On The Edge (Girlfriends Series No.2)

Chapter 16

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Private plane ang sinakyan namin ni Lauren papunta rito sa Paris. I was hesitant at first because I can't afford to pay but Lauren said that she pulled off a string from a friend. Noong una hindi ko naintindihan pero nag-explain naman siya habang nasa ere na kami. Pinahiram daw sa kanya ng kaibigan niya para hassle-free sa byahe lalo na't pareho kaming model. Well for me, I'm not known internationally.

"Bienvenue à Paris, Mademoiselles." Pagbaba namin sa airport ay may sumalubong sa amin na tatlong butler at dalawang maid. Wait is this part of their service in using private plane?

Hindi ko maintindihan ang pinag-uusapan nina Lauren at nang isang butler mukhang siya 'yung head nila. Ito isa sa reason kung bakit hindi ako masyado nagpupunta sa unfamiliar places dahil sa language barrier. I know English is a universal language but not everyone like to use it for speaking.

Kahit din naman ako noong natuto magsalita ng bisaya dahil tumira kami sa Cebu pero mas madalas ko gamitin ang english at tagalog. Nagsasalita lang ako ng bisaya kapag hindi talaga ako maintindihan ng kausap ko.

"Sorry for waiting... Let's go?" pag-aaya ni Lauren.

"I didn't know that one of the privileges of using a private plane is having butlers and maid," pagbibiro ko.

"..."

"Hey! I'm just kidding haha." Wala kasi akong natanggap na response kay Lauren kaya dinugtungan ko agad ang sinabi ko.

"Oh, it's nothing... I thought I already told you about it," depensa niya.

"By the way... where are we going to stay?" Ang alam ko nag-book na si Lauren ng hotel bago pa niya ako ayain last week na pumunta rito.

"You will love it!" nakangising sambit nito.

Nagpatangay na lang ako sa kanya kung saan niya ako dadalhin. Medyo pagod na rin ako dahil gabi na at hindi pa kami nagdi-dinner.

Woah! Limousine?! I'm really in Paris! Sinakay na ng butlers at maid ang mga gamit namin.

"This is a s-service from the hotel," paliwanag ni Lauren.

"I'm starting to love Paris!" pagsakay namin sa Limousine ay binigyan kami ng champagne ng maid.

"Merci!" pasasalamat ko sa maid. Kahit paano naman may alam akong basic french words.

The place everywhere is lively to watch because of the lights and the people walking in the streets. The setting of the place is almost the same as the fairytales that I used to watch when I was a kid.

"It feels surreal." Maya-maya ay tumigil ang sinasakyan namin at tumapat sa isang malaking hotel.

"We are finally here, Anne... Welcome to Paris," rinig kong sambit ni Lauren.

Hindi maalis ang tingin ko sa labas ng sasakyan. "A-Are we s-staying here?!"

Wala akong alam sa architectural style pero masasabi kong Victorian o Mediterranean ang structure ng hotel. Pagbukas ng butler sa pinto ng sasakyan ay agad akong bumaba para kuhaan ng pictures ang hotel. Ipapakita ko ito kay Nalla dahil expertise niya ito.

Nagcheck-in na si Lauren habang naghihintay ako sa lobby. Gold and white ang interior design ng hotel. Maganda rin ang lightings dahil hindi masakit sa mata. Nakasunod pa rin sa amin ang mga butlers at maids. May extra charge fee kaya ito?

"We're good to go... and here is your keycard." Inabot sa'kin ni Lauren ang isa pang card na magsisilbing extra para kapag ang isa sa amin lumabas ay may dala kami.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang tingnan ko ang keycard. "Louis Royale De Paris Presidential Suite," basa ko.

Hindi ako madasalin na tao pero baka mapapadasal na ako gabi-gabi na sana umulan ng pera. Panigurado mahal ang bayad nito. Kahit pa may kaya ang pamilya ko ay hindi ko naman magagawang gumastos ng malaki.

"Anne? Anne, are you okay?" kalabit sa'kin ni Lauren.

"A-Ah ahahaha! I'm just surprised... You booked a presidential suite?" tanong ko.

"Come on! You don't have to worry. It's already paid."

"Pardon?" paulit ko sa kanya dahil baka nabingi lang ako sa part na bayad na ang room.

"It's — already — paid," isa-isa niyang sambit.

"I invited you here, so naturally I'm paying— you are my guest," habol niya.

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa sinabi niya. Lauren is really a generous person. I'm gonna remind myself to buy her a meal next time.

"Ahm... Lauren, are they going to stay with us too?" usisa ko sa kanya tungkol sa mga butler at maid dahil paakyat na kami sa suite at nakasunod pa rin sila.

"No. No... They are just bringing our luggage until we settled at the suite," paliwanag niya.

"Ah okaaaay!"

"Merci... Merci pour vos services," pasasalamat ko sa mga butler at maid. Noong una pinigilan nila ako sa pag-bow pero nagpumilit pa rin ako.

"Can you speak French?" tanong ni Lauren.

"No... basic words only... I don't even know if I said it right haha," tukoy ko sa sinabi ko kanina sa mga kasama namin dito sa elevator.

Umaabot ng thirty floors ang hotel at nasa top floor ang presidential suite na kinuha ni Lauren. I wonder kung nasa magkano ang bayad nito.

*ting*

Namangha ako sa ganda ng suite. White at gold ang pinaka-interior design nila samantalang pagdating sa mga furnitures ay black katulad ng sofa at pillow maging ang bed 'ganon din.

Mas lalo akong namangha nang mapasilip ako sa bintana dahil may balcony dito at makikita ang Eiffel Tower!

"Omg!" Nag-selfie ako rito para ipadala kay Benj mamaya.

"Mademoiselles, nous quittons." Napalingon ako kay Lauren para malaman kung ano ibig sabihin ng head butler.

Nakuha naman agad niya ang ibig kong sabihin. "They are leaving."

"Oh! Thank you again," I said before they leave.

Dalawa ang kwarto na nakuha ni Lauren kaya may kanya-kanya kaming tutulugan. Inayos ko agad ang mga gamit ko sa kwarto para makapagpahinga na.

"Mary Anne, I ordered foods. Let's eat!" rinig kong sigaw ni Lauren mula sa labas ng kwarto.

Pinuntahan ko ito sa dining area, yes may dining at kitchen area! Ang dami niyang inorder na foods, mauubos ba namin 'to. Light meal lang sana ang kakainin ko dahil gabi na at baka hindi ako matunawan kinabukasan.

Lauren is preparing the food while I'm busy chatting with my boyfriend.

To: My Engineer

I wish you were here! I miss you.

From: My Engineer

That's great. I didn't know you are in Paris.

I sent him my picture with the Eiffel Tower. I didn't expect him to reply since he's busy at his project. Bukas ko na lang ito tatawagan para magpaliwanag dahil pagod na rin ako.

×————×

Ilang beses ko na tinatawagan si Benj pero out of reach na naman siya. Huling beses na nagkaroon ako ng contact sa kanya ay 'yung unang gabi namin dito sa Paris.

Three days from now ang main event ng fashion week kaya nagdesisyon kami ni Lauren na libutin ang Paris kung saan man kami madala ng mga paa namin.

Una talaga namin pinuntahan ang mismong Eiffel Tower para makakuha ng picture na malapitan. Kakaunti lang ang tao ngayon dahil siguro nasa trabaho ang karamihan. Madami kaming picture ni Lauren na magkasama. Sayang lang dahil nakauwi na ng Pinas ang mga kaibigan ko.

Lauren and I had a lot of talks while waiting for another round of Siene River Cruise. I learned from her that she was born in Italy and settled in NYC because of her career. She has rarely goes back to her hometown ever since her grandma died. She is an only child and her parents are busy running their farm.

"I don't know yet... I don't want to plan the future... I just want to enjoy what is here in front of me," she responded. I asked her if she has a plan to settle in Italy when she quits her career in New York.

Sumakay na kami sa boat kung saan malilibot namin ang Paris Canals. We can eat dinner while sightseeing outside the cruise. I kinda have eerie feels because the crowd mostly talks in french and it makes me dizzy. I tried to divert my attention by talking to Lauren but I end up being quiet.

"What about you, Anne? Why did you end up going in New York?" tanong ni Lauren. Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na palagi ako nagtatanong nang tungkol sa buhay niya.

I let out a long sigh. "The truth is I took an off from modeling because an incident happened while doing my job," umpisa ko.

"Besides modeling... I do escort high profile personalities... the last job I had traumatize me..."

I look down trying to hide my face because I'm about to break again. "I-I... I was physically and mentally abused... The s*xual assault still haunts me every time I sleep at night."

I tried to hold back my sobbing as quietly as possible until I felt a warm embrace holds me. "I'm sorry for asking... I'm sorry for letting my curiosity remember your past," Lauren comforted me.

"It's okay... It's bound to happen anyway because you were my friend, Lauren... Thank you," I said and smile at her.