A Night For Four
MHIAMB Fanshot #19
[December 2018]
DUKE LIONHART's NARRATION
I could hear my loud breathing pattern and my rapid heartbeat. It was not because the men are running after us but because I have been in a very close area—with Amber on my chest. We were so close to the extent that I had to look on the other side just so our nose wouldn't collide. On the other hand, Amber seemed to be focused only to the men who are looking for us, unaware that we are sandwiched in this narrow alley.
[Lionhart, your area's clear now] Narinig ko ang boses ni Strife sa receiver pagkatapos ng ilang minuto.
"Let's—Let's move. Wala na sila." Nakaiwas ang tinging paalam ko kay Amber.
Nauna akong lumabas ng alley at tiningnan ang paligid na hindi kalayuan sa tinakasan naming abandoned factory. Black Organization's first 14 were scattered after that loud and big explosion of Kayden's bomb. And as planned, we will leave by partners. I was assigned with Duchess but I ended up with Amber. I'm also suspicious if Duchess meant it.
"Tara na, Amb—anong ginagawa mo?" Kunot-noong tanong ko nang makita si Amber na nakayuko at may chinicheck na kung ano sa paa ko.
"Sandali lang, erkey?"
"C'mon, we're running out of time." Panay pa rin ang pag-ikot ng tingin na sabi ko.
"Wengya, maghintay ka nga! Palibhasa, kayong mga lalaki, walang tiyaga. Kung—"
"Just do it, do it. It's no time to argue.." Putol ko sa kaniyang napapakunot ang noo. And then I heard myself murmur, "Heck."
"May binubulong ka?"
"Wala."
"Erkey, tara na bilisan mo." Siya naman ang nagmamadaling hinila ako paalis sa alley'ng 'yon. That was when I noticed what she did—she removed her sandals. Hawak niya pa rin at nakita kong isa ang sira.
"Wengya, nasaan ba yung sasakyan natin, ha, Duke?" Taas ang kilay na nilingon niya ako.
Instead of pointing it to her, I stopped walking and immediately removed my sports shoes and laid it infront of her feet. I cleared my throat saka naunang maglakad.
"Hindi ko kaya ang bigat mo kaya suutin mo na yan."
"H-Hoy?! Excuse me lang, ha?! Nagda-diet ako para sa maganda kong katawan!!!"
Of all things to say. I found myself kinda smiling until a car halted infront of us. Kasunod ng paghinto nito ay ang pagbaba ng bintana sa driver's seat. There was Boulstridge and Duchess on his left. My eyes turned to its usual coldness upon seeing Boulstridge as I standstill.
"Seems like we've exchanged partners. Hop in." Aniya saka iginiya ang backseat.
"At sino namang nagsabing sasakay ang kagandahan ko sa sasakyan ng paasa, ha?!" Bigla namang dating ni Amber at nakapameywang pa.
"Psh, then leave your so-called beauty." Iritable at sarkastiko kong sabi saka naunang sumakay sa backseat.
I simply didn't like the thought of her being like that towards Boulstridge. And truth be told, I am against the thought of having Boulstridge give us a ride. We were supposed to have a separated car. But I had to let my logical and rational thought be followed given the circumstances.
"Sasakay ka ba o iiwan ka namin?" Monotone na tanong ko kay Amber sa bintana nang makaupo. My question made Duchess and Boulstridge chuckle. Psh.
"Aba't may balak ka talagang mang-iwan ng maganda? Wengya!" Dali-dali naman siyang sumakay at umupo sa tabi ko.
Nang paandarin naman ni Boulstridge ang sasakyan ay umunat si Duchess saka nagsalita. "That was a tiring mission!"
"Lahat ba tayo nakaalis na?" Tanong ko.
"Yeah, according to Strife." Sagot ni Boulstridge. Hindi nalang ako sumagot sa kaniya.
Nang matahimik ang sasakyan ay si Amber naman ang nagsimulang tumalak. "FYI lang ha? Hindi ako sumakay sa sasakyang 'to dahil ikaw ang nagdadrive ha? Ayoko lang na maiwan ako do'n at sumakit ang maganda kong mga paa sa semento, erkey?"
"Tss." Sumandal nalang ako sa bintana at nagcross arms.
"Anong tini-tss tss mo dyan, ha, Duke? Yan na sapatos mo oh!" She then laid the sports shoes I gave her earlier infront of me.
Hearing that, both Duchess and Boulstridge looked at me through the rear mirror. May their theories drive them, I wouldn't care. Pumikit nalang ako at sinimulang umidlip. Be it rational or sentimental, I would do the same thing.
I have no idea what happened when I took a nap but I woke up with the four of us infront of a bar. Nauna nang lumabas yung tatlo at si Duchess naman ang nagyaya sa aking lumabas. I glanced at my wrist watch and realized that it was 2am in the morning.
"Ba't dito tayo bumaba?" Tanong ko kay Duchess nang mauna nang pumasok yung dalawa sa loob.
"Have fun, Kuya? Hello? Successful naman ang mission at may permission na ni Trigger."
I decided to go with the flow. Besides, I still can't let Duchess be drunk even if she's at the right age to do so. She faints.
Nang makapasok at maupo sa iisang lamesa, napansin ko ang suot na tsinelas ni Amber. Without me asking, Duchess told me Boulstridge bought her that earlier. I simply looked away and scoffed.
"Kampaaaay!" Si Amber ang pasimuno ng mataas na tagay.
I kept glancing on Boulstridge checking if he controls Amber's drinks. Between us, he must be more likely the one to stop her. Ako naman ang panay ang paalala kay Duchess na paunti unti naman ang tagay.
"Duchess Heather Lionhart. I'm telling you—"
"Po? Opo, yes po, Kuyaaa." Lalango-lango nang sabi niya. Isang huling tagay at gaya nga ng palaging nangyayari ay bumagsak na ang kapatid ko, nakatulog sa lamesa. Malakas akong napabuntong-hininga. She's very much weak to alcohol now than she did before.
Nang lingunin ko naman ang dalawa pa ay nakita ko nang bagsak na din si Amber. Ang usapan ay controlled drinking lang. Gusto kong mapailing. Hindi naman hard drinks at hindi naman nakarami pero nalasing agad yung dalawa. Kami lang naman ni Boul ang naghard drink.
Si Boulstridge naman ay tumagay pa ng isa, pinunasan ang labi saka gamit ang mapungay nang mga mata ay seryoso akong tinitigan. Mukha isa ring lasing na. Ako lang ba ang sumunod sa usapang controlled drinking lang? Halos suminok-sinok na bago niya ako sinimulang tanungin.
"Lionhart.." Tumagay na naman siya ng isa. "Lionhart, tol."
Hindi ako sumagot at sinalubong lang ang tingin niya.
"Ikaw ba may gushto kay Amverr?"
'Lasing na nga.'
Naka-cross legs ako at tahimik lang siyang tinitigan. Would talking to a drunk man do anything? Would it make sense? There goes again my mind analyzing rather than feeling. My rational side saying this would just be useless.
"Lionhart, we are *hik* from the shame group. Alam mo ang *hik* kalakaran sa trabaho, bro."
Bumuntong-hininga ako. "You're the one who invited the girls here, I presume."
"Alam mo ding *hik* shi Chelshea ay isang mission. You know that, yeah?"
"To drink and get drunk. All to talk to me about Amber."
"Hindi lang tayo *hik* magkatrabaho, kaibigan kita, Lionhart, tol."
"Alam mong mahina si Duchess sa alak at todong mag-inom si Amber, Boulstridge."
It seemed like he ran out of patient. He slapped the table hard and gritted his teeth. "Just answer me! Answer me. May gusto ka ba kay Amber? Meron ba, Lionhart?"
"Why does a thing like this would 'still' matter to you, Boulstridge?"
His expression softened. Mukha ring nawala ng bahagya ang kalasingan sa kaniya. Hindi na siya nakasagot nang dahil sa ginawa niyang paghampas sa mesa ay nagising naman ang nakatulog nang mga babae. Duchess rose her head and stretch her arms. Amber, much drunker and crazier pointed guns on each direction as if there was enemy. After looking at the two, my attention turned to Boulstridge.
"Tara na, uuwi na tayo." Tiim ang bagang na tumayo siya. Hinawakan niya sa braso si Amber para yayayain na itong tumayo pero iwinaksi ni Amber ang kamay niya.
"Wag!" Mapungay ang mga matang dinuro ni Amber. "Wag moooo ngyang mahawak-hawakaaaan ang makinish at malambot kong balat, ha? FYI lang! Wala! Ka! Nang! *hik* Karapatan!" Saka hinablot ni Amber ang isang basong may laman at ininom
Because of that, I had to speak for the humiliated Boulstridge who had his ego stepped on, "Susunod nalang kami sa kotse."
He also knew he had no choice. So, then he left. That's when Duchess fall on my shoulder. Dahil siya na ang malapit ay inalalayan ko na siyang tumayo. I asked her if she could stand and walk and she answered yes. I doubt that.
Nilingon ko naman si Amber at inilahad ang bakanteng kamay ko sa kaniya. Pero nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong hilahin paupo na naman! Tuloy ay parehas kaming napaupo ni Duchess. My sister head bump on the couch but she doesn't seem to care, too drunk.
"Alam mo kashing gago ka, 'no.." Bigla na naman akong hinawakan ni Amber sa magkabilang balikat at hinarap sa kaniya. "..kung hindi ka naman talaga saksakan ng gagong paasa ka, eh di sana, sana—"
Pasiring akong nag-iwas ng tingin saka bumuntong-hininga at binalik sa kaniya ang mata. "Amber, I am not Boulstridge." When would you ever look at me and see the Duke Lionhart that I want you to see?
"Hindi!" Iniling niya ng isang beses ang ulo saka dinuro ako habang hawak ang isang baso ng alak. "Alam mo *hik* dapat ginagawa shayong paashaaaa ka? Ganitooo!"
Agh, fuck.
Napapikit ako nang ihagis niya sa mukha ko ang laman ng baso. Ramdam ko sa kabuuan ng mukha ko ang lamig ng alak. Calm down, Duke. Calm down. Pero talaga namang nag-init ang ulo ko nang marinig pa ang malakas at matinis na halakhak ni Amber na mukhang natuwa pa. Damn.
"I'm going to carry you now, goodness." Patayo na sana ako nang hilahin na naman niya ako paupo.
This time, iniikot niya ang dalawang braso sa leeg ko at inilapit ang mukha sa akin saka siya dahan-dahang ngumiti nang may mapupungay na mata.
"Pero kung magmamakaawa ka, pwede kong punasan ang *hik* mukha mo.."
What's more incredible is that when she started to get closer and closer and closer—aiming for a kiss. I felt how that made my ears fire. There was almost no distance when I had my senses back and pushed her face away. Oh, goodness. This is fucked up. And what was that? I was in a position where a leading lady should be!
Mariin akong napapikit saka tiningnan ang nakahigang si Amber na mukhang nakatulog na naman. I heaved a sigh. If ever there would a come day when you're going to kiss me, I want it a day when you know it's Duke Lionhart and not Grayson Boulstridge.
Tumayo na ako at tiningnan ang dalawang babaeng kasama ko. Parehas na lasing at bagsak. And now I have to carry them both to the car. Fuck, Boulstridge. This is your freaking fault.
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