Chapter 16

"Andrew? Yoohoo!" Binulabog ako ni Caro sa himbing nang pagtulog ko.

I tried to cover myself with the blanket pero agad niya rin iyong hinila paalis sa akin so I just grabbed the pillow and covered it on my head. Ginapang naman niya ako sa kama ko at dinaganan.

"Girl, 'yong dibdib mo. Ramdam na ramdam ko sa kamay ko."

"Bumangon ka na kasi! Anong oras na, o?"

"Saan ba tayo pupunta today? Nasabi mo na ba kay Heikenz 'yang plano mo?"

"Oo, girl! Kagabi pa! Hindi ka na naman kasi makausap nang maayos kagabi, e! Sinabi ko na 'yon sa kanya at pumayag naman siya. Saka ayaw mo no'n? Before we leave Bangkok, at least nakasama mo pa siya. 'Di ba nga? It was supposed to be his last day tomorrow na i-tour tayo and wala naman tayong concrete plan today so mabuti na lang talaga at pumayag 'yang jowa mo."

Inalis ko na ang unan sa ulo ako at tinanaw ko siya. Hindi pa rin siya umaalis sa pagkadaragan sa akin. Bet na bet ng gaga. Mabuti na lang magaan 'to. Kasing bigat lang ng stick, pwede nang balibagin nang todo-todo.

"Ano? Tara na? 'Wag ka ng pabebe riyan. Ni hindi ka pa nga nag-aayos ng gamit mo. Mamayang gabi na flight natin, ano pa-vip ka, girl?"

"Ikaw na mag-ayos ng akin..." walang gana kong tugon.

"Ay, naku! Umayos ka riyan, bakla! Bahala ka sa buhay mo."

Tuluyang umalis sa pagkadaragan si Caro sa akin at hindi pa rin ako bumabangon sa pagkahihiga ko, but the next thing she did wasn't I expecting. Bigla ba namang dinakot ang crotch area ko. Buong-buo sa kamay niya 'yon at pinisil pa ng gaga. Agad kong hinampas sa kanya 'yong unan at muntik na siyang bumalentong papunta sa sahig.

"Ayan ha!" Isang mapanlokong ngiti ang pinakita nito sa akin nang makatayo ito. "Bakit gano'n, Andrew? Biglang lumaki ha! Nagpa-enlargement ka ba ng hindi ko alam?! Pero alam mo uso rito sa Thailand ang sex operation, 'di ba? May balak ka bang gawin 'yon? Kung ako sa 'yo, 'wag! Daks ka, girl! Ikaw ang magiging top sa relasyon niyo. Hanap ka nang bubukaka sa 'yo."

Nanlaki na lang ang mata ko sa sinabi niya. "I think I would never be the person na magiging top, girl! Ako pa ata ang bubukaka!"

"Yie! Payat si Heikenz tapos ang sabi pa nila, kapag payat mahaba rin daw! Tusok hanggang bituka, bakla! Gusto mo 'yon? Of course, ikaw pa ba?!" Humalakhak ito sa tawa.

"Gaga ka talaga. Ang aga-aga ang kalat ng bunganga mo."

"Bumangon ka na kasi! Aalis tayo! Tinawagan ako ng jowa mo kanina. Papunta na siya so maligo ka na!"

Lumapit muli siya sa akin saka kinuha ang kamay ko at hinatak ako para pabangunin sa pagkahihiga. Matamlay akong bumangon.

"Ano, girl? Kung kailan last day saka ka maggaganyan? Ano na? Kilos na!" bulyaw nito sa akin.

"Ang ingay ng bunganga mo! Mamaya pasukin tayo rito ng staff ng hotel dahil sa lakas ng boses mo."

She just flipped her hair on me saka siya pumwesto sa harap ng salamin para mag-ayos. I heaved out a deep sigh and slowly get up from bed. Grabbed my clothes and the towel and just get on the shower as quickly as possible. I believe, it only took me ten minutes when I have finally done taking a bath then I just walked out of the room felt not in a good mood at all.

Caro kept ignoring so I just had to continue what I'm doing. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit wala akong gana today. I just wore something simple today. Plain light blue shirt saka white pants lang. There's nothing special I've got to do today... well, there's something I need to do and I think that will surprise Caro.

"Girl," tawag ko rito. She just looked at me from the reflection of the mirror.

"Ano 'yon, bakla?"

"May sasabihin ako sa 'yo mamaya..."

Kumusot ang mukha niya. "Bakit mamaya pa? Sabihin mo na ngayon. Busy na tayo mamaya. Makalilimutan mo pa 'yan. Come on. Tell me. Ano 'yang chika mo sa akin?"

"Mamaya na nga."

She grunted and turned around to face me. "Bakla, kukulot sa 'yo 'tong rebonded kong buhok kung hindi mo sasabihin sa akin. Now na, girl. Hindi na ako makapaghintay. Tell me now or ipakakarat kita kung kani-kanino."

"Ay grabe naman siya!"

"Ano nga kasi 'yon? Aamin ka na ba kay Heikenz?" panghuhula pa nito.

Sumalubong ang kilay ko saka umiling para pabulaan ang sinasabi niya. Though she stopped nang hindi niya ako mapilit. She just shoves the thought out of her head and continued what she was doing until Heikenz called telling her he's already down in the lobby waiting for us.

Ang plano namin today ay hanggang three in the afternoon na lang and after that, all we do is to prepare for leaving. Actually, napuntahan naman namin ni Caro ang mga target location na gusto namin puntahan kahit iyong iba ay wala talaga sa plano, but it all ended up so worth it kasi kahit hindi namin sabihin, Heikenz magically knew that we want to be there kaya thankful din kami na siya ang nagto-tour sa amin.

When we finally headed down the lobby, we met Heikenz there so simple and cool. He's still wearing his favorite bucket hat and he looks cute with it—every time.

Our today's agenda is simple, ang mag-shopping. Hindi ko alam kay Caro kung paano namin maiuuwi sa Pinas iyong mga pinamimili niya. Kaunti pa lang naman ang nabili ko pero si Caro itong halos nag-shopping na sa buong Bangkok.

"You know, guys. The next time you'll visit Thailand, I should tour not only in Bangkok but to other places like Phuket, right?"

"Ay, Phuket? Baka masangsang ang amoy ro'n, a!"

"Puta ka, Andrew! Phuket 'yon. Phuket! Dirty ng mind, ha?"

"Ay nagsalita ang halos umiinom ng bleach araw-araw."

She just flipped her hair to me. Pinalamon pa sa akin kaya I took the chance na sabutin din ito. Napasigaw pa ito kaya napalingon ang ilang tao sa amin and here we are again, apologizing for the trouble we have caused.

When Heikenz told us to leave na kasi we're catching up our time today, we'll be heading out somewhere sa isang shopping market ulit. We've been in the Chatuchak Market so he has another plan na pupuntahan namin. Nakabili rin naman kami ng ilan na pasalubong at kung ano-anong wallet-budget friendly souvenirs and all. Sulit naman. Maiuuwi naman namin ang mga pinamili namin.

"Ano ba magandang bilhin kay Mareng Cely?" tanong ni Caro.

"Are you buying something for your friend?" Heikenz asked her.

Tumango naman ang gaga. "Yes. Pang-souvenir, remembrance, pasalubong o kahit ano mang tawag do'n."

"Bilhan mo na lang ng ref magnet o kaya naman keychain. Lagi naman tayong bumibili ng mga gano'n kapag may layover tayo. 'Yon na lang ibigay mo. Tipid pa... and girl, Cely could have anything in the world! Baka nga magpabili pa 'yon ng diamond ring sa isang sabi lang, e."

"I know, I know..." aniya. "She can have everything in the world pero iba pa rin naman 'yong bigay ng kaibigan, 'di ba?"

"I think that's true,' pagsang-ayon naman ni Heikenz. "I just think the thought of giving someone else a gift or such a remembrance is something that people would appreciate."

"But our friend is married to a billionaire," sagot ko.

"Oh..." Namilog na lamang ng bibig ni Heikenz. "I see... but just like what I've said, it's the thought that counts and how big or small it is, expensive or cheap, if it comes from someone special then it will be priceless."

Siniko ako ni Caro. "Oh, 'di ba! May sasabihin ka pa ba?"

Napasinghal na lamang ako saka hindi na nagsalita. Heikenz looked at me and he's grinning. Pinigilan ko rin namang ngumiti, but he caught me off guard kaya naman hindi ko rin napigilan.

"Does your friend likes roasted beans coffee?" he asked.

"Not really sure? Pero bet no'n ang red wine. Pwede bang maiuwi ang wine sa Pinas? She would love that."

"I don't think it's okay... but I guess the coffee beans would be good."

"Ay, sige na. Hindi na ako choosy! Push!"

While we're waiting for the cab, marami pang sinasabi si Heikenz kay Caro na mga alternative souvenirs she can buy for Mareng Cely. Siya na ang sagot do'n since ako ang kumasa sa ilang ganap namin in the past few days at nakabubutas nga ng bulsa 'yon. Mukhang mahihirapan akong tahini ang bulsa ko for a few months.

When a taxi stops in front of us, sumakay na rin kami at sinabi ni Heikenz sa driver ang magiging destino namin. Mabilis lang din naman ang lugar na pupuntahan namin. It only took us less than thirty minutes when we finally reached The Market Bangkok. It's like a mall but seems like a castle to me and it was huge from the outside.

Hindi na rin naman kami nag-aksaya pa ng oras kaya nagsimula na kaming mag-ikot-ikot sa paligid. Caro was just going in and out of the stores nang walang mintis. Laging may bitbit na maliit o malaking paper bag. Ang dahilan niya sa akin, ibebenta niya rin daw kay Mareng Cely para babalik lang din daw sa kanya ang mga pinamili nito—with interest pa raw. Lokaloka talaga 'tong babaitang ito pero smart.

While we let Caro do what she has to do, lumapit sa akin si Heikenz as he nudged me with his shoulder.

"And why you're not buying something for yourself or for your friends and family?" he asked.

"Because..."

"Because what?" He chuckled. "Oh, wait. Before you answer that question, what's the meaning of the text you've sent to me last night?"

Huminga ako nang malalim just to get some courage to do it. And then I just told him about my plan. Noong una ay nagulat pa siya sa sinabi ko, but then what happened the last night opened up my eyes to something I knew I would never get, but it did. I wasn't expecting something from him—but I was actually hoping he would say what I have been thinking because it's part of the plan and with just a nod, my plan has come accordingly.

Saglit lamang ay lumapit sa amin si Caro kaya natigil ang pag-uusap naming dalawa. Her face comes crumbling when she figured out that I told Heikenz what I'm gonna tell her tonight.

She glared at me. "Sinabi mo na kay Heikenz 'yon, 'no?" Hinampas naman niya ako sa braso ko. "Ang daya naman! Bakit sa kanya sinabi mo? Sa akin pa mamaya-mamaya ka pa? Ang daya-daya naman nito!"

"Oh, you haven't actually told her?" Heikenz asked.

Umiling ako. "Nope. I didn't say anything pa. Mamaya."

"Mamaya-mamaya ka riyan. Siguraduhin mo lang, ha?"

Natawa ako. "Sure!"

When I look at Heikenz, he was just smiling halfway and I don't know what that means. Alam kong tama naman ang naging desisyon ko. At wala namang mawawala since I know the risk of what I'm doing.

Muli kaming bumalik sa pagsunod sa kung saang store pupunta si Caro. We just ended up carrying the paper bags she bought for her. I don't know what Caro's reaction would be, but I hope she would understand it dahil at the end of the day, she's the one who saw it all.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much

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