The Moment I Knew

TMIK3

"Starting tomorrow, you will have your own personal bodyguard and driver. I hired him from the best security agency.

"Dad, why do I need a personal bodyguard? Isn't it too much?" kontra ko sa daddy ko. I know that our family is powerful and we have lots of rivals and enemy in the business world but I just don't like to have a bodyguard. That's too much and isa pa, wala na akong freedom. S'yempre lahat ng pupuntahan ko ire-report nito sa parents ko.

"This is for your safety, anak. I have so many rivals because of our business and I know...if they can't do anything with me...they will target the people I love. So please, hayaan mo na. I will let them know to not be obvious when you're outside. You won't even see and feel them."

I took a deep breath. Do I have a choice? Kahit naman ganito ang ugali ko hindi naman ako sakit sa ulo palagi, no.

"You'll meet your personal bodyguard tomorrow. He did not come in today because his wife is not feeling well."

Tumango ako na parang interesado.

"Is he old already, dad? Baka naman mahirapan na iyang magligtas sa akin kasi matanda na?"

Ngumisi ang daddy ko.

"No. He's only five years older than you. He is the son of the owner of their agency. Kung wala nga lang iyong asawa ay ni reto ko na sa iyo 'yun nang magtino ka naman.

Kumunot ang noo ko. I can't imagine myself falling inlove with a bodyguard. Like, eww?

I mean..I'm not discriminating their job but I just can't see myself marrying one.

Sa dami ba naman ng luho ko...hinding hindi niya iyon mabibigay.

But daddy said he is the son of the owner, right?

So what, Zehra? Okay na sa iyo kasi anak naman ng may ari?

"You okay, Zehra?"

Napa ayos ako ng upo dahil sa tawag sa akin ni daddy. Dami dami ko ba naman kasing iniisip, e.

I cleared my throat.

"Dad...I can still go out right? Like party and meet my friends?"

Dapat lang! Kasi kung hindi..ewan ko nalang! Baka maghanap pa ako ng paraan paano takasan ang bodyguard ko. Ang hirap kayang makulong sa bahay!

Bumuntong hininga si daddy bago sumagot.

"Yup...I trust your bodyguard. Alam kong kaya ka niyang bantayan."

Is he really good? Kasi wala pa nga pero puring puri na siya ni daddy.

Oh, well. Basta hindi lang siya hahadlang sa mga lakad ko, okay kami.

"Matulog ka na, Zehra. I have to go and fetch your mom. Masyado nang nawiwili sa pakikipag kita sa mga amiga niya. Manang mana ka nga."

Napatawa ako. Kahit naman kasi reklamo nang reklamo sa amin si daddy ay hanggang doon lang naman iyon. Ramdam ko ang pagmamahal niya sa amin ni mommy. Binibigay niya lahat ng gusto namin at ayaw niyang hindi kami masaya. In short, marupok si daddy sa amin.

Kasalukuyan kasi kaming nasa living room namin sa bahay dahil iyon nga...nag usap kami. Naka pantulog na nga ako, e.

Himala diba? Walang gala.

Ewan...tinatamad ako.

Pero hindi pa naman ako inaantok. Kaya pagkatapos kong humalik sa pisngi ni daddy ay tuluyan na akong umakyat sa kwarto ko.

I took my phone on my bedside table and dived into my bed.

I saw that there are lots of chats sa group chat namin ng mga kaibigan ko.

Well...I'm not really sure if I can call them my friends though. Alam ko naman na they are only using me kasi may makukuha sila sa akin. Like always makalibre ng mga VIPs kapag nasa club or even in restaurants.

Because why not? I am the daughter of the most powerful businessman in Asia.

And I'm not just known as father and mother's daughter. I am known because of my modeling career.

And I am not just famous here in the philippines, also in other countries.

Victoria Secret even invited me to walk when they had their fashion week in Paris last month but I didn't bother attending since my schedule had a conflict.

I had a deal with a starting cosmetics company. Although I am brat like this...but I am not just the brat that you knew.

In my career, I'd rather help small businesses and companies rather than make the famous and known brands even more famous.

Especially here in the Philippines.

Bakit ko tutulungan ang ibang produktong galing sa ibang bansa kung pwede ko namang tulungan ang mga nagsisimula palang dito sa pilipinas.

Some of the people are admiring me for what I am doing and some are bashing me.

They said that I am only doing this...helping small companies for my publicity. Do I still need publicity? Duh!

Anyway, nag seen lang ako sa group chat namin. I was about to close my phone pero nahagip pa ng mata ko ang isang message galing sa isang member ng groupchat.

Mira:

Hey, Zehra. Wanna hang out tomorrow? There's a new limited bag from gucci that'll be out tomorrow. I'm sure hindi ka papahuli. So bff, baka naman pwede kaming makisabay? Love you!

I rolled my eyes.

The audacity of calling me her bff.

Everytime kasi may mga bagong labas na products ang mga known brand internationally, they will give me a notification about it.

Because why not?

And nalaman iyon ng mga parasite kong "friends" kaya palagi silang sumasabay sa akin sa pagbili gamit ang pangalan ko.

Akala siguro nila I am naive just because hinahayaan ko lang sila.

I'm an observer. Kilalang kilala ko na ang halang ng bituka ng mga 'to. Wala ako sa mood maging mabait so ang ginawa ko, instead of replying...I muted the group chat and closed my phone. Put it again on my bedside table.

Inayos ko ang posisyon dahil bumibigat na ang mga mata ko.

Sana lang hindi magbago ang buhay ko kapag may bodyguard na ako.

Ayoko kasing nasasakal ako. Gusto ko nagagawa ang gusto ko.

Kaya kung sino mang poncio pilato ang magiging bodyguard ko, umayos ka.