My Destiny (Completed)

k2

Pero lumipas ang mga araw at mga linggo na hindi natupad ang wish ni KC na magkita sila ulit.

She therefore concluded that he is not Mr. Right. Baka takas lang din sa mental...

"Haist!" Napabuga siya ng hangin. Now she has to wait for another prospect Mr. Right to come along.

Nasa mall siya at kasalukuyang nag-gogrocery. Ginagawa niya iyon tuwing Sabado. Hindi na niya inaasa iyon sa kanyang ina na may edad na rin.

May inaabot siyang gatas sa itaas na bahagi ng shelf nang tumunog ang cellphone niya. At si Alex ang caller.

"Hello," tamad niyang bungad. Alam niya kung bakit ito tumawag. Ipinipilit kasi nito na sumama siya sa party ng kaibigan nito. Like, hello? Wala na bang ibang gagawin ang mga mayayaman kundi magparty? Parang noong isang araw lang ay nasa party rin si Alex.

"Where are you? I told you to meet me here in the coffe shop," Alex demanded.

"Alex, you know that it's not my thing. So please help yourself and go alone. Naggogrocery ako ng kakainin namin. Mas importante 'to."

"Why do you always turn me down?!"

"I've been saying no to you ever since you held your first party. So please, if you'll excuse me -" she struggled getting the box of milk for her mother. "Yeah - i know. Bye-bye. Love you." Pinutol na niya ang tawag para maka-tiptoe siya nang maayos. Akma siyang kukuha ng gatas nang may kumuha noon para sa kanya. "Thank you, sir." She smiled and turned to see the concerned man who helped her only to be surprised. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Mr. Right once again!

"Hi," nakangiting bati ng lalaking antagal na niyang hinihintay na makita ulit. "KC, right?"

"I-it's you!" Halos mabulol siya. "Mr -"

"Francis," he shook her already shaking hand. "How's your forehead, KC?"

"I'm okay. Just a scar..." Sinalat niya ang tahi sa noo niya na bagamat 'di naman masyadong malaki ay nakabawas pa rin sa kagandahan niya. "How did you know my name? Buti nakilala mo pa ako, Francis," kay sarap namang banggitin ng pangalan nito!

"Yeah, I got your name from Uncle Steve. How could I forget you, you stained my polo with your blood." He chuckled

"I'm sorry about that... What are you doing here?" Minasdan niya ang umaapaw nitong pushcart. "Are you planning to buy the entire grocery?"

"Haha, no. I just moved to my new house so just buying some stocks."

"Ah," naubusan siya ng sasabihin. "Thank you."

"For?" Kunot noong tanong nito.

"For this," tukoy niya sa hawak na gatas.

"Small thing... So just see you around, KC." Nagba-bye na ito and as much as KC wanted to engage him in a conversation ay wala naman siya nasabi hanggang sa makaalis ito nang tuluyan.

'Hindi bale. At least I already know his name! I love you na Francis!' She thought happily.

*****

"What are you doing here?" Bungad-tanong ni Francis sa bisitang agad namang nagtuloy-tuloy sa loob ng bahay niya. "Kat!"

"Mama sent me here to check on you," parang imbestigador na nag-ikot ito sa condo niyang katamtaman lang ang laki.

Foster sister niya si Katrina. Sa pamilya ng mga ito siya lumaki mula ng maghiwalay ang mga magulang niya.

"Well?"

"Looks like you need somebody to do the household chores for you, brother," nakaismid na tugon nito nang umabot ito sa kitchen niya. 'Andoon pa kasi ang mga ginamit niya noong isang araw. Hindi pa siya nakakapaghugas.

"Lalaki ako, Kat. What do you expect? Besides nasa opisina ako maghapon. I barely have time to cook," he explained. Growing up with Katrina was like having a sister and a best friend at the same time. Solo siyang anak bago naghiwalay ang parents niya. While Kat had a twin sister. Kaso hindi identical ang mga ito. Charlize died when they were four. Kasama itong natupok ng masunog ang bahay ng mga ito noon. Since then ay silang dalawa na lang ang naging magkapatid.

But Katrina has another sister. Half sister sa ama nito... Si Alex. Kat and Alex don't get along together. They both despise each other. Madalas siyang referee. Hanggang sa pagdesisyunan na lang ng ama ng mga ito na 'wag silang pagsasamahin sa iisang lugar.

"Exactly! So, why did you even need to leave home?"

"I'm old already, Kat. It's about time I begin thinking about my future family."

"Oh no, please." Napahawak sa ulo nito si Kat. "Don't even think of marrying Alex!"

"And why not?" Hindi naman niya kelangang alamin pa ang dahilan. Simple lang naman ang sagot doon. Because she hates Alex.

"Hindi ko alam pero sa dami ng babaeng nakilala mo, bakit si Alex pa? Utang na loob Francis!"

"Don't worry, I am not yet marrying her," sabi na lang niya bago pa ito magfreak out.

Paano nga ba niya naging girlfriend si Alex? Well, it was her who pursued him. Noong una hindi rin naman niya gusto ang idea dahil harap-harapan niyang sasaktan si Katrina. The latter believes na inaagawan ito ni Alex ng kuya like how their father's attention was divided between Alex and her.

Last year lang naman naging sila ni Alex. After several years na lagi nitong sinasabi na mahal siya nito, he finally decided to make her stop so he could do the courting instead. So kung tutuusin, kahit matagal na silang magkakilala, bata pa ang relasyon nila.

"I really hope you'd meet a better woman."

He shrugged. Maybe Katrina will finally accept Alex someday. For now, hindi nila ito dapat pinag-uusapan.

****

KC didn't have a good day. Paano kasi, lumipad na naman sa New York ang magaling niyang kaibigan. Ang masama, wala na naman itong notice na aalis ito. KC had to cancel all her boss' appointments at 'yong mga super importante naman ay kinailangan niyang puntahan.

It wasn't totally a bad day dahil kahit papa'no ay may naisara siyang deal. So it's still something to be thankful for.

"Francis!" KC was surpised to see Francis sa lobby ng office building nila pagkababa niya.

"Hi, beautiful," he greeted her with a handsome smile.

"What are you doing here?" Ang laki ng ngiti niya at lumusog ang puso niya sa pagbati nito.

"Well, I came to fetch somebody kaso umalis pala siya. Hindi niya sinabi and so I came for no one pala. And since I'm already here, nagbakasakali ako na abangan ka instead."

"How did you know I'm working here?" Nararamdaman niya si Francis na hindi sinabihan ng susunduin nito because Alex did exactly the same thing to her. But whoever he was supposed to fetch, sana hindi girlfriend.

"Apparently, I know your company so well." Tinuro nito ang logo ng company nila na nakaburda sa uniform niya.

"Oh... Why would you wait for me?"

"I just remembered you and so that hindi masayang ang pagpunta ko. Hatid na kita?" He was hesitant. "Kung walang magagalit? I mean -"

"Yes." Ngiting-ngiti siya and he was relieved a bit kasi ngumiti rin ito bago siya inalalayan palabas ng building.

"There's my car." Tukoy nito sa gwapong kotseng naghihintay sa parking, ipinagbukas muna siya nito ng pinto at pinasakay bago umikot sa driver's seat.

Feel na feel naman ng dalaga ang nangyayari. Kunwari girlfriend siya ni Francis.

"How about I take you out for dinner?" Tanong nito nang makapasok sa kotse

"Are you serious? I mean, hindi ba ako nakakaabala na masyado sa'yo?" Kinikilig na pakyime kunwari ng dalaga.

"Ofcourse not. Baka nga ikaw ang naiistorbo ko. You might have other plans -"

"No... It's okay," putol niya, magpapakipot pa ba siya? Kahit siguro may appointment siya sa Presidente ng Amerika ay kakanselahin niya para paunlakan ang dinner with Francis.

"Well then, good." He smiled that so gorgeous smile once again.

Hay, grabe naman ang kapalit ng pagpapahirap ni Alex sa kanya. Kung laging ganito tuwing mag-aawol ang kaibigan niya, aba eh, araw-arawin na!

Over dinner, KC got to know Francis more. At base sa paraan ng pagsasalita, kilos at pagrespeto sa kanya, masasabi niyang maganda ang upbringing sa binata. Wala itong kaere-ere. Napakahumble pa kaya naman mas lalo niya itong minamahal.

"How about you, KC?"

"Dalawa lang kami ni nanay. Matanda na siya."

"Wala kang kapatid?"

"Wala." Umiling siya. "Actually, she is not my real mother. Adopted ako. Pero okay lang. I love her."

"Did you get the chance to meet your parents?"

"No," maikli niyang sagot. If he isn't Francis, tatapusin na niya ang usapan. Ayaw niyang nauungkat ang pagkatao niya. Kasi nasasaktan siya. Kasi alam niya, somebody helped her mother to raise her. And that somebody isn't just somebody na nagmagandang loob.

Mabuti at 'di na rin ito nagtanong.

"It's getting late. Halika na?" Aya ng binata.

Naglakad pa sila bago makarating sa bahay nila. Hindi na kasi magkakasya ang kotse nito sa maliit na daanan nila.

"Thank you, Francis..."

"No, thank you for going out with me tonight."

"Want to come in for a cup of coffee?"

"Next time na lang, KC. Masyado na kitang naaabala." He patted her head fondly. "Pasok ka na."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye."