Kabanata 5
1896 Words
Days had been so busy for me. I started to work for the magazine company I applied for. So far, everything was good.
Mababait naman ang lahat sa akin. My co-workers welcomed me with enthusiasm on my first day. They were nice enough to tell me the things I ought to know. Hindi na rin naman ako nahirapan. I was a journalist of a magazine company, too, before so adjustment wasn’t that hard.
Most of the staff were of my age. Kung hindi man ay ilang taon lamang ang agwat sa akin. At dahil daw ayaw nilang maramdamang nagkakaedad na sila, sinabihan nila akong sa pangalan na lang kami magtawagan.
“Magsasawa na naman tayo sa pag-o-overtime weeks from now,” sabi ni Maita, officemate ko, habang kumakain kami ng lunch nang araw na iyon.
Kristin groaned. “Ano pa nga ba . . .”
“This year is the 25th anniversary of the company.” It was Wendy when she probably noticed my confusion. “Kaya ikaw, Anaddy. Ngayon palang, ihanda mo na sarili mo. The next weeks will be really busy.”
Simpleng tango lamang ang ginawa ko.
“Anyway, may ideya na ba kayo kung sino ang iko-cover sa magazine for the anniversary?”
“May naririnig ako na baka ‘yong celebrity cook na successful hotelier na ngayon. Marami ‘yong fans kaya malaki ang market.”
Patuloy ang kuwentuhan nila kaya nakikinig lamang ako habang inaabala ang sarili sa pagkain.
“Pero ang balita ko, susubukan pa rin daw si Iñaki Villaraza.”
Nabitin sa ere ang tangka kong pagsubo ng sitaw. Nang nakabawi ay tumikhim ako at inayos ang sarili.
“But we’ve been trying to have an interview with him for the past years! I don’t think, makukuha pa natin siya. Like ever.”
“I think so, too. They value their privacy so much. Tingnan niyo si Iñigo. At the peak of their career, bigla na lang umalis para sa pribadong buhay with her . . . wife.” Wendy grimaced. “Hindi ko pa rin talaga matanggap hanggang ngayon na, all these years that we thought he was single, may asawa pala siya! Diyos ko! Grabe ‘yong pantasya ko sa lalaking ‘yon, not knowing, may asawa na pala. I feel so . . . kabit!”
“How could you feel that when he doesn’t even know you?”
Nagsitawanan sila.
“Pero iba rin talaga ‘tong kapatid niya, ‘no? Ang kunat! Ang tagal-tagal na nating nililigawan, ayaw pa rin magpa-interview!”
“Pakunswelo na lang na ‘di rin niya pinagbibigyan ang iba. Pero, seriously, what the heck is wrong with him?”
“Pero, s**t lang, girls. I saw him up close when I attended this business summit last month. Sobrang guwapo niya rin. Ang ganda ng lahi nila!”
Napainom ako sa nagiging takbo ng usapan. Mukhang wala pa silang balak bitiwan ang paksa nila ngayon. They seemed to really enjoy talking about the Villarazas. Well, really, most of the people I knew enjoy discussing about that family.
I sighed and focused myself in finishing my lunch.
“I saw the third son, too. He has softer features. Pero, Diyos ko, yummy din!”
I cringed. How could they talk about Iñovyz like that? Ang bata-bata pa kaya noon!
We finished lunch with that topic. They were all curious with the Villarazas. Miski si Iñara ay hindi nila niligtas sa pag-uusap nila. Good thing, they didn’t talk ill of them. Kung ganoon ang nangyari, hindi ko alam ang magiging mukha ko. Kahit na ba hindi ayos ang pamilya ko sa kanila ngayon, still, I grew up with the Villarazas. Masasaktan at masasaktan pa rin ako kahit kaunti.
“Hi!”
Pagod akong ngumiti kay Brett. He smiled sweetly at me and made a mess off my hair. I glared at him. He pouted a bit, suppressing smile.
In a suit, Brett looked divinely. This was new to me. Since he was a photographer during our stay abroad, bihira ko lamang siya makitang naka-suit.
He looked tired but his smile radiated.
“I dropped by before I went to you. The place is cool. Maganda. Kita ang buong lungsod,” aniya habang nasa biyahe kami. “Pocholo will surely love it.”
He helped me search for a new place to move in. He found one, a condo unit. Just some blocks away from my workplace.
Ayaw pa rin ng mga magulang ko sa desisyon kong bumukod sa kanila. But no, this was final. I wanted to live on my own with my little prince. Bukod sa pagiging praktikal, gusto ko na ring mamuhay nang hindi nila ako inaalala.
When we were in US, kahit na kami lamang ni Pocholo sa bahay kasama ang katulong, still, my parents did their best to provide for us. Kahit na noong mga panahong nagtatrabaho na ako. Even if we lived far from them, ramdam ko pa rin ang malaking aspeto nila sa buhay namin.
It wasn’t that I was an ungrateful daughter. I was an adult now. A mother. I didn’t want to burden them anymore. Nasa tamang edad na rin naman ako at estado para lisanin ang pugad nila.
We stopped at a skyscraper. Napakataas noon kaya nang tingalain ko, pakiramdam ko ay mababali ang leeg ko.
Brett chuckled seeing my situation. Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at hinila papasok sa building.
The staff didn’t waste anytime. Agad kaming inasikaso. Habang papunta kami sa seventh floor kung nasaan ang condo unit, panay ang linga ko. Mukhang mahigpit ang seguridad at maganda ang facilities.
“What do you think?” untag sa akin ni Brett habang nililibot ko ang tingin sa kusina.
“Not bad.”
Malawak ang lugar. Gray and white were the dominant colors. Kita nga ang buong lungsod mula sa malaking bintanang salamin. Habang iniinspeksyon ang lugar, iniisip ko na ang mga gamit na bibilhin ko.
“Malapit din ‘to sa sinasabi kong school na magandang pasukan ni Pocholo. This will be convenient for the both of you.”
I nodded, still looking at every inch of the place. Pocholo would like this place for sure. Makakapagtakbo-takbo siya rito.
“Ang sabi ng tatay mo, tinanggihan mo ‘yong unit na inaalok niya sa’yo.” He broke our silence minutes later.
“Aba! You two are really close, huh.” Ngumisi ako saka siya dinaluhan sa sofa.
I didn’t accept my father’s offer because I wanted independence in some way. May pera rin naman na ako.
He raised a brow. “He even told me he likes me for you.”
Pumalatak ako at umiling-iling. “I told him you got yourself a girlfriend the night I was inviting you to come over. He was disappointed.”
Humalakhak siya. “He was charmed!”
I jokingly rolled my eyes. “Because you made him like you! He was really, really disappointed. Umasa siyang tayo ang magkakamabutihan.”
“Well,” he placed his arm behind me. “you rejected me.”
Umismid ako at muli siyang pabirong inirapan. “No. You rejected me.”
Bahagyang tumaas ang kilay niya. His lips curved into a mischievous smile.
“So do you like the place?”
I straightened my body. “Yeah. I’ll sign the contract tomorrow.”
“Okay. Text me what time. I’ll fetch you.”
“Aba, daming time, ah.” My face turned serious. “Baka naman sobrang busy ka. Nakakaabala na ‘ata ako.”
“Oh, shut up, Anaddy. I’ll always have time for you.” He winked at me.
“Suit yourself, then.”
Matapos abisuhan ang staff sa balak kong pagpirma bukas ay nilisan na namin ang lugar. Brett wanted to eat somewhere since he didn’t have lunch. I originally planned to go home immediately because I was really exhausted. Pero nakakahiyang i-turn down si Brett. He just came from work. Tapos sinamahan niya agad ako. Tapos malalaman ko na lang na hindi pa pala siya nagla-lunch. I felt so guilty all of a sudden.
“How ‘s work?” tanong ko matapos i-deliver sa amin ang pagkain.
He murmured his gratitude to the waitress before looking at me. “Stressful as hell. I even work at weekends and bring paperworks home. I miss my life when we were still in US.”
I smiled a bit and started to slice my steak. “Sino ba kasing atat umuwi sa’tin?”
“Sino bang sumunod?”
I rolled my eyes at him. He chuckled. Bago pa man ako makapagprotesta ay kinuha niya na ang plato ko at sinimulang hiwain ang steak. Itinukod ko ang mga siko sa mesa at ipinatong ang mukha sa mga palad. Nakangiting pinagmasdan ko siya, naghihintay na lingunin niya ako. Hindi naman ako nabigo. Mula sa seryosong paghihiwa ay bumaling nga siya sa akin.
“Kailan ka mag-aasawa, Brett?”
Natigilan siya sa tanong ko. Napakunot-noo ako.
What was with his reaction?
“Bakit? Do you want to be my bride?” At ipinagpatuloy niya ang paghiwa sa steak.
I huffed. “No, silly. Pero seryoso. Kailan ka mag-aasawa? Hindi mo pa ba naiisip ‘yan? You’re not getting any younger!”
“Says someone who has zero love life.” Ibinalik niya na ang plato sa akin. Then, he looked at me. “O baka naman . . .”
Ako naman ngayon ang natigilan. With a playful smile and c****d brow, ipinokus niya ang sarili sa pagkain.
“S-shut up. Hindi ko pa siya sinasagot.”
He chuckled. His eyes almost slits.
Kahit kailan talaga, ang hilig-hilig niyang asarin ako!
“You should have seen your face!”
I slapped his hand on the table. He hissed but immediately smirked again.
“Ang tagal na no’ng nanliligaw sa’yo, ah,” aniya mayamaya. Hindi na masyadong nakangisi.
“W-well, you told me to be careful in choosing, right?”
“That’s my girl. Pero kailan mo ba ‘yon sasagutin?”
I bit my lower lip.
Brett sighed and looked at me intensely. Gone the smirk he was wearing earlier. “He’s a good guy. I like him for you. At alam kong ‘pag nakilala siya ng pamilya mo, they’ll like him, too. That guy really loves you, Anaddy. Ilang taon na ba ‘yong patay na patay sa’yo?”
Ngumuso ako, pinipigilan ang ngiti. “Talaga?”
“If he’s not in love with you, hindi siya magtatagal nang ilang taon sa panliligaw.” He shook his head. “I feel bad for the guy. Baka naman pinapaasa mo lang, ah.”
This time, ako naman ang nanlaki ang mga mata. “Brett! Hindi ako paasa, ah.”
Ako nga iyong pinaasa nang pinaasa noon.
“Oh, eh bakit nanliligaw pa rin ‘yon? Ilang beses nang pinatunayan ng ulupong na ‘yon ang pag-ibig niya sa’yo. Dapat lang na sagutin mo na.”
I couldn’t believe we were talking about my love life when I just asked him about him getting married. He really knew how to evade talking about his love life.
He was busy extracting information from me about my love life when I caught familiar faces entering the restaurant.
Napaawang ang bibig ko. Natigil sa pagsasalita si Brett, napansin ang pagkakatigalgal ko, at sinundan ang line of vision ko.
Villarazas.
- Writer
