Luke
Levy doesn't really mind me. She wears off the dress in the very same spot, leaving her in just her underwear, and wears her clothes on before leaving. She didn't even glance at Amity as she drops the dress on the floor. She was incredibly, almost amazingly calm despite the situation which, I know, makes Amity angrier that ever.
The dress was supposed to be a black ball gown dress, simple yet elegant in its embroidery with sleeves on the right side. It was originally a long dress, enough to hide someone's feet wearing a five inch shoe.
But Levy made a grand make-over to it. It is now a rock star inspired cocktail dress. The design from the waist down is completely messed up. The sleeve was now gone. The skirt was now in three layers, including the tiny silk place in the middle to have a bouncy effect.
Amity is still in bad mood so already called the shoot off. She instructed her models to wait for her further announcements before leaving. They just nod and leave quietly, not wanting to get her attention.
She picks her dress up, sit on the couch and stares at it. She just stares at it, the whole time we're cleaning the studio.
"She's really upset," Ellaine, her make-up artist commented.
"More than upset," I replied.
I don't know what I'm going to do now. It's my first time seeing her down. She's usually the hyper, happy-go-lucky type. She used to tell me that everything happens for a reason, but right now, I'm not sure if I should tell her the same thing. There's a high possibility that she'll throw the vase beside her to me if I do.
"What are we going to do now?"
My question was left hanging midair. No one has an answer to it. No one wants to answer it, either.
"Maglinis na lang muna tayo," Japs recommended which we obliged easily.
I am glad I am not the only one here. Kung ako lang, baka nag-aantay pa rin ako sa utos ni Amity hanggang ngayon. Nakatunganga lang rin siguro ako sa kawalan ngayon, iniisip kung paano ko mapapahupa yung galit niya.
Since there are three of us, mabilis lang namin natapos iligpit at linisin yung buong studio. Si Japs ang nag-asikaso ng mga equipment na ginamit, si Ellaine ang nagligpit ng mga make-ups pati mga damit na nakalagay sa bawat stations ng mga model habang ako naman, ayun, ako ang nagwalis sa buong studio.
"Done. Whoo! Nakakapagod yun aa," I say followed by a loud sigh of relief when I reach a couch. "Wala ka man lang bang pakain dyan, Amity?"
Nung wala ako nakuhang sagot ay tinignan ko na siya.Nakaupo pa rin naman siya sa couch at nakatitig sa dress niya na sinira ni Levy. Sinira ni Levy.
Shit! Bakit ko ba nakalimutan na galit nga pala siya? Tanga! Tanga! Tanga! Lumapit pa sina Japs at Ellaine sa akin at pinagbabatukan ako, as if completing my idiot mode ritual.
"Just shut up, Luke. Bumili ka ng makakain mo kung nagugutom ka. Or just leave, instead. I think that's better."
Her words come like a cold wind ready to freeze us. But somehow, it hits me like a bullet. Does she really think na uuwi ako ng hindi siya kasama? I don't even think of leaving yet. Not until she calms down.
"Uhm, ako na lang bibili ng pagkain," Ellaine volunteered.
Nung makaalis na siya ay parang nadaanan ng anghel ang buong studio ng anghel sa sobrang tahimik. No one attempts to make any noise.
Not until Amity's phone rang. She glare at it before answering. Whoever it is, ngayon pa lang ay naawa na ako sa kanya.
"Ano?!" bungad niyang bati sa kausap. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now... Tell him to wait until tomorrow... No! Manigas siya!... No buts Donna! Tell him to shut up," then she hung up and tossed the poor phone on the table in front.
If Donna is scared at her right now, I swear, she's much scarier in person. Her ayes are burning with anger. You won't want to mess up with angry Amity.
"Do you think there's an Emergency Exit here?" Japs asks.
I laughed. I know what he means.
"The front door's wide open, bro," I say. "No need to use an Emergency Exit."
"Just in case, you know."
I am well aware that she can hear us, but that's what I intend to do. She must stop what she is doing now. She's becoming a scary monster.
If she doesn't swim away from that anger, she'll drown and that would be bad. Bad for Levy, bad for us and bad for her. It would be bad for all of us.
The door suddenly plunged open and Ellaine erupted from it.
"Pizza delivery!" she happily announced.
I smiled. They really know her. Pizza is the number one on Amity's list of favorites. I know na hinding-hindi niya magagawang tanggihan 'yun kahit na gaano pa siya kagalit. Walang makakapigil sa cravings niya sa pizza. Kung may isang bagay man na makakapagpaamo sa kanya ngayon, eto na yun, Pizza.
"Right on time. Jeez, gutom na talaga 'ko."
I eagerly grab one slice and ate it. Japs and Ellaine followed right away. I opened my drink and sips in between bites.
I noticed na kanina pa nagpapalitan ng tingin at nagsisikuhan yung dalawa.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
Ngumuso si Japs sa direksyon ni Amity. Right. Hindi pa nga rin pala siya kumakain. Tao pa rin pala siya at naguguton. I contemplate whether to call her or just bring her pizza but I realized that bringing her food would be a lot of work so I'll just call her.
"Hoy, Amity!" I called. The two just look at me, wide-eyed. "Kumain ka na dito. Alam kong 'di mo matitiis ang pizza."
She didn't respond right away but she did. "I am not hungry."
"Ganun? Okay. Kakainin ko na lang yung part mo para hindi sayang."
I was about to get another slice when someone slap my hand.
"Don't you dare eat my pizza, Luke."
"I knew it. Nag-iinarte pa kasi," I teased.
She sits beside me while eating pizza. She has pizza slices on both hands. Hindi daw siya gutom sa lagay na 'yan.
We ate in silence for our life's sake. We're still scared of her pero konti na lang. I slumped back on the couch sa sobrang kabusugan.
"Salamat sa pagkain," we all said in unison.
Natahimik na ulit kami after nun. Hindi ako sigurado kung ano nga ba ang inaantay namin: magsalita si Amity o mag walk out na siya? O baka both. Basta sigurado akong siya lang ang inaantay namin.
"Thanks for staying guys," she finally said.
Lumapit sa kanya si Ellaine at umakbay. "Sino pa ba nag magdadamayan kundi tayo-tayo lang naman, 'di ba?"
"Seriously, thank you for your patience. Kung wala kayo baka kanina ko pa sinugod yung babaeng yun! Pasalamat talaga siya at inaanak siya ni Mr. Chua kung hindi!" nangigigil niyang sabi. Sa sobrang gigil nga niya ay nakuyom niya yung softdrinks in can na hawak niya but she's doesn't aware of it.
"Gigil ka na sa lagay na yun? E nakaupo ka nga lang at nakatunganga sa damit mo," I joked. Alam ko namang nagpipigil lang siya.
"Hindo mo alam kung gaano ako nagpigil. As in... Hayy!" she tosses the can in frustration. "I can't even put into words what exactly I feel at the moment."
"Marami ka pa namang creations e. Why be upset in just one dress?" Japs butt in.
"He has a point, Mits. I'm sure marami kang pinagawang ganung style so anong iniinarte mo dyan?"
"You don't understand!" she shouted. Napatayo na rin siya. "Nag-iisa lang yun! Exclusive just for me! I personally made it! Pinaghirapan ko yun! Tapos ano, sisirain niya lang? Nakakabastos e."
"It's pretty, though."
She glares at me. "Shut up, Like! It's not pretty! It will never be pretty!"
"Hey, calm down. 'Yan ka na naman e," saway sa kanya ni Ellaine.
"SI Luke kasi e."
"I am just stating my opinion here," I said in my defense.
"Bro," saway sa akin ni Japs.
"Palibhasa, hindi ikaw yung naagrabyado," sagot pa ni Amity.
Sasagot pa sana ako kaya lang ay tinapalan na ni Ellaine yung bibig ko para mapigilan ako magsalita. Inalis din naman niya agad yung kamay niya.
"Walang patutunguhan 'tong usapan na 'to kung magsisigawan lang kayong dalawa. Kumalma nga kayo," pangaral sa amin ni Ellaine.
I admit that this is not a normal scenario to us. We don't really fight. Much less have an argument with each other. Madalas kasing walang sense ang mga away namin e, so we don't really take it seriously.
We just glare at each other and rolled eyes at the same time. This... is what I call a normal scenario to us.
We ordered another batch of pizza, as Amity requested, and talk matters over it. It is already past 9 in the evening when we decided to call it a day.
Japs volunteered to drive Ellaine home since on the way na din daw ang bahay niya dito. Kami naman ni Amity ay sumakay na sa kotse ko since ako lang ang may dala sa amin.
"Daan muna tayong office, okay lang?"
Baka kasi pagod na siya, pwede ko namang ihatid na muna siya bago pumunta ng office e.
"Okay lang. Basta bili tayong fries sa canteen a."
"Nagsasara yun ng 10. Baka 'di na natin maabutan."
"Edi McDo na lang. Drive-thru tayo pauwi."
Hayy. Mamumulubi na naman ata ako sa katakawan ng babaeng to. Ayaw na naman papigil sa pagkain. Basta talaga nasimulan nag cravings niya, mahirap na mapigilan. Daig pa niya ng buntis at daig ko pa nag mapagbigay na asawa. Jusko!
Naglalabas lang siya ng sama na loob hanggang sa makarating kami ng opisina.
"I really swear to get my revenge on her," she says. That is the nth time na sinabi niya yan.
"Stop that. Digital na ang karma ngayon. Baka sayo pa bumalik yan."
"Siya dapat ang matakot sa karma, hindi ako," sabi niya sabay irap.
We waited for the elevator for a few seconds. The loud ting! indicates that the elevator is now ready. We entered and ride the car. I press the number 8.
"Revenge will just cost you bad karma, Amity. It's not healthy," I scolded her.
"She started it! She wants a fight then I give her fight. "
"Do you really have to go that far?" I started. "Yes, grabe yung ginawa niya sayo but that doesn't mean that you have to punish her in the same level. Hindi kayo magkalevel. You don't have to go down just to give her what she wants because that's exactly what she wants! She wants you to go down!
"I know you can still work on your dress before your show. Nag-iinarte ka na lang e."
She glares at me. "Kanina ka ba talaga kampi, huh?"
"Hindi tayo naglalaro. Hindi ko kailangan kumampi sa kahit na sino sa inyo."
Wala ng katao tao sa floor namin nang dumating kami. Past 10 na rin kasi.
"Oh my gosh!" she squealed. "Don't tell me you like her?"
"No!"
Yes, Levy is pretty and all but she's not my type, well, kinda. Ayaw ko ng babaeng sobrang nakakatakot kahit walang ginagawa. Yung tipong tingin pa lang parang papatayin ka na. Iba ang gusto.
"Good. Mas mabuti ng malinaw."
Ginawa ko muna yung mga pending kong trabaho. Buong araw din kasi akong wala kaya natambak na siya. Contract signing, project approvals, at MOAs mostly ang nasa lamesa ko. Nasa table pa siguro ng secretary ko yung iba o kaya naman ay sa email nila sinend sa akin.
Umalis din kami agad pagkatapos ko. Nagugutom na daw kasi si Amity. Nag-iwan na lang ako ng note sa table ng secretary ko about sa mga natapos ko na. Late na din kasi makakapasok bukas, tatanghaliin kasi ako ng gising, e. Yes, napredict ko na yun.
"Yung McDo fries ko a," paalala niya bago pa man kami makalabas ng lobby.
"Oo na." Wala naman ako magagawa e. Mangungulit lang siya sa biyahe kapag hindi ko sumunod.
"Ayaw mo ba 'kong bilhan?"
I was so tempted to say yes pero pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko.
"Hindi naman sa ayaw. Gabi na kasi baka 'di ka na matunawan niyan," pagdadahilan ko na lang.
She pouted. She seems to buy my alibi. Nagpacute lang siya at kinurap kurap yung mga mata niya.
What the hell is she doing? Is she luring me with her act?
"Gusto ko lang naman ng McDo fries e."