CHAPTER SIX : The Deal We Made [pt2]

Lexie's Point Of View

Pero imbes na matauhan man lang, he just looked at me like it was no big deal.

"That's so freaking embarrassing! What if Kyla finds out?!" Napa-facepalm ako, sabay iling nang mariin. "No way. You're not doing that. I'd rather go undies-free, then, thank you very much."

"Chill," he drawled, looking totally unbothered. "I know she's your friend, and I'm not gonna tell her it's for you. Besides, she's used to me borrowing clothes and… other stuff every now and then."

I blinked, processing his words. "Wait… Are you saying you've done this before?"

He just shrugged, like it was no big deal. "Yeah. I mean, not all the time. Just when I, you know… accidentally rip their clothes or underwear during the night."

My jaw dropped. "That's crazy."

Napapikit ako saglit bago umiling. "No, you're insane. Naiintindihan mo ba kung gaano ka-barbaric 'yun? Paano kung favorite dress nila 'yun?"

Ngumisi siya, halatang aliw na aliw sa reaction ko. "Actually, they loved it. Sabi nila mas naging thrilling ‘yung gabi dahil dun." Tumawa pa siya nung nakita niya kung paano ako napangiwi sa sinabi niya. "But of course, a sweet little thing like you wouldn’t get it."

Tangina, konti na lang talaga at ihahagis ko na sa mukha niya ‘yung unan.

Tumayo siya at nag-inat, parang wala lang. "Stay here and wait. I’ll grab my sister’s spare thongs for you from the main house."

Napanganga ako. "Please, not thongs! Hindi ako nagsusuot ng ganyang klaseng underwear!"

Lalo lang lumapad ‘yung ngisi niya, kitang-kita sa mukha niya kung gaano siya naaaliw sa reaction ko.

Pinanood ko siyang magbihis—same trousers from last night, plus ‘yung gusot niyang shirt. Walang effort, pero ang lakas pa rin ng dating. bago siya lumabas ng kwarto. Pagkaalis niya, napabuntong-hininga ako at napasubsob sa kama.

How did I end up in this situation?

Dapat talaga, umalis na ‘ko bago pa siya nagising. at least kung nauna na akong umalis, hindi ko na kailangang tiisin ‘tong sobrang awkward na usapan about his past flings—lalo na right after matulog ako sa kama niya.

Di pa man ako nakakabangon sa kahihiyan, bumalik na siya—at hindi lang basta underwear ang dala, kundi isang tray ng pagkain.

"Come, let's have breakfast," sabi niya casually.

Umiling ako agad. "Uh, no need. I should get going. Pero thanks sa undies, ha."

He shook his head, clicking his tongue. "Eat first. After that, I'll take you back to the main island on my yacht. There are no water taxis at this hour."

Napakurap ako. "Wait—yacht mo?"

He smirked. "Of course. What, did you think I was going to let you swim back?"

I shook my head again, crossing my arms. "I can't. What if someone sees us? I don’t want anyone to figure out we were together last night."

He leaned back in his chair, a smug smile on his face. "Relax. My yacht is docked at the back of the island. No one will see us. I prefer coming and going without people watching."

I wanted to argue, but for some reason, I just found myself sitting across from him at his small dining table. He had a whole basket of food, but I just grabbed some bread, spread marmalade on it, and took a big sip of coffee.

I was hoping for a peaceful breakfast—yung tahimik lang, kain-kain, tapos uwian na. Pero syempre, asa pa ako. Alam naman nating lahat na hindi ‘to posible kapag kasama siya.

"So," he started, casually taking a bite of his food. "Now that you're sober, any regrets?"

Napangiwi ako. "Regrets saan?"

He tilted his head, looking at me like he was enjoying this too much. "The fact that you slept in my bed." His smirk deepened. "Oh, and let’s not forget—you literally offered your virginity to me."

Putangina. Halos mabilaukan ako sa iniinom kong kape. As in legit, muntik nang lumabas sa ilong ko.

"Are you fucking serious?" I coughed, slamming my cup down on the table. "Do you always talk like this first thing in the morning?"

His smirk widened. "What? Just checking. Maybe you woke up full of regrets and planned on drowning yourself later."

I should've been offended, pero sa totoo lang... he deserved to ask.

That seemed to catch him off guard. His brows lifted slightly. "Wala?"

I nodded, taking another sip of my coffee. "Yeah. No regrets."

His smirk faltered for a second before he leaned in slightly. "Not even a little?"

"Not even a little," I repeated, popping a small piece of bread into my mouth.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Damn. And here I thought you'd be having an existential crisis by now."

"I mean, thank you?" I shrugged. "At least now I know what I’ve been missing out on."

A slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Interesting."

Binalewala ko na lang yung titig niya at nag-focus sa pagkain.finish this, then go home and take a shower. May flight pa ako to NYC in a few days for work sa art gallery.

Pero hindi pa siya tapos.

"So," he continued. "are you over with Luke i mean, With him being married and all?"

 I sighed, gripping my fork. "If it was that easy, I would’ve done it a long time ago."

"Then why didn’t you?"

"Kasi hindi ganun kadali kalimutan ang taong minahal mo nang matagal ng sobra" I glanced at him. "Alam mong hindi ganun kadali."

His jaw tightened, his dark blue eyes unreadable. "I see."

"For the first time, he was quiet. No teasing, no poking fun at me. And for some reason, it made me feel... uneasy.

I was just about to get up and leave when he broke the silence again.

'What if I help you forget him?'

I stared at him, my mind racing. 'How would you even do that?'"

His lips curled into a lazy smirk. "Like last night. It’s easier to forget when there’s someone else filling up your night."

I stared at him. "That sounds sketchy."

"Trust me," he said smoothly. "It works."

"Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to get into a relationship right now."

"Good," he replied quickly. "I don’t do relationships either."

I frowned. "Then what is this?"

"Casual lang. No strings. No drama. No emotions." He leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with something I couldn’t quite read. "Gusto ko lang na maging abala ka sa iba… instead of waiting for the guy na hindi na babalik."

My throat went dry. "So, gusto mo ng... illicit affair?"

"Mas tamang term were fuck buddies."

I swallowed hard, not knowing whether kung ma ooofend ba ako or what

I should’ve shut this down right then and there, but for some reason, I didn’t.

 "I’m not sure about this." I muttered under my breath, I mean, two days ago, I was a completely different person—never in my wildest dreams did I think someone would offer me something like this.

He looked at me with a sharp gaze. "So, you wanna forget Luke or not?"

Napalunok ako. "Oo."

"My answer sounds more sincere than a love letter. I just want this to end—this one-sided love that keeps hurting me. Sana dumating yung araw na makita ko silang magkasama—siya at ang asawa niya—na hindi nasasaktan ang puso ko."

"Then, I’m offering to help you forget him," he said, as if it was the easiest thing ever. "And let’s be real, kagabi pa lang, proven na compatible tayo sa kama."

Napangiwi ako. "Bakit mo ginagawa 'to? Ano bang mapapala mo rito?"

He took a sip of his coffee, looking away like he didn’t want to answer right away. "Ewan. Siguro naawa ako kahapon nang makita kitang nagpapanggap na masaya habang ikinasal yung lalaking gusto mo sa iba." He looked at me again, his gaze firm. "You don’t have to answer now. Pag-isipan mo muna."

Hindi ko na siya sinagot. Tinapos ko na lang ang almusal nang tahimik. Not long after, we were on his yacht, heading back to the main island.

At napaisip ako. He was actually driving the yacht himself. Alam ko namang mayaman siya, but seeing him handle a boat so effortlessly? That was... unexpectedly attractive.

Then he spoke, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Pahiram ng phone mo saglit. Parang nawala ko yung sakin dito sa boat."

Tahimik ko siyang binigyan ng phone ko, pero nagtataka ako nang marinig ko ang tunog ng phone niya—mula sa sarili niyang bulsa.

I stared at him as he shamelessly handed my phone back. "Ayan, nasave ko na number ko sa 'yo. Save mo na rin yung sayo sa phone ko."

Napakurap ako. "H-Ha?"

Nag-smirk siya. "Just in case."

Pagdating sa main island,I was so ready to get away from him. But just as I was about to walk off, narinig ko tinawag niya ako.

"Oh, Lex?"

I turned around, then froze nang bigla siyang lumapit—his lips almost at my ear. "Yung underwear na hinahanap mo? Nasa bulsa ko pala. May kasabihang ‘finders keepers,’ di ba?"

My eyes widened. "Tangina—"

Before I could say anything else, he was already walking back to his yacht.

He even winked at the audacity before sailing away, leaving me completely speechless standing there.