AVIATRICE

"He's just broken. I think I can fix him." I shake my head upon hearing Kassidy's hopeful chatter. I wonder who she was talking about this time.

"Ay, girl! I bet he had other women trying to fix him! Ano ka part ng construction crew niya?" Ismid ni Arianne habang sumisimsim ng alak.

Samantalang si Fejia naman ay napailing na lang din. "There's no point convincing her. Hindi niyo pa ba nahahalata na red flag enjoyer ang isang 'yan? She has obsession with fixing broken men." Sabay-sabay kaming napairap dahil totoo naman ang sinabi niya.

"Shut up, Fejia! Akala ko ba kaibigan kita?!" Nagsimula silang mag-asaran sa harapan ko pero hindi na ako nakinig sa kanila.

The room was filled with the sound of clinking glasses and low murmurs as I raised the drink to my lips. I could feel the warmth of the liquor as it flowed down my throat, gradually starting to intoxicate me.

Today, I returned to Manila to visit Anna's tomb. It was her death anniversary. As memories of us happily spending our time together surged in my mind, I couldn't find forgiveness for myself after letting her die like that in front of me. The weight of my self-blame was heavy, and all I could do was drink and curse myself at how powerless I was at that time.

"Avi? Oh my God! Ginagawa niya na namang tubig ang alak na iniinom niya!" I did not mind Kassidy's reaction and continued to drink.

"Just let her, ano ka ba! Whenever we drink, she can't drink so much because she needs to take care of us! Hayaan mo muna siya mag-inom ngayon, baka may problema!" Arianne chided.

"Hmp! Hindi naman siguro lalaki problem amo, ano? Sasampalin talaga kita!" Malditang apila ni Kassidy habang naka-krus ang braso.

"Avi has many problems, but I'm sure a man isn't one of them." Fejia confidently said, turning her head in my direction with a smile. "Right?" I ignored her words and stood up and went to the dancefloor.

Lalaki? Salvatore's face suddenly flashed in my mind. Yeah, right. That crazy bastard who lied to me! Wala daw siyang naka-relasyon pero libo mahigit ang body count at may mga anak pa? Tangina niya!

"Honestly, what's wrong with her today?" Iyon na lang ang huling salitang narinig ko kay Kassidy bago ako tuluyang makarating sa dancefloor.

As the song ALIBI started kicking, the blinding lights of the disco ball made me feel more dizzy than I already was—but I didn't care. I moved my body and swayed my hips at every beat of the music.

I snarled in disgust when I noticed the men around me could not leave their eyes off my body. I was wearing a black, skin-tight dress with a small slit on the left that highlighted my perfect curves. My sleeves were merely tied with a few thin black strings.

"What's a beautiful lady like you doing here alone?" May humawak sa bewang ko kaya mabilis ko itong tinapik palayo sa akin.

I gave him a glare before moving away. "What makes you think I'm alone?" Nginisihan niya lang ako.

"Hard to get, I love that." Walang pakialam ko siyang tinalikuran at sumayaw. Mr. Saxobeat was playing.

Nagtaka ako nang biglang lumiwanag sa gawi ko. It was only then I realized the spotlight was on me, and everyone was looking in my direction. My hands moved in unison, caressing my body, my hair down to the neck and chest—to my hips as I danced through the song's beat.

I heard people cheering me, women rolling their eyes, and men gawking like I was a piece of meat. "A hot woman deserves to be with a hot man, don't you think?" Napaangat ako ng tingin nang may lumapit sa aking lalaki habang sumasayaw.

Tiningnan ko siya mula paa hanggang ulo. He's not even as half as good as Salvatore. How could he claim he's hot? Inirapan ko lang siya. "Stop calling yourself hot. The only thing you could turn on is the light switch." I spat, looking at him straight in the eyes. His mouth parted, but I was unsure what kind of expression he had because of my dizziness.

But instead of being insulted, he looks—turned on?

Inikot ko ang paningin ko at napansin kong lahat ng lalaking tinititigan ko nang matagal ay nagkakaroon ng parehong ekspresyon sa lalaki kanina. Bahagyang kumunot ang noo ko. Is there something wrong with how I look at them?

I continued rolling my body in the air to keep up with the song. I saw people walking in my direction, probably to dance with me, hoping to rub their sweaty bodies into mine, but a tall man suddenly stood before me—stopping them.

Bagaman likod niya lang ang nakikita ko ay hindi maitatanggi ang malapad nitong balikat at ang matikas nitong pangangatawan. His dominant yet gentle scent lingered on my nose.

"My lady, if you keep looking at them like that, you will end up in someone else's bed tonight." Napalingon ako nang marinig ang malumanay na boses na iyon. Hindi ko nga alam kung paano ko narinig yun kahit na malakas ang tugtog. Siguro kasi, pogi ng boses? Natawa ako sa sarili ko.

"And you are?" Tanong ko. A man with his messy comma haircut smiled at me.

"You can call me Geometry." I faked a laugh. It sounds like another made-up name. "Do you love Geometry?" He shrugged. "You can say that, but I'm not particularly fond of it." He laughed it off.

Tinitigan ko siya muli. He seriously has a handsome face. Mukhang may lahi siya pero halata pa rin naman ang pagiging pinoy niya because of his soft features. Pero mas gwapo pa rin si Salvatore.

"How about we step out for a moment?" He suggested. Napalingon ako sa gawi ni Kassidy at nakita kong may kausap naman silang lalaki. I just nodded my head and left the dancefloor with him. Well, he looks decent, and I feel no sense of hostility from him. Hindi rin naman siya mukhang manyakis.

I followed him to the corner of the club in an eight-seater table. "Ah, that was suffocating out there." Parang pagod na pagod niyang atugal bago umupo at pagbuksan ang unang dalawang butones ng puting polo shirt na suot niya. I snickered.

"Then why did you even go there when it's suffocating for you?" He did not answer. Instead, he just offered me a plain orange juice. Tinitigan ko lang ang baso na binigay niya.

Juice? Was he hoping to sober me up? But I want to drink!

"I don't want orange juice. Give me a liquor." Umiling-iling ito bago umalis saglit. Pagbalik niya ay may hawak na itong maliit na baso ng margarita. I immediately took it from him and drank it in one go na ikinagulat niya.

"Hey, you—" Hindi ko na narinig ang sinabi niya. That last shot seem to put my whole world in shambles. I am at my limit. Naduduling kong tinitigan ang lalaking kasama ko.

What was his name again? Geometrid? Geographic? Geostavo?

He pursed his lips with his palm on his forehead. "This is why you shouldn't get drunk hastily." He sighed and said. "Because when you're drunk, your eyes tell something different. It looks like an invitation." He whispered before standing up and calling someone on the phone.

I never understood what he was talking about on the phone because everything around me looked like an abstract painting. Tinutok ko ang walang laman na baso sa lalaking kaharap ko. Wala akong pakialam kung anong hitsura ko, ang importante ay matanong ko siya.

"Say, what if you found out your fiancé has kids? Are you still going to marry?" I saw confusion in his face for a moment, but it quickly vanished.

"If I truly love the person, I will accept the kids." Bumunghalit ako ng tawa. Tinitigan niya lang ako na parang may sampu akong ulo. I probably look like a crazy bitch in front of him. But to hell with that!

Love? I am not marrying him because of love! It's a marriage out of necessity! I need him so I can investigate more. But of course, I need to act like I love him to make this work.

"How do you make a person fall in love?" Muli kong tanong.

"Ask about their love language?" Napangiwi na lang ako. Can't he give me a more detailed answer? I rolled my eyes. Mukhang wala rin siyang experience doon. I could ask Kassidy, but I don't trust that woman's advice.

"Pfft!" Dinuro ko siya. "You have never been in love, too, do you? You probably just fuck around and bed every woman you—" Sinubukan ko tumayo pero muntik na ako matumba kung hindi ako inalalayan ng lalaking kaharap ko.

"Woah—Woah! You can't just accuse me like that. Besides, take it easy. You're already drunk." Binalya ko ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa braso ko kaya napaatras siya at bumangga ang likod niya sa upuan. I heard him groan in pain.

Nagkasalubong pa ang kilay ko dahil halata namang nag g-gym siya pero ganoon ko siya kadaling napatumba.

"Where's your phone?" Rinig kong tanong niya bago muling lumapit sa akin. "Damn it, I can't leave you here like that. Give me your phone so I can call—" I hissed and threw my phone in his face. Tumama ito sa tungki ng ilong niya kaya narinig ko na naman ang pagdaing niya sa sakit.

Ang gwapo niya sana kaso magnanakaw! "Ayan! Kainin mo cellphone ko!" Bulyaw ko. I squainted my eyes to look for my friends pero masyado ng blurry ang paningin ko.

I felt someone grabbing my hand and pressing my thumb on my phone. "No hand print? It's useless to ask a drunk person for a pattern! Facial recognition?" I bit my bottom lip and made faces when my phone was positioned in front of me.

"Waki!" Nakangisi kong sigaw. The man beside me sighs and shakes his head. "Keep still, hindi kita kinukuhanan ng picture! I need to unlock your phone!" He demanded pero wala pa rin akong pake. Nakailang subok siya ng tapat ng camera sa mukha ko pero ngumingiwi lang ako. He took a deep breath.

"Fine, I'll do it my way." May nilabas siyang maliit na device sa bulsa niya at kinonekta ito sa phone ko. Wala sa sarili akong umakyat sa taas ng mesa at sumayaw.

"What are you—"

The crowd goes wild as the song Tadow begins to play. I moved, swaying my hips and gently tracing my own body with my fingertips. I spun and turned, keeping my gaze fixed on everyone below me.

May nakita akong mga lalaking nagkumpulan sa baba ng mesa na kinatatayuan ko pero umaalis din ang mga ito dahil sa sama ng tingin ng lalaking sinusubukan akong paalisin sa ibabaw ng mesa habang may tinatawagan sa phone—ko?

"Why did it come to this?" He face palmed. Sukong-suko na siya habang nakatingin sa akin na tila'y hindi alam ang gagawin niya. HAHAHA!

"Oh my God, Avi! Is that you?" I heard Kassidy exclaimed. Kasama niya si Fejia at Arianne na nakatakip pa ang bibig sa gulat nang madatnan ang pinanggagawa ko.

"Hoy, gaga! Bumaba ka dyan nagmumukha kang stripper! Dios mio kokonyatan ka ni Lolo Fabian sa ginagawa mo!" Aligagang lumapit sa akin si Arianne at hinila ang braso ko upang pababain ako.

"Can you all stop taking videos of her? I will sue you!" Pambabanta naman ni Fejia sa mga lalaking enjoy na enjoy na nanonood sa amin.

"Come on! Let's dance!" Yaya ko pa sa kanila. Sabay sila nangtinginan at napasapo na lang din ng noo.

"Avi! Get down!" Hinawakan na rin ako ni Kassidy sa kabilang braso pero pumiglas ako. Because I was stronger than them, I was able to yank myself from them. Sumalampak silang dalawa sa sahig at walang nagawa kun'di ang dumaing.

"She be walking 'round so confident, so heaven-sent~" Naliliyo kong sinabayan ang kanta habang patuloy na sumasayaw sa ibabaw ng mesa. I think this is all the break that I need after all the bullshit that happened in my life lately.

I never felt so free and unrestrained from my thoughts and actions.

"Tadow! Tadow! Ta—" Napasinghap ako nang may yumakap sa binti ko. Maya-maya ay pinasan ako nito sa kanyang balikat na parang isang sakto ng bigas. "Tarantadow!" Hiyaw ko bago hampasin ang likuran ng balikat niya.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Rinig kong apila ni Fejia. "And where are you bringing our friend?" I felt my weight shifted as he turned around to face her.

"I am her fiancé, Arlecchino Kage Salvatore. I suppose you are one of her friends?" He confronted with his stern yet calm voice, subalit nauulunigan ko ang diin sa boses niya. He sounds as if he was just trying to control himself.

"You shouldn't have left her wandering around alone in this den full of lustful men who had eyes around her like a piece of meat." Seryoso nitong wika na para bang pinagsasabihan ang mga ito.

"Fiancé? Si Avi may fiancé? You must be out of your mind!" Kassidy scoffed. I had no idea what kind of face she was making since they were facing my butt, but I could only imagine the disbelief on her face.

"Put her down! Who knows, you're just one of the crazy bastards obsessed with her? I will report you to the police!" The man who had me in his arms let out a chuckle, his shoulders shaking with each hearty laugh.

Binaba niya ako at pinaharap sa kanila. His hands snaked on my waist and pulled me closer. Naipikit ko na lang ang mata ko nang maamoy ang pabango niya. The familiar, intoxicating scent enveloped me whenever he was near. Without realizing it, I reached out and tugged at his collar to inhale the alluring smell lingering on his neck.

"Yes, he's my fiancé. Pogi niya 'no?" I mumbled. They gasped.

They exchanged a few more words, but I couldn't hear them, or more like, I don't want to listen at all.

Naramdaman ko na lang ang muling pagbuhat sa akin. This time, he carried me around like a bride. Walang pakialam kong pinaubaya ang lupaypay kong katawan sa kanya.

What is he doing here anyway? I thought he had an emergency and had to leave with Leticia that day. He never explained anything.

"May bumastos ba sayo kanina?" I clung my arms around his neck and continued sniffing him. "Why? Are you going to blame me because of my clothes?" Irap ko.

"No." Mabilis niyang sagot. "Why would I do that?" Napalingon ako sa likod habang naglalakad siya palabas ng bar. People are staring at us. "Honey, dress as you please. If anyone stares too much, I'll happily help 'em stop looking. Forever." He whispered.

Nang makalabas kami ng bar papuntang parking lot ay nagpumiglas ako dahil may makita akong pulubi na nakaupo sa malayo. The poor man looks hungry. May lata na nakalagay sa harapan niya kaya hindi ko maiwasang maawa.

"Why?" Inalis ko ang pagkakasiksik ng mukha ko sa leeg niya upang tumunghay at tumitig sa mga mata niya.

"Can you put me down?" I asked softly. Kaagad niya akong binaba at may dinukot na kung ano sa bulsa niya.

"Do you even have mone—" Nang makalapit ako sa matanda ay napalabi ako. At the back of my mind, I wanted to give him some coins. Sa hindi ko malamang dahilan ay imbis dumukot ng pera sa bulsa ko ay dinukot ko ang baryang nasa loob ng lata at tumakbo.

"Hoy! Yung pera ko!" Hinabol ako ng pulubi kaya nakipagpatintero ako rito sa likod ni Salvatore.

"Pulubi na nga ako nanakawan mo pa ako! Ginoo ko!" Reklamo nito. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko sa pagtawa at tumakbo papuntang parking lot. Damn this alcohol! My body is not doing what my mind wants!

"Stop! Here, take the money and go!" May inabot na papel si Salvatore kaya lumayas na rin ang pulubi at hindi na ako hinabol pa. I pouted.

"You! Come here!" Inangat ko ang hawak kong piso kay Salvatore.

"Come and get me!" Nakipag-ikutan ako sa kanya sa mga nakaparadang sasakyan. Due to my short legs and slow running pace caused by being tipsy, he easily caught me right away.

"There you go." He said with a smirk on his face. He guided me to the passenger seat and made sure I was securely buckled in before taking the coin from me and pouring alcohol over my hands.

"Now, behave, and let me drive you to safety, okay?" Tumango na lang ako na parang bata.

Nanatili akong tahimik ng ilang minuto. There are many questions in my mind as to how he managed to come here. I also wanted to ask about the kids Leticia mentioned. Was he married before? Divorced na kaya sila ng ex-wife niya?

"We will get married next week, but I still have many questions I want to ask." Bahagya siyang napalinga sa akin.

"You can ask." He replied shortly before focusing his gaze on the road.

"Are you an introvert? Extrovert? Ambivert? Or. . ." I paused and tilted my head to look at his face better. "A pervert?" He was distracted by my question—dahilan upang makalimutan niya bagalan ang takbo dahil sa humps sa daan. Umalog kaming dalawa dahil sa impact.

"A pervert?" He breathed in disbelief. "How much did you drink, love?" He mused. Ang mga mata nito ay may halong pag-aalala at pagkamangha.

Kanina honey tawag niya sa akin ngayon naman love? Hindi ba siya nauubusan ng endearment?

"To answer that question of yours, I am an ambivert. Hmm—I'm good at communicating and also listening. I like to be with people when necessary, but I also like to be alone." He answered.

"Then, what's your love language?" Hindi ko napigilang tanong.

"Oh, that. . ." Bigla naging pula ang traffic light kaya naman nagkaroon siya ng pagkakataon para mag-isip. "Knowing how needy I am, physical touch I guess?" He replied without any hesitation.

"Ikaw? Ano love language mo?" Pabalik niyang tanong.

"Tagalog."

A long silence filled in the air. Kasabay no'n ay ang muli kong pagtawa dahil sa sarili kong kalokohan. Napatigil lang ako nang maalalang baka ma-turn off siya dahil sa mga pinaggagawa ko. I can't risk that. It was so unlady like!

When the lights turned green, my eyes landed on his big, veiny hands on the gear stick. The thought of how strong his grip on that gear stick made my mind spiral into different scenarios. I unconsciously licked my lips.

Umangat ang paningin ko sa pulsuhan niya nang ipatong niya ang kamay niya sa manibela. Nakasuot siya ng classic watch at malinis na nakatupi ang tela ng long-sleeved white shirt na suot niya.

As my gaze drifted over him, I couldn't help but notice how incredibly attractive he looked with that serious expression on his face as he focused on driving. Sexy!

The fabric of his clothes clung to his well-defined physique, revealing the contours of his toned figure underneath. Napakurap-kurap ako nang dumako ang paningin ko sa pagitan ng hita niya. Am I simply drunk, or he's bulging?

"My eyes are up here, darling." He laughs softly as he observes how flustered I am. Nahihiya akong napaiwas ng tingin.

I felt my cheeks burning red from the embarrassment. "Hmm, did something catch your eye?" He teased with an arrogant confidence in his voice. Napalunok na lang ako bago lakasan ang AC ng sasakyan.

"W-what are you talking about?" My words faltered. Wala ng mas nakakahiya pa sa nahuli kang tinititigan ang bawat parte ng katawan niya. Ano na lang iisipin niya sa akin? Omfg.

Dahil sa init na nararamdaman ko ay iginilid ko ang leeg ko. I was not sweating, but my body felt like it's about to burst into flames. Kagat labi kong inayos ang nakalugay kong buhok. I tried to tie it to a bun, but my hands were too weak to even have an energy to twirl my fingers.

I saw in the rear-view mirror he glanced in my direction while looking at my exposed neck. He then turned away and blinked an eye before gulping.

"Cazzo!" I heard him curse under his breath before pulling over to stop the car. Before I could ask, his eyes bored into mine.

His stare. . was different. I could feel the sinful tension silently building up between us.

The sight of him always left me feeling intoxicated, but tonight, it was a literal struggle to catch my breath. His intense gaze locked onto me, brimming with passion. It was as if he couldn't tear his eyes away from me, even if he knew he could.

"As beautiful as you may look with that dress. . ." He trailed off, closing his eyes with his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "I know you'd look even more beautiful without them." My breathing hitched. Kasabay no'n ay ang malakas na pagkabog ng dibdib ko.

"But I will not touch you."

"Why not?"

I bit the skin inside my left cheek. It's a slip of the tongue! Hindi ko sinasadya yun! Ehe.

A deep chuckle left his throat. This time, his throaty laugh seems more restrained—with some kind of resolve in it. I wonder, though, what would happen if I were to push his buttons and break his resolve? What will he do?

"You better not do that." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. Nababasa niya ba ang nasa isip ko? Or my eyes were just too expressive tonight?

Parang nanubig ang bagang ko nang lumapit siya sa akin. He unfastened my belt without breaking any eye contact and leaned closer, gently holding my chin and tilting it so I could meet his intense gaze filled with glints of desire for me. 

"Please, get in the backseat, love. I'm at my limit." He whispered huskily. My lips parted in daze and confusion.

Limit to what?

𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄
ᴮʸ ᴳᵒˡᵘᶜᵏʸᶜʰᵃʳᵐ