"Auriese, I'm warning you. Stop whatever you're planning." Harang sa akin ni Kuya habang papalabas ako ng aming mansyon.

"I'm not doing anything," maang ko habang bahagya pang iniling ang ulo.

His eyes squinted as it roamed around my face. Tila ba inaanalisa ang aking ekspresyon. Matapos ay napailing na lamang siya. "Yet you're wearing your complete prosthetics. I know you, Auriese. What are you planning, tell me?"

Sa tono niya ay alam kong hindi siya titigil hanggang hindi nakakakuha ng positibong sagot mula sa akin.

Why did I even gave him a hint about it? Ngayon tuloy ay mukhang may alam na siya sa aking binabalak. As if you'll let me if I tell it to you and confirmed what you're thinking.

"I'll just go somewhere." Humigpit ang hawak ko sa aking purse. Naroon ang pills na kailangan ko upang maisagawa ang plano.

"To where? A bar?" Kunot noo niyang pinasadahan ang aking suot na damit. I'm wearing a satin nude bodycon dress. Its length's screaming the place where I'm going. "May recit pa tayo bukas," pagpapaalala niya.

"I know, sandali lang ako."

"Then why do you have to wear your prosthetics?" He shifted on his weight as he tilted his head, finding a better angle to see my face.

"Baka may biglang tumawag sa Cosmos at magpatulong sa akin."

He tsked. Lumalim ang kunot sa kanyang noo. "Wait for me. Sasamahan kita, magbibihis lang ako."

What? No!

"Alright," sambit ko at bahagya pang tumango upang makumbinsi siyang pumayag ako sa kanyang gusto.

Nang makitang umakyat siya sa ikalawang palapag ng mansyon ay dali dali akong lumabas at dumiretso sa aking kotse.

I hurriedly started the engine as I fastly drove the car. Napangisi ako nang makalayo ang aking sasakyan sa mansyon at walang pa ring kotse ni Prestin ang nakasunod sa akin.

Inilibot ko ang tingin sa paligid nang makarating ako sa aking pakay. I parked my car to somewhere secluded. Para naman kung sakaling madaanan ni Prestin ang bar na ito ay hindi niya agad malalaman na nasa loob ako. Though, kung malaman man niya ay hindi rin siya makapapasok.

I walked towards the entrance as I fished the card from my purse. I swiped it on the scanner. Isa pa, hindi maiisip ni Prestin na rito ako pupunta. Hindi niya alam na bumili ako ng entrance card mula sa high-end bar na ito.

The loud sound immediately filled my ears the moment I entered. Iyon ang nangingibabaw sa buong lugar. I roamed my eyes around the place. The dim color of the light made it hard to find the reason why I'm here.

My eyes landed at the dancefloor. May mga sumasayaw roon, ngunit hindi iyon ganoon karami. Maybe because its still early for midnight, oras kung kailan kadalasang marami ang taong mga narito.

Sa ilang beses na pagbalik ko rito ay napansin ko na ang bagay na iyon.

Inilakad ko ang aking mga paa. Sinubukan kong puntahan ang lugar kung saan ko laging nakikita ang aking pakay at muntik na akong mapatili nang makitang nagiisa siya sa kanyang kinauupuan. U-shape couch is too large for him. The table in front of him is occupied by a bottle of whiskey.

Lagi siyang may kasamang babae sa tuwing maaabutan ko siya. Kaya naman hindi ako makalapit. Ngayon na nagiisa siya ay sisiguraduhin kong ito na ang huling punta ko sa lugar na ito.

"Archer?" I made it sounds like shocked.

Natigil siya sa pagpapaikot sa yelong nasa loob ng kanyang glass nang marinig ang aking tawag.

"Dellany," he smiled a bit as he shifted on his seat.

"You're alone?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, yes." He tilted his head as he smirked at me. "Wanna join me?"

Oh, Archer, I'll gladly will..

"Well, sure!" My brow quickly rose as I muttered the last word.

His friendly smirk didn't left his face as I sat beside him. Hindi masyadong malapit ngunit hindi rin naman ganoong kalayo.

I heard him called the waiter as he asked for ladies drink.

Nang maiwan kami sa table ay bahagya kong ipinaling ang katawan paharap sa kanya.

"So where's your girls?" Nakangising tanong ko. It was enough for him to hear what I asked.

I heard him chuckled as he shook his head. "Can't choose. How about find me one?"

Hilaw akong napatawa bago iginala ang tingin sa kabuuan ng lugar. Ilang sandali ay nagkibit balikat ako at muling humarap sa direksyon niya. "Can't find any, too."

I don't know but we laughed after hearing my words. Tila ba nagkakaintindihan kami sa simpleng mga salitang iyon.

"What brings you here?" Tanong niya bago sumimsim sa kanyang glass.

Bago pa ako makasagot ay dumating ang waiter dala ang ladies drink na hiningi niya. "Thank you."

Tila ba may sariling isip ang aking mga tainga. Seems like my ears were filtering the sounds that I'm hearing. That even amidst the loud sound coming from the sound system, I can clearly hear his baritone voice.

"Same as the reason why you're here," I muttered after the waiter leave us alone.

Nahihiwagaan siyang napatingin sa akin. "I came here too..." He trailed off. Walang balak ituloy ang sasabihin kahit na malinaw sa aming dalawa ang rason kung bakit siya naririto.

"Same reason," I answered nonchalantly before getting the cocktail and I sipped on the glass.

Mataman niya akong tinitigan. Sinusuri kung seryoso ba ako sa aking naging sagot. Nang bahagyang kumunot ang kanyang noo ay mahina akong napatawa.

"I was just kidding," bawi ko. I'm still slightly chuckling. "Igagaya mo pa 'ko sa'yo!"

"Ikaw nagsabi, hindi ako." Natatawang sagot niya.

Ilang minuto ang lumipas at lumalawak ang aming pinaguusapan nang magpaalam siyang magbabanyo.

Nakangiting tinanguan ko siya. He rose from his seat as he walked towards the restroom. Sinundan siya ng aking mga mata habang sa mawala siya sa aking paningin.

I lowered my gazed on his glass. Mabilis kong kinuha ang aking purse at kinapa ang gamot doon. I inwardly smirked when my hands caught the bottle of pills inside my purse.

Inilabas ko iyon at itinaktak sa aking kamay upang makakuha ng isa. I placed the pills at the top of his glass as I opened it. Humalo ang powder na laman ng pills sa kanyang inumin. I watched it as the white colored powder dissolved in his whiskey.

It'll give him a mild effect, at panandalian lang. He can't control his mind after the powder of the pills entered his body. He'll forget what happened after drinking his whiskey until he fall asleep. Ang huling memorya na maaalala niya ay ang nangyari bago niya inumin ang whiskey na ito, sa oras na magising siya.

Matapos ay dali-dali kong ibinalik sa loob ng purse ang botelya ng pills. Iginala ko ang aking tingin upang alamin kung may nakakita ba sa aking ginawa ngunit sa hinala ko ay wala. Everyone is busy minding their own business.

I tucked the strand of my hair in my ear as I shifted on my seat. Hinayaan ko ang nanlalamig na kamay na pumatong sa aking tuhod. I reached for my cocktail as I sipped on it.

Tumikhim ako nang makita ang bulto ni Archer na pabalik na sa aming kinauupuan.

But my eyes immediately widened when I saw a woman approached him. Bigla akong nanlumo nang makita ang hugis ng katawan nito. Bagsak ang balikat na binalingan ko ang aking cocktail.

Nang muli akong mag-angat ng tingin ay nahuli ko ang pag-iling ni Archer sa babae at ang pagturo ng daliri niya sa aking direksyon.

Dahil doon ay napalingon sa akin ang babae. She fiercely looked at me while raising her brow.

Awtomatikong napataas din ang aking kilay dahil doon, walang pakealam kung makita man iyon ni Archer.

I caught Arch smirked and he winked when our eyes met. Muli siyang bumaling sa babae, siguro ay nagpaalam bago tuluyang bumalik sa aking direksyon.

Nahigit ko ang aking hininga nang maramdaman na parang hinahalukay ang aking tiyan at may kung ano sa aking lalamunan. Shit! Para 'kong susuka ng mga rainbow!

Archer slouched on his seat when he got back. Sinipat niya ako at agad ko siyang tinaasan ng kilay upang hindi siya makahalata na nagwawala na ang aking kalooban.

"That woman seems a big catch," I started. I glanced at his glass when I saw him held it. Mataman siya suminsim doon bago sumagot.

"Not in the mood to..." He trailed of as he gave me a knowing stare. Agad ko namang nakuha iyon. Muli niyang inilapit sa labi ang glass at inisang lagok ang laman noon.

I cleared my throat as I shifted on my seat. Muli siyang nagsalin ng whiskey at sumandal sa couch.

Napapakagat ako sa pangibabang labi habang lumilipas ang oras. I was secretly glancing at my wrist watch as I he's silently drinking.

"Let's go home, Del. I'll drive you home." I heard his raspy voice after awhile. He's now a bit tipsy.

"Huh? You're drunk already. I'll drive you to your condo."

"No. I will-"

"Come on, Arch. You're drunk while I'm not."

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko siya napapayag na ihatid ko siya sa kanyang condo. Siguro ay dahil na rin, wala na siya sa sarili. The pill already have its effect on him.

"Dellany." Akmang patayo na ako ngunit agad na napatigil nang marinig ang tawag niya. I looked back at him and gasped when he pulled me closer as he claimed my lips.

His arm encircled on my waist, locking our distance as his lips started moving against mine.

I willingly shut my eyes closed as he leaned my body on his soft bed. He towered over me without breaking our kiss. A moan escaped my mouth as I cling my arms in his nape. Lalong idinidiin ang malambot niyang labi sa akin. Slowly, his kisses traced my jaw down to my neck.

The memory was suddenly interrupted when I heard the sound of the elevator. Hudyat na nasa tama na akong palapag.

I walked out of the elevator while my eyes were directly looking at my table. Bumagal ang aking lakad nang makitang bakante iyon. I swallowed as I didn't saw a bouquet lying at my table.

"Oh, nandito ka na. May pinabibigay si Ma'am Karisol, ikaw daw ang mag-abot kay Sir. Kaya lang may kliyente pa sa loob."

Lumingon ako kay Shea nang marinig ang sinabi niya. I'm now standing in front of her cubicle. There's already a client inside? Maaga pa, ah.

I nodded at her as I looked again at my table. Marahan akong dumiretso roon. I even glance at the floor and its corner. Nagbabakasakali na nalaglag iyon o napunta kung saan ngunit bigo akong napaupo nang makumpirmang wala nga. Ang naroon lang sa lamesa ay ang iilang piraso ng dokumentong kailangan ibigay kay Archer, at ang mga gamit kong permanente ng naroon.

I sighed as I started slapping my forehead. What are you even thinking?

Nasa ganoon akong posisyon nang marinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto ng opisina ni Archer.

I was already ready to rose and greet Archer for formalities but I immediately stopped when I saw a woman went out of it.

Wearing a black revealing dress with her bloody red lipstick, she sashayed out of Archer's office while doing someone in her phone.

I frowned. A client?

Kusa siyang sinundan ng aking mga mata habang itinapat niya sa tainga ang phone. She stopped walking just a few meters in front of my cubicle maybe someone answered from the other line. "Omg! You won't believe this, Leigh! Archer's lips is the softest. We kissed!" The woman seems still in an awe.

Tila nagpanting ang aking tainga dahil sa narinig. My lips parted as a thousand needles pierced my heart.

Nanatili akong nakatingin sa babae. Bahagya siyang nakatagilid sa aking direksyon. I saw her giggled. "I saw the bouquet near his table. Akala siguro niya, hindi ko nakita. Wala naman siyang binanggit. But I have a hunch that he'll give it to me. Magkikita kami mamaya, Lei!"

She giggled once again. From her side view, I saw her biting her lips. Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad habang kausap pa rin ang nasa kabilang linya.

While my chest is already too tight to listen to the woman's words.

__________