Chapter 5
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Seriantel. Rest assured that our agency will effectively handle the advertising of the marketing campaign. It is a pleasure to do business with the Seriantel Corp." Mr. Lee said and offered his hand. Tinaggap ko ang kamay niya at nagpasalamat din.
I just had a business meeting with the advertising company for a proposal regarding the new products. The company's executives recently approved the plan to implement television and media ads. I had to meet them personally to make sure that the recommended agency would manage the advertising well.
After that, I decided to leave the place and go back to the company.
Bago pa ako makalabas ng tuluyan sa hotel restaurant kung saan ginanap ang business meeting ay may biglang humarang na babae sa akin.
"Finally, I found you. I have been looking for you since yesterday."
I looked at the owner of that familiar voice, and if my jaw could be detached, it would definitely drop.
Shock is an understatement upon looking at what Verra Normans was wearing from head to toe.
I don't want to exaggerate, but...
"Why are you wearing something like that?!" Nahihintakutan kong sabi sa kanya. I tried to say it in a low voice para hindi kami lalong makaattract ng attention.
"Why? Don't you like it?" Umikot pa ito sa harap ko. She just did it like it was nothing. Oh my gosh, parang ako pa yata ang nahihiya sa ginagawa niya.
Bago pa kami pagtinginan lalo ng mga tao sa loob ng hotel ay agad kong kinuha ang kamay niya at hinila sa area na wala masyadong tao.
Nang harapin ko siya ay parang estatwa lang ito na huminto. Nakatingin siya sa magkahawak naming kamay kaya mabilis ko itong binitawan.
"Now, why are you wearing that Verra?" Pag-uulit ko sa tanong ko kanina.
"You like the manang look—I mean, you like it conservative." Here she goes again with her manang thing.
"Yes, but that's not what I mean!" Habang tinuturo ang suot niya.
"Nanny Susan helped me pick these clothes. Isn't this conservative enough for you?" I just looked at her like I was asking if she was telling me a joke.
Is she kidding me? Pero mukhang hindi ito nagbibiro. She was just looking at me innocently. Parang wala siyang pakialam kung ganito ang suot niya.
That's not what I meant by conservative! That's baduy na!
Balot na balot ang katawan niya. This is too far from the classy Verra Normans I know. I know I told her not to show too much skin, pero hindi naman yung ganito!
I think my fashion soul left my body right after the moment I saw what she was wearing. Too many colors. Too much pattern. Ang sakit sa mata. Kung pwede lang ay baka tinakbuhan ko na ito kanina pa dahil sa suot niyang damit.
She's wearing a multicolored pattern na lady's long sleeve and multicolored pants na iba pa sa pattern ng suot niyang top. The pattern and bright colors remind me of daster prints.
I know I am just overreacting, but I have so much love for clothes and fashion, and seeing her outfit makes me want to cry.
Thank goodness she looks rich and pretty, she can somehow pull off this outfit.
Instead of answering her question, I took off my blazer and offered it to her.
"Wear this." Tiningnan lang niya ako at hindi kumilos, kaya ako na ang kumilos para ipatong ito sa balikat niya.
I don't really want to remove my blazer kasi baka bumakat ang suot kong binder, pero kailangan ko 'yon ipasuot sa kanya para naman may plain color sa suot niya at hindi masyadong masakit sa mata.
"Let's get out of here." Sabi ko sa kanya at maingat na hinila ang braso niya na ngayon ay nakasuot na sa blazer ko. Nakahawak ako sa braso niya habang palabas kami ng hotel.
Pinasakay ko siya ng kotse ko at nagsimulang magmaneho papunta sa malapit na mall.
I still have a meeting with the creative team, but I will just call my assistant to take care of that. Bahala na. Mag-uunder time na lang muna ako ulit today.
I need to heal my fashionista soul from this. Baka hindi mawala sa isip ko at multuhin ako ng suot niya ngayon kung hahayaan ko lang siyang nakasuot ng ganito. I might get nightmares because of this.
"Where are we going?" Sa wakas ay nagsalita na rin ito.
"Mall." Tipid na sagot ko habang nakatuon ang atensyon sa daan.
"I was looking for you yesterday." Sambit niya. I can see her staring at me in my peripheral vision.
"I had an emergency yesterday."
I was not in the office yesterday morning because I had menstrual cramps right when I woke up. I only went there in the afternoon. Nasabi nga sa akin ng assistant ko na pumunta siya don. Marahil din ay assistant ko ang nagsabi sa kanya kung nasaan ako ngayon.
Don't tell me she is looking for me just to show her outfit?
Kung ganon nga, well, I am kinda thankful na hindi ko siya nakita kahapon na ganyan ang suot dahil baka lalo lang sumakit ang puson ko sa kanya.
"Please don't wear something like that anymore. It doesn't suit you." I reminded her. My reaction was very transparent earlier. Kaya alam ko na alam niya na hindi ko gusto ang suot niya.
"I know I can pull this off. I'm Verra Normans anyway." She said confidently. I want to roll my eyes. Ang yabang.
I parked my car when we reached the mall. Hindi ko nakaligtaang pagbuksan siya ng pinto. We head over the floor kung saan maraming clothing shop and boutiques.
As soon as we stepped inside one of the women's boutiques, I could feel the excitement building up inside me.
Binati kami ng mga staff at tinanong kung anong hanap namin.
I scanned their displayed clothes for sale. Tahimik lang ang babaeng nasa tabi ko. Sa halip na siya ang papiliin ko ng damit ay ako na ang humanap at pumili para sa kanya.
This is exciting!
I feel like I am not just healing my fashionista soul but also my inner child. It's like I am dressing a human doll! I always wanted to play doll when I was a child, but I only received car toys and other toys for boys as gifts.
Gusto ko rin talaga ang magshop sa women's section, pero nakakapasok lang talaga ako sa mga ganitong boutique kapag niyayaya ako mag-shopping ni mama o kaya si Satarrah para samahan sila. Pero kapag si Satarrah ang kasama ko ay palagi lang ako nito inaasar at sinasadyang inggitin. The nerve of that girl.
I really enjoy this kind of place.
If I only grew up being a woman, I would probably pursue a career in fashion. Too bad, I was forced to take a business-related course.
I picked out cream-colored wide-leg pants and a plain white fit blouse for her and told her to try those in the fitting room. Of course, I chose a blouse na hindi kita ang cleavage nya.
"How is this?" Tanong niya ng makalabas sa fitting room. I smiled when I saw it. It fits her well.
I stand with her in the mirror at ngayon ko lang rin napansin na magkalapit lang pala ang height naming dalawa.
Actually, ngayon ko lang siya nakita na nakasuot ng pants dahil puro dresses lang ang nakikita ko na suot niya. It looks simple yet elegant.
"It looks great on you." I am proud of myself for being good at this.
She sweetly smiles at my reaction.
Napansin ko na hindi pala bagay ang kulay ng suot niyang sandals, kaya I decided to look for her sandals too. After I found a good one, I asked her size and told it to the staff.
Ako na rin ang nagpresentang magsuot sa kanya ng sandals. I let her sit on the sofa intended for customers while I put it on. I can clearly see that she is happy with what I did.
"Most men don't really like shopping, but you seem different. As I can see, you're enjoying this. My ex-boyfriends don't even do this for me." She suddenly said.
Ex-boyfriends. A plural form. So that confirms that she really had a lot of men, just like what it said on social media?
"You're good at this. Are you sure you are not gay?" Dagdag pa niya na siyang ikinakunot ng noo ko. Mabuti na lang at umalis saglit ang staff, kaya walang nakarinig na iba sa sinabi niya.
Gusto ko siyang ikutan ng mata, pero wag na lang. Baka lalo niya lang ipilit na bakla ako.
I am a woman, and I am straight.
"I am not. Okay?" Pagsusungit ko sa kanya.
"That's good. But I don't really mind if I have a gay boyfriend." Then she flashes her playful smile. Napalayo tuloy ako sa kanya. What does she mean by that?
"I am not your boyfriend." I immediately said to her. Mukhang hindi ito natuwa sa sinabi ko dahil bumagsak ang ngiti niya at tinaasan pa ako ng kilay.
"You are."
What?! I want to react hysterically. She just said it like she was so sure.
"When did I ever become your boyfriend?" Because I am sure that I never and will never ask her to be my girlfriend 'no.
"The moment I said you were mine."
What the hell? Did I just get myself a girlfriend?
Oh no. I want a boyfriend, not a girlfriend.