I had to check myself in the mirror just so I would know I looked good before going and seeing them. I even put some sweet fragrant in me so whenever Hayden passed by he would smell me. Para bang singhot kung singhot. I haven't seen him in the act with his wife. . . Maybe they did and I just couldn't see it on my view from their open window.

Bailey, Patty, and her boyfriend left the house thirty minutes ago and they watched with me those people who were coming in and out of the house next door. Gusto pa nilang mag-stay at magmatyag kung sino-sino ang mga bisita nila,pero pinauwi ko na sila. Good thing, Cole agreed at napilit niya ang jowa niya na umalis. Isinama na nila si Bailey sa pag-alis.

As I was walking around the room, I found myself staring at the window where I saw Hayden walk inside their bedroom taking his shirt off to put on a new one. Hindi ko mapaigilang mapakagat sa labi. It looked like he made a mess in the kitchen. But I bet he could make a mess with me on the bed. He threw those clothes into the hamper and went back out to meet their guests.

Sa tuwing maaabutan ko si Hayden sa kwarto nila ay nanlalambot ang tuhod ko. It was like he would do something that will make my legs shivered and felt like jelly. Kulang na lang ay magsabit ako ng CCTV sa tapat ng bintana ng bedroom nila so I could catch them everytime they would do it. Naisip ko rin 'yon, but I think it would just invade their privacy. Iba naman ang nangyayari sa ngayon. It wasn't my intention to catch them all doing those acts. Nakabukas ang bintana so I thought I was free to watch them do it. There was only one word I could define it—hot.

Nang masigurado ko namang ayos na ang postura ko ay kinuha ko na ang little gift ko for them. I've been thinking of giving them something nice when they finally finished decorating their house. Kung alam ko lang na lasagna lang pala ang katapat ni Hayden ay iyon na lang sana ang dadalhin. But that also give me reason to visit them. I'll do that next time.

I walked out of my house and went to the next door. Kumatok naman ako sa pinto at hindi katagalan ay may nagbukas ng pinto sa akin. I was hoping it would be Hayden and I wasn't wrong when his pretty face showed up. Nakangiti ito sa akin at hindi rin ako nagpatalo. Mas malaki pa ang ngiti ko sa kanya.

"Glad to see you come, Chel!" pagbati pa nito sa akin.

"Of course! I wouldn't want to miss this housewarming you prepared! Thank you for inviting me though. . . I've got a gift for you. . ." Inabot ko naman sa kanya iyon at nagulat pa ito dahil hindi niya inaasahan na may ibibigay ako.

"Lasagna na ba 'to?" Hagikgik pa nito.

"Hindi 'no! But don't worry, ipagluluto ko kayong dalawa ni Renee no'n."

"You're the best, Chel. Come on in. Join in on the fun. May mga handa kami rito, eat what you want. Just enjoy. We want you to enjoy."

"Thank you! I will!"

Sgalit lang din naman tinawag nito ang asawa niya. "Babe! Look what Mitchel brought us a gift!" Nang lumipat ang atensyon ni Renee sa amin ay binati niya rin naman ako at niyakap. She was so giddy that I came because all the peole who they invited were people they trust and close to them. Ang bigat naman no'n pantayan, pero nakatutuwa na pinagkatitiwalaan nila kaagad ako. 

"Why don't you guys open it and let's see if you would like it!" aniko.

"I'm opening it yet, but I'm already loving it, Mitchel. Alam mo you didn't have to give us this, but we appreciate this kind of gesture! You're the best neighbor we ever had. Mabuti na lang talaga at nakilala ka kaagad namin."

"Walang anuman!" I giggled. It was really a compliment to hear them say those words. They were such a nice neighbor too. Palagi akong may free show.

Nang buksan nila ang regalo ay natuwa ako nang makita kong natuwa rin silang dalawa. It was a lavender scented candle that I bought last week. Ibibigay ko na sana sa kanila iyon no'ng nakaraang araw, pero palagi kong nakalilimutan. When they invited me to be part of their housewarming, I thought it was the best opportunity for me to hand this item to them.

Inamoy naman ni Renee ang candle and she admitted she was a fan of scented candles. At that moment, I knew I was able to get close to Renee when I told her I was fond of buying scented candles and used them when I was in the bathroom in a bath tub. Nagkasundo kaagad kami. Inamoy rin naman iyon ni Hayden and he liked it. I knew seeing his reaction he wasn't a fan of it, but I guess as he could see that his wife loved it, hindi na rin niya maitanggi.

They have to leave me for a while to attend to their other guests. Pinakilala naman ako ni Hayden nang mabilisan sa mga kaibigan niya. Nakiupo ako sa sofa at napapaligiran nila ako. They offered me a glass of wine. Hindi ako tumanggi at mabilis na sinalinan nito ang baso ko. I wasn't able to get into their conversation for a few moments dahil pinapakiramdaman ko pa sila. I think they were all around the same age as Hayden. They were all in their thirties, pero alam kong sobrang katas pa ng mga ito.

"So, you're name's Mitchel, right?" one of his friends asked. I believe his name's Ezekiel Almanzar. I already searched his Facebook profile while they were talking while I was just listening at the corner. At ngayon, tumapon ang atensyon nilang lahat sa akin na para bang iintegorahin nila ako. "How was your week when they were moving in? Maiingay ba sila? Or do they keep bothering you?"

Natawa naman sila sa tanong nito, as if alam na kaagad nila ang isasagot ko.

"Hayden and Renee were so cool! Hindi naman nila ako na-bother. I'm glad to help them out since they were new to this neighborhood! Though I would say, Hayden's frequent stop in my house to ask for help happened daily, I must say."

Muli silang natawa sa pagkompirma ko no'n. Kasama namin si Hayden sa usapan at natatawa na lang din siya dahil totoo naman ang sinabi ko. 

"Well, my frequent visit to his house was also my wife's request," he defended, pero hindi pa rin sila naniniwala at gusto niya lang daw talaga mangulit sa akin. "Sure! I would say we were bothering him, but he said if we needed some help, he'd be a door away, so we did!"

Napangiwi naman ako. "Yup, I kind of say that. . ."

Napatingin naman si Ezekiel sa akin at napansin ko ang malalim na pagtitig pa nito sa akin. "I really like your smell, Mitchel. It's so sweet. You smell like a strawberry. . . Did you pour strawberry scent all over you?"

I chuckled. I thought Hayden would be the one to notice that, but I guess someone buffed like Ezekiel was enough. Umiling naman ako kahit ang totoo naman ay halos paliguan ko na ang sarili ko ng pabango. It wasn't strong na masakit na sa ilong. It was so good kaya naman bangong-bango si Ezekiel sa akin. Magkatabi pa kami kaya humahalimuyak talaga papunta sa kanya.

"No. For real? Are you wearing a strawberry scent?" he asked. Mukhang gustong-gusto rin naman niyang malaman, pero hindi ko naman agad sasabihin sa kanya.

"Why would you want to know? What if I would say to you na natural scent ko lang 'yon?"

He smirked. "If that was your natural scent, hell, I wouldn't want anyone next to me, but you." Sandali lamang ay lumapit ito sa akin at may ibinulong. "Are you gay?" Napalunok naman ako ng laway sa tanong niya. Nang ibalik niya ang tingin sa mata ko ay mistulang naghihintay pa ito ng sagot mula sa akin.

"What would you want me to say?"

Muli siya lumapit sa akin at ibinulong ang sasabihin. "I like gays. . . I like fucking gays in the ass."

Napalunok muli ako ng laway dahil hindi ko inaasahan na sasabihin niya iyon. Maingay naman ang paligid at halos hindi na magka-usisa ang ibang tao, pero kung nilakas niya ang sinabi niya sa akin ay tiyak na makukuha niya ang atensyon ng buong bisita ng bahay na 'to. Nang umusod at umayos nang pagkauupo ay napatingin ako sa ibaba at alam ko na sa tingin pa lang ay tinitigasan na siya.

Nang kunin naman ang atensyon ni Ezekiel ng isa pa nitong kaibigan ay tumayo ako at tumungo sa lamesa kung nasaan ang mga pagkain. The food they were serving are okay—pizza, donuts, pasta, fried and roasted chicken, rice, cupcakes, and others I'm not familiar with. Habang nagsasalin ako ng tubig mula sa punch ay may taong lumapit sa akin at nakasanggi. It spilled on my legs and wiping it off with a napkin didn't work and made it so sticky.

I decided to clean myself back home, but when I was about to find my way out ay humarang si Hayden sa dinadaanan ko at tinanong kung saan ako pupunta. Nang ipinaliwanag ko sa kanya na natapon ang juice ko dahil may nakasanggi sa akin at maghuhugas ako sa bahay ay isinama na lang niya sa common washroom nila. Bakit pa raw ako pupunta sa bahay kung pwede naman makigamit ng banyo nila.

Nang marating namin ang common washroom ay nakasarado ito ay may gumagamit.

"I think it would be better kung sa bahay na lang talaga ako maghuhugas. Babalik din naman ako, promise!"

"No, you're not leaving yet," sabi pa nito. "Come on, gamitin mo na lang iyong bedroom bathroom namin."

"Ay, hindi na! Nakakahiya naman."

"No. I should be the one be embarassed dahil bisita ka namin. Come on, I know you won't take long. . ."

"Okay. . . Siguro mag-cr na rin ako if ever. . ."

"No problem. Follow me."

Gaya ng sabi niya ay sinundan ko siya papunta sa bedroom's bathroom nila. Nanginginig pa ang tuhod ko na pasukin iyon dahil nakikita ko lamang ang ilang parte ng kwarto nila sa mula sa bintana ko. Pagkapasok ko ay doon ko lang nasilayan ang bawat paligid. I saw where the bed was and I was right that I wouldn't be able to see it dahil malayo na sa bintana, but I could get closer, tiyak na makikita ko kung anong ginagawa nila ro'n. My head was all over the place that when Hayden was calling my name, I was so lost. Natawa na lang ako at napangisi siya sa reaksyon ko.

Binuksan niya ang pinto ng bathroom at saka ako tumuloy sa loob. Sinara naman niya ang pinto at sinabi nitong maghihintay lang siya sa labas. Mabilis naman akong kumuha ng dry towel sa drawer nila at binasa iyon. I washed my legs off and somehow it made me feel better. Umihi na rin ako pagkatapos at saka ko napansin ang hamper sa gilid. To my curiosity, I opened it and I saw some user underwears there. Nanlaki ang mata ko at kakaibang kabog ng puso ang namuo sa dibdib ko. I just picked one used boxed brief from the hamper and put it on my short's pocket and walked out of the bathroom as if nothing happened.

"All good?" he asked.

I smiled widely. "All good. Thanks though. I really appreciate it. . ."

"No, thank you. You've been so kind to me. . . And I must say, I liked what you guys have done to the place. Ang refreshing tingnan."

He chuckled. "Well, we worked really hard to make our dream house come true. . ."

"Yeah! It seemed like it worked out perfectly!"

"I agree," he said. "And oh, I just remembered, I saw you and Zeke talking earlier. . . What are you guys whispering about?"

Napangisi naman ako. "Wala naman. He was just asking about the perfume I used. . . Ang sweet daw kasi. Gusto mo ba amoyin kung sweet nga ba?"

"Sure?" Pumayag naman siya at lumapit sa akin para amoyin din ako. Suminghot siya nang mabilisan at tumango ito. "Yeah, I think Zeke was right. You smelled so sweet. I like it."

"Thanks. . . I like it too. . ."

"I think let's go back there now and I hope there won't any juices be spilled anymore."

I giggled. "I can make sure of that!"

When I followed him back to where all the guests were, I knew I was one step closer to getting Hayden's charms, but I felt like I couldn't do it since Renee was so nice to me. But I guess, for tonight, my eyes were set to one of a hella hot man and that is Ezekiel.

***