Dear, Joey

28

I get it. I know I can't change someone's mind when they already decided, but should he tell me what could have been wrong instead of ghosting me? because from the day that Mom and I argue, the first thing I know from the moment I woke up again was Kuya and Tegan flow back to Manila, it's been 1 month and a half since it happened. 

I don't have a phone with me, and I'm not allowed to get out if it is mean Jullienne can escort me all the time. She's been a thorn to my neck for the passed weeks. We didn't talk about it, but I know she is the one who couldn't bring it up, I always caught her being careful with me and the idea is making me awkward and mad at the same time. 

They brought the news that Mr. Sarmiento's wife, Naomi Sarmiento caught but deny the allegations even if there's evidences of her wrong doings, kahit na yung babaing he-nired nya ay nahuli na, ang hindi ko maintindihan ay kung bakit wala akung naririnig kay Mr. Sarmiento, like his been out without any reasonable explanation. I look up to Jullienne who's carrying a tray of my breakfast. Umikot ang mata ko ng kasunod nya si Mom. 

"After a week, tatanggalin na ang bandage ko, I can walk straight and do full exercise Bakit ang OA pa rin?" reklamo ko habang palapit sa kanila. 

"Can you just thankful that we're doing this?" inis na asik ni Jullienne. 

"Why not give me the number of your Ex?" lapit ko sa kanila, aalalayan sana ako ni Mom but I just give her a sign that I am okay. 

"Mom oh, nag uumpisa na naman sya" sumbong nya kay Mom. Mom just sigh with our argument everyday. 

"I could understand why you can't give me that old man's number, don't worry hindi naman ako magiging hadlang sa pangarap mong pakasalan yun, right Mom?" tuloy ko, trying to find any objection to our mother but it makes me shock, even Jullienne when she said.

"Kumain ka na lang dyan" I look at Jullienne who's seating on my bed. 

"Wohh look at that, she didn't say no" ngisi ko kay Jullienne which makes the latter hit me on the head. 

"Mom! I'm enjured" angal ko. 

"Sabi mo okay ka na?! Wala naman akung magagawa kundi pagsabihan kayo, kailan nyo ba sinunod ang sinabi ko?" napatitig kami kay Mom who's busy putting my breakfast to my plate. 

"Sabi mo sundin ko kung anong magpapasaya sa akin?" tusok ko ng hotdog gamit ang tinidor, frowning on it. I saw Mom stop and look at me. 

"I said I want you to follow your happiness, not happiness involving death"

"So, aatras ka na ganun? Jullienne still love Mr. Sarmiento!"

"Hey! I d-don't... at tsaka 39 pa lang sya" Jullienne. She have this shy reaction and worried face. 

"Kaya nga, matanda na" irap ko, she makes face on me. 

"Sigurado ka ng si Tegan, ganun?" asik na tanong sa akin ni Mom, making me stop biting my hotdog na nasa bibig ko na. I know galit pa rin sya sa nangyari.

"Oo nga! Tegan Marval is a playboy, I don't even know why you're with him all the time, magka-iba kayong dalawa, which you two can compare to autumn and winter, black coffee and milk..."

"Oh sige, ikaw na magaling sa comparison... as if hindi ka nagkandarapa kay Tegan ah?" inis kung sabi. 

"Listen, we may be a thing or two, but I am interested in long term commitment that time, and Tegan is not a man that likes commitment and serious relationships, I am giving you a warning ahead of time if you want to continue this, Tegan's world is so complicated Joey, baka mapasubo ka lang?" Jullienne cross her arms and legs, with this challenge look on me. 

"So, ngayon intresado ka na sa pagbo-boyfriend?" balik ko sa kanya, agad syang maarteng umirap. 

"Wait for your dad to come back" tingin sa amin ni Mom, bumagsak ang balikat ko dahil kay Dad. 

"Oh yeah, I talked to him last week, baka makauwi na sya next month" I bite my hotdog and quietly eat my food. Ramdam ko ang tingin ni Mom, but I can't raise my head. 

"Hindi ka pa rin nya kinakausap?" I shook my head and sigh. 

"I just ask him personally, but Mom ayaw mo ba talaga kay Tegan?" balik ko sa topic, makes Jullienne laugh out loud. Mom was taken a back by my words. I slowly chew my food looking at her expectantly. 

"You know, hindi tayo lugi kay Tegan Alfonso Marval, sobrang mayaman, gwapo, medyo mabait, tuturuan ko na lang sya ng gawaing bahay, sobrang talino naman nya, so Ano? ligawan ko na ba?" a pillow fly on our feet while Jullienne laughing out loud, clapping at me. Mom laughing at me for that. 

"I will tell this to Kuya Lenuel, Joey! Mom, payagan nyo na! last time she attempts to court someone busted sya, that was high school years, you don't have to worry!" tawa nya making me frown to her.

"Hoyy! may flower farm na ko, kaya hindi ko na kailangan ng santan para ibigay sa liligawan ko" pagtatanggol ko sa sarili. 

"In short palaging natu-turn off ang lalaking nililigawan mo dati, I still can't believe I witness it" Jullienne. 

Mom just laugh at us and shake her head. What? Wala ba pa syang sagot?

Kung ayaw nya kung i-meet, ako ang hahanap sa kanya. That week, I completely healed and started to go back to my old life again. It took me another week to be used to work again. Another week to add on it, because I'm busy, until another week to come, and it's been two months and 2 days since Kuya Lenuel didn't contact me. Nabasag ang dati kung phone but my contact list still intact so I just buy another phone. 

That week, sabay kaming lumuwas ni Jemaine kasama si Jullienne. The usual girl talks until we reach the capital and dropped Jullienne to her condo unit, binantaan ko pang wag nyang sabihin kay Kuya na nasa manila ako. 

"Bati na kayo?" pasok ni Jem sa passenger seat. I waited her to buckle her seat belt. 

"Iwan, ganun siguro pagkapatid wala ng hingian ng tawad" ngisi ko bago huling sinulyapan si Jullienne na hinhintay kaming umalis with her disguise clothes. 

Natawa lang si Jem sa akin bago kami umalis. I will stay on her condo near makati. 

"Anong plano?" She playfully smiles at me with her excited eyes. 

"Hunting in the city" I evil grin makes her thumbs up and have a huge smile. 

"Nasa syudad mamaya si Enrique, and Cori have gigs here so" Ngisi ni Jem with the same glint in her eyes. Magkarugtong talaga utak namin! evil laugh here. 

"Call!" I enthusiastically said makes us both laugh like a lunatic inside the elevator. 

I fix my hair even though I just put it in a high ponytail. I put my white shirt tuck in with fitted high jeans and black sexy heels, putting a bloody lipstick to highlight my pouty lips, and put my sunglasses on. 

"I'll wait you here, nasa office sila" natatawang sabi ni Jem habang pinakita sa akin ang phone nya. 

"Yeah" I just give her a sultry smile makes her react. 

"Damn, if I am a man, Can I court you? I can give you the world baby!" tawa nya. I just laugh with her before getting the huge red bouquet on the back seat. 

Pinagtitinginan ako ng mga employee ng pumasok ako sa loob, I just give them my polite smile going to the receptionist. 

"Mr. Marval office Ms. Urgent order paki check na lang" ngiti ko sa magandang receptionist na takang taka sa dala ko but the other receptionist just stares at me and the bouquet.  

"Wait lang po Ma'am" ngiti nung isa checking the log in. Agad na nagliwanag ang mukha nya ng makita ang monitor. 

"Yes po, 52nd floor po, makikita nyo po agad dun si Secretary Will" magalang na saad nung receptionist. 

"Thank you, this company is indeed very good" I give them a thumbs up hugging the huge bouquet, they laugh awkward and confused but I walk out before they ask me again. I go to the elevator, smiling to every person I encounter. I push the Button 52. May kasabay akung dalawang employee na sumusulyap sulyap sa akin. 

"Order ni Mr. Marval, did you know him?" tingin ko dun sa isa. 

"Ah yes po, boss po namin" awkward na tawa nung babae, I think matagal na sya dito. 

"Ang dami namang red roses nyan? ang gaganda pa" kuminto ng lalaki, I think ka age ko lang sya, he have this friendly smile on me. 

"Oo nga eh, urgent kasi to kaya ako na ang nagdala, I have a flower farm so, you can search it in social media, Jullieanna's flower land" ngiti ko. 

"Talaga?! Naghahanap ako ng flower farm for my sister's wedding!" masiglang sabi nung babae. 

"Great, kaya lang wala akung contact number, visit nyo na lang yung wedsite namin same name din" I talk to the two before they go out to the other floor. Oh, di ba business din inatupag ko. 

Para akung nalula sa ilang floor na tinaas ko, until the elevator stops, and I sigh when I go out. Glass wall agad ang bumungad sa akin with indoor plants on the other side, lumakad ako sa empty hallway until I reach the double door, nahalata ko lang ang dalawang bodyguards na nasa magkabilaang side ng pinto. I kind of lost at buti na lang ay biglang bumukas ang glass door sa kabilang side, I saw those two bodyguards exchange glances before stare at me. I friendly smile at them. 

"Bakit ang bilis naman...?" 

"I'm the owner of the flower shop you order in Sir, paki perma na lang" I get a pen on my butt pocket and a piece of paper. 

Nalilitong kinuha nya ito at binasa, bago nanlalaki ang matang tumitig sa akin. Yes, Secretary Will that's me. 

"Paki perma na lang Sir, urgent kasi" mahinahon kung sabi, ang bigat din kasi ang dala kung bouquet. Tiis tiis na lang bes. 

"I... uhm k-kasi Ma'am ano? ano? M-May meeting ho silang lahat kaya... ano..." Taranta nyang sabi making me dropped my smile. 

"My brother is there also, you know sometimes hindi ako mabait" marahan kung sabi at tango sa kanya. Napaayos ng tayo ang dalawang bodyguards sa harap namin. 

"I-Ito na nga ho... Ito na" tarantang saad ni Will na ikinabalik ng ngiti ko. Binalik nya sa akin ang papel at kukunin na sana ang bouquet ng iniwas ko yun. 

"I personally deliver this, paki guide na lang ako please" usig ko sa kanya para buksan ang pinto, giving a look on the two audience with us. 

"A-Ano? M-Ma'am..."

"Ubos na pasensya ko Sir, dalawang buwan na" they know that Tegan back two months ago. Secretary Will inhale heavily and fix his coat, completely defeated. 

He softly knocks at the door, three times before pushing it, marahan syang pumasok kaya sumunod ako, hugging the bouquet still. 

"A-Ahh Sir, Ito na po yung inoder nyo" kabang kabang announce ni Secretary Will. 

The meeting stops abruptly, feeling disturb. 

"Will! Did I ever told you that don't disturb us!" a deep voice bomb around the huge room. 

"K-Kasi Sir... A-Ano po?" sulyap sa akin ng Sekretarya. Binaba ko ng bahagya sa mukha ko ang boquet at nakita ko ang di kulang sa labing isang kalalakihan na pumapaikot sa malaking receiving sofa area, but my attention swift on the man who's angrily seating on the high swivel chair with dark Mahogany huge table in front over looking at the city. Nasulyapan ko ang panlalaki ng mata ni Javon at pag singkit ng mata sa akin ni Kuya Lenuel.

"What?!" he growls making the pity Secretary jump to death and look at me with a teary eyed. 

"The attitude" irap ko sa kawalan at nag umpisang humakbang palapit putting the bouquet out of my face a bit to show. My strides are confident that makes my hair sway back and forth. All eyes are on me. 

"Hoyy!" nabibiglang tayo ni Kuya Lenuel while Javon cuss out loud and the other men started to get hype because of my presence.

"Here, it causes 2k and 51 cent Mr. Marval" baba ko ng malaking bouquet sa table niya, pulling my sunglasses over my head, getting other paper on my back pocket, gesturing Will for a pen. Agad naman itong sumunod. I look at Tegan who suddenly become quiet and saw him so shock and stare at me, inirapan ko sya at nagsulat.

"Hoyy Gago ka Jullieanna!" nabibiglang asik ni Kuya at hindi alam kung matatawa or maguguluhan. Di ko sya pinansin, pulling a dead air on them. 

I put the paper beside the bouquet. 

"That's our bank account, paki transfer na lang please, have a nice day" ngiti kung mabait sa kanya making him gulp ang sat straight ready to talk, but I turn around already, hearing my heels on the tiles. 

"H-Hoy where are you going?" habol ni Kuya. I heard the swivel chair move but I'm a halfway on the door. 

"Ah Hunting in the city" lingon ko sa kanila with my sultry smile makes Kuya Lenuel cough with his big eyes on me and Javon is clapping for me, giving me double thumbs up.

Hunting in the city is a code for three of us, Jemaine, Enrique and me, Kuya and Javon knows it very well. Hunting in the city means wasting time while hunting boys.

"Jullieanna! oh hell! Don't you dare!" his voice rang around even if I'm already out, I just smirk with my hurried steps. It's pay back time