Gusto n'yo 'yon? Sunod-sunod ang updates ko. Paubos na ang braincells ko bago mag-Pasko. HAHAHAH! Keep the comments and votes coming po! Nakaka-inspire magsulat :)
***
"SALAMAT sa paghatid," ani Summer nang pinarada ni Genesis ang kaniyang sasakyan sa harap ng apartment ni Summer. Lumalalim na ang gabi at hindi lang sa trabaho pagod si Summer kundi sa extra curricular activities na piangkakaabalahan nila sa opisina.
May ilang trabaho siyang hindi natapos kaya plano niyang matulog nang maaga upang makapasok nang maaga.
"It's okay," tipid na usal ni Genesis.
"Next time, you don't have to wait for me. Mapagkamalan pa tayo nito," natatawang usal ni Summer at saka binuksan ang pinto ng sasakyan. "I'll see you in the morning."
Hindi na hinintay pa ni Summer na magsalita si Genesis at agad lumabas ng sasakyan. She thought she heard Genesis called her, but she didn't look back. Malamig at madilim na sa labas. At isa pa, masakit din ang katawan niya.
May kakaibang nararamdaman din siya sa sikmura niya. Parang may maling mangyayari.
Nagulat si Summer nang magbukas ang pinto ng apartment niya at lumabas ang assistant ng kaniyang landlord. Isang matandang Amerikana na laging nakasimangot at may galit sa mundo.
"Summer, you're back!" gulat nitong pagbati.
"Hello, ma'am. Is anything wrong?" pagtukoy nito sa walang babala na pagtuloy sa kaniyang apartment.
"Look, Summer, I told you the payments must be on time when you took the lease. I've been trying to contact you, but you're not picking up!" usal ng matandang babae.
"I-I'm sorry. I've just been busy with work. I just returned from Canada and—"
"I'm sorry, but we don't care about your excuses. We were very clear from the beginning. No pay, no rent, no lease. We got new people moving in later."
"T-that's too fast! That's illegal! It hasn't even been three days!"
"That's business, Summer. Beaides, it looks like you've scored an expensive beau. I don't think you'll be homeless tonight," aniya sabay turo sa direksiyon ng sasakyan ni Genesis na nakaparada pa rin sa labas.
Binalik ni Summer ang tingin sa kausap at umiling. "He's not my beau . . . "
"As I said, I don't care what he is to you. But we've got new renters paying twice the amount you're paying. In this cold winter day, they're offering us more," dagdag pa ng matanda at pinagkiskis pa ang mga kamay bilang pera. "Unless you're willing to pay us three times your current rent, I'm afraid we can't keep you here."
"That's illegal!" muling usal ni Summer. "We have a contract!"
"Well are you going to pay us three times your current rate or what?" mataray nitong usal. Hindi na iyong napawi sa mukha niya. And Summer was being pushed to the corner.
"But . . . "
Pinamaywangan siya ng matanda at halos umabot na sa noo ang pagkatataas ng kilay. "Look, Mr. Smith doesn't like people who do not pay on time. You can go look for other places, but good luck with that."
"W-wait . . . Did you say Mr. Smith?" Napalunok si Summer. Nakaramdam siya agad ng takot at pangamba sa narinig na pangalan.
"Yeah, Mr. Stephen Smith. You know him?"
Umiling si Summer kahit na nararamdaman niya ang pagbagsak ng sariling mga balikat. Posibleng kapangalan lang iyon ni Stephen dahil common naman ang pangalan na iyon, ngunit paano kung hindi? Paano kung mali na naman ang hinala niya at iisang tao lang pala ang tinutukoy na iyon.
Bakit parang hinahabol siya ng kaniyang nakaraan? Bakit parang hinahabol siya ni Stephen? Bakit pilit siyang pinaglalaruan ng tadhana at pagkakataon? Hindi ba maaaring mabuhay na lang siya nang payapa?
"N-no . . . I don't know him. His name just sounded familiar."
The lady scoffed at her. "Sure. Anyway, pack your things and go. The cleaners are coming in the next couple of hours. We're getting rid of them if you don't remove anything." Iniwan siya ng matandang babae na nakanganga sa harap ng apartment.
Maliit na ang apartment, ganoon pa ang naging trato sa kaniya. She was belittled. But in a foreign country were she was trying to build her life from scratch, ano'ng laban niya? Bilang pa lang ang koneksiyon na mayroon siya roon. At ayaw niya rin na gamitin ang ibang tao upang maayos ang buhay niya.
She had done it before as she grew up alone and could do it again.
Ngunit sa tanang buhay niya, ngayon lang niya naranasan na mapalayas dahil lang sa ilang araw na nawala siya. Hindi man lang siya binigyan ng isang linggo. It was stressful and humiliating!
"Summer . . . "
Napalingon si Summer sa pinagmulan ng boses. Akala niya ay nakaalis na si Genesis ngunit heto siya at nakatayo na sa kaniyang tabi. "Is everything okay?"
"B-bakit nandito ka pa?" gulat na tanong ni Summer.
"Mukhang may problema. What's wrong?"
Huminga nang malalim si Summer at umiling. "I think he knows I'm here."
"He?" Nangunot ang noo ni Genesis. "You mean Mr. Smith?"
Mapait na tumango-tango si Summer. Wala na siyang balak itago pa kay Genesis ang tungkol doon dahil ito rin naman ang nagligtas sa kaniya sa Canada. Everrything seemed like it was happening for a long time ago, yet it had just occurred in the last few days.
"Stay in my place."
Nangunot ang noo ni Summer. "Ha?" Kumurap-kurap pa siya sa harapan ni Genesis na parang nagkamali ng narinig. Baka mali nga siya.
"Stay in my place," pag-uulit ni Genesis.
"What the heck are you talking about?"
"It's safer for you to stay with me than go elsewhere. Besides, you were at work when you were evicted," aniya.
"Thank you for the offer, pero I don't think that's a great idea."
Nagkrus ang mga braso ni Genesis. "And why not?"
"Well, let's start with the fact that we're employer and employee. Next, we have been sleeping with each other, but we're not in a relationship."
"Do you want to be in one,"
Namilog ang mga mata ni Summer sa gulat. "Ha? W-what?"
"Ang sabi ko—"
"No. No. You're missing the point. I don't plan to be in a relationship. But I don't want any form of issue to be attached in my name sa office. We already have that arrangement. Let's keep it that way na lang." Nang-iwas ng tingin si Summer. "Umuwi ka na. Magliligpit muna ako ng gamit."
Bago pa man siya makatalikod kay Genesis, nahawakan na ng binata ang kaniyang braso. "Pack up. I'll wait for you."
Mariin na tiningnan ni Summer ang kamay na nakahawak sa kaniya bago nag-angat ng tingin kay Genesis. "Umuwi ka na. Ako na'ng bahala sa sarili ko."
Napabuntinghinga si Genesis at kulang na lang ay hilutin nito ang sentido. "Summer, please, let's just do each other this favor. It would be snowing again and I'll be at peace knowing you're safe. At sa ngayon, mas safe ka sa bahay ko."
Nakipagsukatan ng tingin si Summer kay Genesis ngunit hindi rin pumapalag ang lalaki.
In the end, she released a heavy sigh. Knowing Genesis after all these months, mukhang hindi ito magpapatalo sa kaniya.
Nakakahiya man, there was a sense of relief knowing Stephen wouldn't be able to touch or reach her under Genesis' wing. Mas mabuti na makaalis siya sa apartment as lalong madaling panahon.
"Sige na nga. I'll take up your offer. I'll seek shelter muna sa 'yo until I find a new place. Pansamantala lang naman. I'll just pay for—"
"Stop." Agad natigilan si Summer. Sa halip na magsalita, tinupi ni Genesis ang manggas ng kaniyang admit. "Let's grab your things so we can leave immediately."
This time, si Genesis ang tumalikod sa kaniya upang tumuloy sa apartment. Once again, Summer was left dumbfounded with how Genesis was acting. Mabait na masungit na kulang sa ice candy pero sumobra sa sex ang amo niya. Hindi niya maintindihan ang tumatakbo sa isipan nito.
"Weird . . . " she mumbled with the wind before entering the apartment.
***
P R I N C E S S T H I R T E E N 0 0
JO ELLE