The Price Of Love
He eyed her from head to toe. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders and was in complete contrast with her skin that was as white as milk. It made her features stand out even more; those almond-shaped eyes, untroubled and care-free, and a very smug 'the-world-owes-me' smile. Yuka had on a tiny crop top grey shirt that revealed her pierced belly button with a dangly heart-shaped jewelry. He didn't get the appeal of having parts of the body pierced. It was a complety tasteless way to wear jewelry. "Masyado mo naman ineenjoy ang view." Yuka's voice pulled him out of the trance. Umangat ang mga mata niya sa babae. Ngumisi ito sa kanya, a sarcastic grin. "Pinagnanasahan mo ba ako?""No. Definitely not." His spine straightened. "You're a student here, am I right?""Oo, bakit? Ano naman sa'yo?" Kumunot ang noo nito sa kanya."Wala bang dress code ang eskwelahan na ito? Don't you think you're dressed inappropriately. You represent this university, do you not?""Hindi naman ako representative saka close kami ni Kuya Guard kaya hindi niya na ko binibigyan ng violation ticket." She giggled like the menacing brat she was. "Binibili ko din kasi siya ng yosi kapag break. Ikaw? Janitor ka ba talaga dito? Bukod sa mop na hawak mo, parang wala naman sa itsura at pananamit mo.""Hindi ako janitor." He answered, stoic before slowly letting go of the mop in his hand. "New student ka ba? Parang ngayon lang kita nakita dito. Kasi kung matagal ka na dito, mapapansin kita, promise." She beamed. "Hindi din ako estudyante."Humalukipkip si Yuka at sandaling tinitigan ang lalaki, umarko ang kilay niya. "So, stalker ka nga talaga?""I am not a janitor, I am not a student, and I am mostly not a stalker." Napahilot siya sa sentido niya."Ah porque gwapo ka, hindi ka pwedeng tawagin na stalker. Secret admirer lang, ganon?" The woman chuckled. "Flattered naman ako pero medyo creepy lang.""I work with your university's research group.""Ahh..." She nodded as if she knew what he was talking about while managing to still look clueless. "So, naglulunch ka ba? Tara, sabay na tayo.""It's okay." Tanggi ni Yvo."Tara na! Ang arte naman nito. Wala din naman akong kasabay. Libre na kita, thank you ko na din sa'yo yun sa pagtulong sa akin noong nasa club tayo." Aya nito sa kanya.She watched as the woman turned her back to him. His eyes automatically caught her skinny jeans and the the black thong straps that were slightly peaking through it. He wondered what had gotten into Tate. Was this what drove him crazy for her?
"Bakit ang tahimik mo?" Yuka asked after stopping mid-sentence when she realized she'd been the only one doing the talking. Tahimik na kumakain ang lalaki ng burger na nilibre niya dito. The least he could do was to act interested in what she had to say. Inayos nito ang pagkakagalagay ng salamin niya sa tungki ng ilong bago nag-angat ng tingin. "I don't have anything to say."Umikot ang mga mata ni Yuka at napabuntong-hininga. "Hindi mo ba narinig ang sinabi ko? Finollow ako ni Dan Reynolds sa instagram at minessage niya ako, sabi niya ang gaganda ng mga pictures ko. Wala ka man lang bang sasabihin tungkol doon? Si Dan Reynolds yun!""Dan Reynolds?" He furrowed his brows."Imagine Dragons!" Yuka exclaimed. "Sabi niya kapag nagconcert sila dito sa Pilipinas, bibigyan niya ako ng VIP pass!""That's nice." Tumango-tango ang lalaki, even though he had not a clue of what she was talking about. His life revolved around his works. "Pero siguro kapag nag-concert sila, hindi na ako single. Siguro kami na ni Tate. Sana." She sighed dreamily. "Nagtatrabaho ka pa din ba sa club ni Tate? May mga babae ba din ba siyang dinadala?""I don't see him as often." Sabi ni Yvo. He decided to go along. He wanted to know what her motives are. Tate have always had his back when he was just a skinny, lanky, fragile nerdy piece of stick. And he swore he would have his friend's back, too. Yvo had the feeling that Yuka was bad news to his friend. There was just something about the woman that doesn't sit well with him. "Sa tingin mo seryoso siya sa akin? Kasi alam mo, ramdam ko yung connection namin first date pa lang. Siya na yata ang para sa akin. Ikaw, ano sa tingin mo? Bagay naman kami, di ba?" She grinned, her brows wiggling up and down."Bakit nagustuhan mo si Tate?" "Hello! Si Tate kaya yun!" She chuckled as if what he'd asked was ridiculous. "Nasa kanya na ang lahat ng quality na hinahanap ng mga babae. Gwapo, malakas ang dating, sobrang tangkad, at malaki..."Yvo choked on the sandwich he was chewing in his mouth. He did not need to hear that about his bestfriend. It grossed him out."Hoy, grabe ka! Ang dumi ng isip mo. Ang ibig kong sabihin, malaki ang katawan." Humalakhak si Yuka then she leaned over to him. "Pero malaki din naman ang tweety bird. Nakapa ko, panalo! Kaya pala happy P ang mga nagiging girlfriend niya."Yvo coughed even harder. "I don't think I need to hear that.""Shinare ko lang, ito naman. Saka aksidente lang naman yun, natapunan ko kasi siya ng wine noong kasal ni Kuya Migs at Ate. Doon kami unang nagkakilala, doon din pala tayo unang nagkita.""Yes, I remember." He answered after collecting himself."It was love at first sight." She smiled, nostalgically."You've told me a thousand times that you're into rich guys. But what if Tate wasn't rich, would you still fall for him?"Sandaling natigilan si Yuka. There was apprehension on her face. She thought about if for quite awhile. "Well, may pera o wala, attractive naman talaga si Tate. Siguro magugustuhan ko pa rin siya, will date here and there but that's just that.""So, your love for him comes with conditions?""Lahat naman ng bagay may kundisyon, hindi ba? Sa tingin mo ba mapapansin ako ni Tate kung hindi ako maganda?" She lifted a brow to him. "He may have fallen for your personality. He may not be as shallow as you think.""Sa mga palabas at romance novels lang ang mga ganyan. Realistically, women look for good providers more than anything. Pwedeng gwapo nga si Tate pero kung walang anda, paano niya ako bubuhayin at ang magiging anak namin? Bata pa lang ako, natutunan ko na na hindi ka kayang buhayin ng ganda ng mukha, ng kalooban at higit sa lahat ng pagmamahal. Kahit ano'ng ganda mo, kahit ano'ng bait mo, kahit ano'ng pagmamahal ang ibigay mo sa mundo kapag mahirap ka, basura pa rin ang tingin nila sa'yo." "Not everyone thinks that way.""Hindi din. Tignan mo nga ang mga kapitbahay namin noon, kulang na lang batuhin kami ng bato sa tuwing makikita kami sa daan pero ngayon kung maka-message sa akin sa social media accounts ko, akala mo naging close kami noon." Tumawa ng bahagya si Yuka. "Kapag nakapag-asawa ako ng mayaman, pagigigba ko ang squatter area kung saan kami nakatira dat-" She held her tongue and her eyes widened. "Hoy, secret lang natin iyon, ah! Huwag mong sasabihin na nakatira kami dati sa squatter. Alam mo naman yung mga friends ko, mga alta. Nakakahiya! Ano na lang ang sasabihin nila?"Biglang tumunog ang first bell bago pa niya maibuka ang bibig. It was a warning that the next class was about to start. Agad na tumayo si Yuka sa kinauupuan. "Kailangan ko na umalis. Baka ma-late pa ako sa next class ko. Terror pa naman yung prof ko doon. Bye!"Yvo watched as Yuka hurriedly ran with her hips bouncing from side to side like a model would on a catwalk. He didn't know what to think of her. He agreed to have lunch with her because he wanted to know her more. Gusto niyang maniwala na hindi ito kasing baba at kasing materialistic ng iniisip niya. She must have some kind of redeeming quality, but the more he knew about her, the more she proves him right.
He was leaning against his motorcycle, looking at pictures of him and Krista in his phone. He hadn't deleted it yet. He didn't have the courage to do so. Halos lahat ng picture sa phone niya ay si Krista ang kumuha. She was everything he wanted in a woman and he lost her. He had his ambitions and she had hers. He chose to stay here and Krista chose to take her doctorate degree in Cambridge. At first, they thought it would be easy but it became harder as time went by. He had gotten busy with his company since his first drug breakthrough and Krista felt neglected. She wanted to be with him so bad she looked for a job for him in UK and found one of the best pharmaceutical company to employ him so he could be with her. He turned it down as he wanted to make a name for himself. That was the beginning of them falling apart until Krista decided to break up with him. Naalala niya ang unang beses na nagkakilala sila ng babae. It was at a fundraising event Krista had organized to raise money for free cleft lip and palate surgery for children. He was completely floored the moment he saw her. She was as angelic as she looked. Yvo took in a deep breath to ease the heaviness in his chest. Kahit ano'ng tingin niya sa larawan, it wouldn't magically come to life. He heard she started dating a classmate of hers in Cambridge and it broke him. Hindi na nito sinasagot ang mga tawag niya at binlock na nito ang lahat ng koneksyon nila. "Leave me alone!" Narinig niya ang pamilyar na boses ng isang babae. It sounded like Yuka.His brows crumpled. Paalis na dapat siya pero hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili na silipin kung ano ba ang nangyayari. He walked to where he heard her voice. Nakita niyang naglalakad si Yuka at sa tabi nito ay isang pulang kotse na dahan-dahan umaabante at sinusundan siya."Sumama ka na sa akin, Yuka. Mag-usap tayo." "Ayoko! Hindi mo ba ako naiintindihan? AYOKO!" "Tangina naman, Yuka! Mag-uusap lang tayo!" "Bakit ba ang kulit mo? Wala na tayong pag-uusap pagkatapos ng ginawa mo sa akin sa club." "Ikaw naman may kasalanan nun. Gusto ko lang naman makipag-usap sa'yo pero nagsusungit ka sa akin. Sino ang pinagmamalaki mo ngayon, ha? Yung Tate na yun?" "Matagal na tayong wala, Janno. Uso mag-move on!" "Tangina, Yuka, ano'ng gusto mo? Mag-uusap tayo o ikakalat ko ang video natin?" He threatened.Yuka paused and shifted to face him. She was speechless for awhile. "S-subukan mo. Idedemanda ka ni Kuya Migs. Hindi siya nagbibiro sa sinabi niyang iyon.""Fuck! I don't care anymore. Magka-demandahan na. I'll call my lawyer." There was something in his voice that says he had succeeded. The man got out of his car and Yvo saw him. It was the same man he'd gotten in a commotion with at Bliss. He opened the passenger's side and Yuka just stood there as if thinking if she should get in or not.Yvo knew he had to do something. Who knew what could happen to her once she gets in. Fuck! He could blackmail her to having sex with him again. "Yuka!" His voice was firm and loud.Parehong pumihit ang ulo nila sa kanya. Relief washed over her face. "Ikaw na naman?" Nalukot ang mukha ng lalaki ng makita siya."Halika na, Yuka." Yvo demanded. "Bakit ba ang hilig mong mangialam? Girlfriend ko ito." Iritableng sabi ng lalaki. "Hindi mo ko girlfriend." Sabi ni Yuka.He walked up to the guy and without a word, punched him in the face. He was not an impulsive man. Hangga't kayang dalhin sa pag-uusap, mag-uusap sila. But what he had heard from the man disgusted him enough that he didn't want to talk with him."FUCK YOU! Tigilan mo na ako." Yuka spat on the man on the ground as he was pulling her and then she let out a carefree laugh.Kinuha ni Yvo ang kamay ni Yuka at mabilis silang tumakbo. He took her to his motorcycle and gave her his helmet. He rode it and Yuka hopped in, making herself comfortable on the back. Yuka held him, her arms on the either sides of his torso and when he was sure she was ready, he started the vehicle.
"Bakit ang tahimik mo?" Yuka asked after stopping mid-sentence when she realized she'd been the only one doing the talking. Tahimik na kumakain ang lalaki ng burger na nilibre niya dito. The least he could do was to act interested in what she had to say. Inayos nito ang pagkakagalagay ng salamin niya sa tungki ng ilong bago nag-angat ng tingin. "I don't have anything to say."Umikot ang mga mata ni Yuka at napabuntong-hininga. "Hindi mo ba narinig ang sinabi ko? Finollow ako ni Dan Reynolds sa instagram at minessage niya ako, sabi niya ang gaganda ng mga pictures ko. Wala ka man lang bang sasabihin tungkol doon? Si Dan Reynolds yun!""Dan Reynolds?" He furrowed his brows."Imagine Dragons!" Yuka exclaimed. "Sabi niya kapag nagconcert sila dito sa Pilipinas, bibigyan niya ako ng VIP pass!""That's nice." Tumango-tango ang lalaki, even though he had not a clue of what she was talking about. His life revolved around his works. "Pero siguro kapag nag-concert sila, hindi na ako single. Siguro kami na ni Tate. Sana." She sighed dreamily. "Nagtatrabaho ka pa din ba sa club ni Tate? May mga babae ba din ba siyang dinadala?""I don't see him as often." Sabi ni Yvo. He decided to go along. He wanted to know what her motives are. Tate have always had his back when he was just a skinny, lanky, fragile nerdy piece of stick. And he swore he would have his friend's back, too. Yvo had the feeling that Yuka was bad news to his friend. There was just something about the woman that doesn't sit well with him. "Sa tingin mo seryoso siya sa akin? Kasi alam mo, ramdam ko yung connection namin first date pa lang. Siya na yata ang para sa akin. Ikaw, ano sa tingin mo? Bagay naman kami, di ba?" She grinned, her brows wiggling up and down."Bakit nagustuhan mo si Tate?" "Hello! Si Tate kaya yun!" She chuckled as if what he'd asked was ridiculous. "Nasa kanya na ang lahat ng quality na hinahanap ng mga babae. Gwapo, malakas ang dating, sobrang tangkad, at malaki..."Yvo choked on the sandwich he was chewing in his mouth. He did not need to hear that about his bestfriend. It grossed him out."Hoy, grabe ka! Ang dumi ng isip mo. Ang ibig kong sabihin, malaki ang katawan." Humalakhak si Yuka then she leaned over to him. "Pero malaki din naman ang tweety bird. Nakapa ko, panalo! Kaya pala happy P ang mga nagiging girlfriend niya."Yvo coughed even harder. "I don't think I need to hear that.""Shinare ko lang, ito naman. Saka aksidente lang naman yun, natapunan ko kasi siya ng wine noong kasal ni Kuya Migs at Ate. Doon kami unang nagkakilala, doon din pala tayo unang nagkita.""Yes, I remember." He answered after collecting himself."It was love at first sight." She smiled, nostalgically."You've told me a thousand times that you're into rich guys. But what if Tate wasn't rich, would you still fall for him?"Sandaling natigilan si Yuka. There was apprehension on her face. She thought about if for quite awhile. "Well, may pera o wala, attractive naman talaga si Tate. Siguro magugustuhan ko pa rin siya, will date here and there but that's just that.""So, your love for him comes with conditions?""Lahat naman ng bagay may kundisyon, hindi ba? Sa tingin mo ba mapapansin ako ni Tate kung hindi ako maganda?" She lifted a brow to him. "He may have fallen for your personality. He may not be as shallow as you think.""Sa mga palabas at romance novels lang ang mga ganyan. Realistically, women look for good providers more than anything. Pwedeng gwapo nga si Tate pero kung walang anda, paano niya ako bubuhayin at ang magiging anak namin? Bata pa lang ako, natutunan ko na na hindi ka kayang buhayin ng ganda ng mukha, ng kalooban at higit sa lahat ng pagmamahal. Kahit ano'ng ganda mo, kahit ano'ng bait mo, kahit ano'ng pagmamahal ang ibigay mo sa mundo kapag mahirap ka, basura pa rin ang tingin nila sa'yo." "Not everyone thinks that way.""Hindi din. Tignan mo nga ang mga kapitbahay namin noon, kulang na lang batuhin kami ng bato sa tuwing makikita kami sa daan pero ngayon kung maka-message sa akin sa social media accounts ko, akala mo naging close kami noon." Tumawa ng bahagya si Yuka. "Kapag nakapag-asawa ako ng mayaman, pagigigba ko ang squatter area kung saan kami nakatira dat-" She held her tongue and her eyes widened. "Hoy, secret lang natin iyon, ah! Huwag mong sasabihin na nakatira kami dati sa squatter. Alam mo naman yung mga friends ko, mga alta. Nakakahiya! Ano na lang ang sasabihin nila?"Biglang tumunog ang first bell bago pa niya maibuka ang bibig. It was a warning that the next class was about to start. Agad na tumayo si Yuka sa kinauupuan. "Kailangan ko na umalis. Baka ma-late pa ako sa next class ko. Terror pa naman yung prof ko doon. Bye!"Yvo watched as Yuka hurriedly ran with her hips bouncing from side to side like a model would on a catwalk. He didn't know what to think of her. He agreed to have lunch with her because he wanted to know her more. Gusto niyang maniwala na hindi ito kasing baba at kasing materialistic ng iniisip niya. She must have some kind of redeeming quality, but the more he knew about her, the more she proves him right.
He was leaning against his motorcycle, looking at pictures of him and Krista in his phone. He hadn't deleted it yet. He didn't have the courage to do so. Halos lahat ng picture sa phone niya ay si Krista ang kumuha. She was everything he wanted in a woman and he lost her. He had his ambitions and she had hers. He chose to stay here and Krista chose to take her doctorate degree in Cambridge. At first, they thought it would be easy but it became harder as time went by. He had gotten busy with his company since his first drug breakthrough and Krista felt neglected. She wanted to be with him so bad she looked for a job for him in UK and found one of the best pharmaceutical company to employ him so he could be with her. He turned it down as he wanted to make a name for himself. That was the beginning of them falling apart until Krista decided to break up with him. Naalala niya ang unang beses na nagkakilala sila ng babae. It was at a fundraising event Krista had organized to raise money for free cleft lip and palate surgery for children. He was completely floored the moment he saw her. She was as angelic as she looked. Yvo took in a deep breath to ease the heaviness in his chest. Kahit ano'ng tingin niya sa larawan, it wouldn't magically come to life. He heard she started dating a classmate of hers in Cambridge and it broke him. Hindi na nito sinasagot ang mga tawag niya at binlock na nito ang lahat ng koneksyon nila. "Leave me alone!" Narinig niya ang pamilyar na boses ng isang babae. It sounded like Yuka.His brows crumpled. Paalis na dapat siya pero hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili na silipin kung ano ba ang nangyayari. He walked to where he heard her voice. Nakita niyang naglalakad si Yuka at sa tabi nito ay isang pulang kotse na dahan-dahan umaabante at sinusundan siya."Sumama ka na sa akin, Yuka. Mag-usap tayo." "Ayoko! Hindi mo ba ako naiintindihan? AYOKO!" "Tangina naman, Yuka! Mag-uusap lang tayo!" "Bakit ba ang kulit mo? Wala na tayong pag-uusap pagkatapos ng ginawa mo sa akin sa club." "Ikaw naman may kasalanan nun. Gusto ko lang naman makipag-usap sa'yo pero nagsusungit ka sa akin. Sino ang pinagmamalaki mo ngayon, ha? Yung Tate na yun?" "Matagal na tayong wala, Janno. Uso mag-move on!" "Tangina, Yuka, ano'ng gusto mo? Mag-uusap tayo o ikakalat ko ang video natin?" He threatened.Yuka paused and shifted to face him. She was speechless for awhile. "S-subukan mo. Idedemanda ka ni Kuya Migs. Hindi siya nagbibiro sa sinabi niyang iyon.""Fuck! I don't care anymore. Magka-demandahan na. I'll call my lawyer." There was something in his voice that says he had succeeded. The man got out of his car and Yvo saw him. It was the same man he'd gotten in a commotion with at Bliss. He opened the passenger's side and Yuka just stood there as if thinking if she should get in or not.Yvo knew he had to do something. Who knew what could happen to her once she gets in. Fuck! He could blackmail her to having sex with him again. "Yuka!" His voice was firm and loud.Parehong pumihit ang ulo nila sa kanya. Relief washed over her face. "Ikaw na naman?" Nalukot ang mukha ng lalaki ng makita siya."Halika na, Yuka." Yvo demanded. "Bakit ba ang hilig mong mangialam? Girlfriend ko ito." Iritableng sabi ng lalaki. "Hindi mo ko girlfriend." Sabi ni Yuka.He walked up to the guy and without a word, punched him in the face. He was not an impulsive man. Hangga't kayang dalhin sa pag-uusap, mag-uusap sila. But what he had heard from the man disgusted him enough that he didn't want to talk with him."FUCK YOU! Tigilan mo na ako." Yuka spat on the man on the ground as he was pulling her and then she let out a carefree laugh.Kinuha ni Yvo ang kamay ni Yuka at mabilis silang tumakbo. He took her to his motorcycle and gave her his helmet. He rode it and Yuka hopped in, making herself comfortable on the back. Yuka held him, her arms on the either sides of his torso and when he was sure she was ready, he started the vehicle.
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