Art of Serendipity

24

Tulala na akong sumama sa kaniya pabalik sa Condo niya. I do not know what to feel first. My knees are still trembling. Damn it! Bakit ganito na lang ang epekto niya sa akin? Pati utak ko gulong-gulo! It is unfair! He has unjustifiable actions!

"You will stay here, don't you?" he asked as we get to his Condo. Nilapag ko ang gamit ko sa couch niya at nilabas ang phone ko.

I glared at him but I immediately gazed away. Geez! Hindi ko matagalan ang titig niya. Inirapan ko na lang siya.

"No, I won't stay here. I'll contact the hotel later. That's final," taas-noo kong sabi ng hindi tumitingin sa kaniya. Nakaupo na ako sa sofa samantalang siya ay nasa Refrigerator at may kinukuha roon, probably, water.

When he heard my answer, mayabang siyang unti-unting lumapit at pumwesto sa harap ko. Nakaupo ako kaya nakayuko siya sa akin. I glanced at him with a curious look. The left side of his red lip tugged upwards creating a sinister smirk.

"Kung iyan talaga ang plano mo. E 'di sana kanina mo pa tinawagan yung Hotel niyo," he said as a matter of fact, so proud.

I glared at him again not because I hate what he just said but because he's damn right! Dapat nga ay pagkaalis ni Nanay Luz kanina ay ginawa ko na but I did not. Kasi kapag ginawa ko iyon, baka hindi ko na mabalikan itong Condo niya. It's not that I want to go back here pero hindi naman masama 'di ba? Geez, Aya! What the hell are you thinking?!

I pouted, looking defeated. "E 'di ngayon ko tatawagan, duh."

Binuksan ko ang phone ko pero mabilis pa sa alas-kwatro niyang nakuha sa akin iyon. Tumayo ako at pumamewang sa harap niya. This punk!

"H'wag na. Bukas na..." he cleared his throat and looked away. "Gabi na."

"Ayo 'ko, baka makalimutan ko pa," I reasoned out.

"Kung gusto mo talaga, you won't forget it," he reasoned too.

I narrowed my eyes. "What are you implying here exactly, Lev? Sinasabi mo bang gusto ko talaga mag-stay dito, huh? That is why I did not call our hotel right away?"

"No, ikaw ba?" He smirked again but immediately faded when I glared at him. "Nevermind, you can stay here 'till tomorrow."

Iniabot niya sa akin ang phone ko kaya padarag kong kinuha sa kaniya iyon. Sinundan ko siya ng tingin habang papunta na siya sa kwarto niya. Nang mawala siya sa paningin ko ay ako naman ang pumunta sa ref at wala sa sariling uminom ng tubig. Natutuyo ang lalamunan ko sa mga pinagsasabi at pinag-gagagawa niya. Bakit ba kasi niya ako gustong mag-stay dito? Can he gave me atleast one damn good reason, so that I am not clueless here?

Pagkatapos kong maligo at magbihis ay tinawagan ko pa rin ang Hotel pero bukas na ko pupunta roon tulad ng plano ko. I also called our driver to pick me up everyday and take me to the University. He is a bit hesitant about my offer because he knows how far our hotel in VillU. Kulang-kulang isang oras din kasi iyon. Plus, Daddy is also using him whenever he is needed. Kumbaga, nagiging on-call driver namin siya. Kinumbinsi ko na lang siya na tataasan ko ang sahod niya because I know how much workload I added up to his. Eventually, pumayag siya. I just said sorry.

Lumabas na ako matapos ng iilan pang tawag. May pagkain na sa hapag pagkarating ko roon at naroon na rin si Levi. Mukhang hinihintay niya pa ako dahil nagbabasa pa siya ng Magazines. Napatingin rin ako sa mga Magazine at nakitang naka-feature pala roon ang Daddy niya, the Velez Gallery, must I say. Mukhang big time talaga itong Gallery nila dahil habang tumatagal ay dumarami ang branches. Just like our hotels. Handling these businesses are really tiring, but I guess, if you like what you are doing, hindi ka magsasawa.

"You'll soon manage all of these, right? I mean, your galleries," I asked him.

Ibinaba naman niya ang Magazine at tumingin sa akin. "Probably."

I just shrugged my shoulders and started putting food on my plate. Nakatingin lang siya sa akin at pinagmamasdan ang bawat galaw ko. Na-conscious tuloy ako bigla plus, I'm remembering what happened a while ago. He wants me to forbid him to not be kisses by the other girls. I also felt jealous earlier.

Wait, what? Did I just admit that I got jealous? Is that really jealousy? Ah, this is crazy. I don't even have a right to be. Tsaka, I am not sure. I have never felt jealousy before when it comes to other people. Si Tita Donna lang talaga ang pinagselosan ko sa tanang buhay ko.

"Wala ka ba talagang girlfriend?" I asked out of nowhere but I don't feel any regret by the way. I'm just plain curious, that's all.

Napahinto ako sa agarang naiisip. Napaka-defensive ko naman.

Another glorious smirk from him makes me regret what I asked. Bakit ko nga ulit tinanong iyon? Damn you, Ayannah! Wala kang paninindigan!

"Wala namanm," he answered with a bit of humor in his voice.

"Bakit wala? Wala kang gusto sa fine arts students? Si Kate? You're close with her, d-'di ba?" nautal ako bigla. I can't just control my mouth!

"I'm not that close with her."

He leaned closer to the table and started putting food on his plate, too.

Napakunot ang noo ko and something flashed in my mind. "E 'yong hinalikan mo no'ng una tayong nagkakilala? How about that woman?"

"She kissed me first," depensa niya.

"And you kissed her back," I could almost hear my sarcasm.

He shrugged. "It's done. I can't even remember her name."

Hindi ko alam pero lalo akong nainis doon. So, kapag may nilalandi siya, hindi niya talaga matandaan ang pangalan? Ganoon na ba karami ang nakahalikan niya para hindi niya matandaan? What a playboy. Ngayon ko lang natandaan. He's a freaking playboy. He will make you feel the pleasure and then eventually, forget! Naaawa na ako sa mga babaeng nabiktima niya. Ang dami na siguro sila. Too much and still counting!

Maingay ang pagkain ko dahil sa bigat ng hawak ko sa kutsara. Hindi ako nagdadabog pero sadya talagang malakas ang tunog kapag lumalapat ang kutsara sa babasagin kong plato. I tried to make it lighter, but I'm always failed. Ang bilis ko rin kumain. Okay lang, hinahayaan niya lang naman ako pero nararamdaman ko ang pagsulyap-sulyap niya sa akin. Naramdaman ko rin ang pagsabay niya ng bilis kumain sa akin. Now, I can feel that we are in a race or what!

Nang matapos kumain ay inunahan ko na siyang hugasan ang pinggan ko. Agad naman siyang nakasunod sa akin kaya marahas ko ring kinuha sa kaniya ang plato niya at hinugasan. Damn these plates!

"Baka mabasag ang mga pinggan, Aya," marahan niyang sabi sa akin.

Baka mukha niya ang mabasag ko! Try me!

"Hindi naman. Nakikita mo bang basag?" Taas-kilay ko siyang nilingon pero agad ring binalik ang tingin sa mga plato. Naiirita ako pero hindi ko intensyong makabasag 'no. Hindi naman akin 'tong mga plato na 'to. Well, kung makakabasag man ako, I am willing to pay for it! Or perhaps, give him new and branded plates! Tss!

You are a mess, Ayannah. I cannot believe you are whining about a f*****g plate. Napakababaw, ha.

Hindi na siya nagsalita pa pero nanatili siyang nakasandal sa counter. Watching me fixing things in his kitchen. Nang matapos ay nilagpasan ko siya at didiretso na sana papasok sa kwarto pero hinila niya ako papasok sa office s***h art room niya. Gulat ako kaya hindi ako naka-react agad.

"You're mad again," sabi niya agad, wala nang tanong-tanong. "And I do not know why."

"Hindi naman ako nagalit." I rolled my eyes.

I heard him whispered some curses. "Okay, I don't know where and why are you mad. I guess, you got pissed that I had played before, is that it? Fine, I must admit this. I was a flirt-"

"Playboy," pagtatama ko sa kaniya.

"Whatever it is. I'm not like that anymore and besides..." Namungay ang mga mata niyang nakatingin sa akin.

"What?" I asked when he trailed off.

"I have someone that I truly like now."

Nagtagal ang titig ko sa kaniya. Nawala ang inis ko tungkol sa kanina pero napalitan ng isa pang hindi pamilyar na pakiramdam. His eyes are convincing. I don't know, maybe he's using that to his girls. I am starting to have trust isues, not to him, but to myself.

"'Yon naman pala, e," I said bitterly. Sino naman kayang gusto niya? Fine Arts student? Sabagay, same passion sila. "It is good to like someone with the same passion as yours. You know what I mean."

A ghost of smile plastered on his face. ''I know what you are thinking, but I am sorry to dissapoint you. She's not a fine arts student."

"Tourism, rather?" I asked. Marami kasing magaganda sa Tourism, so I bet he will like someone from that course. Pwede rin sa Film, mga mag-aartista, magaganda rin.

"Nope, I guess she's an Hm student." He tilted his head after saying that.

Hm? Hotel Management? Sa course ko? Pinaalis ko sa isipan na ako 'yon. Bakit naman siya magkakagusto sa akin? I'm his...friend. Siguro, palagi kasi siyang nagagawi sa department namin kaya may nakilala siya. Ewan ko. Wala na akong lakas para tanungin pa iyon.

Tumango ako ng marahan. "Okay."

~~~