CHAPTER 15

James didn't waste time. He  immediately grabbed a drink at the counter. He told Yen to assist Ivan and Ann. The pubhouse manager guided the two in a corner dahil yun na lang ang bakante. Maraming tao ngayon sa pubhouse. James was still occupied with the thought about devon. Wala sa hinagap nya na ganun ang epekto ng babaeng yun sa kanya. And knowing she's closer to that Sam made him so jealous of that man.

'Jealous?' he thought again. 'Maybe you're just challenged.' He laughed in his mind. Any girl would jump off to his bed without a second thought but that girl was so unaffected by his charm...'Should I say...naive?' Then tumungga ulit. While he's in his deep thoughts about Devon, may lumapit at umupo sa tabi nya. When he looked, it was Tricia. 

"Hey, mind me sitting here?" tanong ng babae while smiling at him. He knew that the girl is a bit tipsy already. James shrugged his shoulder indicating he didn't care.

"You know what, you look exactly like my ex boyfriend," she told James as she tried to catch his attention.

Annoyed, James looked at Tricia. "Really? But my last girlfriend was half Aussie half Filipina," he said sarcastically.

Tricia laughed. "Hey, you're so serious. I didn't say it's you. I said you look like him," sabi ulit ng dalaga. James nodded and looked at the woman. She's wearing a mini-skirt and a hanging blouse. Nakikita ang pusod nito. James mastered playing with liberated women. He knew when a woman flirts with him. For a while, he will be trying to get Devon out of his mind. Maybe flirting with another girl, liberated girl like Tricia, will help him.

"Do you have a boyfriend now?" he asked.

"None that I know of. I'm very much single right now," she smiled.

"What do you like of a guy?" he asked again.

"Someone smart... good-looking... and a good kisser," pranka nitong sinabi.

James expected this girl to be this straightforward.

"Do you think I qualify?" Being as liberated as a guy who grew in a western country, James asked.

"Prove it." she dared.

"Nah," James nodded. Nagulat na lang sya nang makalapit na ang babae sa kanya and kissed James. With the alcohol's spirit, he kissed her back. Suddenly, a voice called his name. Nang lingunin ito ni james, nakita nya ang kaibigan, Bret with Fretzie, and behind them are Sam and Devon whose eyes were wide-eyed dahil sa nasaksihan. James, as if nothing happened, let go of Tricia. Nakalapit na ang apat and Bret teased him.

"Sorry if we interrupted something," nakangising sabi nito kay James. Tricia laughed while James was seriously staring at Devon. Na conscious si Devon kaya tinignan nya si Sam at kinausap ito ngunit sa loob nya, may kirot dahil sa nakitang halikan ng dalawa.

Samantalang tinudyo naman ni Fretzie si Tricia. Lumapit si Yen and she guided them to a vacant table. Magkatabi sina Sam at Devon ngunit kaharap niya si James. Hindi maarok ng dalaga ang iniisip nito ngunit ramdam nyang panakaw sya nitong tinitignan. Ipinakilala ni Bret si Sam kay James formally and soon, naging casual na ang usapan ng lahat.

"Juice lang ang order ni Devon. Hindi sya umiinom ng alcoholic beverages," paunang sabi ni Sam sa mga kaharap.

"Konti lang Devz..KJ mo naman," pilit ni Tricia.

Tiningnan ni Devon si Sam as if asking what she should do. Umiling si Sam. That didn't escape james' observant eyes. Naninibugho ang kalooban nya coz Sam acted like a boyfriend. Nang tignan ni Devon ang mga kaharap, nasulyapan nya ang blankong ekspresyon ni James na matiim na nakatingin sa kanya.

She looked at Sam again. "Sam, pwede naman sigurong konti lang." sabi nito just to show na hindi sya maarte. She didn't  see ang pagtaas ng kilay ni James.

Sam protested but Bret insisted." Come on! Konti lang. Even si Fretzie,she's drinking too. Konti lang naman," pangungumbinsi nito.

Bagamat nag aalala, hindi na nagsalita si Sam. Bret poured Devon's glass w/ wine. Sa unang tikim nya, it's bitter na mainit sa lalamunan. Muntik na nya itong iluwa but she tried to swallow it. James, on the other, was looking her every move, watching her every expression. Kahit kinakausap sya ni tricia, his thought is on the woman who looks all red now.

Ang isa ay naging dalawa hanggang lima. Tumatawa na si devon. Nagkukwento na rin. Looks like the alcohol already affected her and James couldn't help but to woory at the same time, naninibugho because she seems so touchy towards Sam. How he wished to sit beside her and be the recepient of her touches. Nang bumulong si Sam sa dalaga, James looked away. Dun nya nahagip sa tingin ang pinsan nya kissing a girl at the corner. It is ann obviously. Matinik talaga silang magpinsan pagdating sa babae. Nang maalala ang insidenteng nakita ni Devon. He wanted to tell Devon that the kiss meant nothing at all but how? When he looked at her again, ito naman ang bumubulong kay Sam. Linagok nya ang iniinom hoping it will wash away his envy sa lalaki.

"You have to stop drinking bubble D," muling bulong ni Sam sa kaibigan.

"I'm fine Sam. Kaya ko pa.Wag kang mag-alala, ngayon lang to," natatawang bulong nito kay Sam pero namumungay na ang mata. Ngiti na ito nang ngiti. tawa na rin nang tawa. maya-maya'y nagpaalam sya para pumunta sa CR. Pa ekis ekis na syang naglakad ngunit itinaboy nya lang si Sam nang tangkain sya nitong alalayan.

"Kaya ko to," natatawang sabi nya sa kaibigan.

Nang makarating sa CR, tinignan nya ang sarili sa salamin, pulang pula na sya. Naghilamos sya sakaling mabawasan ang pamumula nya at mawala na rin ang pagka-tipsy. Paglabas nya ng girl's comfort room, muntik na syang matumba kung hindi sya naagapan ng malalakas na bisig. Halos kayakap na nya ito. Nang tingalain nya ang lalaking tumulong sa kanya, sumalubong rito ang pormal na mukha ni James. Marahil dala na rin ng nainom, nawala ang inhibisyon ni Devon at nginitian nya ito nang napakatamis. Namumungay ang mga mata.

"Salamat sir... You're my hero," she grinned as she tried to pull herself sa pagkakahawak nito sa kanya.