Grip
I'm silently watching Nate and Lía. They're near the shore and I don't know what they're talking about, but based on what I'm seeing, I can sense that Lía wasn't in her mood to deal with her friend.
"Paano kaya nalaman ng batang iyon na nandito tayo? My gosh!"- palatak pa ni Sir Bobby habang nagpapaypay sa sarili nito.
Hindi ako sumagot dahil kahit ako man ay nagulat sa biglaan na pagsulpot nito dito. Gumugulo din sa isip ko yung mga katagang binitawan nito sa akin kanina kaya mas nawala ako sa mood na mag ingay.
"Helen? Okay ka lang ba?"
"Opo sir."
"Medyo mainit na. Pumasok ka muna sa loob ng tent. Ako na mag babantay kay Charlie."
Sumulyap ako sa gawi nina Lía at nagtatalo pa din yung dalawa duon. At base sa itsura ni Nate ay mukhang pinapakalma nito ang girlfriend ko.
Bumuntong hininga nalang ako at pumasok nalang nga sa tent para makainom din ako ng tubig.
Naupo ako sa isang mono block chair at tinignan yung folding chair na nasa harapan ng salamin. Sa likod niyon ay may naka sulat na Charlotte. May glitters pa nga iyon kaya ang ganda tignan.
Fruit.. Poison.
Ayos lang. Mahal——
"I'm sorry about that, honey." - A calm, soothing voice resonates in the air.
Naramdaman ko nalang ang pagpulupot ng braso nya sa leeg ko at ang pagdantay ng baba nya sa balikat ko. Bumilis na naman tuloy ang tibok ng puso ko dahil naglalambing sya.
"Pinauwi ko na sya. Ayos ka lang ba?"
Nagpunta sya sa harapan ko para sapuhin ang pisnge ko. Medyo yumuko pa sya para magkasalubong ang mga mata namin dalawa.
"Are you mad at me?"
"No.."- I said, whispering, because she teasingly brushed her lips on mine.
I held both of her elbows to squeeze them gently, making her stop on her track.
"I'm not mad, honey. I'm just thinking."
Nahigit ko ang hininga ko dahil bigla syang umupo sa lap ko , pa sideways at muling pinulupot sa leeg ko ang mga braso para magkadikit ang mga noo namin.
"Baka may pumasok."- kinakabahan sabi ko at hinawakan ang bewang nya.
"I don't care. I'm ready to tell everyone here that you're my girl."- she said seriously.
Nakakatuwa pero nakakatakot din. Gusto ko din naman ipagsigawan nya na kami nga pero ayaw ko din na magaya yung kapalaran nya sa nangyari sa pinsan nya.
Baka ilayo sya sakin. Tapos dahil sa mahirap lang ako ay hindi ko sya makikita o masusundan man lang.
"Bakit daw pala sya nandito?"- pag iba ko sa usapan at yumakap sa bewang nya. Hinilig ko din ang ulo ko sa balikat nya habang hinahaplos nya yung likod ng ulo ko.
"He stalked me."
My brows knitted. "Baka obsess na sya sayo."
"I don't think so. Nate is a good guy."
"Kahit na. Hindi mo pa din alam ang iniisip nya."
I felt her soft lips on my forehead while still caressing my hair.
"Always keep in mind that I'm yours. No one else can have me except you."
I met her blue eyes. She was looking at me with full admiration. I clenched my jaw and was about to kiss her when we heard someone squealing behind us. That caught our attention.
"Mga bakla!"- boses iyon ni Sir Bobby.
Patay.
***********
Napapapikit at kagat ako sa labi habang naririnig ko ang sermon ni Sir kay Lía.
Pinaglalaruan ko ang mga daliri ko sa ibabaw ng hita ko habang nag didiskusyon sila.
"She's still a teenager, Charlie! Have you really gone insane? Is that why you ignored every guy who was hitting on you because you're into someone who's younger than you?"
"She's at her legal age and, besides, we love each other!"
"I'm not against either of you. What I'm worried about is your reputation and your family. And what if they find out about this secret job of yours because of Nate? Do you think they will just stay quiet? We're all doomed if that happens. Baka isipin pa nila na kinokonsinte kita."
"I'm sorry. But I'm not sorry for being Helen's girlfriend."
Dahil sa sinabi ni Lía ay nalipat tuloy ang atensyon ni Sir sa akin. Napalunok ako at napatayo, handa na para depensahan ang sarili ko.
"Umamin ka nga. Inakit ka ba ng alaga ko?"
Lumapit pa ito sa akin at tinutok sa akin yung pamaypay nya. Sinulyapan ko saglit si Lía na tahimik at naka crossed arms lang sa likod pero halatang wala pa din sa mood ang hilatsa ng mukha.
"Ano? Inakit ka o naakit ka? Kasi hindi naman kita masisisi dahil maganda talaga sya at sexy pa."
"Momshie stop——"
"It's the other way around, sir. I seduced Charlotte Spencer. End of the story."
Totoo naman siguro diba? Kasi kung iisipin, hindi naman talaga ako magugustuhan ni ma'am kung hindi ko sya pinilit halikan ako nuong gabing nalasing ako. At kung hindi ko sya hinarot pagkatapos nuon.
"Charlotte doesn't swing both ways. That's why I'm so surprised to see both of you earlier in that kind of state."
"I'm happy to be her first swing. I just hope it will always be me until the end." -I replied and looked away because I'm shy.
"This is enough. We need to get back to work. Just interrogate us next time, momshie."- Lía butt in, using her authoritative voice.
Nag sign ng eye to eye pa si Sir Bobby sa akin bago ito maarteng lumabas ng tent. Akala mo talaga babae sya dahil may pag hawi pa ito ng imaginary hair nya.
************
We got back to the resort at exactly dinner time. The whole team decided to eat at this fancy restaurant near the resort.
I'm wearing my usual attire. I wore an oversized tee- shirt and pants with my Converse sneakers.
Everyone is loud. They were all laughing, except for me, because I'm not interested in their topics. They were making fun of the other models' amusing experiences during the photo shoot.
Hindi ko katabi si Lía. Katabi ko yung ibang P.A na katulad ko ay mga tahimik lang din pero alam ko na ako yung pinaka bata sa mga ito.
"Let's ask Charlotte. How does it feel to be surprised by your boyfriend?"
Lahat yata kami ay napatingin sa gawi ni Lía. Kita ko ang pagkalusaw ng ngiti sa labi nya. Naglumikot din ang mga mata nito pero mabuti nalang at marunong makisabay si Sir Bobby dahil tumawa ito ng malakas.
"He's not Charlie's boyfriend. They are good friends."- he said.
The other girl chuckled. "Everyone starts out as friends, that eventually turns into something more."
Halata sa mukha nila ang kilig habang kinakantyawan ang girlfriend ko.
"I'm in love with someone already. And dating a close friend of mine never crossed my mind."- she replied before drinking her wine.
The people around her groan in protest, which makes me smirk.
I saw her eyes land on me and she gave me a gentle smile.
That's my girl.
"Helen?"
Kagat kagat ko ang tinidor na humarap sa katabi kong babae. Sanaol alam yung name.
"Makikiabot naman ng manok."- nahihiyang sabi nya.
Binaba ko ang kubyertos ko at kinuha yung lagayan ng manok para maiabot sa kanya.
"Gusto mo ng tulong?"
"H-hindi na. Baka mamatay ako ng maaga."
"Ha?"
Nag buffer yata utak ko duon dahil hindi ko sya nagets. May nginuso naman sya kaya sinundan ko iyon.
Kaya pala.
Naghihiwa kasi ng karne si Lía pero matalim naman ang tingin na pinupukol sa gawi namin. Partikular sa akin kaya medyo dumistansya ako kay ate girl.
"Selosa ang boss mo?"
"H-hindi.."
"Ay naku normal lang siguro yan. Ganyan din minsan sakin si ma'am ko. Nagagalit kapag nasa iba ang atensyon ko."
Ngumiti nalang ako ng alanganin at bumalik na sa pagkain ko. Kahit hindi ako nakatingin ay ramdam ko padin ang nakakatusok nitong tingin sa akin.
Grabe yon, miss.
"Ako nga pala si Sep, short for September."
"Nice to meet you, Sep."
Matapos kong kumain ay nag punta muna ako sa restroom para sana tignan kung ano ng itsura ko pero may bigla naman humila sa akin palabas ng resto.
Napa aray ako ng isalya ako nito sa pader. Tinanggal nya ang hood ng jacket na suot kaya naging malinaw sa akin ang mukha nya.
"Nate?"
Akala ko ba umuwi na ang isang to? Bakit nandito pa din sya?
He looks mad and jealous? Sobrang dilim ng expression nito. Malayong malayo sa kalmadong Nate.
"Trust me, I don't want to do this. But you're making my blood boil."- he said with a clenched jaw.
He punched the wall near my face, which caused me to shut my eyes. I started to feel nervous because I hate violence.
"Why do you have to be so special in her eyes? I just don't get it. Damn it!"
I push him off of me with all my might, but he's quick enough to grip my arm and push me back against the wall. For the second time, I felt my sore muscles because of it.
He's tall and strong, but I won't back down. I kicked his center, which caused him to loosen his tight grip on me.
"I also don't want to do this, but you pushed me."- I said as I watched him kneeling down in front of me while groaning in pain.
He coughed and laughed afterwards while still holding that part that I kicked awhile ago.
"You're changing her, Helen."- he said, catching his breath. "Kahit kailan hindi nya ako pinagtabuyan. Ngayon lang!"
Bakit parang kasalanan ko?
I stepped forward and shook my head in dismay.
"I didn't. She chose to be like this and if you're bothered about her being soft to me and harsh on you, that's not my problem anymore."
I turn my back on him and am about to go back inside when he starts laughing again. Sarcasm was intended for it.
"Soon you will regret knowing her and staying by her side."
+++++++++
Kung si Louise at Bea may "Dancing with your ghost" , si Charlotte at Helen may "Atlantis".