Feather (Self-Published)

CH 9: Corpus Juris

I stared at the hand he offered.

"You're having second thoughts?" Mr. Santander queried.

"Can we at least be clear about what you want me to do?" I asked.

"I am inviting you to bed, Juris," he casually said.

My jaw fell and I closed it with a snap. "Like right now?"

"Bakit, kailan mo ba gusto?" He sounded amused.

"Hindi...hindi po kasi ako pwede...dahil po may birthday party pa po akong pupuntahan bukas..." I said as my mind went into overdrive.

He crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned his hip against his table. "Makakalakad ka pa rin naman..."

I started worrying my lower lip. "Pero, kasi...hindi ba dapat magpahinga after...?" I mumbled. I knew I sounded silly but I was suddenly scared.

"Bakit, ngayon na ba ang party n'yo?"

"Bukas..."

"Bukas pa naman pala. Pwedeng-pwede pa ngayon." There was laughter in his voice but my mind was failing to see his joke.

"Sir..."

"Yes, Miss Montiel?"

"Can you give me twenty-four hours?"

"No," he said.

I looked up in surprise at him.

"In twenty-four hours ay nasa resort ka na kasama ang mga kaibigan mo. How are you supposed to fulfill that promise?"

"Eh, kasi..."

"Eh, kasi ano?" he asked; he was grinning.

"You are totally enjoying this!" I said, my tone accusing.

He laughed.

"Baka lang hindi n'yo po napansin pero bigla akong ninerbiyos."

"Bakit ka naman ninerbiyosin? It's not as if I will force myself on you."

"Oo nga, pero, hindi ko naman po alam na ora-orada ay gusto n'yo na kaagad. I was thinking along the lines of in three weeks' time dahil pupunta pa ako ng party, magkaka-period pa ako, 'tapos kukunin ko pa 'yung paid leave ko."

"Aba, Miss Montiel, baka gusto mong ayusin 'yang scheduling mo. Paghihintayin mo talaga ako nang tatlong linggo? Minsan hindi ko na alam kung sino ang boss sa ating dalawa."

"Dapat kasi kung kailan tayo nagpirmahan ay agad-agad may nangyari na para tapos na."

"Hindi ka naman masyadong atat n'yan?" he asked. "Ayaw mo ba muna akong kilalanin?"

"Sir, kilala ko po kayo. Kilalang-kilala."

"No, you don't. Or else you would have realized that I was joking," he said, his voice gentle. "But, I want to ask you, when will you be ready to sleep with me?"

"I don't know..." I honestly said. "Sometimes, I wish that you'd just pounce on me and get it over with."

"Hm..."

"Pero, h'wag po ngayon. Kasi may lakad po ako bukas."

"About that party..."

I instantly frowned. "Don't tell me hindi mo ako papayagan?"

"Papayagan. Bakit naman kita pagbabawalan? But, there are just rules that I want both of us to be in agreement with."

My brows creased. "And what rules are those?"

"I want you to remain faithful, Juris. While the contract is in effect."

"H'wag po kayong mag-alala, wala po sa lahi namin ang nangangaliwa—" I stopped talking remembering my sister who's now bearing the child of her boyfriend's friend. "Hindi po ako mangangaliwa..." I said.