Four
1675 Words
"Insan!!!!" masayang sigaw ni Christian nang makita akong papasok ng bar. Lumapit siya sa akin saka inakbayan ako sabay kutos pa. Tss.
"How dare you." sambit ko saka kinutusan siya pabalik.
"Bayad mo yun dahil hindi ka dumating nung birthday ko. I know you're busy pero sana kahit nagpadala ka man lang ng regalo. Tsk. I'm fine with a new car."
Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "I'm sure you got one."
He smiled. "Well, I had to beg mom."
"You still think you're a teenager, don't you? You're already in your 20's but you're still acting like a spoiled 16-year old teenage girl."
Humalakhak siya. "Don't say that in front of the girls at baka hindi ako maka-score ngayong gabi."
Napailing ako. He just laughed. Nagpunta na kami kung saan naroon ang iba kong pinsan. They're all here. Agad silang tumayo at iniwan ang mga babaeng kasama nila saka niyakap ako ng mahigpit. I almost suffocate. Touch naman talaga ako sa pinapakita nilang pag-care sa akin. Tinatrato nila ako hindi lang bilang pinsan kundi parang kapatid na rin. Napatingin yung mga babaeng kasama nila sa akin. Mahina akong napatawa. I'm used to those stares.
I know it's weird but all my cousins are boys. Dalawa lang kaming babae sa henerasyon namin. Ako at yung kapatid kong babae, and we're both adopted. She's still living with our parents. She's in highschool now. Nagkakausap pa rin naman kami minsan. We grew up in a very loving environment kaya unlike sa iba, there was never a competition between us. Nakakahiya naman kung makikipag-away ako sa 10 taong mas bata sa akin. Ulol.
"We miss you, baby girl." anang si Ryle.
I rolled my eyes. "Can you stop calling me that? I'm 25, KUYA Ryle." I emphasized the word kuya because he hates it everytime we call him kuya. He's the oldest sa aming magpinsan but he's the most childish. He's more childish than Christian.
Ginulo niya ang buhok ko. "Since it's the first time after weeks na nakita ka namin, papatawarin kita sa pagtawag sa akin ng kuya."
"Teka ba't ako hindi? Kakarating ko lang mula sa Cebu dapat exempted rin ako." pagitna ni Apollo.
Tinaas ni Ryle ang kamao niya. "Baka ito gusto mo."
Apollo raised both his arms. "Nagbibiro lang po."
"Mamaya na nga yan. Order muna tayo ng drinks since Tanya's here already."
Umupo na kami sa table nila. Di pa rin matanggal nung mga babae ang tingin nila sa akin. They have to be gentle with me tho. That's if they don't want my cousins to kick their ass out. I'm their spoiled princess. Pag sinabi ko na ayaw ko sa babae nila, then they'd break up with them. We all know they're just playing.
"You're Tanya, right?" salita nung babaeng halos di na bumitaw kay Ryle sa pagkakayakap.
I smiled saka tumango lang.
"I didn't know you're friends with her, babe." aniya kay Ryle saka hinalikan pa ito.
Napangiwi ako. I'm used to seeing my cousins flirt with every girl in the bar but this one looks possessive. Hindi yan tatagal for sure.
We can't tell them I'm their cousin kasi sekreto nga diba? My adopted parents don't really mind if everyone finds out I'm their daughter but I chose to keep it a secret. I'm kinda reckless. My father's a respected politician. President pa ngayon. I don't want to ruin their image. They've done so much for me and if ito lang yung paraan para makaganti naman ako sa kagandahang loob na pinakita nila sa akin then I don't really mind. Everyone knows they have 2 daughters though. The public is aware about Justine dahil siya madalas ang kasama nina daddy sa mga charities. And I think people assumed na sa ibang bansa ako naninirahan dahil di nga nila ako nakikita.
Masaya akong nakikipagkwentuhan sa mga pinsan ko about doon sa concert ko when a waiter interrupt us.
Nakakunot ang noong tumingin ako rito. Inabot niya sa akin ang isang bote ng wine at isang piece ng chocolate cake.
"Did you guys order this?" I asked them.
Umiling ang mga ito saka nagtatakang bumaling sa waiter. "I think you got the wrong table, brad. We didn't order that." anang si James.
"Our VIP customer asked me to give this to you... Ms. Tanya." anah namang waiter.
Binalik ni Ryle dito ang cake. "Pakibalik na lang brad saka sabihin mo na salamat na lang but Tanya doesn't like chocolate cake." seryoso niyang wika.
But he's telling the truth. I'm not a fan of chocolate cake. No, I actually hate everything that's chocolate.
"It's a coffee flavored cake, Ms. Tanya. He said it's your favorite."
Napataas na talaga ang kilay ko. Tiningnan ko muli ang cake. Inamoy ko pa yun. Yeah, it's coffee. Hindi ko yun napansin dahil sa lightings dito sa bar. But how did that person know... I mean... I know I'm a celebrity but I don't think I ever told anyone about my favorite cake. I barely talk about my favorites unless I'm asked.
I got curious. "Sino ulit ang nagpapabigay?"
Tumingin siya sa taas kung saan nakaupo yung VIP customers nila saka tinuro niya mula roon ang grupo ng kalalakihan. Nakita ko ang isang lalaking kumaway sa gawi namin. I blinked a couple times. Nahihirapan akong i-make out ang mukha nung lalaki dahil sa ilaw. Hindi ko siya agad nakilala. Kaya laking gulat ko nang mamukhaan ito. It's no other than Allen Ventura.
Binalik ko ang tingin sa waiter. "Tell him thank you and that I appreciate his gesture."
Tumango ito. "Makakarating po."
"Do you know that guy?" agad na tanong ni Christian ng makaalis na ang waiter.
I nodded. "Siya yung bagong CEO ng AbTV."
"Woah... Really?"
"Yeah."
"And he knows your favorite? May dapat ba kaming malaman? You don't usually accept anything from anyone kahit sino pa sila but... When you learned that it's him thank you agad?"
I laughed. "As I said, he's the new CEO. Let's just say, I can't say no."
Sabay silang tumawa. "Tanya Felix? Can't say no? Ikaw ba talaga yan?" niyugyog ako ni James. "Tanya, ikaw ba yan?"
Kinutusan ko siya. "Tigilan niyo nga ako. I just don't want to be on his bad side. He looks harmless naman so whatever."
"Let's stop interrogating Tanya and just be thankful dahil may free wine tayo tonight." anah namang si Apollo saka tinaas ang wine bottle. "This one's really expensive." mangha niyang sambit.
"You should really come with us often. Nakakalibre kami lagi pag andyan ka." biro ni Christian.
I crossed my arms. "Mga kuripot. Why don't you spend your money imbes na dumepende kayo sa libre? Saan niyo ba ginagastos pera niyo? Sa condom?"
Napahalakhak ang mga toh. "Tss. We don't like drinking wine in a bar. Andito kami to get wasted, we'd rather spend our money on hard drinks. It's called spending the money right, baby girl."
I rolled my eyes. "Whatever."
AFTER three hours, I decided na magpaalam na sa mga pinsan ko. Lasing na lasing na sila kaya wala na silang pakialam. Mga lalaki naman yung mga yun. Problema na nila kung makadisgrasya sila. I need to go home before Gina finds out I'm not in my unit.
Papasok na ako sa kotse ko ng marinig ko ang isang pamilyar na boses. Nagulat ako nang makita si Allen Ventura.
"Hey." bati ko.
"Uuwi ka na? Maaga pa ah?" aniya sabay tingin sa relo.
"Ah yeah. I can't stay for long. Alam mo na... May trabaho pa bukas."
Tiningnan niya ang kabuoan ko saka tumigil ang tingin niya sa buhok ko. "You look.... Gorgeous tonight."
I bite my lips. "Thanks."
"I didn't recognize you at first. Is that your real hair?"
Nakangiti akong tumango. "It's weird isn't it?"
"No. Not at all. You look more beautiful with your natural hair. You should show it more often."
Binuksan ko ng konti ang pintuan ng sasakyan ko. "Anyway, salamat doon sa wine at cake... Kailangan ko na umalis talaga."
"I'm glad you love it." aniya. "It's nice seeing you tonight. I understand that you have to go. Goodnight."
I nodded. "Goodnight."
Pumasok na ako sa sasakyan ko. Bago ako umalis ay binaba ko muna ang bintana saka nagpaalam rito muli.
The first time I met him una ko agad na impression sa kanya is that he's a player. Alam niyo yung typical na ugali ng mga mayayamang kalalakihan. I thought he'd be more like my cousins but... I think I'm seeing something different. Something more than meets the eye.
- Writer
