MY DREAM STAR

PART 5

TUNOG ng cellphone ang gumising kay Zander. He reached for it and tried to sit, only to realize someone's holding him back. He threw his gaze to the naked woman beside her. Odessa Smith, one of the most beautiful faces in the modeling world – and his girlfriend.

Patuloy pa rin ang pagtunog ng cellphone niya. Tuluyan na siyang bumangon. He grabbed his boxer shorts on the floor and wore it.

"Darling, just ignore that. We haven't spent more time together for a long time," nanghahalinang tawag sa kanya ng babae. Her eyes still half-closed.

Hindi niya ito pinansin at bitbit ang cellphone na lumabas siya ng silid. They haven't seen each other for almost a month alright. But it doesn't mean he missed her. Alam niya na habang hindi sila magkasama ay may ibang nagpapainit sa kama ni Odessa. For the past three years, he knew she's not faithful.

Sa mundong ginagalawan nila hindi uso ang ganoon. Everything is just a game. Everything is short-lived. Kaya nga nagtataka ang mga nakakakilala sa kanila kung bakit nananatili silang magkarelasyon sa ganoon katagal na panahon.

Besides, aside from being good in bed together ay wala na silang napagkakasunduan o pagkakapareho man lang. Well, pareho silang may pakinabang sa relasyon na ito. Odessa considered Zander a trophy boyfriend while on his part being with her tames his mother.

Ang kanyang ina ang may gustong magkaroon sila ng relasyon ni Odessa. His mother is her handler. Whether it's for publicity or she just likes Odessa he will never know. And he doesn't care. Matagal na panahon na niyang sinukuan ang pangingielam ng kanyang ina sa buhay niya. The best way to avoid an argument with her is to ignore her or just follow her whims. Zander does both depending on the situation.

Anyway, it doesn't matter to him. Simula naman ng mamatay ang kanyang Thai- American na ama ay ang kanyang ina na ang nagdikta ng buhay niya. Ito ang basta-basta nagdesisyon umuwi sila ng Pilipinas sa kabila ng masagana nilang buhay sa Thailand at tuparin ang pangarap nitong maging sikat na modelo – sa pamamagitan niya. Walang pumigil dito. His father's relatives hate his mother. Masyado kasi itong makasarili at materyosa.

And no matter how much Zander argued, hindi siya nito pinakinggan. She even threatened him she will kill herself kapag nanatili pa sila sa Thailand. That shut him up. He knew she is capable of doing what she said. She had tried to do it before, when his father didn't gave her the jewelry she so wanted.

Pero ang hindi niya maintindihan ay kung bakit pinili niya magpunta sa Pilipinas. Kung gusto nitong sumikat siya, they should have gone to the States. Tutal may mga properties din sila 'don. Hula niya ay may nais itong pagmalakihan sa Pilipinas.

Sa Timeless modeling agency siya nito ipinagkatiwala. Nicolo – the owner of the agency – promised her he will make Zander famous. And he did. He made him the most sought after male model in Asia. He thinks everything is okay already. Sapat na ang lahat ng iyon. But not her mother.

Nagulat na lang siya isang araw ng ipakilala nito si Odessa. She said she will be handling her and him. Balak nitong pasikatin sila sa Europa. When he argued with her she freaked out. Mabuti na lamang at may 10-year contract siya sa Timeless kaya hindi nito nagawa ang gusto. Pero tumuloy pa rin sa plano ang kanyang ina kasama si Odessa na mabilis ngang nagkapangalan sa industriya.

It seems that fame in Asia is not enough for his mother. She wanted so much more. She's so obsessed and hopeless. Paglipas ng panahon nagsawa na si Zander makipagtalo sa ina. He started not to care. Until the time came that he doesn't feel anything anymore.

Saglit na tumigil sa pagtunog ang cellphone niya. After a few seconds it rang again. He answered it then.

"Sorry to wake you up Zander." Bungad ni Sally – ang handler niya. He calls her Tita Sally. She's a warm and fine woman and almost a mother to him.

"It's okay tita."

"Drop by at the office around ten ha. I-bi-brief lang kita about the bookings I made for you then you can go to your commitment afterwards."

"Okay. I'll be there."

"Sige. Eat your breakfast. Bye," paalala nito bago pinutol ang tawag.

Good thing he has Sally. At least may taong sincere talagang concern sa kaniya.

MAAGA bumiyahe si Zander sa kabila ng pagtutol ni Odessa. Sa nadaanang restaurant na lang din siya nag almusal. She tried her best to persuade him to stay, to the point of stopping his bath. Pinagbigyan niya ito sandali but he quickly left just the same. Naalala niya pa ang pahabol na banta nito.

"I'll tell your mother about this!" sigaw nito.

"What are you gonna say? That I don't want to lend my body? Go on," walang anumang sabi niya.

"I'll tell her you no longer have time for me. That you no longer love me. Oh, I don't know what she's gonna do," pananakot ni Odessa.

Hinarap niya ito, bahagya niyang inayos ang salamin sa mata. He gave her a chilling stare. "Correction, it's not no longer. I never loved you," he said quietly. Iniwan niya itong nakanganga.

Damn. Bakit ba siya napapalibutan ng mga demanding na babae? His mother and Odessa both think they owned him. And it's pissing him off.

Pagkapark ni Zander ng sasakyan ay mabilis niyang tinahak ang tahimik na corridor ng building na kinaroroonan ng agency. Mag-isa lang din syang sumakay ng elevator. When he first stepped into that building, he didn't believe Timeless will make him famous. Sino ba naman ang maniniwala sa kakayahan ng isang Agency na nag-oopisina sa lumang building na iyon? But after so many years, it gave him the comfort he needed.

Most of the people on the corridor glanced his way when he stepped out of the elevator. Zander looked at no one. Sa tagal niyang modelo nasanay na siyang balewalain ang tingin ng mga tao sa paligid niya.

But today, something is telling him to glance their way. Hindi niya alam kung bakit. But he followed that force and looked their way. Nakatalikod na babae ang una niyang nakita. May sinusulat na kung ano. Her hair is loosely tied, so some strands are sticking on her face. She has a voluptuous body with a very Filipina complexion. Kilala niya ito. Si Erica.The weird woman he met by accident.

Ibang iba si Erica sa lahat ng mga babaeng nakilala na niya. Sure, hindi siya sophisticated at fashionable. But she doesn't pretend to be something she's not. She's just herself. Natural na natural. Walang tinatago. Higit sa lahat kinakausap siya ng dalaga na para bang isa lang siyang normal na tao. Well, of course she did. He realized she didn't recognize him as Zander Uijleman.

May pag ka weird din mag-isip si Erica. She has an uncanny way of making up things. Noong una siya nitong lapitan ay nakaramdam siya ng pagkainis. The first thing Zander thought was that she was flirting with him. But she doesn't look like a flirt. Kaya nagulat siya ng basta na lang siya nitong hinalikan at nagsimulang lumitanya ng kung anu-ano at ipakilala pa siya sa kung sino bilang boyfriend nito. In an ordinary situation, he will never allow someone to do that to him. Pero hindi niya alam kung anong meron sa babae at sinakyan niya ang mga kalokohan nito.

Zander thought that night is the last time he will see her. Hindi pala. At tulad nang una nilang pagkikita ay hindi ito nabigong gulatin siya. Hindi nag ingat si Erica kaya natapon dito ang iced coffee na hawak. Usually he will not care. Hahayaan niya itong gawan ng paraan ang sariling pagkakamali. But like the night they met, he doesn't have the heart to leave her like that. And for the first time in his life, aside from his mother, pumayag siyang utusan ng isang tao.

Biglang lumingon sa direksiyon niya si Erica. Her round eyes are shining. Bangs lang nito ang maayos sa buhok nito. Ineexpect niyang magugulat ito o mahihiya. Bakit hindi? She had made a fool of herself nang hindi siya nito nakilala. Instead, she frowned at him. Parang nagtataka pa ito na nakatayo siya roon. Na-disorient siya na hindi nakita ang inaasahang reaksiyon mula sa dalaga. So Zander insolently looked away and walked inside the office.

Weird chick.