Misbehave

"What's my remaining schedule for today?" I asked Morty, my manager, while keeping my eyes closed, and my arms crossed while I try to relax with the jazz music that was playing on the stereo of my van. I heard a flipping of papers in the background. That's my manager flipping his notes to remind me of my schedule. "You only have to upload a picture of yourself wearing the new lipstick from Kimsun Co. and upload it on your social media accounts, and that's it for today," sagot ni Morty. Napa mulat ako ng mata with what he said, raising my brow and then removed the sunglasses and looked directly at him with confusion. "That's it? What about the interview for Aura Magazine? Isn't that today?" Morty sighed. "I declined the offer, A. I told them you’re packed for today," he said. "What? I told you that we can accept that one! See? I don't even have anything to do after taking the pictures! We could've squeezed that in on sched!" halos mag h- hysteria kong reklamo sa manager ko who declined an offer without even telling me! Pagod nya akong tinanguan at sinenyasan to calm down. "Okay. I'll tell them that we can re- sched the interview but not today talaga, A." I rolled my eyes at him. "We could've done that today, Mort," dismayado ko na sabi. "A, maawa ka naman sa sarili mo. Nakaraang araw lang nasa Paris ka for a photoshoot and as soon as you landed, we immediately attended your schedule. I cleared your schedule for the night para naman makapag- pahinga ka," medyo frustrated na niyang paliwanag sa akin but he remained calm and patient to me. "I already rested on the plane, Morty. That's almost fourteen hours of staying in the air of just sleeping and lying down while watching a movie and I even have read half the chapters of the book that you bought for me in case I get bored. Tell me that’s not resting," I told him. "That's not a proper rest, A. Please, do me a favor and rest kasi kung hindi ako naman ang malalagot kay Maam Stella niyan. Tapos baka sabihin na naman ng fans mo na inaalipin ka ng company." I rolled my eyes once again because hindi na naman niya na gets ang point ko. "And what? I am supposed to feel thankful for that when you know that I hate that I have a vacant time?" Pinikit ni Morty ang mata niya. He obviously running out his patience with me. "No. Alam ko namang ayaw mo pero wala tayong maga- gawa. Si Maam Stella na ang nag bigay ng order." What the heck. Fuming mad with the situation, I opened my Van's door and hopped outside while I put the baseball hat on my head, not minding the taranta in his voice while shouting my name pero masyadong masama na ang loob ko to even care. "Alanis Ray come-" he shouted but it got cut off when the door of the van automatically closed. Huminga ako ng malalim saka nag lakad pa- pasok ng park na halos walang ka- tao tao while I am still wearing a white dress that's designed by an international designer and a dear friend, Maxence Lemaire, and my favorite limited edition red stilettos that I got on Vernon Blanc that I have no problem on wearing kahit pa lupa ang inaapakan ko. I just came from a meeting to be the first and only brand ambassadress of Cassano, an italian luxury jewelry brand here in the Philippines, and hindi man lang ako nag tagal roon ng ilang oras and now I have the whole day to myself thanks to my manager. Naiinis ako. They know that I hate to be wasting my time for nothing instead of doing something more work and being productive but no matter how upset I am, wala naman akong magagawa because it's Stella that made it. It's too late for me to regret having my best friend as my handler that can nitpick and control everything. Tumigil ako sa tapat ng lake. I sighed and inipit sa bibig ko ang isang stick ng sigarilyo and lit up the lighter but before the fire could even touch the tip, somebody snatched it from me. Annoyed by it, I turned to the person that snatched the cigarette nang naka kunot ang noo and was ready to fight but when I turned to him, I craned my neck dahil he was higher than me. The guy has longer hair than usual and he has a perfectly chiseled jaw. "Excuse me-" I was about to say something to him but he cut me off! "Oh." Humarap siya sa akin and instead of giving me back my stick, he extended his hand right in front of my face and showed me a lollipop. "Can you just give me back what's mine? I don't need your lollipop!" sabi ko. Ano ako? A child? His eyebrows twitched. "Hindi mo ba nakikita 'yung karatula na mabawal manigarilyo? Ito na lang sayo," aniya at lalong pinag-diinan for me to get the candy on stick. "Masama manigarilyo lalo na't nasa lugar ka na maraming puno. Baka maka sunog pa 'yong upos." Can he just mind his own business and try to stay away from mine? Everybody's really pushing my buttons today. Lalong kumunot ang noo ko when he raised his eyebrow and waved the lollipop. Tinititigan ko lang iyon because I have no intention of getting it and he probably got that dahil yumuko siya at kinuha ang kaliwa kong kamay para sapilitang kunin iyon. I raised my hand para sana ibalik sa kaniya but he smiled. I momentarily stared at him because he looks familiar with someone I definitely know but I can't point out who. "Give me back my stick. Why are you so nosy? We don't even know each other!" gigil na sabi ko. "Concerned lang naman. Sa'yo at sa kalikasan," aniya. Tinitigan ko sya to remember his face so next time that I miraculously see him again, ma i-iwasan ko na siya. "I don't need your concern," matigas na sabi ko. And one more thing, hindi ba niya ako kilala? I mean, my face is everywhere! On the TV, on billboards, even on prints, at lalong- lalo na sa social media! Everybody's flipping out when they see me but him... The guy smirked at hindi pinansin ang sinabi ko. "Saka miss, hindi naman sa pakialamero ako pero sana huwag ka na manigarilyo. Masama sa kalusugan 'yan," aniya saka humakbang ng isang beses pa likod and he slipped his hands on the pocket of his jeans. He smiled at me for the last time before he turned and walked away leaving his lollipop on me while my cigarette is in his hand.