Cocoi, My Beautiful Stranger

She is your ordinary kind of girl. Not a head turner. Not beauty queen material. Kung iri-rate ang kartada, puedeng pumasa sa siyete, pero nunkang maging diyes o kahit nuwebe.

She’s not petite. Big-boned. On the plus size na halos. Hindi rin flawless. May mga pock marks caused by pimples during her puberty years, hindi rin maputi. But modesty aside, people would always say she’s pretty if not beautiful. Tinitingnan naman niya mukha sa salamin, wala siyang makitang special or stand out sa features niya. Pero somehow, nung pinagsama-sama sa oval-shaped face niya ang mata, ilong at labi, thou it may not be striking, it made a pleasant-to-look-at face.

Two months since their first encounter, Cucai and Cocoi have become inseparable. It wasn’t one would expect, him, sporting a six-pack abs, driving an expensive sports car, a face that would make Piolo Pascual run for his money.

But other than those physical things about Cocoi, she still knows almost nothing about the guy.She doesn’t know anything about his family or personal background. Hindi siya nagtatanong. Hindi rin naman nagkukwento ang lalake.

She doesn’t know too how it happened, but they hit it off after the initial clash. After a coffee treat on that same night, they exchanged numbers. And for two months since then, para na silang matagal na magkaibigan.
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She was inside the bathroom, brushing her teeth when she heard the doorbell. It was a Sunday morning, just past 9am. Lately, isang tao lang ang makulit na mambubulahaw sa kanyang sanctuary ng ganitong oras.

Opening the door, she saw him wearing that impish smile, holding a bucket of chicken on one hand while trying to balance the box of pizza on another. Nakita niya ang pangalan ng pizza house. And her face automatically lit up with a smile.

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“Magandang morning Cocoi. Kaya gustong-gusto ko nang-iistorbo ka eh, nakakatipid ako kasi libre na breakfast ko hanggang dinner.”

Narinig niya ang halakhak ng binata. It was full and crisp. At tulad ng dati, kahit two months na rin naman silang magkaibigan, hindi pa rin niya maiwasang mapatulala sa kaguwapuhan nito.

He was standing at the front door, holding the packs of food, laughing heartily, the sides of his eyes creasing, his full reddish lips quivering slightly and his cheeks clear even if a day-old stubbles show, making him even more handsome if still possible.

Naka-khaki walking shorts lang ang binata. Plain white, sports shirt na may tatak ng buwaya sa left breast at dockers. Napabuntunghininga siya.

“Bakit ba ang guwapo mo ha?”

Lalong napahalakhak ang lalake.

“If it was someone else Cucai, I’d say that question was a come on.”

Napatawa na rin siya.

“Hell yeah Cocoi, it is a come on.”

Stressing the tense for emphasis. At sabay silang humagalpak.

“Papasukin mo na ko ano ba. Ngawit na ko. Mamaya mo na isipin bat ang guwapo ko hehe.”

“Ay sowie! Pasok! Lagay mo na lang diyan sa center table, diyan na natin kainin. Nood na lang tayo sandali before I start on my article.”

“Ang korni mo talaga Cucai. Its a Sunday. At nandito ako. Tapos computer ang kakausapin mo? Pucha ang ibang babae maghuhubad na habang sumasayaw sa harapan ko.”

“Eksakli Cocoi, hindi ako ibang babae. Kaya asa ka pang sasayawan kita diyan, much more, maghubad sa harap mo.”

“Yabang mo ale ah. Kung magsalita ka parang diring-diri ka sa kaguwapuhan ko. Samantalang kanina lang buntung-hiningang malalim ka pa habang nagtatanong ba’t ang guwapo ko.”

“Oo nga. Kaso Coi, I’m such a sensible woman and I am not deluded na puede kitang pagnasaan. Yang kaguwapuhan mong yan mismo ang dahilan kaya ni sa bangungot hindi ko gagawing mag-bold show sa harap mo.”

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Sumeryoso ang binata.

“Cucai, you are beautiful.”

“Oo. Sabi nga ng nanay ko.”

Sinabayan niya ng tawa ang sinabi to let him know she’s joking. But he didn’t laugh back.

“Kala ko ba sensible ka?”

“Talaga naman.”

“Then why are you talking nonsense all of a sudden?”

“Ano namang senseless sa pagsasabi ng totoo ha?”

“Bakit, sinong nagsabing hindi ka maganda? Uupakan ko.”

“Sira, hahaha.”

“Totoo. You’re beautiful Cucs. Inside out.”

He was staring at her while saying that. And for one crazy second, she felt her heart skip a beat. All of a sudden, she felt awkward having this kind of conversation with him. She managed a small laugh.

“Thanks Coi. Super friend mo na nga ako hahaha.”

“I am not saying it because we’re friends Cucs. I’m saying it because it’s true.”

Again, that crazy skip of her heart. But she didn’t entertain it anymore than a tick. Still, she couldn’t help turning red. She felt her cheeks flushing.

“Oo na. Sipsip ka masyado. Buksan mo na yang mga pagkain at ng masentensyahan na.”

It was a feeble attempt to bring back the casual atmosphere between them. Ayaw niya ng biglang pagsi-shift ng direksyon ng usapan nila. At mas lalong ayaw niya ng pakiramdam hearing this guy say she is beautiful.
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As the days passed, mas lalo silang napapalapit sa isa’t isa. Naikwento na niya sa binata ang buhay niya, or at least what happened between her and Allan.

Nasabi niya sa binata ang sakit at ang stigma ng ginawang pag-iwan sa kanya ng dating kasintahan dahil sa ibang babae. Isang bagay na tanging ang kaibigan matalik at editor niya lang ang nakakaalam.

Still, Cocoi has never opened up much about him. Except that he is the eldest of two broods, taga-Manila since birth, nasa US na ang mga magulang at bunsong kapatid. He runs his own thriving architectural firm. But he never talked much about his women. Unlike any other man, he is very modest about his looks and has never really bragged about it or those who swoon over him.

And that made him even more good-looking in her eyes. But she never allowed herself to stray down the same road she once felt on that Sunday morning when he said she is beautiful.

Until it happened.

It was another Sunday. For her, it was just one of those many and ordinary Sundays that have passed. Except that it was February 14th, valentine’s day.

After her bitter episode with Allan, she has considered the ocassion as just a folly of people in love. And she isn’t in love. Not anymore. But the trauma, the insecurities have stayed. Embedded deeply. Leaving scars she knows would stay, even though time may diminish the pain.

Nasa living room silang dalawa ni Cocoi. Nakahiga ang binata sa rug at nakaunan sa kanyang mga hita. Hinihilot niya ang sintido nito dahil sa daing na masakit. Hang over daw. Lumabas kasama ng dalawang inaawitang prospective clients na may planong magpagawa ng 3-door, 2-storey townhouse somewhere in the north.

Maagang dumating sa unit niya sa Sorrento ang lalake. Walang bitbit na pagkain. Subalit may isang pirasong cattleya sa kamay na isinuksok sa kanan niyang tenga.

“Happy valentine Cucs kahit bato yata ang puso mo.”

“Sus. Porke bato puso ko cattleyang ninenok mo lang sigurado diyan sa flower bed sa baba ang regalo mo?”

Nakapamewang at nakataas ang kilay niyang tanong.

“Hahaha. Pasensya ale, it’s past seven AM, wala ako nadaanang flower shop na bukas na. And you know I was busy yesterday.”

“Hindi pa rin katwiran yan not to give me a decent gift. Basta may utang ka.”

“Hahaha, talo mo pa girlfriend ko mag-demand ng regalo ah. Ok, mamaya, I’ll treat you out.”

Natigilan siya sa sinabi ng kaibigan. At mas lalong natigilan siya sa sipa ng sakit sa dibdib na kanyang naramdaman upon hearing the two words “girlfriend ko.”

Shaking her head, as if shaking off the sudden jolt of pain, she bit her thumbnail, a habit she only does whenever she’s stressed or in tension.

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“Eh may girlfriend ka na pala ba’t ako ang binubulahaw mo dito? Tsaka ba’t di ko yata naaalalang may kinuwento ka about a new girlfriend?”He looked at her in the eye, saying nothing. She could swear he could hear the loud beating of her heart. And much as she wanted to look away, she just can’t. She was in trance.

TBC.
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A/N: Wala pong sex scenes ang chapter na’to, much as I would like to incorporate some steamy parts, doing so would break the continuity of the story. Sa last part na lang po. Meantime, sana po kahit mais ang dating nito, kahit pano ay ma-appreciate pa rin ng sinumang magtatapon ng oras na basahin ito. Salamat po.
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©2022 somebodyuused2knowThis story may not be reproduced in any manner, without the expressed permission of the author by any means available.