"Kailan kaya mauulit ito?" malungkot na tanong ni Alex kay Shellly.
She lowered her eyes because Alex’s stare is so intense and she feels uncomfortable.Nagkunwari siyang abala sa pagtanggal ng fondant sa cake niya with her fork.
"Shelly," Alex murmured her name so wala na siyang choice kundi tignan din ito.
She moistened her lips with her tongue.Alex's eyes followed the movement and he groaned as if in pain.Then yumuko ito to to put his right hand on his nape for a few seconds.Slowly,inangat ulit nito ang ulo and umupo ito ng tuwid para sumandal sa upuan.Binalik nito ang titig sa kanya.Hindi matagalan ni Shelly ang tingin nito.She's having goose bumps because of the way he is looking at her.
"Shelly," he called her name again as if in agony." "Hindi ko alam kung kailan kita ulit makakasama ng ganito.Please hayaan mo akong sabihin ko ulit sa'yo ang nararamdaman ko.Please tumingin ka sa akin."pakiusap nito.
Shelly felt slightly nervous but she did what he requested.
"Alex,please.Hindi ko alam if tama ba na hayaan kita sa gusto mo.Ramdam ko nagtataksil ako kay Jake." Shelly looked down again.
"Damn!" Alex uttered sa hirap na boses.
"Sorry,Alex." Shelly said in a low voice.
"No,don't say sorry.Wala kang kasalanan.Pero please Shelly,just let me express my feelings for you.For now, hindi ako mag-eexpect na you'll also feel the same way for me." He said emotionally.
"Alex,kahit sinong babae nanaiisin na maging nobyo ka.So please huwag mo namang gawin ito.Mas madaming bagay sayo.Yung walang commitment unlike me."
"Ikaw ang gusto ko Shelly." He said honestly.
Jake is driving like mad.Mabuti na lang at magaling itong magmaneho and kahit matulin ang pagtakbo niya,fortunately,he never met an accident yet.
"SHIT!SHIT!SHIT!" mura nito.
He can't understand why Shelly is testing his temper.Alam naman nito na ayaw na ayaw niya na nagsusuot ito ng mga ganung damit lalo na if hindi siya nito kasama.His girlfriend looked alluring but he only wants her to look that way for him.Hindi yung kung sino-sinong asshole ang nakakakita.
"PUTANGNA!!" he slammed his fist on the steering wheel nung nag red ang stop light.
He got his phone and started dialing Shelly's number again.He gritted his teeth ng marinig na naman niya ang recording.
"She has a lot to answer for!" he told himself.
When the light turned green,he decided to drive a few more miles before pulling up at the side of the road.
----
"Aiyyyyhh!,Ang sweet niyo namang tignan." Tukso ni Pat sa dalawa.
Pinandilatan ng mata ni Shelly ang kaibigan pero ngumuso lang ito.
"Baby Alex,kung halimbawa lang ha?" sabay tingin kay Shelly,"Bestie huwag ka ng mag-react ha?Tutal hypothetical naman ang itatanong ko kay baby Alex."
Alex frowned."Ano ang itatanong mo Patricia?"
Shelly is holding her breath.Kilala niya ang kaibigan.Reyna ito ng mga intrigera at taklesa .Baka ano na naman ang lumabas sa bibig nito.
"Kung maging kayo ni Shelly,ano ang itatawag mo sa kanya?" sabay siko sa tagiliran ni Alex.
Nailing na lang si Shelly.Sumasakit na ang ulo niya sa mga nangyayari ngayong gabi.She just wanted to have fun but things have become more complicated. Dumadagdag pa ang kakulitan ng kaibigan niya.(Ows? Nag-eenjoy naman kaya siya sa company ni Alex..aminin!!) But to be honest,she is curious of Alex's answer.
The latter seems to be thinking about it seriously.Ang guwapo-guwapo nito habang nag-iisip and medyo nakangiti.
"Love.Yun ang itatawag ko.Simple and common pero it says everything about how I feel." Alex looked at Shelly with his chinito eyes.
"Aiyhhhhhhhhhh!!" kilig na sigaw ni Pat while Shelly’s eyes widened.
"Pat! Telepono!" Biglang tawag ng kapatid nito kaya nagpaalam ito sandal sa kanila.
"Sorry sa sinabi kong endearment na gusto ko for us, if ever maging tayo. " Alex said quietly when Pat left the table.
"Pasensya ka na din sa kakulitan ni Pat ha? Hindi yata mabubuo ang araw niya kung wala siyang gagawin or sasabihin na kalokohan." Shelly apologized na may tipid na ngiti..She wants to make things lighter for them.
Nangiti na din si Alex.Then nakita nila si Pat na humahangos papunta sa kanila.
"Naku baby Alex,bestie!" tarantang sabi nito.
"Anong problema Patricia?" takang tanong ni Alex.
"Patay tayo!" she said looking panicky.
"What's wrong Pat?" Shelly asked.
Huminga muna ito ng malalim bago nagsalita ulit.
"Si papa Jake,tumawag! Tinanong kung ano ang exact direction papunta dito.Nasa kanto na!"
Anak ng tofu! Shelly knows she's in deep shit! Ngayon niya pinagsisisihan ang ginawa niya kanina.She shouldn't have done that.Gusto na niyang sabunutan ang sarili.
Bakit kasi minsan ang impulsive niya?HUHUHUHU! Bakit kasi nagpadala siya sa selos niya?Alex looks cool.Parang wala lang dito ang narinig.Nasapo ni Shelly ang noo. Oo nga naman advantage sa binata yun kung mag-aaway and mag-break sila ni Jake.
"Guys!!Anong gagawin natin 'Bestie! Baby Alex! Ano na? In 2 minutes or less andito na si papa Jake!" ?" Nagpa-panic na naman si Pat.
Tinignan ni Alex na namumutla na din si Shelly.Much as he wants to hurt that asshole,palaging nangingibabaw ang nararamdaman niya para sa dalaga.Ayaw niya itong nakikita na natatakot.The right time will come.Pag nangyari yun sasabihin niya lahat kay Shelly ang katarantaduhan ng gagong nobyo nito.He's sure that after that,magiging kanya na din ang magandang dalaga.
----------
Jake slammed the door of his car.He looks ready to kill someone.Nakita niya si Pat na nasa labas ng gate ng bahay ng mga ito.
Kinawayan siya nito.
"Papa Jake! Halika! Nasa loob si bestie!"
"Good evening Pat." He said while forcing a smile.
"Patay! Mukhang bad trip na bad trip si papa Jake pero ang yummy pa din!Hindi nakakaumay ang appeal! Swerte talaga ni bestie! Tapos ngayon may baby Alex pa na katakam-takam din!—Pat thought.
Jake’s eyes roamed at the guests.He was a little relieved when he saw na halos babae and matatanda with some kids ang bisita.Pero he is still annoyed na nagsuot ng ganung damit si Shelly.Malay pa niya if kanina madaming lalaking bisita.
Then his eyes finally found her.She’s sitting at the far end of the garden.May kausap itong dalagita.He approached her and saw how lovely she looks.He caught his breath. DAMN! He is really crazy about this beautiful woman.
"Bestie!" tawag ni Pat kay Shelly.
Lumingon sa kanila ito ..Her face shows no emotion.
"Babe." Sabi lang nito while looking at Jake.
Tumayo ang kausap nitong babae and said excuse me in a shy voice.
"Papa Jake,kukuha ko kayo ng food ha?Anong gusto mo?" Pat asked.
Jake tore his stare from Shelly for a few seconds and looked at Pat," Kami na lang mamaya Pat,salamat." He said.
"O sige,iwan ko muna kayo ha? Check ko lang pinsan ko sa loob." Paalam nito sabay kindat kay Shelly ng hindi na nakatingin si Jake.
Jake kissed Shelly lightly on the lips.
The guests are looking at the couple.The man is really very good looking and the woman is very lovely.But most of them are confused.Sino yung kaninang napakaguwapo din na kausap ng magandang babae? Napabuntung-hininga na lang ang mga dalagang bisita.Naisip nila ang swerte naman ng magandang babae dahil may dalawang saksakan ng guwapong binatang may gusto dito.
Jake pulled a chair and sat beside his girlfriend.Nakakunot ang noo nito and Shelly knows galit pa din ito.But somehow hindi naman ganun ka-grabe as she imagined.Baka nag-enjoy sa dinner nila ng babaeng anaconda.HMP!
He possessively took hold of her hands.He felt his stick made a small movement.His woman smells so good.Ang ganda-ganda lalo nito sa ayos nito ngayon.He almost uttered a bad word because he wants to make love to her right now but hindi pwede.
"Why are you wearing that fucking dress?" he asked stonily.
"Babe,sayang naman ang mga damit ko na hindi ko pa nasusuot.And alam ko naman na okay lang isuot ito dito" She explained.
"Next time, I want to see the clothes you'll wear before you go out.!" He demanded.
Gusto na ni Shelly na magreklamo but she held her tongue.Di ba nga she wants Jake to realize na she is way much better than Cassie? Na siya ang bagay sa binata at hindi ang babaeng anaconda na yun.So artista mode muna ulit.She'll try to be more submissive para naman ma-good shot siya kay Jake.She smiled seductively at him.
"Babe,I wore this dress cause I know ikaw ang susundo sa akin.And I want to look beautiful for you."malambing na sabi nito sa noby which made Jake's eyes turned dark.
"You don't have to do that babe.You are always lovely and desirable in my eyes." He said hoarsely.
He kissed the palm of her hands.Shelly felt heat runs through her body with what he did.They are not aware of the other people around them.Titig na titig sila sa isat-isa.Jake is only seeing Shelly and he badly wants to be alone with her.Shelly's love for him is overwhelming at kahit galit siya sa binata,once nakita niya ito,parang nawawala lahat.
---------
Alex is gritting his teeth.Nagseselos siya sa nakikita niya.Nasa itaas siya ng bahay nila Pat.Kitang-kita niya sila Shelly at Jake sa ibaba.He is fucking mad! He feels na hindi deserve ni Jake si Shelly.And now that he's seeing the scene at the garden,parang sasabog na ang dibdib niya sa panibugho Finally,he decided to go down.
"Sorry love,but I don't think I can bear to see you with that asshole any longer!" pagalit na sabi nito sa hangin.
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A movement at the side of the garden caught Shelly's eyes.Nakatalikod si Jake sa parte ng hardin na yun.She saw Alex heading their way.ANAK NG TOFU!! Palapit ang binata sa lamesa nila.