unclasps my b*a. He pulls at the straps from my shoulders and the piece of clothing comes out through the arm hole, away from my body. "You have goosebumps."

"It seems to me like I'm the one who's going to be uncomfortable."

"Do you want it back?"

I ruffle his hair. "No, you idiot. I want to sleep perfectly."

Humiga na ko. My brain dips somewhere in my skull and I get dizzier. Ugh, sabi na ayoko nang uminom. Baz wraps me in his tight blanket.

"You're staying out the blanket?" I ask him.

"It'll make you more comfortable, trust me."

"What if you get cold?"

"I honestly really don't get cold. I only stay under the covers to hug you." He lies down but kisses me on the cheek first. "Sleep now."

"I'm forgetting something."

"Hmm?"

"I should be angry at you about something but I can't remember."

"If you remember, we can talk about it tomorrow," he grumbles and turns sideways and puts one of hands on top of the blanket on my waist. "Babe, have you noticed the time? I have work tomorrow."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, babe. Let's just sleep."

Actually, I do remember what I should be angry with him about. It's just that I'm trying to savor this kinda-drunk-kissing night moment because maybe when I wake up... it will be all just gone.

===========================

I honestly didn't know how to start it. I don't know how to ask Basil what was he doing with a girl who is not me in a hotel last week. It still so f****d up no matter how much I try to think otherwise.

"Hot choco for you," he says and carries on driving. Galing kami sa isang drive-thru kung saan kami kumuha ng almusal. We got doughnuts and hot coffee for Baz.

"Babe?"

"Yeah?" he asks and takes a bite of his food at one stoplight.

"I remember."

"Uh-huh, good. What is it about?"

"Why couldn't you meet me last Friday?"

"Business meeting."

"Where?"

"I've been to a lot of places last Friday."

"What about at Grand Hotel?"

This makes him stop chewing. "Yeah, I was there. I remember."

I nod and bite on my doughnut.

"It'll be really stupid to ask how you would know I was there since you probably know what you have to know. And should I go on explaining why I was there?"

"No," I say and look out the window as the other cars pass by us. "I just want to know one thing: who was that woman you were with?"

"She's the—uhh, we could say client."

His answer ticks something inside me. "Why don't you know who she is? Client? You have clients for your foundation?"

"Okay, a better word? Sponsor."

"Wow, must be somebody rich, huh?"

"Uhm, you could say that."

"So she's your sponsor or whatever but... why were you so friendly with her? To the point that you went around touching her waist."

"Baby..."

"What?"

"She's an old friend."

"Right, you were just being a gentleman."

Silence.

"Are you mad?" he asks.

"No. Should I be?"

"I don't know, baby."

"Should I be worried?"

"No, babe. She's a friend. She's helping with the planning stuff for the anniversary."

I nod my head. "Okay," I say and finish my food. We drove in silence. When we get in front of my apartment, I am about to go down when Baz stops me. He gets out of the car and walks to open my door.

He didn't let me get down. "Are we good?" he asks, squinting against the sunlight attacking his eyes.

"Why won't we be? There's nothing I should worry about, right?"

"Yes." He takes my hand and squeezes before kissing me. It is the kind of kiss that is pressured enough to assure me. "Always remember that there's only you."

I nod against his face.

"I'd kiss all your worries away..."

"But," I say. "You'll be late for work."

Hindi siya sumagot. Ako na ang unang lumayo at nagbigay ng isang ngiti. "Don't worry too much about me. I'll be fine." I press him a kiss before I jump down his car.

Naglalakad na ko palayo sa kaniya nang paikutin niya ko gamit ang kamay ko. "Babe."

"Baz," I whine, laughing. "Seriously. You said so yourself. I believe you, okay? We both have to go. I have a class in thirty minutes."

Then, he looks at me with those eyes that, like, he's scrutinizing if I'm really telling the truth. "Okay. I'll see you soon?"

"Soon enough."

He finally lets my fingers slip away from his and I walk in the lobby. Hindi ko gusto kung paano kami naghiwalay ngayon. I always almost feel light whenever I get separated from Baz. Pero ewan ko ba ngayon... siguro hindi lang ako kuntento sa kung anong pinagsasabi niya sa'kin. There has to be something about that woman.

And I'm going to find out what it is.