🌺

"Dos! Hurry up! We'll be late na for Naia and Jarvis' wedding!"

George was growing impatient as she waited for Dos to finish showering. Late silang nagising all thanks to their "late night" activities. Mabuti na lang at may eight o' clock alarm siya kaya kahit papano ay nagising sila.

She's already finished dressing up and putting her make up on. Mabilis lang siya dahil she opted for a more natural look. Isang haltered champagne colored dress with an A-line skirt ang sinuot niya that fell just an inch above her knees. She wore her favorite Chanel pearl earings that matched perfectly with her cream colored Chanel quilted pumps.

"Part ka ng entourage so hindi ka dapat late!" she yelled again. Pero wala nanamang response so she's not sure whether naririnig ba siya nito or hindi. So she banged on the door to get his attention. "Dos! Ano ba—oh fudge!"

Bigla ay nabuwal siya when the door opened. Bumulaga sa kanya ang half naked na si Dos and her face fell over his chest. Napamaang tuloy siya when she saw his body—especially his abs. Napalunok siya.

Yum.

Dos smirked when he saw her reaction.

"Dapat pala sumabay na lang ako maligo sa'yo kanina," anito—clearly teasing her. "I wouldn't decline, baby. Plus, we could've saved time."

Agad siyang nag-ayos ng tayo and pushed him a bit. "No kaya. Mas male-late tayo kasi you'll seduce me nanaman tapos we'll have shower se—"

Hindi niya naituloy ang sasabihin niya when she realized how vulgar her words are. Nag-init tuloy ang cheeks niya so she immediately looked away.

"B-Bilisan mo na lang kasi!" she just said before marching away from the guy who kept on laughing. But he was able to catch up to her and pull her towards him—caging her inside his arms. "A-Ano ba! We'll be late na o—"

"Don't worry baby, bibilisan ko," he teased while closing in on her. She pouted and pushing him away.

"Ang bully mo!"

"I don't hear a 'no' so..."

The guy smirked at her sending butterflies down her tummy. Her body reacted almost immediately kaya't pinagdikit niya ang mga binti para itago ang pagkasabik dito. Parang tambol nanaman ang dibdib niya dahil dito.

With one swift move, Dos was able to lift her up and her legs automatically found its way around his hips. A soft involuntary moan escaped her lips as she felt his hard member against the apex of her thighs. Nasagi tuloy nila ang gamit niya't natapon ang laman ng mga iyon sa carpet.

But they didn't bother to look at it as Dos was busy trailing kisses on her neck. She arched her back as he pulled her closer.

"Dos... male-late tayo—"

"I don't care," anito as he continued raining her kisses and the zipper of her dress slowly being pulled down.

"Dos naman eh..."

Dos sighed and stopped. His face was buried on the crook of her neck but he was still hugging her.

"Kill joy."

Hindi niya mapigilang matawa nang makitang nakabusangot ang kasintahan. He stood straight and then walked towards his closet. Ni hindi nito napansin ang gamit niya kaya bigla itong may natapakan.

"Fuck!" hiyaw nito sabay tingin sa kung anong natapakan. It was a clip of hers. "Damn. Mas malala pa 'to sa mga Lego!"

"Watch kasi where you're going—"

"What's this?" bigla nitong sambit sabay kuha ng maliit na nakatuping paper bag.

Fudge. Naia's pregnancy kits!

Hindi niya pa pala nabibigay sa babae ang mga iyon. Then a wicked idea suddenly entered her brilliant head.

"Why don't you open it, then?" she urged the guy. Nangunot ang noo nito but obliged.

"What the fuck is this?!" bulalas nito. His eyes wide but it wasn't the happy kind of surprised. Parang galit ito at naiinis. "Georgina—"

"That's pregnancy test kit, tanga," she spat. She didn't expect him to react that way.

"I know what a pregnancy test is," ganti naman nito. He still looked mad. "Dalawang guhit 'to, Georgina! I was careful! How the hell can you be pregnant—"

"Yeah, because it's not mine," hinablot niya ang mga iyon sabay bato sa basurahan. Her prank clearly backfired. This wasn't the reaction she expected. "It's Naia's."

Just seeing him look very upset and angry at the test kit made her frustrated and mad too. Parang sobrang ayaw nito magkaanak sa kanya sa reaksyon nito. Like the idea of having kids with her was really bad or something.

"If the idea of having a family with me bothers you that much then fuck you. Ayoko din magkaanak with the same ugali as you!"

She zipped her dress up quickly and grabbed her things. Pinigilan naman agad siya nito ang held her by her wrist.

"Where are you going—"

"I'm leaving!" bulalas niya. "Apparently, I am not wanted here—"

"Anong pinagsasabi mo?" Kunot-noong sambit nito. "You're overreacting—"

"Overreacting?!" she blurted out. She felt all her frustrations explode inside her. Inis na inis siya at gusto niya nang umiyak. "I am not overreacting, Dos! Ganon mo ba kaayaw magkapamilya kasama ko? Na the mere assumption that that pregnancy kit is mine makes you furious?!"

Lumapit ito but she immediately pushed him away and broke free from his grasp. She felt a tear drop on her cheek na agad niya din naman pinunasan.

"You know that's not what I meant!" he defended himself. "Nagulat lang ako—"

"That's the thing, Dos," aniya with her tears already streaming down her cheeks. "That's your genuine reaction. You don't like the idea of me getting pregnant. You don't like the idea of us having a family together."

"Georgina—"

"Enough. You always do this. Kahit noon." She took a step back. "You say you like me tapos papaasahin mo ako. And then you drop me. Maybe you do love me. But clearly you don't love me enough to want a future with me."

She turned around and walked towards the door. But before she left, humarap siya dito.

"This time, I won't chase you, Dos," aniya. Her voice breaking. "Call me when you actually mean what you say. Find your way back to me when you're ready to face a real future with me."

She turned her back and left. Willingly.

🌺

a few weeks after

"George, I love you. And I love being with you here in Barcelona. But... I hate how miserable you look right now!"

She just rolled her eyes at her best friend at nagtago sa ilalim ng comforter. After Naia's wedding ay iniwan niya ang telepono sa condo niya at lumipad papuntang Europa. She booked the earliest flight to Barcelona and didn't even tell anyone about it. Nang bukasan niya ang social media niya as soon as she landed ay mga messages ni Dos, Jarvis at Naia ang bumungad sa kanya.

"Where the fuck are you?!"

"Rhi, nasan ka? Hinahanap ka ni kuya."

"George we're getting worried. Where are you?"

She sent a simple reply to Naia saying she's fine and not to worry about her. She also said that she'll be taking a quick vacation away from everything—and everyone. Naintindihan naman agad iyon ng babae and just said okay and to take care of herself.

Ilang linggo na rin siyang nananatili sa Barcelona kasama ng kaibigan. She did go out to explore the city with Lia pero hindi niya talaga feel lumabas. She just wanted to sleep or cry. Pag minsan naman ay gusto niya lang manood ng series sa internet and then cry about it.

"Girl, konti na lang at ipapa-ship na talaga uli kita sa Pinas," ani pa ng kaibigan. "Come on. Let's head out to a Paris tomorrow. I bought us tickets."

Paris. Pinlano nila ni Dos pumunta doon.

"Ayoko, Lia..." she replied and the heaved a sigh. "I just... I just want to sleep."

"Sleep? You already slept the whole morning," Lia said frustratedly. "It's almost one in the afternoon. Ni hindi ka pa kumakain ng lunch."

"Wala akong gana..."

She heard Lia heave a heavy sigh before her comforter got pulled away. Nasilaw tuloy siya sa araw.

"Xaris Georgina Gray!" bulalas nito. "Will you stop sulking already and enjoy your vacation like a normal fucking person?!"

"I'm not sulking!" sigaw niya pabalik. "Di ko lang talaga feel!"

That was a lie because she was indeed sulking. Why? Because siya yung umalis. Siya yung nakipaghiwalay. But the moment she left, nagsisi agad siya.

So what if he didn't want kids? Does she even want to have one din? The idea of a little Dos or little Georgina running around was fun and all but was she even ready to have one? Masyado lang ata siyang naging sensitive. It's not like they've dated for a long enough time to even start thinking about having a family.

"You know what? I give up," Lia said raising both her hands. "I can't with you and your drama queen attitude."

"I am not a drama queen!"

"Eh di ano?" her best friend spat. "Before you arrived here all mopey and depressed, kasasabi mo pa lang na bibisita kayo ni Dos together. Hindi pa nga ata ako natatapos umihi eh nagbago na agad ihip ng hangin sa Pilipinas at nagbreak na agad kayo. My God, Georgina! High school pa kayo naghahabulan niyang si Dos. Hindi na ba kayo nagsasawa sa ganyan?!"

"Mahal ko nga kasi eh!"

"Kung mahal mo yung tao dapat pinapakinggan mo yung paliwanag at rason niya. Hindi yung nagaalsa-balutan ka na—"

"Don't you think I'm regretting it already?" singhal niya dito. She hates the fact that her best friend is always right. And that she's the only living human that can slap her with hard facts. "Nagsisisi na nga kasi ako, okay? But I don't know how to face him na after what I did!"

Lia rolled her eyes. "Then find a new guy to obsess with. Sheesh!"

"I can't nga! I love Dos!" she blurted out. "I love him so much that I can only see my future with him and nobody else! Kaya nga sobrang sakit malaman na hindi niya pa nakikita yung future niya with me, eh. Hindi niya ba ako ganon kamahal kaya the idea of me possibly being pregnant made him panic? Am I not good enough ba to be his wife? To be the mother of his children? I have good genes!"

Lia sighed while shaking his head. Then she lightly patted her shoulder.

"Alam mo, G, hindi naman mali yang hinanakit mo," her best friend started. "But, things like that—building a family and getting married, should be carefully handled. Hindi kasi 'yan basta basta lang. it's a lifelong commitment."

"Pero bakit si Jarvis? He was so happy when he found out Naia was pregnant—"

"Iba-iba ang mga tao, G," Lia explained. "Have you even considered what Dos might not want to have kids? Like, yes, mahal ka niya and he wants a future with you. Pero may mga taong hindi gusto ang ideya na magkaanak. Maybe he's one of those few people who doesn't want to have kids."

"But kids are wonderful—"

"Maybe not for everyone."

She heaved a sigh. Not that she's stereotyping but, Lia does have a point. Medyo aloof at hindi sociable si Dos kaya may possibility na ayaw nito sa mga bata. And she never really did see him with kids.

"But I can't go back—"

"Maybe you shouldn't," putol agad sa kanya ni Lia. "Maybe you do need time to sort out your feelings. Or, be okay for the possibility na hindi ka magkakaanak with Dos. Pero please lang, Georgina Gray. Sort out your feelings while enjoying Europe. Particulary Paris. With me. Nai-istress na ako sa masteral ko kaya kailangan ko talagang magliwaliw."

"Okay, fine," she muttered. "I'll go to Paris with you."

"Thank God!" Lia blurted out. "Pack an overnight bag lang. For sure ay madami kang bibilhin 'don so you need enough space in your luggage."

She just nodded and Lia went to her room to fix her own things. As she started to pick outfits for the trip, naisipan niyang buksan ang emails niya. She already rescheduled all her appointments and submitted necessary files for her clients. Kaya nagulat siya when she saw an email from Altiera Limited—the company where Aki works at and she has an on-going project with.

From: [email protected]
Greetings Miss Gray. I have a few queries regarding the specifications of materials submitted for the interiors of the Escala Project. Your immediate response is highly appreciated. Best Regards, Clifford Tomas, CE

Nangunot ang noo niya. Tomas? Engr. Tomas? Is he the Project Engineer for Escala? Hindi ba si Aki 'yon?

From: [email protected]
May I know for what reason, Mr. Tomas? I already gave the specs sheet to Engr. Matsunaga and also to Arch. Ramos.

From: [email protected]
I'm currently assisting Engr. Matsunaga with regards to the procurement of the materials, Miss Gray.

There was something fishy about his email. Pero she shouldn't be quick to judge. She's just stick to the right process na lang para walang problema.

From: [email protected]
I have already suggested some suppliers to the procurement team with regards to the materials. If you want, you can get the specification sheet sa procurement department niyo. Have a good day.

She turned off her iPad and didn't bother checking kung nagreply ito o hindi. She needed to rid herself of stress and just do what Lia said she should. Take this opportunity to relax and have fun.

Because maybe when she finally gets back, things would be better.

🌺