#OLAPlayPretend
Chapter 25
Party
Sino si Macy?
Ayan ang tanong na nanatili sa isipan ko hanggang sa makaalis kami ni Xaiver sa kanila. Nang makabalik ako sa dining room, Tita Mira became more friendly. She told me to call her that way. Mas lalo niya akong kinausap, and it was obviously the fruit of her conversation with Xaiver a while ago. However, I couldn't completely take in her kindness and be happy about it.
I was stuck thinking about the owner of the unfamiliar name I heard from them. Hindi ako mapakali. Why did Tita Mira suddenly bring her up? Sino siya at bakit ganoon na lamang ang reaksyon at naging sagot ni Xaiver?
I had a feeling that it was someone from his past, even way before I got to know him. Iyon lang ang dahilan kung bakit hindi ko siya kilala.
Unti-unti kong nilingon si Xaiver. Tahimik siya magmula nang umalis kami. The golden, natural light of the setting sun made everything look sentimental as he watched over the establishments and buildings we passed by. Para bang kasing lalim ng paglulubugan ng araw ang iniisip niya.
"Nagkaroon ka na ba ng girlfriend?" Hindi ko na napigilan ang bibig na bumuka at magtanong sa kanya.
Xaiver looked a little startled with my sudden question. Mabilis siyang napalingon sa akin at napakunot ang noo.
It was too late for me to take it back. At sa totoo lang, ayaw ko na ring bawiin. I wanted to touch that part of him and seek answers for the questions lurking around my head.
"Why'd you suddenly ask?" mapaghinala ng tanong niya. "Alam mo na dapat ang sagot diyan."
Napalunok ako. I didn't want to tell him that I heard everything he talked about with his parents. I heard them talk about Macy. Si Macy na hindi ko kilala.
"Kaya ko nga tinatanong kasi hindi ko alam... Hindi ko sigurado..." mahina kong sagot at medyo nag-iwas ng tingin. Nagdadasal na akong sana ay hindi siya maghinala.
Xaiver heaved a sigh. "Wala pa."
I snapped my gaze up to look at him. "Wala pa? Wala ka pang nagiging girlfriend? Kahit kailan?"
"Wala pa."
Ngumuso ako. Maniniwala ba ako? Pero para saan pang nagtanong ako kung hindi rin naman pala ako maniniwala?
"Can I ask why that unnecessary question suddenly crossed your mind?" he asked.
Matalim ko siyang tiningnan. Ano ang unnecessary doon? Hindi ba dapat nga ay open kami isa't isa pagdating sa mga ganyan? If he still has hang ups with his ex, maybe I can help him.
"Naisip ko lang. Bakit? Normal naman ang magkaroon ng ex kaya tinanong ko na," palusot ko saka idiniretso ang tingin. "Ako nga may ex, eh."
The dead silence made me realize that I took the wrong move to save myself. Mas lalo ko lamang inilagay ang sarili sa laylayan. Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko't unti-unting nilingon ulit si Xaiver.
Naninikil ang kanyang madilim na titig. Nilunok ko lahat ng kaba at takot saka pilit na ngumiti sa kanya.
"Bakit ganyan ang tingin mo?" tatawa-tawang tanong ko para kunwari ay wala akong nararamdamang tensyon sa pagitan naming dalawa.
"You had a boyfriend?" Xaiver asked.
"Uhm, hindi... Wala," sabi ko.
"But you said you have an ex?"
"Oo, pero hindi officially naging kami. M.U. lang. Mutual understanding. Pero ex pa rin siya kasi parang gano'n na rin 'yon."
I tried my best to save myself. Pakiramdam ko ay hindi niya gusto ang nalaman.
"When did you two date?" sunod niyang tanong na para bang kuryosong-kuryoso siya.
"College. Second year ata? Hindi ko matandaan. Sandali lang din kasi kami."
"How many months then?"
"Uhm... eight?"
"What's his name?"
"Charles."
"Charles what? Ano'ng apelyido niya?"
"Charles—teka nga lang." I stopped when I realized what he was doing. Parang nabaliktad ang gusto kong mangyari. "Bakit naman pati apelyido niya gusto mong malaman?"
"I'm just asking," he answered defensively.
My eyes narrowed while looking at him. I didn't buy his excuse. The way he asked questions and the way he sounded, para bang may gagawin siyang kung ano.
"Hindi ko sasabihin," sabi ko na lang at tumingin sa labas.
"Chantal," tawag niya sa akin, tunog nagbabanta.
However, I didn't falter. I pressed my lips together tightly and remained looking out of the window.
Ni hindi ko nga alam kung nagsisinungaling ba siya sa akin. Paano kung may ex naman talaga siya at ayaw niya lang sabihin?
Xaiver's really good at pretending. There's a part of me that wants to trust him fully, but something also keeps holding me back. It's like a guardian angel that pulls me back from danger and knows what's better for me.
"Charles..." bulong niyang dinig na dinig ko.
Muli ko siyang nilingon. "Ha?"
"Your names both start in C, H, and A," bigla niyang sabi habang sinusubukan kong manahimik.
My eyes widened. Naisip niya pa 'yon?
"Did you think you two were soulmates because the first three letters of your names are the same? That's why you tried dating him?"
"Ha? Ano?" Nawindang ako't umayos ng upo para maharap siya. "Ano ba'ng pinagsasasabi mo?"
"Nevermind. You don't have to answer," sabi niya na lang at nag-iwas na rin ng tingin.
Tuluyan na siyang tumahimik. Hindi na rin ako umimik. Hanggang makarating na kami sa amin, wala ni isang nagsalita hanggang sa nakarating na sa bahay.
I was about to go out when Xaiver went ahead of me. Mabilis siyang umikot upang pagbuksan ako ng pinto.
"Thanks," tipid ko na lang siyang pinasalamatan nang makababa ako.
"Hey." Xaiver held my arm to stop me from walking away. "Can we talk?"
I quietly turned to him. His hold then traveled down to my hand once he successfully stopped me from leaving.
"Tungkol saan?" tanong ko at binawi ang kamay.
Bumuntonghininga siya. Sa itsura niya pa lang ay mukhang problemado na.
"Do we have a problem?" he asked.
"Meron nga ba?" balik kong tanong.
"I'm asking you so we can fix it before we go home tonight. If you won't tell me what's the problem, wala tayong maaayos," paliwanag niya. "Did my mom say or do anything that offends you? Did you... hear anything?"
"Xavi, walang problema sa magulang mo. I'm actually grateful dahil tinanggap nila ako. Masaya ako. At ano ang tinatanong mo? May narinig ba ako? Na ano?" patay-malisya ko.
His eyes narrowed and concluded, "So you did hear something..."
"Ha?" I tried to keep my cool and acted oblivious.
Xaiver chuckled softly. He then looked at me as if I was being ridiculous. "You still really have a long way to go to be good at pretending..." he said. "You may be able to fool other people now, but not me. You can't fool me, Chantal."
Napalunok ako't bahagyang napaatras. I wanted to shift my gaze away from him and avoid staring at his eyes, but that might make him only more suspicious.
"Alin doon ang narinig mo?" sunod niyang tanong. "Is it the one where my mother asked me to reconsider our marriage? Or did you hear us talking about Macy? Which is it?"
It was already impossible for me to school my expression. The moment he said her name, I lost my composure. My eyelids fluttered in shock and nervousness.
Mukhang wala talaga akong maitatago sa kanya. I don't know how he does that. It almost seemed like he could read my mind.
Pero sa totoo lang ay mas nagulat ako na hindi niya itinago sa akin ang pag-uusap nila ni Tita Mira. I thought he would hide it, ngunit siya pa mismo ang nagbanggit sa mga 'yon, lalo na ang pangalan ni Macy na ikinakagulo ng isipan ko.
"But judging by your question earlier, I guess it's about Macy," sabi niya at nanuyo na lang ang lalamunan ko dahil wala na akong lusot. Lumapit siya at hinawakan ang aking siko. "What's bothering you, huh? You think she's my ex? Are you jealous?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Mabilis kong binawi ang siko at umatras palayo sa kanya. "Jealous? Ako? Bakit naman ako magseselos?"
"Okay... Then why do you seem bothered?" he asked instead.
"Wala. Syempre. Malay ko ba." Hindi ko na malaman ang sasabihin. "Narinig ko babalik siya... Baka kasi gusto mong makipagbalikan. Eh 'di hindi na natin kailangan ituloy 'tong pagpapanggap natin kung sakali."
Xaiver's brows furrowed. He obviously didn't like anything I said.
"So that's what you want, huh? You want to break up with me and cancel our wedding," he concluded.
Naeskandalo ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Break up with him? Eh hindi naman kami!
"Sorry to break it to you, but Macy's not my ex-girlfriend. She's my brother's past lover and we're just close friends," he explained, sounding slightly cocky.
Close friends?
Parang hindi ako naniniwala. Parang ayaw kong bilhin ang sagot niya. Kung close friends lang sila, bakit ganoon na lang ang naging tanong ni Tita Mira? Why did it sound like they shared an intimate past? Pero ang sabi niya rin ay past lover 'yon ng kapatid niya?
Mas lalo lang akong naguluhan sa sagot niya. I didn't want to pry more into details. Kahit madami pa akong gustong itanong, pinili ko na lang ang manahimik.
"Now... puwede bang ako naman?" tanong niya at bahagyang nagtaas ng kilay. "Bakit hindi mo sinabi sa akin ang ginawa ni Zoe?"
Patay na. Akala ko ay hindi niya 'yon malalaman unless sabihin ko sa kanya. Who would've thought Zoe would dare tell Tita Mira about it? Hindi ba siya nahihiya na ganoon ang ginawa niya?"
"Sabi ko naman sa 'yo ayos na 'yon at nagkausap na kami. Hindi ko hinayaang maliitin niya ako. Wala kang dapat ipag-alala," I answered in defense.
"She bribed you with ten fucking million and tried to humiliate you," diin niya.
"Alam ko," kalmado kong sabi. "At sinabi ko nga sa 'yo, wala lang 'yon sa akin. I defended myself pretty well. Hindi ko hinayaang magtagumpay siya sa gusto niyang mangyari."
I thought Zoe would stop, though, after giving her my two cents, pero nagawa niya pa ring humingi ng tulong kay Tita Mira. She and her family might be that desperate for the Dela Vega's money and power. Nagkamali nga lang siya sa ginawa niyang pag-amin.
"Well, for me, it's not okay. That will never be okay," Xaiver told me. "I already gave her a warning. Wala akong ginawa noong nalaman kong nakipagkita siya sa 'yo. I thought you two just talked. Hindi ko alam na ganoon ang ginawa niya. So now that I finally know the truth, don't expect I will just sit back and let her do as she pleases. She needs to know that her actions have consequences."
As soon as Xaiver set his mind on punishing the Bautistas, nangyari agad ang gusto niyang mangyari wala pang dalawang linggo ang nakakalipas.
Napaawang ang mga labi ko nang mabasa ang pinakita sa aking news article ni Hariette tungkol sa pagbagsak ng stocks ng kompanya ng pamilya ni Zoe. Bad reviews also poured in about their chain of hotels. Usap-usapan din ang ipinapahiwatig na pagbili ni Xaiver sa majority ng shares nito upang mai-absorb ang The Alley Hotels ng DVH.
"They deserve it. Kuya Xavi did the right thing," Hariette commented and sipped on her iced tea.
Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kanya. After a long time of contemplating, I finally asked her out to hang out. Nalaman niya kasing kanina ang balik ko sa Manière para sa final fitting ng wedding gown. She expressed her desire to tag along to Xaiver. Naisip kong wala namang problema kung isasama ko siya. She also searched for a gown to wear at our wedding.
Medyo may iilang pagbabago sa mga plano namin ni Xaiver pagdating sa kasal. Hindi na kami magkakaroon ng mahabang entourage na kadalasang nakikita sa mga kasal kaya napagdesisyunan na rin naming hindi na sa simbahan 'yon ganapin. Instead, we would have an intimate beach wedding in Amanpulo with only a few guests invited as suggested by Tita Mira.
It would still be covered by the most trusted media company of DVH. Isa lang ang iimbitahin at hahayaang makapasok sa aming kasal. Pumayag na rin ako dahil magandang ideya na rin 'yon. I didn't like the thought of having a church wedding lalo na't nagpapanggap lang kaming dalawa. I didn't want to lie in front of Him.
"Bakit mukhang ikaw ang maba-bankrupt?" Hariette suddenly asked me upon seeing my displeasure. "Don't you like to see them suffer? Especially Zoe?"
Unlike me, Hariette looked pretty satisfied with what his cousin did. Medyo masaya rin naman ako na iginanti ako ni Xaiver, pero iniisip ko ang mga taong mawawalan ng trabaho kung sakaling tuluyan silang magsara.
Saan sila mapupunta? Saan sila kukuha ng panggastos? Paano ang mga pamilya nila?
"Iniisip ko lang 'yung mga empleyado nila..." pag-amin ko.
"You don't have to worry about that," Hariette simply told me. "Sure akong bibilhin ni Kuya Xavi ang majority ng shares sa kompanya nila. All The Alley Hotel branches will be operated by our company then. And besides, medyo matagal na rin silang may problema. Most of their employees are underpaid and overworked. Iyon ang nalaman ni Kuya Xavi upon investigation bago siya kumilos. The employees will have better benefits once Kuya Xavi handles everything."
My lips parted slightly. He investigated them? Hindi ko alam 'yon. Walang nakukwento si Xaiver tungkol sa mga kilos niya laban kina Zoe. Nagulat na lang ako na nagtagumpay na siya.
"Anyway, let's not talk about those things. Hayaan na natin si Kuya Xavi diyan. He knows what to do," sabi niya saka ngumiti. She excitedly leaned forward, her eyes were sparkling to express enthusiasm. "You're getting married in two weeks. Don't you have plans to hold a bachelorette party?"
"Uhm... Wala."
"Ha? Why?"
"Wala rin naman akong maiimbita at saka magastos lang. Ayos lang sa akin na walang gano'n."
"Oh, no! I won't allow that! Hindi puwedeng wala kang bachelorette party!" sabi ni Hariette. "I heard Kuya Knoa's preparing one for Kuya Xavi kaya dapat ikaw rin! Leave it to me! Ako ang mag-aayos. May gusto ka bang imbitahin? Kahit isa? If not, puwede namang kahit tayong dalawa lang. I can still make it super fun and exciting."
Napanguso ako't nag-isip. I have girl friends, pero hindi ko na sila ganoong ka-close ngayon.
"Isa lang siguro."
"Oh! Sino? Can I have her contact?"
"Si Joseph..."
"Joseph?" ulit niya. "But it's gonna be a bachelorette party! No guys allowed!"
"He's gay."
"Oh, okay! Ay wait!" Naningkit bahagya ang kanyang mga mata. "Joseph as in Kuya Xavi's secretary?"
"Oo."
"Okay! We'll invite Joseph!" Hariette said cheerfully. "I already have his number... I think. I'll check na lang later."
"Invite Joseph where?"
Sabay kaming napalingon ni Hariette kay Xaiver na kararating lamang. He also came with Knoa na nakangisi at nang-iinis na naman. Sinabi ko nang hindi niya ako kailangang sunduin dahil plano naman akong ihatid ni Hariette, but he insisted.
"Hi, Kuyas!" Hariette greeted them with a sweet smile. "Nag-dinner na kayo? Kakasimula pa lang namin ni Chantal. I can order for you."
"I'll have smoked salmon." Naupo si Knoa sa tabi ni Hariette.
"Okay. What about you, Kuya Xavi?" tanong niya kay Xaiver.
"I'll have what Chantal's eating."
Knoa snorted. "Cringe."
"Shut up."
Naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng aking pisngi. Si Hariette naman ay umirap dahil sa nakakasawang pag-iinisan ng dalawa saka nagtawag ng waiter para umorder ulit.
"So..." I turned to Xaiver. He pulled his chair closer, rested his arm on the chair's top rail, and looked steadily at me. "What's with Joseph? Saan ninyo siya iimbitahin?"
"Sa party," I vaguely answered.
"What party?"
"Her bachelorette party!" Si Hariette na ang sumagot para sa akin nang matapos sa pag-order. Nakahinga naman ako nang maluwag dahil doon lalo na't nasa kanya na ang mga mata ni Xaiver. "I told her I'm gonna plan a party for her since Kuya Knoa's organizing one for you."
Tumango si Knoa. "That's right. Magandang pareho silang meron."
"Who says I'll be having one?" Matalim na tingin ang ipinukol ni Xaiver kay Knoa.
Knoa chuckled. "Come on, Xavi! Loosen up a bit! Wala kang dapat problemahin sa bachelor mo. Handa na ang lahat. You just need to show up and not embarrass me."
"Cancel everything then," agad na desisyon ni Xaiver.
"What? No! Ayos na ang lahat. I already sent invites to our friends. They said they're going."
"Tell them it's canceled."
"I already paid for everything."
"I'll pay you double."
"But—"
"Xavi." Inilapag ko ang aking kamay sa hita ni Xaiver upang makuha ko ang atensyon niya. He didn't fail me as he immediately turned to look at me. "Pumunta ka na sa bachelor's party mo. Sayang ang hinanda ni Knoa, and I'm also going to have one — kami nina Hari at Joseph."
To be honest, kahit na wala akong balak noong una, parang gusto kong maranasan. Hariette also seemed so determined and excited to plan one for me. Ayaw ko siyang biguin. Sigurado akong magugustuhan ko ang pinaplano niya.
"You can have yours, but I won't have one," Xaiver stayed adamant to his decision. "And why is Joseph invited to your party? Does that mean I can come too?"
"No!" Hariette butted in. "Hindi ka puwede doon, Kuya! Just go to your bachelor party and don't mess with ours."
Napabuntonghininga na lang ako, lalo na nang sumali na ulit si Knoa sa usapan. Hindi ko na nga lang maiwasan ang mangiti habang pinapanood silang tatlo.
It's gonna be a long night...