Gabrielle Valentin Santiago. The people would call him Galen.
The personification of an innocent devil.
His stare alone would lure you into doing things at his bidding. Some may say he's nice because he's friendly and approachable, but that's a scam for me. There's something about him that screams danger for me.
Before, someone said that I was like the girl version of Galen but I don't want to believe that. I am unique, gaya-gaya lang siguro si Galen.
He's a news anchor for one of the most famous news channels in the country. He presents and delivers the news to the public. He speaks slowly but with clarity. Samahan pa na may sense of humor at charm habang nagsasalita kaya nakakahalina 'pag kausap mo. No doubt, he's famous for his job.
He's 6'3 in height, with thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, and almond-shaped eyes. He's moreno. That's why many are always so fascinated by him. Isama pa ang dimples sa kanang pisngi kapag ngumingiti. Luluhuran talaga ang mga taong katulad niya. Isama pa ang malalim na boses na masarap pakinggan kapag magka-usap kayo.
But, that's different for me. As I said, he screams danger. Ewan ko ba kung bakit gusto ko 'tong iwasan. Maybe because isang beses kong na-witness na parang nag-aaway sila ng kuya ko. Nagsisigawan sila na parang mga taga magkabilang bundok. Hindi ko na inintindi ang pinag-awayan nila noon, baka dahil sa babae.
Naging classmate namin ni Misha noon si Galen sa isang klase noong college. Ang klase ni Ma'am Amelia sa amin noon. We were not that close before because he's a graduating student at that time, while we're still in sophomore. Nasama lang sa isang klase noon.
He laughed. "I know what you're thinking. I'm not hitting on you, unless gusto mo?" He had a teasing smile on his face na ang sarap burahin. Ang sarap niyang sapakin.
"Tigilan mo ako, feeling close ka talaga kahit kailan." I left him at the dessert station but I felt him following me as I went to my table.
Misha lifted her gaze up as she noticed me approaching the table but her gaze fell on the person behind me. Her eyes widened and her lips parted. Hinayaan ko na lang siya magulat at umupo sa upuan ko. I can feel some of our blockmates also looking at the intruder behind me. Natahimik sila.
Galen placed his left hand at the back of my chair and leaned on me as he put his plate of sweets beside my plate. I looked at him in confusion. Tatabi ka?
Galen smiled at me. "This plate is yours. Kukuha na lang ako ng para sa akin." He slowly moved away from me. Umalis na siya at tiningnan ko ang plato na binigay niya sa akin. Cookies, mallows, gummies and polvoron. Some of my favorite sweets.
Hinanap ko siya kung nasa dessert station na ba siya pero wala siya doon. Hinanap siya ng mga mata ko hanggang nakita. Nandoon siya sa designated table niya, kasama mga kaibigan niya, pero nasa sa akin ang tingin niya. He smiled.
Ngingiti ngiti mo diyan?
"Okay. What was that, dugo?" I heard misua asked me na sinegundahan ng mga kasama namin sa lamesa.
"Si Galen 'yon, diba? Close pala kayo, Crim?"
"Aba, may pagsunod ah."
"Akala ko ba may jowa 'yon?"
"Naghahanap siguro ng bagong biktima."
Sunod sunod nilang sinabi na hindi ko na pinakinggan at kumain na lang ako ng sweets na nasa plato ko at nung binigay ni Galen.
I can feel Misha's stare on me as I eat. Dahil siguro hindi ko na sinagot ang mga tanong nila. I looked at her and raised my eyebrows. She also raised her brows at me.
I sighed. "Lumapit lang siya sa akin at tinulungan kumuha ng sweets. 'Yon lang yon. 'Wag gawing big deal."
Nanliit mga mata niya sa akin. "Nag-uusap na pala kayo ulit ni Galen."
"What? Hindi naman kami ganun ka-close, diba? Kahit noon, hindi ko naman ganun nakakausap 'yon." I said.
She only looked at me, maybe deliberating the answer I gave. She then changed the subject and talked to the people on our table. I continued eating until an emcee interrupted us.
"Well, well. Hello again, people! I know all of you enjoyed the meal. Nabusog din kayo panigurado. Para naman maibalik ang sigla, ituloy na natin ang ating palaro! Ang larong ito..." The emcee continued speaking until Misha asked me to accompany her to the comfort room. We both stood up and went outside to find a comfort room.
"This would be so much fun if Bellinda was here. I miss her so much. Kailan kayo last nagkita?" Misha asked me, referring to our other friend.
"Last na kita namin is nung nagpameeting yung kompanya about sa latest drug na inaasikaso namin. Hindi na siya masyadong nagpakita after nun." I answered.
Bella, or Bellinda, has been our friend since college. She's also a graduate of chemical engineering like us. Masyado nga lang mailap dahil sa iba siya nadestino. Her career choice is demanding because it requires her to be on field always.
"I hope one of these days mag-bond ulit tayo. Our last bond for the three of us was matagal na."
I nodded, agreeing with her. "Magpaparamdam naman 'yon, hindi pa naman patay 'yon. Ako maghuhukay sa kanya sa ilalim kung ganon."
We reached the comfort room as we retouched ourselves. Nakakawala rin ng poise ang kumain.
I went inside a cubicle to take a pee. Ang dami kong nainom kanina na tubig dahil na rin ang daming kinain. Nagtahong pa.
I went outside and saw Misha still retouching her face. She looked at me from the mirror in front of the sink as I washed my hands.
"I really don't get it kung bakit lumapit sayo si Galen." I stared at her reflection in the mirror, bored because it's the same conversation again.
"I really don't get it kung bakit 'yan pa rin ang gusto mo pag-usapan." I answered back.
She then faced, tapos na sa pag-aayos ng sarili. "Ikaw na rin nagsabi na hindi kayo ganun ka-close ni Galen. Plus, he's a famous news anchor in the country! Girls flock all over him, and I won't be surprised if some of them attack you for being close to him."
"Misha, I'm not trying to compete with them. Kunin nila ang atensyon ng lalaking 'yon, for all I care. Katatapos pa lang nung sa amin ni Daniel. I'm not looking for a new romantic prospect. Nakakapagod."
"I'm not saying that you should go for it. You still want to have a lifelong partner, right? Hindi pa naman tapos paghahanap mo?" She looked at me.
"I said, I'm not looking for a new romantic prospect. Baka hindi na rin ako maghanap pa. After three failed relationships, I think that's the universe's way of saying enough for me." I applied nude lipstick all over my lips and fixed my face with pressed powder.
Sumimangot siya at bumuntong hininga. "Bummer. But good to know that you're not trying to compete with other girls kasi baka ikaw naman yung nanalo simula pa lang." Nagkibit balikat siya at nagbalik tingin sa salamin para mag-ayos ulit.
Hindi ko na pinansin ang huling sinabi niya at hinintay nalang siya matapos sa gawain. Ilang minuto na rin kasi kami nag-stay sa banyo. Nang matapos, nagbalik na kami sa party hall kung saan naririnig namin ang malalakas na sigaw ng mga babae at ilang tawanan ng mga lalaki at ibang guests. Pang-ilang laro na kaya ito?
Nang makapasok sa hall, nakita namin ang mga babaeng nakatayo sa gitna. Some of them are our blockmates. May isang babae ang may hawak na bouquet, na tingin ko kay Ma'am Amelia galing. Nandoon kasi si Ma'am Amelia sa harap ng kumpol na mga babae.
Bouquet Toss. One of the traditional games during wedding ceremonies. Female guests who are single are free to join the game. Pero minsan pwede sumali ang mga may boyfriend or fiance. According to this game, whoever catches the bouquet is intended to be the next one to walk down the aisle.
Hindi na kami naupo ni Misha at tiningnan na lang ang kumpol na mga babae at tinawanan sila dahil nagtutulakan sila sa gitna para bang gusto rin ng bouquet. May paso ng bulaklak sa gitna ng mga lamesa, edi 'yon na lang kunin nila.
Ma'am Amelia saw the both of us looking at them. "Sayang at hindi niyo nakita kanina ang nangyari. Gusto niyo bang sumali dalawa?" It made the female guests look at us. Ang babaeng nakahawak ng bouquet ay sinamaan kami ng tingin. Saksak mo sa baga mo 'yan, gaga. We're not interested.
Other guests looked at us, kasama na naman ang tingin ni Galen. Nakahalukipkip siya at bakas ang tuwa sa mukha na nakakapikon habang nakatingin sa akin. Sinundan ni Misha ang tingin ko at nakita si Galen at binalik ang tingin na nanliliit ang mga mata. Inirapan ko na lang sila Galen at Misha.
Nakita kong may sinenyas ang asawa ni Ma'am Amelia na nagpatigil sa kanya. Nilapitan ni ma'am ang emcee at ang babaeng nakakuha ng bouquet niya. Siguro para i-congratulate. May bouquet nga, wala namang groom siguro 'to.
Nagpatuloy ang emcee sa pagsasalita at pinaupo na ang mga babaeng nasa gitna. Bumalik na rin kami ni Misha sa table namin at naupo.
Ang next game ay isa na namang traditional na laro. Ang garter toss. The difference is, it's for bachelors.
Kumuha ng upuan si Quentin at nilagay sa gitna ng hall para paupuin ang asawa. When Ma'am Amelia sat on the chair, Quentin then knelt on the ground in front of her at tinaas ang gown na suot ni Ma'am Amelia. The crowd cheered at the scene in front of everyone.
Mula sa hita ni Ma'am Amelia, binaba ni Quentin ang garter belt hanggang maalis na ito tuluyan. I can even feel the tension building up between them. Partida, garter lang 'yan.
Then, Quentin stood up and assisted his wife back to the mini stage at tinawag naman ng emcee ang mga bachelors na gusto makilahok.
Men crowded the middle of the hall, including some of our blockmates. I even laughed when I saw Remy joined, I laughed the hardest when I saw Olive too.
"Hoy, bakla! Bawal ka diyan!" I screamed at Olive. Olive looked at me at tinuro ang kumpol na mga lalaki.
"Ang lapit nila sa akin, hindi ako si Oliver ngayon!" She screamed back, making us laugh.
Bumaling ako sa isang banda at nakita na naghahatakan doon ang mga kaibigan ni Galen. Mukhang kung sino ang may ayaw, iyon ang hahatakin. And, that was Galen and some of his friends. Hinahatak siya ng mga kaibigan niya pero tumatawa lang siya at hinahatak pabalik ang brasong hatak-hatak ng iba. Nag-iingay na sila doon na nakuha na rin ang atensyon ng iba pati ng emcee.
"Naku, at mukhang ayaw nila Mr. Santiago sumali ah?" The emcee remarked that it made other guests laugh. Nakita ko pa nga yung babae kanina na may hawak na bouquet na nakasimangot dahil sa narinig. Oh, may target.
Tinigilan na rin ng mga kaibigan ni Galen sila dahil hindi talaga nagpatinag. Nagkumpol na ang mga kalalakihan sa gitna at tinawanan na naman namin si Olive dahil halata sa itsura na hindi sasali sa pag-agaw ng garter kundi para makalapit lamang.
"Oh, simple lang naman 'tong larong 'to. Ihahagis papunta sa inyo ni groom ang garter belt na nakuha niya sa misis niya at kung sino ang makakasalo, ay siyang susunod na ikakasal. But! Here's the twist, ang nakakuha ng garter belt ay isusuot 'yon sa babaeng nakakuha kanina ng bouquet ni bride." The emcee laughed, and the crowd cheered, including the bachelors in the middle. Namula ang babae at parang gusto nalang magpalamon sa lupa.
Uminom na lang ako ng tubig at tiningnan na lang ang mangyayari sa gitna. As I drink from the wine glass, Galen's staring at me. I continued drinking while also looking at him. Hindi talaga napapagod katitingin sa akin. I finished drinking from the glass and broke our stare as I heard that someone had already gotten the garter belt.
The emcee called again the girl earlier to sit in the middle. Ang bagal ng paglalakad nung babae sa gitna, dahil na rin siguro sa hiya. Nagkakantyawan kasi ang mga guests, at ang iba ay tinutulak ang lalaking nakakuha ng garter belt.
Misha laughed and nudged at me to look at the girl. "I can hear another wedding bells for these two."
Love at first belt. Amputa.
"Buti na lang dahil mukhang hindi tayo invited." She laughed at what I said.
Ang babae na ang nagtaas ng palda ng dress niya nang tamang taas at hinawakan lang ang laylayan para hindi mahirapan ang lalaki. Tinanggal rin ng babae ang kanyang kaliwang heels. Ang lalaki naman ay unti-unti lumuhod sa harap ng babae at mas lalong nagsigawan na naman ang mga tao sa reception.
Dahan-dahan din sinuot ng lalaki ang garter belt sa kaliwang binti ng babae, hanggang sa gitna ng hita nito. I can see the blush on the girl's face, and the sweat forming on the guy's forehead. Tinawanan namin 'yon.
"Okay, that was intense! Dapat invited rin ako sa wedding niyo ah?" The emcee joked, referring to the girl and the guy na kasing bilis bumalik sa kanya-kanyang lamesa na parang taong natatae.
"Now that we are nearing the end of the ceremony of Miss Amelia and Sir Quentin's wedding, let me call on the bride's maid of honor to deliver her message for the new couple." The emcee called on a woman and we saw her standing up from her table with a microphone on hand that was given to her by the emcee, and said her message that nearly brought me to tears.
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