Chapter 5 – Permission

He pinned me to the wall as he locked the door. My heart was racing. Tumataas din ang balahibo ko sa katawan dahil sa mga titig niya, ni hindi nga rin ako makagalaw dahil konti nalang ay magdidikit na ang mga labi namin.

“D-don't k!ll him” nauutal kong sabi.

“Why are you stopping me? Why do you care about that guy? you like him, don't you?”

“Huh? He's just a friend. At saka makukulong ka kapag pumat4y ka”

“I don't care. Just like what I said, mas natatakot akong mawala ka sa'kin at magawa mo akong ipagpalit sa iba” kalmado nyang sabi ngunit bakas pa rin ang galit sa tinig nito.

“Hindi naman ako maganda para magustuhan at habulin ng ibang lalaki”

“You're beautiful. Everything about you is perfect” he commented.

“Tss. Nambola pa” mahinang bulong ko sa sarili.

“What is it, wife?”

“wala”

“Don't lie to me, Ali. You're inlove with that guy Meekho” nagpupumilit niyang saad, hindi pa rin humuhupa ang galit sa mukha nito.

“Fine. Sige na, inlove na ako sa kanya. Desisyon ka eh”

“The fvck! You're going to replace me with that bastard?!” he shouted, mabilis ang kilos niyang tinabig ang mini-table dahilan upang mabasag ang glass at vase na nakapatong dito.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit siya nagkakaganyan.

“Ano ba?! Stop!”

“Saan ba ako nagkulang, Freya?! Damn! I'll kill him” he growled.

“I didn't like him. Nagjojoke lang ako, Ikaw kasi pinagpipilitan mong gusto ko iyon kahit hindi naman” paliwanag ko nga at hinawakan ang kanyang pisngi upang halikan siya sa labi.

“You didn't like him? Then who's the guy you're in love with?” he asked, nakatitig lamang ako sa maganda at mapupungay niyang mata na ngayon ay may nangingilid na luha.

“I-ikaw. Akin lang ikaw and I'm only yours too”

Suddenly, he claimed my lips deeply, madiin ang paghalik nito na halos maubusan na ako ng hininga. “uhmm, jaz~” I moaned in the middle of our kiss.

“What?” he replied as he trying to be innocent. Muli niya ngang inangkin ang mapupula kong labi na siyang gumanti rin ako pabalik.

“I love you, wife Freya” he said, smiling. Sa pagkakataong ito ay kalmado na siya kaya nakahinga na ako ng maluwag.

Just then, my phone started ringing. Before I could see who was video calling, agad na ngang hinatak ni prof jay yung cellphone mula sa kamay ko, “Akin na—”

Naputol ang sasabihin ko nang halikan niya ulit ako sa labi. Madiin. Gigil na gigil siya.

“J-jaz” I called him. Tuluyan niya na nga akong binitawan. Natigil lang sa pagring ang cellphone ko nang sagutin niya kung sino ang tumatawag.

“Hello?” He greeted. Kainis! That's my phone!

“Ay prof, kamusta na po?” narinig ko ang boses ni Zephaniah mula sa kabilang linya, a smile suddenly spread across my lips. I've really missed her!

It's been months since my bestfriend and I last saw each other. Nag-aral si Terrence sa states, at naiwan si Zeph dito sa Pilipinas, may contact pa sila sa isa't isa noong una ngunit unti-unti rin itong natigil. Hindi na nagparamdam si Terrence dahilan upang madepressed ng husto ang kaibigan ko, to the point that she dropped out of school and missed graduating with me.

Sinubukan namin siyang tulungan, pinahanap ni Arjay si Terrence at prof Shawn sa states, nahanap naman niya pero ayaw nila kaming kausapin. I tried to be there for her but still, wala talaga hanggang sa kunin nalang siya ng kanyang lola sa states para doon siya magtapos ng 4th year college.

After that, wala na akong naging balita, hindi ko na alam kung anong nangyari kasi nagdelete ng social media accounts si Zeph.

“Doing better, again thanks for everything that you've done for us” prof jay replied with a happy tone but his face are clearly no emotion. Ganyan din kaya siya kapag ako yung kausap niya sa phone call?

“It's been years, nakakatuwa lang po kasi naaalala niyo pa rin”

“Tsk.. Arjay! Akin na yung phone ko!” I shouted in frustration. My friend just laughed on the other line.

“Bakit ka nga pala napatawag?” he asked again, hindi niya pa rin binabalik yung cellphone ko, kainis! Why was he being so possessive?!

“I'm in Manila po kasi right now, kararating ko lang po kanina. I was wondering if Freya and I could hang out?” medyo nahihiya pang sabi ni Zeph.

Kyahh! pinaalam niya talaga ako kay Arjay?! She's the best!!

“Yes! I'll go with you. Saan ka pala nagsstay ngayon?” I asked excitedly, my smile stretching across my face but before I could get an answer from Zeph, my husband already cut in. Bwísit, kíll joy talaga eh.

“You're not going anywhere, ali” pagdidiklara niya na siyang ikinasalubong ng dalawa kong kilay. “Why?! I thought you loved me? Ilang months din kaming hindi nagkita oh” I pouted, matalim naman siyang tumitig sa akin na para bang sinasabi niyang ‘huwag kanang makulit’

“I'm sorry, Zephaniah. I will not let her to go, if you want to see my wife, you'll have to come to the mansion” prof jay stated coldly, dàmn it!!

“Jaz!” maarte ko ngang sabi but he just stared at me with a poker face.

“Okay po, I'll just fix my things tapos pupunta na po ako” I can feel the sadness on my best friend's voice, parang t4nga naman kasi si Arjay eh. “I'll see you later, Freya! I miss you!!” she added, halatang pilit lang yung saya sa boses niya kasi wala naman talaga kaming privacy sa mansion.

“See ya! I miss you din te!!” I commented before my husband totally hang up the call. What's his problem? Baka pati si Zephaniah pinagseselosan niya na rin? Gosh! Hindi naman ako lesbian.

“Love hubby...” I said, sweetly.

He looked at me. Napangiti ito dahil gustong gusto niya talaga na tinatawag ko siyang love, hubby or ali instead of prof jay.

“Hmm? What does my wife need?”

“What if we hadn't seen each other for almost seven months?” I suddenly asked him, bahagya namang kumunot ang noo niya.

“Why are you asking that? Of course, that's not going to happen” he commented with a low and husky voice,

“What if I'm cheating on you? Like ano.. meron na akong ibang lalaki tapos iiwan kita. Hindi na tayo magkikita” tanong ko nga na siyang nagpaigting sa kanyang dalawang panga.

“What the fvck?! Who's that other man are you talking about? Si Meekho?! Oh, that bullsh*t! I'll really kíll him” he growled in a calm tone but his anger rising. Nagpupuyos nanaman siya sa galit ngayon, bakit ba ang laki-laki ng galit niya kay Meekho?! Pinapaintindi ko lang naman sa kanya yung sitwasyon namin ni Zeph.

“W-wala, wala akong iba” nangangatal na boses kong sambit.

“Pero kakasabi mo lang, meron kang ibang lalaki tapos iiwan mo ako, hindi na kita makikita”

“I just want you to—”

“Fvck it up Freya. Ilang minuto lang na hindi kita nakikita, para na akong mamamat4y, 'yun pa kayang ipagpapalit mo ako sa iba?! Tàng ina” he said, paiyak na nga itong niyakap ako nang mahigpit, naguguilty tuloy ako sa mga pinagtatatanong ko kanina. “Hush.. Hush..”

“Please, don't leave me wife” he begged me like he was a child.

“Hush now, I'll never leave you” mapanuyong sagot ko. “There's no one else, I was just... I just want you to understand the situation with Zeph” I explained, sinusubukan kong pakalmahin siya habang yakap-yakap pa rin namin ang isa't isa.

“I love you, Freya. I can't even imagine my life anymore without you” he whispered gently to my ears, nakikiliti tuloy ako dahil bahagya niya ring hinahalik-halikan ang aking tenga.

“hmmp, iyakin” I teased him kasabay ng mahina kong pagtawa. “Well, you're the only one who can make me cry, love” he said sweetly. Kumalas na kami mula sa pagkakayakap sa isa't isa.

He sat down on the sofa, sumenyas naman siyang umupo ako sa kandungan niya. I didn't complain anymore, I was used to it.

“Last time, you promised me you'd be home by 7:00pm but you came home at 10:00pm. Ali love, may kids na po tayo and you're not teenager anymore” he said to me, calmly.

“Pero minsan lang naman, sige na please, baby. Uuwi ako before 6:00pm” humarap ako sa kanya, I make puppy eyes at him.

He sighed. “Fine, text me where you're going, and I'll send manong to pick you up before 6 pm”

“Yes! I love you, Ali” I said, smiling as I kissed him quickly on the lips. Finally, pumayag na siya!!

“I love you more, baby” he stated in a sweet voice, muli niya ngang inangkin ang labi ko.

“I love you so much, Freya” pag-uulit niya na siyang ikinatawa ko nang mahina. I quickly text my friend Zephaniah, pinaalam ko sa kanya na pumayag na si Arjay. Whahh! I couldn't help but to feel ecstatic.