Makati City, present time
He threw himself in the bed and stared at the ceiling feeling empty. It was an exhausting day for Cairo Faan Velasco. Kararating lang niya galing sa Cubao, kung saan nakatira si Ardel- ang kaibigan niyang kumandidato bilang santo ng mga single.
Wala siyang ideya kung ano ang type ng kaibigan. Hindi niya alam kung bakit tanggihan ni Ardel ang mga babaeng ipinakilala niya sa kaibigan. They were gorgeous and seductive and met all the criteria, but dang it, Ardel Ybañez ignored them.
Nawala sa kanyang isipan si Ardel. The scene from last week fraught his mind. He detests having to accept it, but he must. Muli na naman niyang naalala nang nagtapat ang girlfriend niya na hindi siya nito mahal.
He wasn’t naive. Alam naman niya ang totoong rason. The other guy from the Art department of their university is dating his girlfriend. Wala siyang paki-alam. Cairo shrugged. Nanloko rin naman siya pero hindi siya nito nahuli.
He is completely pain-free. After a breakup, a player wouldn’t even experience a single pain. He plays, wins, and scores. He changes women in the same way as he changes his clothes. Five months lang ang pinakamatagal na relasyon na mayroon siya. Kaya hindi na siya bago sa usapan ng mga babae na mag-ingat at dapat iwasan si Cairo Velasco. The hell he wasn’t giving a damn.
Cairo enjoys everything he had in life. He doesn’t even care how much pence he spends on everything. His life, his rule, walang makapagsabing hindi tuwid ang mga ginagawa niya.
Mistakes made now cannot be rectified later.
Iyon madalas sinabi ng kanyang Mommy. Hindi niya naiintindihan ang kanyang parents. He believed that his parents saw him as the antagonist in the story, while his brother, Mino, may have been the protagonist. That is what was the scene of that house. He wasn’t everyone’s favorite. While Mino is lauded for being successful, a good son, and whatever other admirable qualities there are.
Kahit mas matanda si Mino ng anim na taon sa kanya ay hindi nito nagawa ang mga ginagawa niya. Ang uminom, manigarilyo, at ang gumasta nang labis. It doesn’t feel like a bad character. Cairo just let himself splurge. Ano’t parang wala ng bisa ang kasabihang ‘live your life to the fullest.’
He hates whenever he heard na bata pa raw siya at hindi pa niya naiintindihan ang buhay. What is life made of? Cairo is uninterested in whatever their notion of life was. Ginagawa niya ang bagay na ikinasasaya niya pero para sa iba ay mali o masama pala iyon
Enough. He had enough thoughts that six in the evening. Why he couldn’t even think of something else? Iniisip niyang sana ay hindi na lang muna siya nagbalik sa kanilang bahay at mag-stay na lang sana siya sa Cubao sa bahay nila Ardel.
Gusto man niya ang lumabas sa gabing iyon at pumunta sa paborito niyang bar pero hindi buong pagkatao niya ang sumang-ayon. Gusto man niyang kumuha ng beer sa loob ng fridge sa ibaba pero alam niyang nasa ibaba ang parents niya. Sa ngayon ay ayaw niyang kausapin siya ng Mommy o Daddy niya.
Palagi naman kasing nakasentro sa mga nagawa niya ang usapan. Naroon ang bakit hindi niya gayahin si Mino. Gusto pa ng mga ito na ilayo siya sa mga kaibigan niya. His friends were not a bad influence. The condemnatory statements of his parents against his friends were refreshing whenever he heard them again and again.
Napabuntong hiningang bumangon siya. He went straight inside the bathroom. He stood in front of the huge mirror. He smiled and whenever he smiled it always made him appear younger than his years. When he smiled, he looks like sixteen years old guy. Perhaps they were right na bata pa siya, not the way he thinks though. His criticisms were mature.
He washed his face. At lumabas na ng banyo. He opened his cellphone and open an app to order food dahil nakaramdam siya ng gutom. Now, the clock chimed six forty-five in the evening. Hindi pa siya nakakain kanina.
Alam niyang maraming hinandang pagkain ang katulong nila. Pero dahil iniiwasan niya ang parents niya ay naisip niyang um-order na lang ng pagkain. His appetite was craving Western food. He scrolled on his cell phone until he came with a row of Italian food. He ordered Gnocchi, Pesto alla Genovese, Prisciutto di parma, and Panzerotto fritto.
Paglipas ng limang minuto ay biglang nag-ring ang cellphone niya. Si Tristan Chen ang nakarehistro sa caller ID ng cellphone niya. Napangiting sinagot niya ang tawag ng kaibigan. Ano naman ang ibinalita nito sa kanya. Baka yayain naman siya nitong lumabas. Dahil halos isang kilometro lang naman ang layo ng bahay nito sa kanila. “Heys, what’s up?”
Narinig niya ang malalim na buntong hininga nito mula sa kabilang linya. Ano ba namang drama ang naisip ng loko. Lumipas ang mga segundo at hindi pa rin nagsalita si, Tristan. “Tinatanong kita, napatawag ka bakit? Ano namang katantaraduhan iyan, hilaw na intsik?
“I can tell that your girlfriend is running away with your money. Pera lang ‘yon ano ka ba!” Natawa siya. Binibiro lang niya ito. Paano, palagi kasing niloloko ng babae si Tristan, at pera lang nito ang habol ng babae rito. Talk about pathetic.
“What a nice sh*tty day,” Tristan replied. “Are you sick in the head? Palagi mong nabanggit ‘yan ah.” He sighed.
“Don’t worry. I’m telling you the truth, though.” He simpered.
“Where are you? I want to spend the night with you at the bar. My treat man, ‘wag ka lang mag-order ng mamahaling alak baka mabutas bulsa ko sayo.”
“Sure? your treat, hah!” He smiled. “The one that cost thousands.” He laughed.
“Thousands my ass. But it’s okay, order what you want.”
He smiled. “See, may problema ka nga, Tristan. Friendly advice lang, minsan kasi gamitin mo ‘yang utak mo—”
“Parang ginamit mo rin ‘yang sayo,” mabilis na sambit nito mula sa kabilang linya. “Alam ko kung saan posibleng hahantong ang usapan. Mag-hire ng girlfriend. Kay Ardel mo naman subukan ang gano’ng suhetisyon.”
He smirked. “Advance ka talaga mag-isip.” Humakbang siya sa pinto. “Ni wala nga akong balak na buksan ang gano’ng paksa.”
“Just eff off.”
“Usual place? you holy cow changing location any time. Basta I’ll be seeing you at 9:00 P.M. later.”
“Roger that. Ako na lang susundo sayo para naman maibsan ang record ng kasinungalingan ko sa langit. At para may plus points ako.”
“Bad yan, Tristan.” He warned.
“Hello, a bad Cairo telling me what I just said was bad.”
“Eff you.”
Tristan ended the call.