Love For Sale Book 1 (Self-published)

CH 9: The Mighty Fall

"Claire..."

"God, Barry, don't say anything. Just don't."

"Okay. Sorry."

He had stopped the car at a fast food's parking lot and I wondered if he knew that I needed to calm down.

I had acted composed in front of Barry's ex, but inside I was raging furious. Ngayon lang ako nasampal sa buong buhay ko. At mabuti sana kung talagang nang-agaw ako ng lalaki pero por dios por santo wala akong inagaw, in fact, wala akong kahit katiting na interes d'un sa lalaking dahilan ng lahat ng ito.

I pulled my phone from my pocket to text my brother because he gets worried when I get home late.

Pucha naman, dead batt pala ako. Bwisit talaga itong lalaking ito at 'yung babaeng 'yun!

"Hindi muna kita ihahatid sa bahay mo because I need to drive you to the nearest hospital," he told me.

I swallowed the string of expletives that threatened to erupt from my mouth. "Antok na ako at gusto ko nang matulog. Alas cuatro ng hapon pa ako papasok mamaya dahil may sasaluhin akong shift ng kasama ko."

"Claire, you heard her. She threatened to sue you."

"Let her. Siya naman ang nauna."

"But that's not going to stand in court. Kailangang matingnan ka ng doktor. Ipapa-medico legal kita."

"Pucha, how long have you known your ex? How long were you guys together?"

"Magkaibigan ang mga pamilya namin...I can say we were 'together' for seven years." He made a gesture using his hands.

"Why are you doing those quotation marks thing? 'Tsaka gan'un na kayo katagal 'tapos bigla kang nakipaghiwalay? It took you seven years to realize na chararat 'yung jowa mo?"

He chuckled.

"Real talk tayo, mas maganda ako sa kanya. Mas makinis din ako. May karapatan s'yang ma-insecure but I am trying to view this from a woman's perspective – seven years 'tapos biglang ayaw mo na? Gago ka pala, eh."

"H'wag judgmental."

"May karapatan akong maging judgmental. May karapatan din akong murahin ka kasi, hindi ba, nasampal ako nang dahil sa'yo? Natawag pa akong puta, makati, mang-aagaw, bitch, whore. Napakaliit na bagay 'yung husgahan kita at tawagin kitang gago."

"You're right."

"Dapat sa mga lalaking tulad mo ipinapako sa krus at sinisilaban mala-Game of Thrones. Kung may dragon lang ako nag-Dracarys na ako para nasunog ka na."

"Harsh. Pero, tulad ng sinabi ko, h'wag kang manghusga dahil hindi mo naman alam 'yung totoo."

"So, ano ang totoo?"

"Interesado ka na ngayon?"

"You're really asking me that question after my encounter with your ex?"

He smiled apologetically.

"Ano nga? What's the truth?" I insisted.

"Well, may nangyari years ago – nagloko ako, I had a one night stand—"

"Alam mo ang kapal mo."

"Tinanong mo ako, 'di ba? At sinagot ko. Kung sa tingin mo ay makapal ang mukha ko dahil nagsabi ako ng totoo ay wala akong magagawa."

"Pero, pinatawad ka n'ya? Aba dapat palang patayuan s'ya ng monumento at sabitan ng medalya. Anong klaseng tanga s'ya?"

"Mahal n'ya raw ako kaya ang sabi n'ya noon ay tatanggapin n'ya lahat ng naging kasalanan ko. She said we will start anew."