My Ruggedly Handsome Bodyguard

“LADIES and gentlemen, our special guest for tonight! Miss Erin dela Torre!” Erin emerged from the back stage and sit in front of where the host—Veronica del Mundo was seated. The cheers and clapping of the audience are deafening. Erin smiled and waved at them that made the audience scream for her name. She saw some of them holding and waving banners with her name and face on it. Erin chuckled nervously. These kind of attention still made her feel uncomfortable. Dalawang taon na siyang artista pero hindi pa siya sanay. Veronica smiled widely at her. “Wow, our audience are too excited. What can you say about them, Erin?” Genuine smile were glued on Erin’s lips. “I am speechless. Thank you for your overwhelming support, guys!” She said and blowed the audience a kiss. The audience roared another defeaning screaming that lasted for a minute. Erin couldn’t explain the joy that enveloped her heart. She has been the guest of Veronica’s talk show— Famous and Fame twice already but she always received the same kind of recognition. The show only features famous celebrities here in the Philippines. Although it was her third time as a guest, she still feels like it was the first. Hanggang ngayon kasi ay hindi pa rin siya makapaniwalang naabot niya kung ano man siya ngayon sa mundo ng show business. Famous and Fame has been airing for almost two years now but despite of the short period of time, the show created a buzz all over the country and consistent on its number one spot at the ratings. The host of the show Veronica del Mundo was a beautiful and elegant multimedia magnate and the owner of Elite Magazine that only features famous celebrities in the country. “Wow,” Veronica exclaimed. “So, Erin what are we going to expect from you?” The camera was focused on her face. She was confident on close-ups because she knew she was beautiful. Erin cleared her throat before answering. “Well, I already started shooting for my movie with Tyron Buenafe—” Erin paused for a while because the crowd were screaming again when they heard what she just said. She smiled widely. Veronica laughed in amazement. Tyron Buenafe was her leading man on her third movie and it was a blockbuster hit. The movie earned almost two hundred million just on its first week. The directors and producers told her that they were a great loveteam on big screen. A match made in heaven as they say. They were working with her second movie with Tyron due to consistent public demand. Hindi magkamayaw ang mga manonood at kailangan pa nilang maghintay ng isang buong minuto bago magpatuloy. “Yes, I love you, guys!” she told the audience. “It will be an entry for Manila Film Festival and I have a lined up concert in two months time. I also have a scheduled photoshoot for Elite Magazine the day after tomorrow.” “Oh, I know you’re one of the favorite faces of Elite Magazine,” Veronica wink at her. “It seemed like you’re a bit busy in the upcoming days.” “Not busy enough to handle a fan meeting with my awesome fans!” The crowd shrieked in excitement. “Wow. That’s wonderful, Erin. Let’s talk about your upcoming movie with Tyron Buenafe. What was it all about?” “Well, it’s about a girl who was torn between love and her dreams. It’s so beautiful that I’m sure everybody could relate. I couldn’t say too much about it for now but I’m sure the public will love it. Tyron and I are giving our best to make this movie beautiful.” “Oh, we’re dying of suspense already. But, didn’t it ever crossed your mind on making you and Tyron from reel to real?” The audience cheered again. Erin smiled nervously. “Why not?” she answered with a mysterious smile on her lips. Despite of nervousness, she tried not to stammer. Though she wanted to give them an honest answer, she needed to pretend there was something going on between Tyron and her for the promotion of their upcoming movie. “My gosh!” Veronica gushed excitedly. “So, that means you didn’t have a boyfriend right now?” “Yes.” “Pero siguradong akong may mga manliligaw ka. Sino naman ang maniniwalang wala, hindi ba?” Veronica asking the audience. Muling naghiyawan ang mga manonood at ang ilan sa kanila’y isinisigaw ang pangalan ng mga male celebrities na nali-link sa kaniya. “So, do you have suitors, Erin?” “Yes. A lot.” “Could you please tell us a hint about them?” Erin smiled thriftly. Wala siyang balak pangalanan ang mga lalaking nanliligaw sa kaniya. Mahirap nang masabihan na assumera at makapal ang mukha. Alam niyang kung gaano karami ang fans niya'y ganoon din karami ang mga taong may ayaw sa kaniya. "Seems like you wanted to be discreet about it but according to my trusted source, Vico Magallanes—the senator's son is courting you now. Is it true?" Nakangiting itinapat ni Erin ang microphone sa kaniyang bibig. "He invited me to dinner once but he's not courting me." Napahawak si Erin sa kaniyang pisngi nang magsimulang mag-cheer ang audience ng pangalan ng lalaking binanggit ni Veronica. "Oh, how about this young politician? We know for a fact that Jonas Arroyo is so hot and gorgeous! Is he courting you?" Veronoica stared at her intently as if telling her to not dare tell a lie. "I don't know!" wika ni Erin na sinabayan ng mahinang tawa. "Ni hindi kami pormal na nagkakilala. We only met a week ago sa party ng aming isang common friend." “Oh, seems like my source isn't reliable enough. Wanna fire her later,” biro ni Veronica na mahinhing natawa. “Well, do you have any crushes, Erin?” “Quite a number of them.” “Can you name all of them?” Veronica looked intently at her. Tila kahit ito ay hindi makapaghintay na marinig ang mga pangalang sasambitin niya. She smiled back at her. “Sure!” She started to name a few of her crushes and the audience went wild again. Veronica laughed heartily. “ Wow, that’s a lot!” “Yeah, I know,” she sexily bit her lower lip. Veronica can’t stop smiling. Erin knew this episode of the show will be trending on social media and Veronica will surely love that. “Erin, aside from being an actress you are also a great singer. I have a dare for you, would you mind?” Veronica smiled mischievously at her. “Oh, I won’t but why do I suddenly felt nervous?” She laughed nervously. Veronica laughed at her. “Don’t be nervous, Erin. This is just a simple dare.” “Uhm, okay,” Erin answered. “If you have to sing and dance for a guy tonight, what would it be?” Erin groaned silently. Everybody knew dancing is not her cup of tea. But she didn’t want to disappoint Veronica and the audience. Erin thought of a song for a while and smiled sweetly at Veronica. “It would be Pussycat Doll’s Buttons. The audience started to clapped and cheer as Erin dance her way to the center of the stage. She moved her body seductively but she didn’t know if she was doing it right. She raised her hand that revealed the perfect curve of her hips and pierced navel while singing and swaying her butt sexily as the music hit the chorus part. LYNDON couldn’t take her eyes off from the TV screen when the singer-actress Erin dela Torre started to sway her hips as she sang the sexy song. Nasa bahay siya ng kaibigang si Jacob at nagkataong naroon din ang mga pinsan nito. Mula kasi sa airport ay sa bahay siya ng kaibigan dumiretso. Jacob’s female cousins are enjoying watching the girl while the males are clearly drooling over her. “This Erin dela Torre is one hell of a temptation, Jake. Look at that pierced navel. She was hot!” Hindi mapigilang bulalas ni Joey sa pinsang si Waki. “Hot enough to burn that studio down to ashes, Joe!” sagot naman ni Waki. “I need to meet her!” Lyndon chuckled silently. Hindi maikakaila ang paghanga ng mga ito kay Erin dela Torre. Why, the woman was hotter than sin! Kahit sino sigurong nakapanood ng sexy at tila nang-aakit nitong sayaw ay mapapatulala at mapapanganga. Erin dela Torre is beautiful. Wild yet innocent. Isang mukhang kapag natitigan mo’y tila ayaw mo nang kumurap pa. Ngayon lang niya nakita sa TV ang artista at inaamin niyang naagaw agad nito ang pansin niya. “What if isang araw ay makasalubong mo si Erin, Joey? What will you do?” biro ng pinsan nitong si Camille. “I’m gonna marry her right away, cous!” Humalakhak si Camille at iba pa nilang pinsang babae sa narinig na sagot mula kay Joey. They were around twenty three to twenty five. Marahil ay kasing edad lamang nila si Erin dela Torre. “I don’t think she will fall for your charms, cousin. Narinig mo naman kung sino ang mga crushes ni Erin. She was into more mature guys Like Piolo and Zanjoe. Si James Reid lang ang ka-level mo.” “You wouldn’t know, cous. Girls always fall for someone that’s exception to their standards,” Joey winked at Camille. “Magpayaman ka muna bago ka mangarap na pakasalan ang isang Erin dela Torre, Joe. I’m sure hindi mo pa kakayanin ang luho niyan,” nakangiting biro ni Jacob na ginulo pa ang buhok ng pinsan. Nakita ni Lyndon na papalapit si Jacob sa kinaroroonan niya habang dala sa isang kamay ang isang bote ng alak. “Mayaman na ako, Kuya. I can provide her everything she wants!” patuloy ni Joey. “Dreame on, cousin!” kantyaw naman ni Maica na pumapapak ng caramel coated pop corn habang nanonood ng show. “Maniniwala pa ako kung si Kuya Lyndon. He’s rich, handsome and mature. Hindi malabong pasok siya sa taste ni Erin,” nakangising wika ni Camille na nakatingin sa kaniya. “Bakit naman ako napasama sa usapan n’yo?” Jacob has been his best buddy for five years kaya malapit din sa kaniya ang mga miyembro ng pamilya nito. “Come on, Kuya. I saw how you looked at her when she danced. Crush mo rin siya, ano?” nanunuksong dagdag ni Camille. “I don’t like young girls, sweetheart. Baka imbes na maging nobyo ako’y maging yaya pa,” aniya sa tonong nagbibiro. Natawa si Camille. “Grabe ka naman, Kuya. Hindi na bata si Erin. Mukha lang bata kasi maganda.” Kibit-balikat lamang ang sagot ni Lyndon kay Camille. “Kailan ka magpapakita sa inyo?” tanong ni Jacob sa kaniya nang tumigil na ang mga pinsan nito sa panunukso sa kaniya. Bumalik na ang mga ito sa panonood ng talk show. “Hindi ko pa alam. Maybe tomorrow? I don’t have the guts to face them right now, Jake. Hindi pa ako handa sa magiging pagsalubong nila sa akin.” “It’s fine, buddy. You just arrived two hours ago. Magpahinga ka muna to think things out.” “I felt so guilty, Jake. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko haharapin si Mama.” “Your mother is a nice woman, buddy. I know she wouldn’t blame you for what had happened to your father.” “ I hope so, Jake. Dahil hindi ko kakayanin kapag sumama ang loob ni Mama sa akin.” Tinapik ni Jacob ang balikat ni Lyndon to comfort him. Dinala naman ni Lyndon ang shot glass na may lamang alak sa bibig at inisang lagok iyon.