The Artist (gxg)

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

"Charline" nakangiting tawag niya at tumayo dahan dahan din akong lumapit sa kaniya.

"C-can we talk?" I asked tumingin tingin muna siya sa paligid bago hinila ang braso ko pumasok kami sa loob nang mansyon at umakyat sa taas binuksan niya ang isang kwarto doon at pinaupo ako sa sofa.

"Why are here?" I asked

"Diba gusto mong magusap tayo?" Tanong niya.

"Yeah pero bakit dito? Tsaka what are you doing here?" Takhang tanong ko bahagya naman siyang natawa.

"Dahil maingay doon at hindi tayo makakapag usap nang maayos. And second im here because im celebrating" simpleng paliwanag niya.

"Huh?" Tanong ko naguguluhan ako.

"Let me introduce myself again Im Daniela Reyes Tuazon" nakangiting sabi niya. Tuazon? Don't tell me-

"What your thinking is right. I am a Tuazon. Sorry if i lied"

"Ikaw ang president ng Tuazon?" Tanong ko. Tapos naalala ko si Cassandra na Ela ang tawag sa kaibigan niya at si Mia din na tawag kay Daniela ay Ela. Maingat lang siyang tumango.

"So its mean the whole time kilala ka nila Cassandra at Monica pati narin si Mia?"

"Yes the three of us were bestfriends, Me, Cassandra, and Mia. But don't get mad at them i asked them to pretend that they don't know me." Paliwanag niya. Tumango ako hindi ito panahon para magpaliwanag siya. I want to talk to her about how i feel about her.

"Kamusta na? Bakit biglaan kang umalis nang walang paalam?" I asked nung makakuha ako nang lakas nang loob.

"Im fine. How about you?" Hindi niya sinagot ang pangalawang tanong ko.

"Hindi mo pa sinasagot ang isang tanong ko"

"You said you can now manage that why i leave. And as you can see I've been missing in action sa company i missed alot of work" naalala ko ang sinabi niya nung gabi na pabalik na kami nang Manila.

"I hope so you can really manage now, So i can leave you now"

I didn't know that she literary mean it to leave me. Kumirot ang puso ko.

"By the way i heard the news, Congrats to you and Carlos. You guys made a good couple" sabi niya tinignan ko siya sa mata.Does she really mean it? I can see sadness but she hid it behind her smile.

"Do you really mean it?" Bumakas naman ang pagtataka sa mukha niya.

"Huh?"

"Do you really meant it? Congratulating me and carlos about the relationship?"

"O-ofcourse im happy as long as you are happy,finally naging kayo nang crush mo" 

"I answered all your question shall we go back now to the party?" She zofly asked at tumayo na.

"Wait!" Pigil ko

"B-bakit mo ginusto maging assistant ko?" Tinignan niya ako nang seryoso sa mata.

"Because i wanted to be close with you" napayuko ako. Handa siyang iwan ang trabaho niya para maging malapit sa akin.

"Daniela" tawag ko.

"Yes?" Sagot niya. Humugot muna ako nang lakas nang loob bago nagsalita

"I want to tell you something" tumango siya.

"Go on"

"I like you" tinignan ko siya nakatingin lang din siya sa akin.

"I like you. I did not know where it started but i realize it when you leave me. Maybe i was busy convincing myself that im straight that why i did not notice it sooner" pag amin ko. Tinignan ko siya still not talking and just looking at me. Bigla akong  nakaramdam nang hiya baka late na ako, baka di na niya ako gusto.

"Are you not going to say anything? I said i like you" unti unti siyang ngumiti at lumapit sa akin.

"And I like you too" ngumiti ako pero bigla ding nawala nang marinig ko siya.

"But its too late now, you are already in a relationship. I don't want to ruin any relationship" But me and Carlos are not real. Umiling ako.

"Me and Carlos are not real we just did it for show" i said.

"You gave him hope right? You gave him hope that you guys can be real. You like me but you probably love him right?"

"I don't love him"

"But you like him right? You guys look really compatible with each other"

"Why are you saying all of these?"

"I just don't want to get my hope high again. Mahirap na eh" biglang kumirot ang puso ko. Masyado ko siyang nasaktan.

"Im sorry" sabi ko

"You don't need to, umasa lang ako masyado"napayuko lang ako. I cant just ask her to go back because she needs to go back to her real work.

"Thank you for liking me too. You dont know how happy i am"

"What if i say i like you more than Carlos, is it possible for us?"

"It is possible for me kahit itago mo pa ako ok lang. But still Carlos is hoping for you, i know you dont want to hurt him right?"

"Aayusin ko ang sa amin ni Carlos. Promise me you will wait" nginitian niya lang ako at tumango.

"I will"