All Over Again

Chapter 14: One Moment In Time

Venice POV

I stared at Kenny and Sheena who are busy sa pag-ppreach nila kay Anthony na who would've thought, eh may pagkatorpe pala.. Di ko na maalala kung anong pinag-uusapan namin basta bigla na lang nilang nahuli na may unspoken infatuation pala itong si Anton sa isang girl na ayaw nya naman sabihin ang name..

Kaya ahmyan, naulan tuloy sya ng: You should tell her!", "Maganda ba?", "Kilala ko ba?", at "Bakit ayaw mo sabihin kung sinoh?!"

Kawawa naman..

Anthony: Ay nako! Tigilan nyo na nga ako!

Sheena: Eh sabihin mo na kasi kung sino! At bakit ba ayaw mo pang ligawan?

Anthony suddenly blushed at napatingin dun sa sapatos nya.. At dahil dyan sa reaction na yan, naintriga na rin ako..

Aba, ang loko! May pa-blush- blush pang nalalaman! -__-

Ako: Avah, Anton! Kilala namin toh noh?!? Sino ang girl na itoh?!? Kailangan nang interviewhin!

Anthony: She's.. You know her quite well... already.

Nagkatinginan kami nina Kenny...

Sino ba ang kilala naming tatlo na pwedeng maging prospect ni Anthony?

Kenny: As in, know KNOW?

Sheena: Gusto mo ligawan na namin para syo?

Anthony: NO!

Ay?!? Napaatras kaming bigla sa sudden outburst ng usually la-la-la na si Anthony.. O___O

Bihira lang yan magkaganyang may pinaninindigan.. Kaya nakakawindang pag lumalabas ang pagka-lalaki nya..

Anthony: I mean, it's alright.. She doesn't have to know.

Ako: Oh ba't why?

Anthony: (smiles) Coz I know na kaibigan lang naman ang tingin nya sa'kin.. Nothing more, nothing less..

Lalo kaming nagkatinginan nina Sheena at Kenny..

Avah, pusong sawi pala itong case na toh.. O__O

That afternoon, like always, paglabas ko, nandun na si Jerwin sa pick-up nya, naghihintay at nababawasan na rin ung mga paparazzi na umaasang makakuha ng stolen shot naming dalawa..

I jumped in the passenger seat and gave Jerwin a quick smile as he pulls out of the curb..

Ako: Hey, Jerwin.

Jerwin: Yep?

Ako: Have you ever been in a situation na hindi mo masabi sa isang tao na may gusto ka sa kanya?

Napatingin bigla si Jerwin sa'kin, but then he immediately turned to his driving again.

And I swear, startled na startled ang expression ni

kuya.. O_O

Weird.. Affected much?

Jerwin: Why are you asking? (smirks) May gusto ka na sa'kin noh? Okay lang naman kung gusto mong sabihin eh.. I understand na it's inevitable na magkakagusto ka sa'kin..

Ako: Hoy. Umiral nanaman yang pagka-electric fan mo. -__-

Tumawa lang sya and he lowered the volume nung radio before glancing at me again to smile.. Parang adik..

Jerwin: So why are you asking?

Ako: Well, you know Anthony, ung friend ko? Sabi nya he likes this girl daw, pero hindi nya masabi kasi friend lang yung tingin sa kanya nung girl.

Jerwin: Who's the girl?

Ako: Ayaw nga sabihin eh..

Jerwin: Baka ikaw yung girl.

Ako: Tange. Mamamatay muna yun bago nya ko pag-interesan noh.

Jerwin: Eh? Really? Ganon ka na lang ba ang level ng pagka-unlikable mo?

Ako: Hay nako. Nevermind na nga lang. Bakit ba ikaw pa ang tinatanong ko?

Jerwin: Coz I'm your sunshine, and I light up the truth.

Ako: Tignan mo lang kung may sense ung sinabi mo ha..

We moved to less serious subjects -- his hair, my hair, his snoring, my falling off the bed -- and eventually, we finally reached my neighborhood. Lumiko sya dun sa street and I started to strap my book bag around me, when I realize na nag-ppark sya sa side nung bahay namen..

Ako: What are you doing?

Jerwin: Parking.

Ako: Bababa ka?

Jerwin: Why, of course. Isn't it rude not to say hello to my mother-in- law?

Ako: Never stopped you before.

He smiled, and then talagang bumaba sya ng sasakyan. He went around to my side, and opened the door for me. Pa-gentleman effect?? Na-food poisoning kaya toh?

Nung bumababa na ko dahan-dahan, he suddenly leaned over -- pasimple lang naman -- and pretended to take my bag, pero in reality, he was whispering something..

Jerwin: Be careful. There's about one or two tabloid reporters who followed us.

Ako: Whe?!? Nasaan!?!

He closed the door behind me, and just in time to answer my question, two men approached us, one carrying a camera, and the other a notebook and a pen.

Kaya pala nagpaka-gentleman effect si Kuya may audience pala...

Kuya Reporter: Sorry to intrude on your private time, Mr. Santos. But can we take one or two quick picture for tomorrow's paper?

Jerwin: For what story?

Kuya Reporter: No story poh, sir. One page lay-out lang poh na nagpapakita sa mga celebrities in their everyday lives.

That doesn't sound so bad.. or harmful. Nagkatinginan kami ni Jerwin, trying to think kung papayag ba dahel it's nothing naman talaga.. or mag- rrefuse dahil nasa harap kami ng bahay ko..

In the end, I just shrugged at Jerwin.. bahala na sya.. Sya naman tohng professional pagdating sa mga ganyan..

Jerwin: (still looking at me) Well.. okay...

Mr. Reporter: Thank you poh, sir! I promise, walang skandalo o kahit anong nakadikit sa picture na toh!

Jerwin: Okay.. But can you make sure na walang makikitang significant sa background? I don't want other reporters loitering around my fiancée's house..

Mr. Photographer: Yes sir.

Jerwin took off his langaw-sunglasses, and followed the photographer to the white wall dun sa side nung bahay namin.. Pinaupo sya dun sa sidewalk, kunwari nag-rrelax.. Although I can't imagine sitting on the sidewalk as part of his "Everyday Life"..

Mr. Reporter: Miss Venice, umupo na rin po kayo.

Ako: Eh? Kasama ako?

Mr. Reporter: Opo.

Hinila ako nung photographer, tapos inupo na rin dun sa tabi ni Jerwin.. Sabi nya, mag-appear daw na nag-uusap lang kami, kwentuhan ba.. Isip-isip ko lang, kwentuhan sa kalye? Di kaya madumog kami ng mga tao kung araw-araw naming gawin toh?

After a while na mukha na siguro kaming natural, nag-stepback na ung photographer and took a picture. Just pretend lang raw na wala ung camera, just act naturally.. Kung alam nya lang kung pano ang "Act Naturally" sa'min ni Jerwin.. Ung mga tipong nagbabatukan ba..

Jerwin: Hey.. Come here, may bubulong ako syo.

Ako: Eh? Now na?

Jerwin: Yea.

He leaned forward na tipong may ibubulong talaga, and syempre, nag-lean forward din ako para makinig kung ano naman 'tong topak nya at ngayon pa sya may ibubulong..

Mr. Photographer: Okay, last one!

Just then, Jerwin tilted my face up, and planted a soft kiss on the tip of my nose and the camera flashed.

O.O

Mr. Reporter: That was perfect! Thank you for your time, Mr. Santos, Ms. Venice.

I watched as the two reporters walked away, probably ecstatic to have such an "Intimate" and "Cute" moment in their film. Tumayo na rin si Jerwin and started to dust off his jeans.. I stared at him, wide-eyed..

Jerwin: What?

Ako: What was that?

Jerwin: A kiss on the nose.

Ako: And you had to do that??!

Jerwin: (smiles) Don't you know what a kiss on the nose means?

Ako: May meaning pa ba un?!?

Jerwin laughed and helped me up to my feet, then he walked me papasok dun sa gate nung bahay namin.. kasi dumadami na ung mga tao sa paligid.. Ako naman si shocked, sumunod na lang, still rambling what a kiss on the nose means..

"Oh, Jerwin? Napadaan ka.."

I stopped my nagging and looked at my mom na picture perfect na housewife ang itsura: uncombed hair, oversized t-shirt, and long shorts. Oh di vah, bahay na bahay..

Jerwin: Yes, tita.. I'm just here to say hello.

Ako: Oh ayan, nakapag-hello ka na, sige na, uwi ka na.

Mom: Venice! Ano ka ba? Hindi pa nga nakakapasok ng bahay si Jerwin eh.

I turned to look at Jerwin, na nginitian ako pa-innocent effect chuchu.. Natutuwa talaga si kuya sa pang-aasar sa'kin... -___-

Pumasok kaming dalawa, my mom trying to un-puff her puffy short hair. Si Jerwin, nagtatanggal ng mamahalin nyang rubber shoes.... O_O

Ako: Oh, tatanggalin mo pa ung sapatos mo?!?

Jerwin: What? Isn't it proper to remove my shoes before going inside?

Ako: Magtatagal ka ba dito?!?

Jerwin: Yes, sweetheart.

Eew. O_O

PAK!

Ako: Ouch! What??!

Napaikot ako sa nanay kong nakapamewang sa likod ko..

Tama ba namang batukan ako sa harap ng others?!?

Mom: Anoh ba't kakarating nyo pa lang, eh inaaway mo na si Jerwin?! Umakyat ka na nga at magbihis ka na! Kakain na tayo sandali.

I heard na natawa si Jerwin sa likod ko.. He probably thinks it's amusing na binabatukan ako at pinapagalitan pa ng nanay ko sa edad kong toh..

- ___-

Pahamak talaga..

I glared at him, and then stomped up the stairs para nga magbihis na.. Lokong un.. Dadaan-daan dito para lang mang-trip!

Jerwin's POV

I watched as Venice stalked off to her room.

Parang bata talaga..

Tita Mel: Oh, pumasok ka muna sa loob, Jerwin.. Nagluluto pa kasi ako.. Mabilis na lang toh..

Ako: It's okay, tita. I'm not in a hurry.. Actually, I'm here to talk to you.

Tita Mel: Sa'kin?

Ako: Opo.. And I was hoping na makausap kayo habang wala pa po si Venice..

Tita Mel looked at me all curious, but she led me to the kitchen anyways-- where it smells like beef steak everywhere. Makikain na rin kaya ako mamaya?

Tita Mel: Oh, ano ba toh? May ginawa ba si Venice?

Ako: Nako, wala po.. It's just that.. I overheard you and my mom talking.. You want to go back to the States, right?

Napatigil si Tita Mel sandali, looked at me, and then smiled.. Bumalik sya dun sa niluluto nya.. So I guess it's not a big deal whether I heard or not.

Tita Mel: To be honest, yes, I do want to go back.. Alam mo, pumunta lang ako sa States para magtrabaho. Pero dati, iniisip ko na, as soon as possible, gusto ko na sana umuwi dito and spend time with Venice.

Ako: Like now?

Tita Mel: Oo, siguro nga, like now.. Pero alam mo, Jerwin.. Tumanda na si Venice without me.. At minsan sa buhay mo, dadating ung pagkakataon na ma-rrealize mo na ung isang lugar na dapat mong puntahan at ung lugar na sasaya ka, eh dalawang magkaibang lugar pala.

Ako: So... Ung lugar na gusto nyong puntahan eh sa Amerika?

Tita Mel: Well.. not really..

Eh??

She blushed.. O__O

I guess totoo ung sinabi ni Venice na may pagka-"Young at Heart" pa ang nanay nya..

Tita Mel: Nagkataon lang na nasa Amerika ung "person" na gusto kong puntahan.. and as much as I want him to come here, hindi nya naman maiiwan ung trabaho at buhay niya dun.

Ako: So you're going to him instead?

Tita Mel: (smiles) I know it sounds somewhat selfish, lalo na't may anak ako..

Tinakpan ni Tita Mel ung niluluto nya, then walked over to where I was sitting.. She smiled at me gently, cautiously pa nga as if telling me to listen carefully..

Tita Mel: Jerwin, alam kong hindi kayo magkakilala ng anak ko.. Siguro ngayon, dahil sa mga nangyayari, naging magkaibigan na kayo -- pero magkaibigan lang.. Jerwin, maybe someday you'll find out ung mga reasons namin ng nanay mo kung bakit namin kayo pinagsama.. Maybe you two will eventually break up, maybe you two will work it out.

Where is this going? -_-

Tita Mel: Pero Jerwin, I can tell you're an amazing guy. Dadating ang araw na may makikilala ka, may mamahalin ka na, katulad ko, handa mong i- sacrifice ang lahat para dun sa taong un. It will happen for just one moment in your life, so when you get it, don't let it go. Maybe you won't understand my reasons for now, pero I hope someday, you'll think back on this instant and tell yourself, "Oh, so that's what she meant when she said to give up everything for that one person."

I stared at her.. Eto ba eh isa sa mga pamana ng older generation? It feels odd coming from someone else's mom but I smiled.

I guess she really, really, really wants to go back to her man...

Ako: Tita, when the time comes na kailangan mo na talagang umalis, don't worry about Venice.. I'll take her in.

Tita Mel: Take her in?

Ako: Yes, tita. I'll take care of her as if she's that person I'd be willing to sacrifice everything for. So, do what you must, tita. Venice should be the least of your problem.