Chapter Thirteen: Better
I feel good.
I didn't think I would every say those words in my head like this.
May ngiti sa labi ko.
Kalmado ang utak ko.
Masaya ang puso ko.
I was good.
I feel good.
Hindi naman ako ang tipo na na nakangiti paggising, 'di ko rin alam kung posible yun.
'Di ako inaantok, 'di ako pagod, 'di parang kulang ang tulog ko, I was okay... I really am okay.
I feel good.
I feel... so good.
Huminga ako nang malalim at binigyan atensyon ang bulaklak sa may desk malapit sa kama ko.
I never noticed it before, I do know that I like these types of flowers, have I ever... brought this flower before?
I don't remember... buying it for my room.
"Nagustuhan mo ba yung bulaklak?" Adrian said sa loob ng kwarto ko na may dalang tray na may pagkain at baso ng tubig na rin.
"Yes...?"
"Buti naman, I bought it kaninang umaga."
"Umaga?"
Alas nuwebe pa lang umaga, anong oras siya pumunta at bumili ni'tong bulaklak?
He's always been a morning person, he also runs in the morning everyday.
"Bumili ako sa bagong branch ng After flower shop. I called ate Genevieve kung ano yong paborito mong bulaklak."
After... flower shop?
Hindi ba yon yung negosyo ni Dominic?
Yung asawa ni Geneva?
"Di mo naman kinailangang... bumili ng bulaklak para sa'kin... but thank you, Adrian."
Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama ko at inilagay ang tray sa desk, sa tabi ng bulaklak na binili niya para sa'kin.
"I thought it would make you feel better, I thought... thought it would."
"N-No... i-it did..." utal ko at ngumiti pabalik sa kanya.
"...nakatulong, I feel better now. Thank you, Adrian... I am really thankful."
Parang pakiramdam ko ang dami kong utak kay Adrian. He's so nice to me, inalagaan niya 'ko kahapon nung nahirapan ako dahil suka ako ng suka kahit anong kainin ko, nakahanap siya nang gamot at nagluto rin siya sa'kin.
He did his meeting online instead of in person, nagmayabang pa siya na siya naman ang CEO kaya walang aangal at maiintindihan nila kasi 'emergency' daw.
Pero ang totoo... ay ako ang dahilan.
I'm... I'm the emergency.
I'm the reason.
"I'm happy that you're better now, Calla. I... I was worried yesterday." he chuckled and cut the food for me and offered it to me with the fork in his hand.
"Uh... Adrian... I can eat. Wala akong sakit... okay na 'ko, promise."
"Alam ko pero... please?" he begs.
Natawa ako sa itsura niya.
Mukha siyang tuta na nagpapakyut sa'kin, 'di ko napigilan ang sarili kong mapangiti sa cute niyang itsura, he probably doesn't see it but he is truly an adorable human being with a good heart.
I still believe that I don't deserve him.
I'm going to keep that to myself, baka magalit siya sa'kin.
At kung magalit siya?
Naku, baka mas lalo lang siyang magpacute.
Tigil, Calla.
"Okay."
Sinubo niya yung piraso ng tocino sa'kin na may kasamang fried rice pagkatapos, pinunasan niya yung gilid ng labi ko at tsinek pa yung reaksyon ko.
"Sarap?" bulong niya.
"Masarap."
He's good.
Adrian is a good chef, maganda ang style niya at aesthetic niya, pati rin designs niya nung nag-aaral pa siya ng interior designing, he's a CEO, maganda ang puso, at sobrang gwapo pa.
He's everything at this point.
Bakit ang gagwapo at magaganda yung mga kaibigan ko?
Pero si Adrian lang yata ang pinakabait sa lahat ng mga naging kaibigan ko.
Sobrang bait na napapaisip tuloy ako tungkol kay Karine at Genevieve, were they this nice to me?
"You're a good chef. Ayaw mo bang... magtayo ng restaurant one day? Siguradong popular yun." I advised.
He chuckled again and fed me another spoonful of tocino with rice and quickly wiped my mouth right after again.
"Di ko pa naisip yun, cooking was my hobby before. Stress reliever until I realize na naubos ko na yung ingredient sa loob ng ref..." tawa siya.
"Ang galing mo, Adrian. Good chef, good CEO, mabait, gwapo rin... seriously, if God were to have his favorites... isa ka siguro do'n."
I was being honest, siguro kasi ang sarap ng pakiramdam ko at tsaka... si Adrian 'to.
I can't hold it anymore, he's too... good.
'Di ko namalayan na kulay pula na pala yung mga pisngi niya, kumalat yung kulay sa buong mukha niya pati na rin sa leeg niya.
Oh... right, I said na gwapo siya.
Good.
'Di naman yata yun ang unang beses na nasabi kong gwapo siya, 'di ba?
It can't be, right?
Right?!
"May... problema ba sa sinabi ko?"
"No... I... gwapo talaga ako h-ha?" utal niya.
I cracked a smile and nodded at his words.
"Tama naman ako. Gwapo ka. 'Di mo ba... alam?"
Maybe he's one of those people who are not used to the compliment or 'di lang niya alam na gano'n talaga siya kagwapo.
"A-Alam ko, ano lang... nahihiya ako... haha... pag galing kasi sa'yo nahihiya ako..." explain niya at sinampal sampal yung pisngi niya para pakalmahin siguro ang sarili niya.
"Galing...sa'kin?" I repeat his exact words.
'Di ko gets?
Bakit?
Do I sound cold?
Too straightforward?
What is it?
"Bakit?"
"I don't know. It's just... when it comes from you... I feel... shy, kahit ako 'di ko g-gets..." natatawa niyang sabi habang pinapaypayan ang sarili niya.
He's still red, he's not pink anymore he's still red, ganito ba pagnamumula?
Kulay pula?
"O baka 'di ka lang sanay sa compliments pa rin? Or... you don't see yourself as someone attractive?" I explain.
"Siguro? H-Hah? Siguro... 'di pa rin ako sanay. H-Here... tubig." offer niya at binigay sa'kin yung baso ng tubig.
"Salamat."
This water is good.
I feel really good today, lahat ng mga bagay na 'di ko napapansin ang sarap, and I'm appreciating every single second at the moment right now.
And I only have Adrian to thank for that.
"B-By the way... kilala mo ba yung may-ari ng After flower shop? Dominic?"
"Yes. Asawa siya ng boss ko noon, his wife is Geneva Dixon."
Lumaki ang mga mata niya sa sinabi ko, hindi niya alam yo'n.
"Dominic... is Geneva Dixon's... husband? Yung..." he's hesitating to say the right words pero alam ko kung ano yung gusto niyang sabihin.
"Tulad ko. Also kidnapped and was... told to do things we didn't want to do." I said.
Natigilan siya sa sinabi ko at umiling agad.
"That's not what I meant. I was... going to say na secretary siya ng asawa niya dati... I didn't think you'd mention that..."
So he knew.
I should have expected that everyone knew already.
Nung ianunsyo ni Geneva na pakakasalan niya si Dominic ang daming nagtaka, it was mixed reactions but mostly people are worried about it.
'Di naman talaga Villanueva si Dominic and everyone knew that, but they are still worried.
Some people hates the family or they are jealous so they made up rumors about Geneva and Dominic.
It was bad, pero lagi namang kinaklaro ng mga kapatid niya na hindi yo'n totoo, Karine specifically is more than upset, she always looks like she's going to murder someone everytime she hears the rumors.
"I knew him. Sekretariyo pa rin siya ni Geneva, parang 'di naman sekretariyo ang pangalan ng posisyon niya, they just work together at this point. They're a great couple." I smiled.
Noong una kong nakilala si Geneva, lagi kong napapansin na nakapokus siya sa iba and it didn't take me a while to figure out that she has feelings for Dominic.
In-explain sa'kin ni Cerine, kita ko rin naman na parang may nararamdaman din si Dominic kay Geneva pero... at the same time parang hinde, parang hinde gano'n.
But now they are happy.
"They are. Magkaibigan ba kayo ni Dominic? Siya yung nagrekomenda ni'tong bulaklak sa'kin nung nalaman niyang ibibigay ko sa'yo 'to."
Hindi ko kilala masyado si Dominic pero alam ko ang nakaraan niya.
There was always a gap between me and him in so many ways, akala ng iba na dahil lang pareho kami ng pinagdaanan ay close kami but it doesn't work that way.
Nung kinasal siya kay Geneva, kinausap niya 'ko.
It just happened.
He told me that being with Geneva made him feel that he deserved another chance in his life, and he promised that he would keep this chance forever this time around.
"Tsaka bibisita pala si ate Genevieve at mga kuya ko. They were worried about you, naiiyak daw si ate Genevieve."
"Oh no."
Genevieve became a much softer person as the years pass by, she matured and we became friends.
Kung ikukumpara ko siya sa mga Dixon, she reminds me of Geneva and Karine.
Madaldal tulad ni Geneva pero strikto ang agresibo tulad ni Karine.
She's the perfect mix of those two.
Pero... yung iyakan niya?
That's... Geneva.
"Ah! Sabi ko na eh dapat 'di ka pinapabayaan!" iyak niya.
'Di ba buntis siya?
Ba't siya nandito?
Dapat iniisip niya yung anak niya at katawan niya kaysa bisita sa'kin, jusko.
I chuckled at her words habang nakayakap pa rin siya sa'kin.
"Genevieve... let me go, medyo... nasasakal ak—"
"Oh my gosh I'm sorry!" iyak niya at inalis ang pagkakayakap niya sa'kin.
Napansin ko yung tawa ni Ares sa tabi ni Alexander sa likod ng sofa kung sa'n kami nakaupong dalawa ni Genevieve.
"Okay ka na ba? Okay ka na?"
"Okay naman talaga ako. I just didn't eat the other day tapos... yo'n... suka na 'ko nang suka kasi bigla na lang ako kumain kahapon."
"Calla naman eh!" iyak niya ulet.
Woah.
"Genevieve, you're going to tire Calla out." Ares said and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Napagod ba kita?" mahinang tanong ni Genevieve.
"Genevieve."
"Yes?"
"Is it baby hormones o concerned ka talaga sa'kin?"
Narinig ko noon na minsan kapag buntis medyo emosyonal daw sila, I'm not sure at all.
"Di ko alam... siguro? I don't know..."
Oh gosh, iiyak nanaman siya.
"Genevieve, babe, tayo muna ta'yo, okay? Nagluto si Adrian para sa'tin."
"Luto? Pagkain?"
"Yes. C'mon."
Tumayo si Genevieve at ginabayan ni Ares papunta sa dining room para kumain siya.
"Thank you, Mr. Cardoza." salamat ko kay Alexander na nakangiti sa'min.
Ngumiti siya sa'kin pabalik at sinenyasan ako paupo ulet, probably concerned that I'll throw up again.
'Di ko alam kung narinig niya pero 'di na 'ko nasusuka, I'm okay now.
"You should rest more, Calla. And please, just call me Alex." he said and sat to the sofa.
Nilapag niya yung dala-dalang plastic na puno ng mga gamot at pati na rin mga extra jacket at pamunas.
"I..."
Damn, he didn't have to do this.
"Mr. C—Alex... 'di mo naman kailangang gawin 'to... pero salamat."
This is a lot of medicine, wow.
"Naku, kung ikaw ang nagtatrabaho para sa kapatid ko, of course I have to do it. I know that I should have said this before but..." he paused and sighed.
"...thank you, thank you for taking care of my brother. Narinig ko ang lahat na ginawa mo para sa kanya, you made him a better person."
Kinagat ko ang labi ko sa saya, ilang beses ko nang narinig ang mga ganyang compliment pero ngayon lang ako genuine na talagang gusto kong ngumiti na para bang... wala lang, ang proud ko lang sa sarili ko?
So ngumiti ako, ngumiti ako na para bang wala nang ikakalaki pa yung ngiti ko.
"Salamat but I think Adrian has always been a good person. He's... amazing."
"Di ba siya makulet? O... maingay? Gano'n kasi siya minsan." asar niya.
"Kuya!" sigaw ni Adrian na may hawak hawak yung meryenda para sa'min dapat.
Inilagay niya yung mga meryenda sa lamesa at pinatong yung mga kamay niya sa baywang niya.
"Hindi ako makulet o maingay, I am a good boss, 'di ba? 'Di ba, Calla?" tanong niyahabang papalapit sa'kin tsaka upo sa tabi ko.
"No. Hinde. Hindi pa naman?" asar ko na nakangiti kay Alexander.
"Calla! I took care of you! I was a good boss, you're being mean now..." he pouts.
"But seriously, Calla. Salamat sa pagtulong mo sa kapatid ko, if not for you baka kung anong magawa niya, tsk."
"Wala akong gagawing kung ano-ano kuya, ikaw talaga, 'wag mo ngang masamain ang tingin sa'kin ni Calla. I don't want her to leave me." away ni Adrian ulet at napakapit sa balikat ko.
"But... okay ka na 'di ba? 'Di ka na ba nasusuka?" bulong niya sa'kin at inayos ang buhok ko.
"No. I'm okay. Thank you for taking care of me, Adrian."
His eyes flinched for a second and cut our eye contact short, he slowly pulled his grasp on my arm and then returned his attention back to me by stealing a quick glance at me.
"I... forgot... drinks." Adrian said and stood up.
"A-Anong gusto mo... kuya?"
"Sasabihin ko sana soju or tequila but it's too early." Alexander answered with a mysterious smirk.
"I-I'll... order... s-soju and tequila!"
Ngayon? Ang aga?
Nagkatitigan kami ng mga ilang segundo bago siya tumakbo pabalik sa kusina para siguro magorder ng... tequila at soju?
"I see." Alexander spoke, crossing his arms against his chest with a smile just as mysterious as his smirk a minute ago.
"May kailangan ka ba, Alex?" tanong ko at inoffer yung plato puno ng meryenda para sa'ming dalawa sa kanya.
Tumingin muna siya sa'kin tsaka tingin sa sa meryenda at kumuha ng isang piraso mula sa plato.
"No I just... I realized something."
"What is it?"
"Spring."
"Spring?" ulet ko.
"It's spring now, Calla."
Spring?
I don't think so.
Mas malapit pa yata ang halloween kaysa spring, dapat ang susunod ay winter, sa'n niya nakuha yung spring?
"Di ba winter dapat?"
"No. I don't..." tawa niya.
"...I don't mean the season, Calla." he smiled once more before taking a bite of the food.