OPPOSITE of what Caleb said, sahalip na walang isipin ay hanggang umaga yata bukas ang mata niya. She can't even sleep because she keeps on remembering when did she demand a thing.. or if there's really a situation like that.
Nangyari ba iyon noong nalasing siya? Umayos naman na siya pagkagising kaya't bakit hindi niya maalala..
Wearing her Robe Victorienne, she went downstairs to have breakfast. Naalala niya na may shoot pala siya ng 9. Ni hindi pa nga siya naliligo dahil talagang gutom na siya. Alak lang yata ang laman ng sikmura niya.
Ngunit agad na tumikom ang labi niya nang makita si Caleb na prenteng nakaupo sa dining. Nandoon rin ang parents niya. Nang makita siya ng ina ay ngumisi lang ito.
"Hija, Caleb said that he's dropping you off in work? Pero hindi ka man lang nag.. " Tumigil ito at pinasadahan ng tingin ang kabuuan niya.
Pinamulahan siya ng pisngi lalo na nang tumama ang mata ni Caleb sa buhok niyang.. alam niyang.. wala sa wisyo sa ngayon. Pati ang suot niyang pantulog ay nakalaylay na sa balikat.
Daddy just nodded. "Ayusin mo muna ang sarili mo, anak. Nakakahiya naman kung haharap ka sa nobyo mo ng gan'yan.. "
Lumaki ang mata niya at napasulyap kay Caleb na may multo lang ng ngiti sa labi. Uminom naman ng tsaa ang ina, tinatago ang ngisi.
"H-He's not my boyfriend, Daddy! We're.. w-we're.. friends.. " humina na ang boses niya sa huling sinabi nang makitang mariin lang na nakatingin si Caleb sa kan'ya.
She heard his father sighed. "Kahit na, hija. Hindi naman tama na haharap ka sa kaibigan mo ng gan'yan. Sige na't baka mahuli pa kayo. "
Nahihiya siyang tumalikod. Ano na lang ang iisipin ni Caleb sa kan'ya? Baka nga may gound pa niya sa mukha!
Nang hindi na siya tanaw ay kumaripas siya ng takbo sa kwarto at pumasok sa banyo. Confident siya na maganda siya kahit bagong gising. May mga pagkakataon nga lamang na.. katulad nito. Siguradong mugto ang mata niya dahil sa puyat!
Dali-dali siyang naligo. She changed to a black halter top and a wrap skirt. Pinaresan niya lang ito ng wedge. For her accessories, she wore a lavalier necklace, the earrings Caleb gave her, and a cross over bracelet. Sa singsing naman ay matagal na siyang may suot noon. It was a chain ring she bought years ago.
Dahil ayaw niyang basa ang buhok kapag pupunta sa trabaho, she dried her hair with blower and fixed it for a messy bun. Some strands are falling, adding for the fun. And for the finishing touches, she just put a gloss to her lips.
Bitbit ang wristlet na bag, bumaba ulit siya at naabutang kinakausap ng parents niya ang lalaki.
Tinanguan siya ng ina. "Sit, Kelly. " ani nito at nagtawag ng kasambahay.
Tahimik lang siyang umiinom ng tsaa, ang mommy naman niya ay patuloy parin ang panggugulo kay Caleb. Katulad na lang ng..
"I'm glad that you are friends with my daughter, hijo! I'm always worried about who is she meeting daily! Kaya naman nang malaman kong magkaibigan kayo ay napanatag ako.. " Isa lamang iyan sa mga bukam-bibig ni Mommy. O kaya..
"My daughter's very talented, hijo! Seryoso din siya sa trabaho and she manage her time perfectly! She's a good woman too.. at talagang focus sa isang bagay. Aside from that, she's very elegant! She's fashionable and.. "
Iyan ang paulit-ulit na sinasabi ng ina. Hinayaan na lang niya dahil totoo naman.
Doon niya lang din nakita ang suot ni Caleb. He's in casual clothes! Parang walang trabaho..
He was wearing a white polo, chinos and loafers. Damn, he really knows how to get that polos on!
Tumikhim siya, nahihiya sa sariling pag-iisip.
"How long is the shoot?" He asked nang parehas na silang nakapasok sa kotse.
"3 hours or so, " aniya. It was just a simple shooting for a summer magazine.
He nodded as he started the engine. Parehas lang silang tahimik. At dahil naiilang siya, she turn on the stereo.
Coldplay. Yellow.
"You love what you're doing, right?" He suddenly asked.
She blinked, confused on how's the conversation going. At dahil ayaw niyang tahimik lang sila, dahan-dahan siyang tumango.
"Of course, I won't stay this long if I don't. "
Totoo naman. Mahal niya ang ginagawa niya. It's tiring, it's messy. Iyon ang naging daloy ng buhay niya sa nagdaang mga taon. But did she regret it? Sure not.
Siguro dahil una palang naman ay ang pagmomodelo na ang gusto niya. As a kid, she likes posing for the camera. She likes seeing herself with pretty clothes. She felt like a princess.
"Bakit?" dugtong niya. It's too random for him to asked her like that.
He shrugged. "Nothing. I just remembered how passionate you are as a kid, you're too persistent. I'm glad that you used it in chasing your dreams, not people. "
Ngumuso siya, naalala nanaman ang pagiging desperada niya noon.
In the first place, why did she even liked Caleb? He was not that kind.. he's not approachable. He's too unreachable. Kaya't paanong.. nagustuhan niya ang lalaki?
Is it because he's good at studies? Is it because she enjoyed him visually? O baka dahil noon pa man ay ramdam na niya ang pagkadisgusto ng lalaki sa kan'ya?
Well, isn't that the normal thing? Falling for someone who's beyond our limits.
"Why? Can't I use that skill on chasing someone? Bakiit kailangang para sa pangarap lang? When I can use it for both, " she answered, raising her brows.
He chuckled. "Point taken. What if that someone is included in your dreams, right?"
Napalabi siya, hindi na lang sumagot pa.
She closed her eyes, listening to the beat of the song.
"But don't chase people, Kelly, " he suddenly blurted out.
Napamulat siya. "Why? Is it because I'm a woman? And it's inappropriate and embarrassing for us to do such moves like that?"
He held to the steering wheel tightly. The veins in his are visible. He was staring intently at the road.
"No.. " He glanced at her for a second. "I just don't like seeing you chasing someone like how you chased me before. Following someone is tiring, right? So don't do that all. You should sit and the right guy would come to you. "
Napalunok siya. She remembered his exact lines before. That one day, she would see the right man for her waiting in the ocean of crowd, smiling at her.
"I doubt. How could I find him when I'm just sitting? That's too overrated for a line, " balik niyang sabi.
The conversation end that way. Unfortunately, very awkward. But well.. pretty fine.
"I'll wait for you in the restau, " turo nito sa isang restaurant na malapit lang sa labas ng studio.
Ngumuso siya nang makitang maraming tao doon. Will he be fine?
"You should go home first.. or visit your office, " aniya, binabalewala ang balak nitong maghintay pa ng ilang oras. "O kaya, I'll just call our family driver to fetch me.
He sighed and parked the car. Siya naman ay tahimik lang na kinalas ang seatbelt. Hindi pa man niya iyon tuluyang nakakalas ay agad na itong nagsalita.
"No, I'll wait, " he insisted.
Kumurap siya. "Pero-
"Are you ashamed of me?" Caleb looked at her, his hawk like eyes are staring at her, expressionless. "Do I embarrass you? Are you afraid that we'll be seen together?"
She doesn't exactly know why her heart throbbed. She looked at him, confused with his words. Ngunit nakakunot lang ang noo ng lalaki sa kan'ya.
She gently shook her head. "No, " marahan niyang sinagot.
How could I be ashamed of him?
She just wanted to let him go first since he doesn't want him to wait. Isa pa.. sigurado siyang dudumugin ito kapag pumasok sa restaurant. She just wanted to make his day at peace. And she doesn't want to pull him in her open book life.
Caleb's eyes are now soft, bumalik na rin ang natural nitong ekspresyon. He slightly leaned at her and he finished removing the seatbelt.
Mas lalo siyang ngumuso. Are they really friends right now? Siguro. He's not that bad.
"I'll pick you up then. Let's have lunch after your shoot. " Caleb stared at her earrings. The side of his lips rose.
"Pretty, " he murmured, still looking at the earrings he gave her.
She blushed at that. Sa hikaw niya ito nakatingin pero kahit, hindi naman magiging ganoon kaganda ang hikaw kung hindi siya ang magsusuot. So technically, he said pretty at her.
She jumped a bit when her phone rangs. It was Tito Rex, maybe asking her where she is now.
Sinagot niya iyon. Medyo lumayo naman si Caleb sa kan'ya.
"Are you near, Kels? Joli said that you didn't bring your car. "
"I'm already outside, Tito. I'm with a.. " sumulyap siya kay Caleb na nakataas lang ang kilay sa kan'ya. "... a friend.. " halos ibulong niya na lang iyong huli.
"Who's friend, darling? Adelaide?"
She swallowed. "N-No, Tito. "
She heard someone Tito Rex at the background. Narinig niya na may pinapakumpira ito sa outfit na susuotin.
"I'll hung up now. Bring your friend here. She can stay at the backstage. "
Did he expect that she's bringing a girl friend? Eh si Adelaide nga lang ang babaeng kaibigan niya!
"Tito-
The line cut.
Tahimik niyang ibinalik sa wristlet ang phone at dahan-dahang bumaling kay Caleb.
"Uh, y-you can come with me at the studio, " aniya. ".. If you want, " she added immediately.
"Okay, " tanging sambit nito.
Just okay?
Umirap siya. Anyway, ayos na rin siguro iyon kumpara sa maghintay ito sa restaurant. And it would be tiring to go back here again just to fetch her, right?
Akmang bubuksan niya na ang pinto nang mamilog ang mata niya dahil sa kabababang media lang sa sasakyan. Palinga-linga pa ang mga ito.
Did Tito invited some press? Siguro? Dahil may showterview siya after the shoot?
Nag-aalinlangan itong tumingin kay Caleb. He looked at her and just shrugged.
"If you were asked, just answer that we are friends, " sagot nito na para bang kay daling paniwalaan iyon ng media at publiko!
Actually, she wouldn't care if she'll be the talk of the town, but will she risk it? She's with an Acosta. The young bachelor who owns multiple luxurious hotels and world renowned resorts! Exclusive na iyon para sa media!
Well, sanay naman na siguro ito sa mga paparazzis. But it's different if he would be linked with a celebrity! Isa pa.. hindi naman sa nagbubuhat siya ng bangko pero.. she's an exclusive herself. She's a supermodel under Elite Model Management of Milan, London! She was casted by both Ford Models and Marilyn Agency! Aside from that.. In 2018, she debuted in the ten lists of Forbes for top-earning models!
Nasa bingit siya ng papuri sa sarili nang magulat na lang siya ng pinagbubuksan na siya ng pinto ni Caleb! What the hell? Ngayon tuloy ay nasa kanila na ang atensyon ng media!
"Ms. Kelly! What's your relationship with the young hotelier? Are you two involved in a romantic relationship-
"We're friends, " agad niyang isinagot dala ng panic! Really? Papaniwalaan ba iyang ng mga media?
Sunod-sunod parin ang ilaw mula sa mga camera. Luckily, it was just one set of media. Pero kung hindi pa sila papasok sa loob, tiyak na madadagdagan pa 'yan!
"Let's go, " Caleb said behind her and held her back to protect her from the media.
"Is it true that you're in competition with Liliana Montes?"
Natigil siya dahil doon. Nanliit ang mata niya nang makita ang parehong reporter na nagtanong sa kan'ya ng parehong konteksto sa airport!
"No, we're not. Excuse me.. "
"You have photos with her speculating in internet. You two seem close in those pictures. Can you explain that?"
Napatigalgal siya. What pictures?
Hindi na niya namalayang nalampasan na nila ang media habang akay siya ni Caleb. Those pictures bothered her..
Tumikhim na lang siya at pumasok sa elevator dahil nasa ikatlong palapag ang studio.
-
Unedited. I'm sorry for the slow update. Didn't have much time to write. School year is ending so there's a lot of submissions I'm working right now. Thank you and I'm sorry for the slow pace of updates.