Taming The Billionaire

Kabanata 5

ANG plano kong photoshoot na cowgirl themed ay tuluyang nakansela. Una, maraming schedule si Ricona at isiningit lang ang sa akin. The chance was wasted when I got lost yesterday while finding for my brother’s hacienda. Ngayon, ang napagkasunduan ay sa Manila nalang iyon itutuloy. Si Louvell naman, mukhang hindi na sasabay. Hindi kasi ito kaharap nang kausapin ako ni Lola Catalina at Tita Harper.

Buong araw kinabukasan ay nanatili lamang kami sa bahay ng mga pinsan ko. Tita Syre stayed with us. Sina Tito Rudeus ay busy parin. Si Mommy at Raphael naman ay maagang nagtungo sa resort, mukhang natapos na kahapon ang ginawa nitong preperasyon kaya’t bumalik na agad sa pagtatrabaho.

Yesterday night I was bombarded with questions. Hindi na ako bumaba para iwasan ang usapan na iyon pero hindi nagpapigil ang mga pinsan ko. Especially, Sadie and Sordia. They were so eager to know what happened. Shio created a group chat for us five to gossip about the scheme I plotted and how it backfired and they were teasing me nonstop. Bumalik lamang ang inis ko nang i-kwento sakanila ang nangyari.

In return, they told me how Louvell reacted. Ang sabi’y gustong-gusto na raw nitong magsimula ngunit hindi pumayag si Ricona hangga’t hindi ako dumadating. Ang mas nakakatuwa pa raw roon ay ayos na ayos na ang itsura nito. Nakabihis na at haharap nalang sa camera. I should’ve seen her face. Laughable pa naman ang mukha nitong umuusok sa inis.

We spent the day watching movies, and catching up. Doon ay mas nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong tanungin ang sinasabi ni Hericane na ex-boyfriend ni Shio. Not all day I can relax and have a chitchat with my girl cousins. Lalo na’t bukas din ay aalis na ako.

Not that it’s a summer vacation and I can stay here for long.

Nang araw din na iyon ay umalis na sina Louvell at Edrianne. That was to be expected considering they don’t like to be here plus the fact that I slapped Louvell with the truth that she doesn’t have the power here. Si Edrianne naman.. she didn’t come to me to ‘talk’ about the car. Siguro’y alam niyang siya lang din ang mapapasama kapag gumawa pa siya ng usapin tungkol doon.

“Don’t you feel guilty about Louvell?” Hericane turned to me, her brows sloping inward.

“Guilty, what?” My forehead rumpled.  “And why should I feel guilty?”

“Because you made them leave by making them feel unwanted?”

Si Shio na naka-upo sa gilid ng pool habang nakababad ang mga paa sa tubig ay napalingon nang marinig na magsalita ang kapatid. Ganoon din si Sadie na umiinom ng margarita sa itim na longue chair.

Nalukot ang mukha ko. Where is that coming from? “That was their decision, Hericane. I did not tell them to leave. And it was Louvell who wanted to pissed me off. Same theme and outfit, really? Ano kami, model ng clothing brand?”

Sordia laughed. “Easy, Niy.”

Hericane inhaled. “I don’t want to fight with you. I just.. thought that we should have stopped them from leaving. This was supposed to be a reunion.”

Umiling ako at tumayo. “I wouldn’t disguise myself as a white girl with wings and halo just to stop them from leaving. At least, if they consider this as an important family gathering they would’ve act more proper and appropriate.”

Umangat ang dibdib ko nang huminga ako nang malalim. Hericane obviously sympathizes with Louvell and I didn’t like how she expressed it. Why did it sound like I am the villain? I made them feel unwanted? I didn’t go there in time and wander around to make them leave. I did it so Louvell could take the hint. That not everything will go her way, especially if it’s me she’s against.

Iniwan ko sila sa pool area at naglakad papasok sa loob. The atmosphere was getting dark and if we talk some more with the topic on me being bad and I would surely explode. Walang alam si Hericane sa alitan namin ng anak ni Tita Charron kaya’t natural lamang na makaramdam siya ng kaibahan sa nangyari ngunit ayaw ko ng ganoon. Lalo na’t sa tono nito’y parang sinasabi niya na inaapi ko sina Louvell.

I headed straight to the mini bar. Wala naman akong balak matulog nang maaga. Pamaya-maya ay lalabas ulit ako para lumangoy. Just after a few drinks. My mouth suddenly watered for a taste of champagne but since I had all the bottles empty, I need to be satisfied with wine. Ilang bote lang kasi iyon, siguro’y hindi napansin ni Mommy kaya’t hindi pa ito nakakabili ng panibago.

All that’s left here are hard liquor and wine. Iyon kasi ang tipong inumin ni Raphael.

Nang makarating sa conservatory room ay dumiretso ako pakaliwa. Doon ay naabutan ko sina Vack at Benjamin na nag-uusap. Kaya pala hindi ko ito nakitang umalis kasama nina Edrianne, nagpa-iwan pala ito.

Hindi ako nagsalita nang lumapit doon. Nang magtungo sa harap nila para pumili ng alak ay doon lamang sila tumigil sa pagsasalita. Nakita ko sa gilid ng mga mata ko ang pagtayo ni Benjamin sa stool.

“Happy birthday, cousin.” Pabirong bati nito.

“I’m not accepting a greet without a present, Benj.” Sagot ko pagdaka, hindi ito nililingon.

“Hmm.” Naglakad ito paikot para lapitan ako. “What about a guitar?”

Napatigil ako roon. That was random. Benjamin likes talking nonsense but suggesting a guitar as a present sounded off. Nilingon ko siya. Isang dipa at kalahati ang layo nito sa akin. Holding his glass on his left hand while hiding the other one on his pocket. Hindi ko matuko’y kung lasing ba ito o’ iyon ang natural niyang ekspresyon.

“Guitar?” Pag-uulit ko. “Why guitar when you can afford a branded bag?”

“But you like guitar more than a branded bag do you?”

My heart contorted. Nilingon ko si Vack na nakatingin lamang sa baso nito, ang dalawang tenga ay namumua. I licked my lower lip. Dahan-dahan ay ibinaba ko sa mahabang lamesa ang hawak na bote bago muling humarap kay Benjamin. He knew. He knew I play guitar. And seeing how Vack isn’t reacting only means Benj isn’t the only one with light.

Paano?

“You knew..” My eyes were then filled with confusion and fear. “Sinabi sa’yo ni Edrianne?”

Tumawa si Benjamin. “The other way around. Vack slipped his tongue.”

Umawang ang labi ko. “What?” Bumaling ako kay Vack. “Edrianne knew?!”

Vack raised his brow before he nonchalanty shook his head. “Accidentally, yes.”

“Shit.” Usal ko. Kaya pala parang may alam ito. So it wasn’t a threat after all. Edrianne, including these jerks knew that I am meeting with my Dad and that I am a member of a band. Bumuga ako ng hangin at humalukipkip. “How did you even find out?”

“BGC is a good place.” Tumango-tango si Benjamin. He leaned a little to propped his elbow at the table. “Lots of drinking place, bar.” He shrugged. “We just happened to see you playing on stage.”

Kumagat ako sa ibabang labi ko. My hand immediately flew towards my head to massage it. s**t. Vack and Benjamin knew. Pati si Edrianne ngayon ay may alam. Now that I pushed them to the edge it’s more than possible that Edrianne will do something about it.

Tumingala ako at muling huminga nang malalim. Sa mga oras na ito ay baka nakauwi na sina Edrianne sa bahay nila. What happens is if she tell it to Tita Charron?

“Edrianne won’t tell it to anyone.” Si Vack.

Matalim ko itong binalingan ng tingin. “She will. That’s just how she is.”

“I told her not to. She won’t.” He countered.

“You don’t know your sister enough, then.”

“Edrianne knew she’ll be against me if she say something that would ruin you. She won’t talk, Nieoni.” Nagbago ang tono ng boses nito, parang naiinis na.

“Woah.” Benjamin raised both his hands. “Enough with the tension. We knew but we won’t talk, okay? Calm your pretty face.”

I would’ve believed it if that didn’t come from him. Vack managed to tell it to Edrianne. Pu-pwedeng maulit ulit iyon.

Sumama ang mukha ko. Kung sila lang sanang dalawa ay baka matanggap ko pa. Edrianne is the bad news. Ngayon ay may hawak na ito laban sa akin. Who knows if she’ll use it against me? Paano kung i-blackmail pa niya ako? Puno pa naman ng insecurities ang katawan nito. I closed my eyes shut. This is why I didn’t want to play on bars with big audiences. Alam ko una palang na kapag naging matunog ang banda ay may posibildad na may makaalam at mapahamak ako.

On top of that, I am communicating with my biological father. When my father and mother got separated I was told to cut things between me and him. Pinalitan ni Mommy ang apilyido ko at sinabihan na huwag nang makikipag-usap o’ makikipagkita sakanya. Iyon din ang gusto ni Lolo Asmodeous dahil kahit noon palang ay talagang ayaw na niya sa totoo kong Ama. Because he was poor and he wants nothing but to play instruments. Na hindi niya nakikitaan ng halaga si Daddy dahil sa musika lamang ito maalam.

Nang magkaroon ako ng pagkakataong mamuhay sa siyudad nang mag-isa ay mas nagkaroon ako ng pagkakataong kitain ang Ama ko. Some days I sleep at his house. On summer vacation, I go out with my father together with my aunts, uncles, and cousins on his side. Alam kong delikado dahil kilala ako bilang Solivan pero gusto ko ring makisama sakanila. Unlike the Solivans, the Revelios are filled with harmony. Mabait ito sa akin at kahit na hindi kasundo ng mga ito si Mommy ay maganda parin ang trato nila sa akin.

I used to be Nieoni Solivan Revelio. Dating nakadikit sa pangalan ko ang apilyido ng mga ito. That changed when my mom cheated on my dad with Raphael. The main reason why I don’t consider him as my dad let alone address him as father. He will always be a stranger to me.

I held my breath. “Don’t even think that you can use that against me.” I stopped for a brief moment to force the air to enter my nostrils. “This is my life now. They are a part of my life. No one in this family can make me give up on that.”

Pareho silang nanahimik doon. Nakita ko ang paglunok ni Benjamin, ang mapaglarong ngiti sa mga labi nito ay burado na. Dumiretso siya ng tayo habang ang mata ay iniiwas sa akin. I turned sidewards as my face hardened. Kumuha ako ng baso ‘saka iyon nilagyan ng yelo mula sa babasaging bowl. Now I’m all fired up.

“We are not taking that away from you, Niy. We stayed silent despite knowing it for months. Hindi mo kami kaaway.” Si Benjamin iyon.

Hindi ako nagsalita. I breathed hard and opened the bottle of Bacardi. Nagsalin ako noon sa baso. I heard Benjamin slowly walking towards my direction. Akala ko magsasalita ito pero hindi. Instead, he drank on my glass. I frowned and faced him.

“That’s mine!” Umirap ako sakanya. “Now you have your saliva on it!”

“Just get another one.” He raised a brow before he put the glass down. Itinukod nito ang kamay sa lamesa at inilapit ang mukha sa akin. “You are so hot headed, you know that?”

Lumayo ako sakanya at kumuha ng panibagong baso. “That is because you are annoying.”

Siya na mismo ang naglagay ng yelo roon. He poured my glass and gave it to me. “Can you trust us a little? We all grew up together. We’re not betraying you.”

Hindi ako nagsalita. Tumingin lamang ako sakanya na para bang tinitimbang siya. The thing with Benjamin is that you wouldn’t know if he’s still fooling around or he’s already serious.

“Yeah.” Muli kong narinig ang boses ni Vack. “Remember when you were bullying a guy back when we were still in pre-school? Who took the blame when you pushed him to the ground and he cried?”

“Us.” Benjamin chuckled. “And when you pulled a girl’s hair when you were in grade four and her brother came for you?”

“We had a record in guidance because we protected you.” Segunda ni Vack.

That, I remember. Napataas ang kilay ko. It was our class’ muse and she is so annoying. Ang pabebe. Girls like her are what I hate the most, ever since.

I drew a deep breath. “Fine.” Humalukipkip ako. “But would you two be there for me if my actions reach my mom?”

Benjamin c****d his head. “We wouldn’t even let it reach her.”