Red Strings

03

Kasama ko si Mama bumiyahe, we arrived the day bago ako start sa Modeling. Few hours in Manila pakiramdam ko namimiss ko na agad ang Bulacan but I feel like I'm just nervous on starting this career. Ibinaba lang ako ni Mama doon sa building, they don't allow me to drive yet kasi tinuturuan palang ako at wala pang lisensya.

"Hi!" A girl approached me. "My name is Annika, what's yours?" She introduced herself parang nasa preschool kami.

"Uhm.. Hi," I said awkwardly, nag-abot din naman ng kamay pabalik. "Leizel Arabella... but you can call me Lei for short." Sambit ko at ngumiti. My social skills really changes depending on where I am. But I feel like this girl is approachable the same way and I think we'll get along most of the times.

"Are you in College already?" She asked. I get that a lot lalo sa mga relatives na minsan lang makita. I think it's because of my height kaya inaakala talaga nila na I'm in college already.

"No," I chuckled. "Incoming Senior High palang."

"Oh! Talaga? I thought you're in College already! You look mature yet you're still young pa lang pala!"

It's always their first impression to me. I found out she's still in 11th grade and studies in a University. I've always dreamed of studying in those big schools. She warned me that it maybe hard studying in Universities. I knew what she meant,it's really hard studying in Universities but aside from it one thing I really want to experience is be exposed with many people so I could socialize more.

Naka line-up kami ngayon for the practice of an upcoming runway. The models are trained very well, kahit hindi pa umaabot sa turn namin basta may kaunting mali pinapaulit na agad. We're already wearing what we are assigned to display para na rin ma-practice ito.

While waiting for our turn, napatingin naman ako sa susunod na linya, I saw some guy models too. I didn't thought it was a thing, I mean in this company, because when I went to the audition it was full of girls.

"Oh! Guy models. You wanna meet them?" Annika asked. Nakita siguro akong napansin sila.

"Uh.. You know them?"

"Yeah, some of them. Ilang months na rin kasi ako dito."

Biglang malapit na pala kami sa linya.

"Later, sa backstage pakilala ko sayo." She said and gave me a wink.

When it was our turn it passed smoothly. Nagtaka pa ko doon na sa unang rampa ko ay wala silang nakitang mali. Then I walk back para makabalik na backstage. There I saw Annika waiting. Nakit ko naman na nasa tabi na niya yung mga lalaki kanina.

"Okay, so this is Lucas, Jeremy, Dan," Turo niya sa isa-isa sa kanila. Na-awkwardan naman ako doon ngunit ngumisi parin sakanila and did shake their hands.

"And this is Samuele." Turo niya duon sa sumunod naman na lalaki, The guy was busy fixing his clothes kaya hindi niya masyado napansin bumaling lang saglit sa akin at tumango, nginitian ko parin, sungit agad, huh! He carries a cold impression.

I observed him, he looks young but I feel like he's already around his 20s. Hindi ko masyado nakita ang kanyang mukha. But I can say by his presence and the way he stood; you can tell he has that aura. Plus, he's tall. You can also clearly see the details of his body... o ako lang ata ang lubos na pumapansin noon?

Nakatuck-in ng kaunti ang polo niya sa kanyang pantalon which I was surprised that he has small waists. His body is perfect. Sa side view niya ay kita ko ang mga kurba ng makapal niyang kilay at ang matangos niyang ilong. Rich genes, his presence also feels like he's rich or somehow.

Natapos na ang practice ngayon araw, for a few days actual runway na ang gaganapin. Nagpapack-up na rin ang mga ibang models dahil pwede na kaming umuwi.

Alex:

I'll pick you up, malapit na 'ko. Let's just meet at the parking lot.

Alex texted. Tinext ko lang na tapos na ang practice but I didn't expect that he will pick me up.

"Leizel, uwi kana?" She asked.

I nodded. "Sa parking lot sana, where's the way there?" I asked hindi pa masyado pamilyar dito.

"Ah, you don't know? Teka pasamahan nalang kita kay Samuele-" Pupuntahan niya na sana but I stopped her.

"Ha? Nako, hindi na," Sambit ko.

"May susundo sayo?"

"Yup,"

"Uh, Sam! Can you accompany Lei to the parking lot. Hindi niya kasi alam eh." Tawag niya, wala na rin akong nagawa. Samuele agreed. Nagpaalam na ko kay Annika and the whole moment na papunta kami ng parking, it was quiet. I was awkward, I don't talk unless the person approached me first kasi pakiramdam ko ang kapal naman ng mukha ko dun. Tinanong niya kung anong floor ng parking ako maghihintay and it turned out we're on the same floor. Nasa tapat lang kami ng elevator hindi siya umalis hanggang hindi dumating ang sundo ko.

"Boyfriend?"

"H-huh?"

"Yung susundo sayo,"

"No, Actually-" Hindi natuloy ang sasabihin ko ng namukhaan ko na ang sasakyan ni Alex, it is the Mazda MX-5 Miata. This spoiled guy.

"There it is..." Sambit ko at ngumisi. Lumabas naman ng sasakyan si Alex. Lumapit siya sa amin at matagal tinitigan si Samuele.

"You look familiar, bro..." He said and patted his shoulders as a thank you. Kinuha na 'ko kay Samuele. What? Do they know each other?