the Unexpected

Interview part 1

"I am, third master." napahampas si Neil sa hita nya na parang pumusta sa boxing at natalo ang manok nya. Habang si Adrianne ay napangiti din pero sinubukan nyang itago sakin yun maybe just to show some formality. Naramdaman ko din si Noreen at Kenneth na tahimik lang na ngumiti kung nasan sila at umiiling-iling pa.

Si Locket lang ang walang reaksyon at nakatingin kami ngayon sa isa't-isa, saying and giving nothing to each other.

They are making fun of me.

Umalis sa tabi ko si Neil at lumapit kay Locket, hinawakan nya si Locket si balikat and speak to him.

"Tell me, what's the problem with the boys of this university. Such a beautiful lady, and yet still single." he pointed out to me, alam ko na nagblush ako kaya tumungo na lang ako. I am not ready to hear this kind of compliment, specially from a stranger.

Then I hear Locket's voice.

"Maybe the problem is not with the boys of this university, maybe it's just that she doesn't recognized them." he is looking at me as if asking me if he said the right thing or should I give an argument about that.

Nagulat ako sa sinabi nya, I really don't get kung anu man ang ibig sabihin nya. And I can't agree with a statement I am not sure of, kaya I give an argument  instead.

"I don't think that's the case, SECOND MASTER. Nagtiwala ako minsan kaya lang, nasayang din naman, so maybe it is a warning na wag ko muna asikasuhin ang lovelife ko." I know he knows kung sino ang tinutukoy ko that's why he slightly smiled and after a long time, I feel some kind of relief.

"Naloko ka na, ganun ba?" Kenneth asked me this time, still holding the book in his hand.

"I will say, yes, fourth master. Dahil binigay ko ang tiwala ko, and that person just waste it but I am glad, nalaman ko ng mas maaga." all of a sudden we are  now talking about Jong, at ayoko na sana syang pagusapan pero now we are here and I don't think they will let me escape this.

"Ibig sabihin kung hindi mo nalaman, may posibilidad na magkagusto ka sa taong yun?" I catually never thought of this possibility before kahit na si Jong ang ideal man ko alam ko din naman sa sarili ko na may bagay na pumipigil sakin na magustuhan sya. 

But now, I really don't know the answer.

"As much as I want to give the answer, hindi ko din po alam fourth master and I have no plan to think of any possibilites, sorry." I was so straight forward and I hope hindi sya na-offend. Adrianne is just watching us, nageenjoy sya sa mga nakikita at naririnig nya base sa reaksyon nya.

"But, do you love someone now?" as I expected, si Noreen na ang nagtanong sakin, tulad ng kanina, straight to the point at makahulugan ang tanong at tingin nya sakin.

JC?

" I used to love someone, fifth master." I can't believe of myself, I am able to say these words now, 'used to.'

Does it mean, I am over it?

" Alam ba nya?" she asked me again, I think she will go all the way para malaman ang lahat ng tungkol dito.

" No, I didn't have to tell him and I didn't get the chance to tell him." gusto ko ng tumayo mula sa upuan ko, I feel uneasy and uncomfortable with this talk. Hindi dahil sa topic, pero dahil si Noreen ang nagtatanong at sa reaksyon ni Locket parang hindi sya natutuwa.

" Why not? Sayang naman, malay mo gusto ka din pala nya." nanghinayang o gusto nya lang ipamukha sakin na mali ang ginawa ko, alin man sa dalawang yun ang intensyon nya, hindi ko masabi.

"Masaya na sya ngayon, and I don't want to ruin the friendship that we have and besides, as I said earlier, fifth master, I USED TO love someone. I am over it now."  there, I said it without even thinking about it twice. Wala na kong feelings kay JC, atlast, pero kung dala lang to ng adrenaline rush na nararamdaman ko ngayon, sana bukas, masabi ko pa din yun sa sarili ko.

Naghintay ako ng sasabihin pa ni Noreen pero ngumiti na lang sya at hinayaan na iba naman ang magtanong.

"I've got some reports na you and Locket didn't get along so well with each other. Why is that so kung madalas naman pala kayong magkasama?" Adrianne get back to me this time, kung sino man ang source nya he must be good. 

"Your source must be a good observer first master, pero sa tingin ko po may mga differences lang kami ni second master kaya madalas kaming nagtatalo. But those differences taught both of us some lessons and naniniwala ako na, through out the time matutunan din naman mai-settle ang mga differences na yun." I am speaking directly to Adrianne and I don't care kung anu ang opinyon ni Locket, yun ang nararamdaman ko kaya yun ang sinabi ko.

Besides the fact na, lagi lang talaga mainit ang ulo nya pagdating sakin.

"Anung masasabi mo dun, second master?" this time Adrianne looked at Locket to ask for his opinion and still, Locket didn't move.

"What else can I say, she is right. May mga bagay na hindi kami nagkakasundo but I will disagree to your source na nagsabing we didn't get along so well. Actually, we are just fine with what we are right now. Have  a little argument and fight, that's how we get along, tell that to your source, first master."  kahit na mas mataas ang posisiyon sa kanya ng kausap nya, nandun pa din ang pagiging authoritative ni Locket at napangiti na lang si Adrianne sa sinabi nya bago nya ulit ibinaling ang atensyon  nya saken.

"But admit it, she is very different from your past subordinates, specially with Ela." it was Noreen again, hindi pa talaga sya tapos sa pagiinterview sakin, ngayon nadamay pa si Ela.

She is not here anymore, malamang nasa New York na sya. How I wish, nakapagpaalam man lang ako.

"Ofcourse they are different, and don't even try to compare." this time Locket moved away from the shelf, I can sense na hindi nya nagustuhan ang sinabi ni Noreen. Mabigat ang mga binitawang salita ni Locket, parang ako lang ang kinakausap nya sa paraan ng pagsasabi nya kay Noreen.

"Not really comparing, naisip ko lang na maybe hindi umepekto ang charm ni second master kay Ms. del Valle."  ang formal ng pagtawag nya sakin pero sa mga sinasabi nya, wala namang pormalidad akong maramdaman.

Is this a joke?

"Then why not ask her." Locket challenged Noreen, because of that, gusto ko syang hampasin ng silya. He put me even more in the hot seat, this time blangko ako sa isasagot ko. 

Noreen stand up and walk a little closer to me, maintaining her distance, she asked me.

"Do you like our second master? " wala ng paligoy-ligoy pa, tinanong na agad nya ang siguro ay kanina pa nyang hinihintay na maitanong sakin.

Hindi ako makapagsalita.

Parte ba talaga to ng interview of pinaglalaruan lang nila ko dito?

"I..I d..." Noreen interrupted me again, she didn't let me finish what I am about to say. 

"I think she can answer it better kung ikaw ang magtatanong sa kanya, second master." she looked at Locket na ngayon ay nakatayo na lang sa likod ni Adrianne. Halata ko sa kanya na naiinis na din sya sa ginagawa ni Noreen, but he is not protesting, in fact, sinunod pa nya ang advise ng babaeng yun at lumapit pa saken.

"I'll do the honor then." lumapit sya sakin this time, "..Tell me, do you like me, Clumsy?" so the formality was gone, and he called me Clumsy in front of everyone here. He stands close to me, holding both the arm rest of my chair and leaning to me with his face just inches away from me.

I am wrong, hindi sya naiinis. He likes the game Noreen is playing and I want to hate him for that. 

"I think like can have different meanings. If you are asking me if I like you as a person, yes, I do. I like how strong you are and competitive you are and how sure you are in everything you say and do. Besides, I have no reason to hate you. But if you are asking me if I like you, romantically speaking I would have to say..." 

-End of Interview part 1