Loved (Fin)

Kabanata 5

Run with me

Hindi ko mapigilan ang pagngiti habang nakikita sa gilid ng mga mata ko ang pagnguso niya. She's so damn beautiful!

"Dito na ako." She said then stopped beside Tito Grey. Napalunok ako. Don't tell me she's that Katarina?

Oh fuck! Napakaswerte ko naman yata!

"Katarina! Where have you been?!" Nakita ko ang pamimilog sa mga mata nina Minteria at Claude. Of course they knew her. Nagconcert siya sa Glacer kagabi eh!

"I am sorry Dad. I bumped into someone I know.." unti unting bumagal ang pananalita niya habang nakatingin sa pag-upo ko sa tabi ni Dad.

"Oh well. Pasensya na sa inyo." Tito Grey looked at us. On my right is Dad, Tito Kristoff, Tito Eros. Sa kabisera ng mesa sa kaliwa ko ay si Katarina. Sa tabi ni Tito Grey sina Claude at Minteria.

"Ayos lang pare. Tingin ko ay sila ni Thirdy ko ang magkasama. Kilala mo pala ang anak ko Katarina?" Kumikislap ang kapilyuhan sa mata ni Daddy. Halos matawa ako dun.

"Hinatid niya po ako sa bahay kagabi." Her sweet voice filled my ears. I am going crazy over little things about her. I am insane.

"Siya yung.."

"Yes Dad. Siya yung kung 'sino sinong lalaki lang' na tinutukoy mo. That's him. You can ask him though kung di ka naniniwalang walang nangyari sa aming dalawa." Balewalang sabi niya. Halos mapanganga ako kung paano ka-blunt ang babaeng ito sa Dad niya. She almost sound like she doesn't treat him as her dad.

"Katarina!" Sikmat ni Tito Grey. "Tone down will you? Kahit sa harap man lang ng mga kaibigan ko pagtiisan mo namang igalang ako!"

"Yeah? I could shut up the whole lunch. No big deal." She smirked and acted like zipping her mouth.

"Pagpasensyahan nyo na si Katarina." Hinging paumanhin ni Tito Grey na kinataas ng kilay ni Katarina pero hindi na siya nagkumento.

"Pormal ko na lang na ipapakilala ang anak ko sayo Katarina. This is Juan Marco Martinez III my only son." Nakangiting tinapik ni Dad ang balikat ko. Marahan ang pagtangong binigay ni Katarina sa aking ama.

"Ito si Minteria ko." Sabat ni Tito Kristoff. Kumaway si Mint sa kanya. Na sinagot naman niya ng isang tipid na ngiti.

"At ang aking si Claude. Kasintahan ni Minteria." Maligayang sambit ni Tito Eros. Napangisi ako.

"This is Katarina Olivares. My eldest. Sayang at nasa America pa ang aking si Drift. He's busy with Forbe Empire so.." Tito blabbed about Drift and the company. I saw Katarina playing with her pasta.

Ang haba ng mga kwento ni Tito pero lahat ay ukol kay Drift. Hindi nga siguro sila malapit.

"So hija, what do you do?" Tanong ni Tito Kristoff. May kakaibang kislap sa mga mata niya. I knew that look. It's like he just wanted to ask a question even if he knows the answer to it. Na parang may gustong patunayan sa sarili niya.

"I toggle between Olivares Realty and Katarina Designs." Magalang na sagot niya matapos tila timbangin kung nais ba niyang ipaalam o hindi.

"CEO of both companies? Parehas na malalaking kumpanya iyan ah. Ang alam ko si Dahlia Olivares-Oswald ang tanging tagapagmana ni Donya Gracielle. Ang alam din ay siya ang namamahala sa Olivares Realty." Kunot noong sabi ni Tito Eros.

"My mother is busy with her family. She doesn't have any interest with the company. Ako po ang namamahala. Yes, I heard that people thought it was my mother because I asked them to be discreet about it. Hindi ko hilig ang spotlight. Isa pa mas priority ko po ang Katarina Designs it's growing. Stable na ang Olivares Realty kaya less monitoring na lang." She looked so business like.

I suddenly wished to see her do crazy things again. Para kasing pag ganun siya or when she's drunk she's carefree but now? She looked so uptight. So well calculated. And it felt fake.

"How's Katarina Designs Hija? My wife Claudine kept on blabbing about how good your designs were." Uminom ng tubig si Tito Eros at ngumisi. "Lagi siyang naglalambing para kunin ang serbisyo ninyo para idisenyo ang aming hardin. Halos magtampo si Claude dahil Architect siya pero tinatanggihan ng kanyang mommy dahil tila ba siya naoobsess sa mga gawa mo." Tumawa sila ni Claude.

"Thank you Tito." This time I saw her smile genuinely like she really loved what she heard. And she looked breathtakingly beautiful. I bit my lip to stop saying these adjectives in my head.

"Katarina Designs is doing great. As I have said it is growing. Dati ay mayroon lamang akong 1000 na emlpleyado ngayon ay naghahire kami muli ng may 200 pa. I am looking at a possible expansion. Gusto ko kasi sana ng isa pang building to accomodate my people. Pero plano pa lang naman Tito. Pinag-aaralan ko pa po."

"You seemed so well acquainted with your businesses Hija. I heard a lot of good feedback from my friends and even from your employee. They love you as their boss. I think that's great." Kumento ni Dad.

"Thank you po Tito. I don't have anyone to bother so I always bother my companies. And oh well, I don't have family kaya naman itinuturing kong kapamilya ang aking mga empleyado." Tila wala sa sariling tugon niya. Tito Grey's eyes looked like he just lost a billion dollar investment.

"I treat my people like my own family. Naniniwala ako na happy employees will stay with you no matter what." She smiled and ate. Yumuko siya na tila ba gustong itago ang ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha. But before she even did I already saw her loneliness. It suffocates me.

"That's wonderful Katarina." Minteria stated.

"Thank you." She politely answered when she looked at Mint's face. Then she smiled.

"Wanna go out for a ride Katarina?" I whispered leaning towards her.

"You would take me away from here?" Tila umaasang sabi niya. Tila nanuyo ang lalamunan ko dahil sa tingin niyang iyon.

"Yes." Napapaos kong sagot. "Run with me." I smiled when she stood from her seat and held me by the hand. Sumunod ako patayo sa kanya habang tumatakbo kami palabas ng restaurant.

Ni hindi namin pinansin ang pagtawag nila sa amin. All I can think of is her hand and how soft they felt against my skin. All I can think of is her.