Ang Mang-Aagaw 16

Gab was left in the coffee shop. Hindi na rin sya nakapagreact ng tama sa mga nangyari. People there were all eyeing him. Hindi nya maipaliwanag ang lungkot at galit na nararamdaman.

Why did he fool me? Akala ko ba ako lang? Then all of a sudden i'll find out that he has another guy again. Paano na ba yun?

He took his last sip. Then closed his eyes. Nakita nalang nya ang pagharurot ng sasakyan na kinalalagyan ni Roj at Philip.

“Fuck.”

“Sakay!”

Getting so furious, Roj got in the car.

He sat there, not talking. Hindi nya alam kung ano ang dapat maramdaman. Must he be happy dahil sa nakita nya muli si Philip or must he be really sad that the latter busted his plans of dating Gab? Hindi nya alam. Nakita nya nalang ang pagpasok ni Philip sa loob ng sasakyan, shutting the door.

“Kuya, sa bahay tayo,” nakangiti nitong sabi.

Naginit ang ulo ni Roj nang makita ang pagngiti ni Philip.

“What the hell did you do?”

Philip was then alarmed to hear Roj's voice. Alam nya sa tono nito ang galit. Pinilit nyang wag magpaapekto.

“Trying to save you, I suppose,” tahimik na sagot nito.

“Save me fro what?”

Ramdam pa rin ni Philip ang irita sa paraan ng pagtatanong na yon ni Roj. He drew himself closer to him and let him smell his masculine scent. Umaasa sya na tatalab yon para kumalma ang isa. Roj looked more pissed. Kinuha nya ang kamay nito. Pinilit na ilock sa kanya. Naramdaman nya ang mariin nitong pagtanggi.

“You're mad, Roj?”

“Very. I am very mad at you.”

Natahimik si Philip. Para syang nabuhusan ng malamig na tubig.

“You must not be,”

“Why?”

“Because he's not gonna love you, the way I will,”

Philip was then alarmed with what he said. Hindi nya alam ang dahilan kung bakit nalang nya biglang nasabi yon. Yun ba talaga ang nararamdaman nya? O gusto nya lang muling laruin ang litong isip ng kanyang kaibigan?

Roj was dumbfounded after hearing Philip. Pakiramdam nya ay parang nakuryente sya sa mga linyang yon. Those words sent tons of electrical waves to his system. Hindi nya na alam ang sasabihin. Pakiramdam nya sya ay nanlalambot.

“S-stop playing with me,” nauutal na sagot ni Roj.

“I ain't,” seryosong sagot ni Philip.

Nautal na si Roj. Right then and there, alam nyang lalambot na ito. Mabilis nyang kinuha ang mga kamay nito and made it locked in his. And he was right, they were now holding each others' hands.

“So who is he, Roj?”

“He-he's someone special.”

“Special. Now that's new. Becoming a retired playboy, eh?”

“I-i think so,”

Mas hinigpitan ni Philip ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ni Roj.

“Where did you meet him and why do you like him?”

Fuck. Why I was asking him these questions? Am I really interested? Am I really into my bestfriend? Philip thought

“Somewhere. I like him because he likes me,” nauutal pa rin nitong sagot.

“Drop it. You're just needy for affection.”

Napailing si Roj. Tama nga si Philip. Gusto lang nya ng affection pero hindi nya talaga alam kung kaya nyang panindigan si Gab. He knew to himself that he is a person that doesn't know what contentment is and he's a playboy but hindi lang nya maipaliwanag kung bakit parang hooked na hooked sya kay Philip. Hindi kaya ngayon lang yan pero kapag nakuha na nya ito ay mawala na rin ang matinding atraksyon?

“Because you're not giving me any,” sagot nito.

Fuck. Why did I just say that? Anong iisipin ni Philip ngayong narinig nya na I want his affection? Baka isipin nya naghahabol ako. Baka isipin nya na gusto ko sya at magpapakagago ako. Baka isipin nya na i'm playboy-no-more? That can't happen. Roj thought

Philip smiled after hearing those words. Hindi nya alam kung bakit at parang nakaramdam sya ng saya nung narinig ang mga salitang yon. Could it be that he's falling for him too? Or he likes his bestfriend so much?

“Anong hindi? I do, ikaw lang tong di namamansin,” sagot ni Philip sabay ngiti.

They both became silent. Awkward.

Fine. Fine. I have to do this. To set things straight.

Fine. Dapat malinaw to kung ano ba to.

Philip looked at Roj. Gumanti ito ng tingin sa kanya. Mas naging madiin ang pagkakakapit ng kanilang mga kamay. Dahan-dahang nilapit ni Philip ang kanyang mukha, nagtama ang kanilang mga ilong. Naamoy ni Roj ang mabangong hininga ni Philip. He felt his heart thumping so hard. Parang gustong sumabog ng kanyang dibdib sa sobrang kilig. Ganun din si Philip. Hindi na sya nakapagpigil at dumampi na ang kanyang labi kay Roj. He felt how soft those lips are.

It was a smooch. They let go. It was a sweet kiss. Nagtitigan silang dalawa. Sa hindi mapaliwanag na dahilan ay pareho silang nangiti. Pareho na sila ng nararamdaman?

Inangkla ni Roj ang kanyang mga kamay sa leeg ni Philip, making him drew closer to him. Walang pagtangging sumunod si Philip. He was making his face closer to Roj when the latter quickly pulled him and give him a kiss. This time, it was wilder yet passionate. They could feel their lips fighting. Ramdam rin nila ang kanilang mga impit na paghinga. Philip was biting his lower lips sa sobrang panggigil that brought him to a state of euphoria. The second kiss was way longer than the first one.

“Sir, nandito na po tayo sa bahay nyo,” sabi ng driver.

Nagulat sila sa narinig. They got so carried away to the point that they actually forgot that they are making out in the car.

“Ah. O-okay kuya. Sa-salamat,” nahihiyang sabi ni Philip.

Namula rin ng husto ang mukha ni Roj sa nangyari.

“Sir bababa na po ako.”

Seconds after, naiwan nalang silang dalawa sa loob ng sasakyan. They bursted a heartily laugh. Then there's silence.

“Ga-galit ka pa ba sakin, Roj?”

“Galit saan?”

“Sa-sa ginawa ko sa coffee shop with Arvin at sa ginawa ko sa coffee shop with Gab?”

Napabuntong-hininga si Roj.

“Wa-wala na tayong magagawa ron eh. Tapos na,”

Philip gave him a quick kiss on the cheeks.

“Pwede bang bumawi sayo?”

Napalunok si Roj sa narinig.

“Paanong pagbawi naman yan?”

Ngumiti sa kanya si Philip.

“At bakit ka babawi?”

“Dahil gusto ko? At gusto kitang makasama ng mas matagal?”

Nakaramdam ng kilig si Roj ngunit hindi nya pinahalata. He let a smile.

“Does that smile mean a yes?”

“I suppose,” nakangiting sagot ni Roj.

“You look more handsome when you smile. Please always do that for me,”

Nanlaki ang mata ni Roj sa narinig. Inside him, he was actually wanting to explode. Hindi nya na mapigilan ang kanyang nararamdamang kaligayahan. Finally, nakasama nya na ulit si Philip. Ang lalaking dahilan ng kanyang kalungkutan at pagkabalisa these past few days, ang kanyang bestfriend, at malamang, ang kanyang minamahal.

“Yes,” tugon nya.

“Last favor.”

“And that is?”

“Can you make some lugar for me?”

“Why?”

“I'm a bit sick. Pwede na ring magpaalaga Roj?”

“Fine,” he smiled.

Philip gave him a kiss. A sweet one.

“Nasasanay ka ng halik ng halik ha?”

“Ayaw mo ba?”

“Gu-gusto,” nauutal nyang sagot.

Philip gave him one more. Then they held each others' hands as they got in the house.

Charles kept on finding his stuff.

Shit. Where did I put that stuff? Hindi pwedeng mawala sa bulsa ko yun. Hindi pwede makita ng ibang tao yun.

He was then very mad.

Where did I put that? Alam ko nasa bulsa ko lang yun. Pero bakit ganun? Bakit wala na?

Nagisip sya sa mga nangyari. Everything went normal. Kung iisipin nya kung sino ang mga taong nakahawak sa kanyang katawan ay sila Dalisay at Philip lang yun. He remember Dalisay touching his ass commenting on how round those are. He then remembered Philip and him making out on the comfort room.

Could it be Philip? Impossible, dahil we were so hot at alam kong hindi gagawin ni Philip na kunin yun. At isa pa, wala syang idea na nagdadrugs ako.

He was already on his way home. Kahit gaano karami ng tao sa lugar na yon ay di pa magambala ang kanyang pagiisip.

Si Dalisay kaya? Pero impossible namang makuha nya yon habang hinawakan nya pwet ko? Mararamdaman ko yun.

He took a deep breath.

Hindi kaya nalaglag ko somewhere? If yes, sino ang nakakuha?

Lumiko sya papasok sa kanto malapit sa kanyang bahay. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Nagulat sya sa nakita.

“Mr.Despabiladeras?”

Nagpawis siya ng malamig. Butil-butil ito sa kanyang noo.

“Ba-bakit po?”

Bakit may pulis? Could it be?

“Gusto po sana namin kayong imbitahan sa presinto,”

“Para saan?”

“Para po sa laman ng bag na dala nyo ngayon,”

Charles looked so nervous.

“Gamit ko ang laman ng bag ko,”

“Maari po ba nating tignan?”

Binuksan ng dalawang pulis ang laman ng bag. Charles went to his knees. Puno ng shabu ang kanyang bag.

“Hi-hindi akin yan! Wala akong alam! Hindi akin yan! Maniwala kayo sakin! Naset-up ako! Naset up ako!”

“Sa presinto na po kayo magpaliwanag.”

The policemen had his arms cuffed. Sinakay na sya sa mobile.

Itutuloy..