Rugged Men Series 4: Wyatt Hernandez (TAGALOG)

Chapter 27

“NO s**t, Sherlock?!” tanong ni Kayden at hindi makapaniwala na nasapo ang bibig sa natuklasan.

Wala na nagawa si Wyatt kundi tumango. “I am, damn. After twelve years of being best friends with Madison. I just... realize I like her.”

“Then that’s nice, Hernandez! You two are mutual now,” wika ni Kayden at itinulak siya sa pagka-engganyo. “Or are you two not? Wait, Madison still likes you, isn’t she?”

Nagpakawala nang malalim na paghinga si Wyatt at kibit-balikat na napailing-iling. “That's the problem. Madison said she doesn't like me anymore.”

Gulat na napatingin si Kayden sa kanyang gawi. “Weh?”

Banas na pinaikot ni Wyatt ang mga mata bago nagsalin ng alak sa baso. “Would I say such thing if it’s false? What do you think of me? Liar? Hindi ako katulad mo, gago. Huwag mo ako itulad sa iyo.”

“Okay, fucker. I have my reason for doing that,” depensa ni Kayden at pagak na ngumiti. “A, is because Patrice has been through a lot. Losing someone's sight is like losing a precious damn jewel and B, is because she doesn't deserve to mourn any much further.”

“Well, since when did you care about a woman who isn't, you know, your wife? Why don’t you look for yours and then be the husband that isn’t pretend?” suhestiyon ni Wyatt at napailing-iling. “That’s f**k, Gonzales. What you’re doing is f**k. I’ve been telling you this for five years.”

“You know what, I can’t do anything about it, Hernandez. I know it's f**k. You don't have to slap it in my face again and again of how f****d I did that day. I started it then I might as well finish it which is impossible. I think I may have to live in my twin’s identity for the rest of my life,” ani Kayden at kalaunan ay napabuntong-hininga.

“Bullshit,” sagot ni Wyatt at sumimsim ng alak. “You can do anything about it. You just don't want to.”

Hindi sumagot si Kayden kaya mayabang na napaismid na lamang si Wyatt. He could read Kayden’s mind. As a man, he knew that he was on his f****d up phase. Even worse than what Kayden felt five years ago. He believes that the more you abhor the person, the more you got attached. True or not, it will be Kayden’s decision to end it how much he wanted him to do it a few years ago.

”What are you going to do about Madison?” tanong ni Kayden para mabaling ang kanyang atensyon. “Dalawa na kayo ngayon.”

Sumimsim lamang si Wyatt ng alak sa rock glass bilang tugon.

”I mean, I don’t get to side with anybody here. Don’t get me wrong, Hernandez. Madison's choice will be respected with everybody,” ani Kayden at itinaas ang alak sa ere. “It’s just Zacharias is there all the time, you know, and you’re...”

“Not?” pagak na tanong ni Wyatt at sumuko na tumango-tango. “I know.”

”So?” tanong ni Kayden.

“So what?” balik-tanong ni Wyatt.

“You know what I mean, fucker,” ani Kayden at umismid.

Huminga nang malalim si Wyatt bago tumingin dito. “I will leave it to our fate.”

“Oh, bull!” anas ni Kayden at muling tumungga mula sa nguso ng alak. “That line is overrated. Fate is f**k. f**k that fate. Don't let it lead, but do it your way instead.”

“So, are you saying that pretending as your dead twin’s is you outsmarting the fate, huh?” pang-aasar ni Kayden.

Kayden gives him a smug face. “I never said it was.”

“I know. I know. I’m just kidding,” ani Wyatt at ipinatunog ang kanyang baso sa bote na hawak ni Kayden. “Now that I have these feelings for Madi, being competitive is what I do for a living, Gonzales. Besides, I have an advantage for a while back. I mean, I won without being in a competition before. For the second time, I might have to win this again against Alvarez.”

“What do you mean against me?”

Napalingon si Kayden kay Zacharias na nasa kanyang likod at hindi niya ito binigyan ng kung anumang atensyon. He sit still and stare at his rock glass.

“Nothing,” sagot ni Wyatt at pinaikot-ikot ang alak sa baso. “It's just that you’ve been busy a lot lately. It's been almost five months since I'm back and we never talked to each other.”

Nanatiling tahimik si Zacharias sa kanyang likod at nakita niya ang pagtaas ng mga kilay ni Kayden, hindi umimik. He could feel the animosity reaching onnthe roof but he keep it cool.

“Well, I’m here now,” ani Zacharias at umupo sa kanyang harap para mas lalong bumigat ang tensyon sa pagitan nilang dalawa. “What do you want us to talk?”

Nagkibit-balikat lamang si Wyatt dahil wala siyang maisip. Sumimsim siya ng alak habang nakatitig kay Zacharias. Nakipagtagisan ng titigan si Zacharias hanggang sa nanatili silang ganoon na posisyon ng ilang minuto. It was ironic for him to feel such animosity towards Zacharias when in fact it was him that he have hope to end up with Madison six years ago. Even before he left, he knew that Zacharias have a strong will on pursuing Madison before... up until now. It was him that he has his votes on to make Madison happy. But looking at him now, staring at Zacharias. Zacharias is not just his friend but also a rival. Kahit pa man hindi sila mag-usap tungkol doon ay alam niya na nagsimula na ang kompetisyon. Dahil kung hindi ay hindi ito tititig sa kanya na para bang may nagawa siyang kasalanan.

Though, he doesn't care. Rather, he doesn't want to care. As a top-notch hotelier like Zacharias, he really has a skill in persuading. He could tell it by the way he made Madison open up for him. Leaving his spot makes it easier for Zacharias to tame her. But he wouldn't back down for that. As an Olympic champion for six consecutive years, losing is not on his vocabulary.

“What about Kyron’s second anniversary?” pambasag ni Kayden sa namuong katahimikan at tensyon.

Si Zacharias ang unang nagbawi ng tingin para bumaling kay Kayden. “The venue will be on my resort, as usual. That is next week. Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon. Same old same old. Two days and one night.”

“Everyone's coming right?” tanong ni Kayden.

“Yes, I guess. It depends on the schedule,” pagbibigay-alam ni Zacharias bago bumaling sa kanya. “Are you coming?”

“Is Madison coming?” tanong ni Wyatt habang nakatingin sa baso.

“I visit in the clinic and she said yes,” sagot ni Zacharias at ngumiti. “She will.”

“Then I’m coming, too...” ani Wyatt at nanunukat ng tingin. “I should pick up where I left off, shouldn't I, hmm?”

”Nobody said you can’t though,” sagot ni Zacharias at mapagmataas na itinaas ang ulo.

“Good,” sagot ni Wyatt.

“Fantastic!” sarkastiko na sagot ni Zacharias.

Sabay silang napa-inom ng alak na nagtitigan sa isa't isa. Nang maubudan rin ng sabay ay parehas silang napahawak sa baso at nagkatinginan. Inagaw ni Wyatt ang bote at hindi nagpatalo si Zacharias dahil hinali rin nito ang bote mula sa kanyang mahigpit na pagkahawak.

“Give this to me, it’s mine,” mariin na wika ni Wyatt at patuloy na hinigpitan ang hawak sa bote.

“It’s Kayden’s, so how come it’s yours?” nanunukat na tanong ni Zacharias at hinila ang baso. “And the bottle has no name. So, you can't claim it yours.”

“I got here first, Alvarez,” ani Wyatt para magsalubong ang kilay ni Zacharias.

“Still, that reason won't give you the persmission to claim it yours, Hernandez...” Si Zacharias na hindi nagpatalo at patuloy na inaagaw ang bote. “I don’t recall that the bottle has an owner.”

“The f**k with you two?” asik ni Kayden para magpatigil sa kailang dalawa. “Walang laman iyong bote pinag-aagawan niyo? Mga gago ampota. Ang dami diyan sa bar counter. Kahit magdalawa pa kayo ng tag-isang dosena.”

Nang mapagtanto nila ang kanilang ginawa ay sabay silang napabitaw sa bote. Napadekuwatro si Wyatt habang si Zacharias naman ay inayos ang necktie nito. Nang inilapag ni Kayden ang dalawang Mikhail ay sabay sila na nag-iwas ng tingin ni Zacharias. Damn, since when did they hate each other?

“I changed my mind,” ani Wyatt at binaling sa iba ang atensyon. “I’ll have my practice later. I need to be sober.”

“Me too. Can't consume too much. I still have a lot of supervision to do. Bumista lang ako dito ng saglit,” ani Zacharias at inayos ang suot nitong suit. “You guys take care.”

Tumango si Kayden bilang tugon at wala siyang ginawa na kung anong kilos kundi ang suwabeng pagpangalumbaba. Nang magbago ang kanyang isip ay iniwan niya si Kayden sa kinauupuan at sinundan niya si Zacharias sa parking lot.

“I knew you would follow me,” ani Zacharias na naka-upo sa hood ng sasakyan habang hindi siya nilingon.

Nakapamulsa na nilapitan niya ito at tinabihan. “Did you overheard?”

“Yeah,” sagot nito at nagsindi ng sigarilyo. “Not only that but I saw you two hugging on my suite the very day Madison said she will get back on the clinic to work.”

Hindi sumagot si Wyatt sa kataga na iyon dahil wala siyang maganda na isasagot. He could hurt Zacharias any minute now if he will say any word. Hindi lahat ng tao ay kailangan ng sagot. Minsan, kailangan lamang ng iba na kaibigan na handang makinig.

“Anim na taon akong naghintay. Na umasa...” wika nito nang hindi siya tumugon sapagkat nanatili siyang inalalahad ang mga tainga. “Pero pota, bumalik ka lang nag-iba na lahat bigla. Akala ko palapit na kami doon ni Madison.”

Napalunok si Wyatt at pinigilan ang sarili ang mga kataga na gustong umalpas sa kanyang bibig.

“Pero hindi ako susuko. Ako iyong tao na hindi marunong sumuko kahit na alam ko nang malabo,” pagbibigay-alam ni Zacharias upang mapakurap-kurap na lamang siya sa kinatatayuan.

Kahit pa man karibal niya si Zacharias ay kaibigan pa rin niya ito. Iyon ang hindi magbabago sa pagitan nila. They fell in love with the same person and they cannot do anything about that. No one was obligated to pave their feelings. Competition is still on and it sucks to have a rival as a best friend. He knew Zacharias feel it too. Sapagkat ang kanilang kinahaharap ngayon ay labanan ng paniniwala at puso. Kung sino man ang manalo ay tiyak na magwawagi. Ang matalo naman ay nararapat na umusad.