Chapter Seventeen

Open-minded

Sabog na ngang talaga ako para mapapayag ni Soraia na lumabas sa club at sa aking sasakyan kami mag-usap. Now that we're in full silence, mas lalo kong naging kalaban ang utak at katawan ko habang nakatitig sa kanyang walang humpay sa pagsasalita kahit na wala akong maintindihan.

I was so drawn with her heavenly scent. She looks beautiful with her plunging neckline jumpsuit, too. Her long neck was layered with three gold necklaces down to her cleavage at doon napirmi ang mga mata ko. I think her skin still looks better with my kiss marks on it.

"Thelonious." may pagbabanta niyang sambit at tumikhim pa dahilan para maibalik ko sa kanyang mukha ang aking mga mata.

Naaasiwa niyang inayos ang sarili lalo na ang cleavage na pilit dumudungaw sa akin.

"That distracts me." I honestly blurted, still mesmerized by her perky mounds.

Agad nag-init ang kanyang magkabilang pisngi sa aking sinabi.

"Focus here please." aniya sabay galaw ng kanyang mga kamay sa itaas na parte ng kanyang katawan.

Umayos ako ng upo ay tamad na isinandal ang ulo sa headrest ng kotse. I am drunk. I'd rather go to sleep than listen to her right now.

"Hey!" sinapak niya ang balikat ko pero hindi ako dumilat.

"I'm listening. Sabihin mo na lahat ng gusto mong sabihin para makauwi na ako."

"Look at me."

"No, I can't help but to stare at your boobs."

"Thelonious!" nabibigla niyang hiyaw sa pagiging prangka ko.

"Go on so you we can be done. I need some fucking sleep. I'm exhausted."

"Fine. Gusto ko lang malaman ang sagot mo. I know you already told my father that you will call him, but I want to know what's up. May aasahan ba kami sa 'yo? I can't predict your decisions anymore. I know naiinis ka na sa patuloy kong pangungulit pero sinabi ko na sa 'yong hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi naisasalba ang pamilya ko–"

"Your father wanted to sell you to me," I cut her off.

Hindi siya nakasagot, tila nagulat sa narinig kaya napadilat ako. I slowly shifted my head on her direction.

"He said you'd be his collateral. Are you okay with that?"

"W-what did you said to him?"

"Nothing. I told him nothing, Soraia."

It was her turn to stop looking at me in the eye. Tila nawalan siya ng lakas na dugtungan ang pangungulit sa akin.

Kung sabagay, sino nga bang anak ang matutuwa kapag narinig mong ibinibenta ka ng sarili mong magulang? Like your life and future can be easily bought.

"I told him there's no need for you to be involved, but he was persistent. Now answer me, are you okay with that?"

Her eyes pooled with tears. Pinigilan kong mapalunok nang makita ang lungkot sa kanyang mga mata sa muling pakikipagtitigan sa akin.

"If that's what going to save my family from everything then I should be okay with that, right?"

Naitikom ko ang aking bibig. She was really desperate. She think she was some kind of superhero that could save the day. All I can feel was pity.

"Ayaw mo ba, Thelonious? Ako ba ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ka um-oo sa proposal ni Dad?"

"And if yes?"

Bumagsak ang balikat niya. "Then I'll accept defeat. Lumapit ako sa 'yo dahil alam kong isang sabi mo lang ang maiaahon na kaagad ulit ang kompanya ni Daddy pero kung hindi mo kami matutulungan ay wala na akong magagawa. I guess this is goodbye, Thelonious. I will not bother you anymore and I'm sorry for doing that."

Napapikit ako ng mariin hindi dahil sa kanyang mga sinabi kung hindi dahil sa pagkirot ng ulo ko. I am not on my right mind to talk right now. Nasapo ko ang aking noo.

"A-are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Hinintay ko siyang lumabas ng kotse pero sa aking pagdilat ay nananatili lang itong nakatitig sa akin.

"Get out. Uuwi na ako."

"You're drunk."

Inayos ko ang upo saka siya sinagot. "And so?"

"You can't drive. It's too dangerous."

Hindi ko napigilang matawa.

"It's not funny! Give me your keys!"

Bago pa ako nakagalaw ay nakuha na niya iyon! I was driving an old car kaya agad namatay ang makina nang hugutin niya ang susi rito!

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Ihahatid na kita. Ako na ang mag-da-drive sa 'yo pauwi."

"Don't be silly. Give me my keys and get out of my car."

My frustrations skyrocket when she folded her arms in front of me, nakikipagmatigasan.

"I can fucking drive for fucks sake."

"Hindi naman ikaw ang inaalala ko kung hindi ang mga makakasabay mo sa daan. You are not just drunk mukhang pagod na pagod ka pa kaya manahimik ka na and let me drive you home."

"Soraia—"

"Now, Thelonious! Stop wasting my time!"

For some odd reason, her voice made me shut up. Itinulak niya ako palabas ng sarili kong sasakyan kaya wala na akong nagawa kung hindi ang sumunod. Gusto ko pa sanang magmatigas pero muling nadiskaril ang utak ko nang mapatutok ulit sa kanyang dibdib.

Her breasts looks fucking soft... tang ina, katatapos ko lang kanina horny na naman ako?

"Stop looking at my boobs and get inside the car!" She shouted again.

"It wants to be stared at. Saan ka ba galing at 'yan ang suot mo?" I asked after I hopped in and she started maneuvering my car.

I relaxed a bit when we got into the highway.

"Wala. Ito lang ang nadampot ko kanina habang hinahanap kita."

"It's too revealing."

"Oh, you're an old fashion now?"

"I'm not."

"So hindi ka lang sanay na makakita ng babaeng nakasuot ng ganito?"

"I just said it's too revealing."

Natawa na siya ng sarkastiko. "Oh, yeah? Anong tawag mo sa mga stripper na halos wala ng saplot sa club na 'yon?"

Her words pissed me a bit. "I'm not talking about those girls, Soraia. I don't care about them. Ang sinasabi ko lang, it's too revealing for you!"

Natahimik siya sa pagtaas ng boses ko. Pinilit niyang huwag akong lingunin kahit na dama ko ang kagustuhan niya. Pinanatili niya ang mga mata sa daan.

"So..." she trailed off. "You don't want to see me wear revealing clothes?"

"Wala akong sinabi. You can wear whatever the fuck you want it's your choice."

"Then why are you acting like that?"

Iniwasan kong mapatitig sa kanya nang lingunin niya ako. I closed my eyes before I answered her.

"I don't like myself seeing you wear revealing clothes."

"W-what do you mean by that?"

I heave a sigh and then opened my eyes to stare at her just in time for the car to stop at a red light.

"Nanggigigil ako..." I said in gritted teeth that made her swallowed hard.

Kahit madilim ay naaninag ko ang pamumula ng kanyang mukha.

"Is it sexual?" walang utal at matapang niya namang tanong.

"Do you find me attractive, Thelonious? Am I turning you on?"

"You're really straightforward, huh?"

"Why not? Answer the question."

"If yes, what will you gonna do about it?"

"I'm still a virgin, but I am open-minded. Will my virginity make you say yes to my father?"

If I wasn't just high baka kung ano nang nagawa ko sa kanya pero iba ang tama sa akin ng marijuana ngayon o baka nasaid lang ang energy ko kanina sa ginawa ko sa club dahil ngayon ay gusto ko na lang mag-relax. I am calm as fuck while having blunt conversation with Soraia.

"You're going that low for money?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable."

Nangunot lang ang noo ko sa kanyang sinabi.

"It was a saying coined by the ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates. Desperate times call for desperate measures was derived from it. I'm just saying, I'm desperate, Thelonious. Gagawin ko kung gusto mo kapalit ng pagsalba sa pamilya ko."

Hindi ko na napigilang matawa. Mabuti na lang at nagkulay berde na ang traffic light kaya hindi ko masyadong nakita ang ekspresyon niyang naiinsulto.

"But I will still not force you. I am just giving you options. I know hindi naman big deal para sa 'yo ang pagkababae ko dahil maraming babae ang nagkakandarapa sa 'yo, but it means the world to me. I will not hesitate giving this up if it will save my family. Iyon pa rin ang mas importante sa akin."

Kahit na bangag ako ay tumatak sa utak ko ang mga salita ni Soraia hanggang sa magising ako kinabukasan. My head hurts. Mabuti na lang at wala kaming klase.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ni Toine ay nagpaalam na itong aalis. Ipinatawag naman ako ni Vladimir kaya dumiretso ako sa kanyang opisina pagkatapos.

He was casually smoking his tobacco when I went inside. Hindi siya natinag sa pinapanuod kahit na nakaupo na ako sa kanyang harapan. I waited for him to give me attention.

"How's the Chinese fuckers doing?"

I relaxed my fists before I look into his eyes. "I'm on it. Hindi makakapalag ang mga 'yon. I already gave them a warning."

"Those assholes were snitches, Thelonious. Habang nasa balawarte natin ang mga putang inang 'yon ay hindi titigil ang mga de puta sa ginagawa kahit na ilang beses mo pang bigyan ng warning. You need to do something about it or else you'll end up ineffective."

"I said I am working on it. Ako nang bahala diyan."

He heave a sigh. Sumandal siya sa kanyang swivel chair at pagkatapos ay mahabang hinithit ang hawak.

"I'm saying no to the La Casse."

Nagtangis ang bagang ko sa narinig.

"I realized that I could do so much more with ten billion pesos so tell Adriana to turn down the deal."

"What so much more are you talking about? I thought you said it was a good investment–"

"Yes it was, but the Germans had a better proposal for the future of the Rozovsky legacy."

Hindi ko na napigilang mapalunok sa narinig. I was cursing inside. I knew he was up to something again. Fucking fuck!

"What proposal?"

Nangisi ang ama ko pero imbes na sagutin ay muli niya lang ibinalik ang mga mata sa kanyang computer.

"You'll see, Thelonious."

"Tell me now."

"Oh, so you're interested now?"

"Gusto ko lang malaman ang mga plano mo lalo na kung kasali ako."

"You think helping the La Casse's is not a big risk?" he asked instead, mas lalo akong walang naisagot.

"I think so, too. Sa ngayon ang gusto kong gawin mo ay sabihin kay Adriana na tawagan na si Estevan at sabihing tumatanggi ang mga Rozovsky sa kanyang proposal. It's always smart to chose something that will benefit us more. It's all business Thelonious and you're going to thank me one day."

Wala akong nagawa kung hindi ang gawin ang sinabi niya. The decision of turning down Soraia's father made me pissed even though I wasn't really into it in the first place.

Siguro kung hindi kami nag-usap ng babae kagabi at hindi ko nalaman ang mga handa niyang ibigay para lang sa kanyang pamilya ay balewala iyon sa akin.

I never felt guilty about something that I did or my family, pero nang makita ko sa mga mata namumugtong mata ni Soraia ang matinding lungkot sa muli naming pagkikita ay parang may kung anong bumundol sa dibdib ko.

"Soraia–"

"It's okay, Thelonious. We don't have to talk about it."

"Hey–" naputol ang aking mga salita nang agad siyang umiwas sa akma kong paghawak.

My jaw clenched when I saw tears pooling in her eyes. Ilang beses pa siyang napalunok bago ako sagutin nang hindi tumutulo ang mga luha.

"Huwag mo na akong sundan at huwag na rin tayong mag-usap kahit kailan, Thelonious. Wala na tayong agenda sa isa't isa so please don't bother me again." mabigat niyang sabi bago ako talikuran at walang lingong iwan.