(Reminder: Unedited, Raw Version)
Chapter 10 || Get To Know
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AFTER what happened, Don Martin insisted na hindi na sila umuwi. Georgina was too upset after hearing that. It means makukulong siya sa lugar na iyon kung saan naroon ang mga taong kinaiinisan niya. Kapag minamalas nga naman.
"Kanina ka pa diyan tulala, Kim." ani ng isang tinig. Si Reichen iyon, he has two cups of brewed coffee in his hands. Inabot nito ang isa sa kaniya. Tumambay muna kasi siya sa teresa na nakita niyang walang tao.
Tiningnan lang naman niya ang inaabot ni Reichen. She heard him chuckle.
"Hey, walang nakahalong kung ano diyan. Base sa mga tingin mo, parang wala kang tiwala sa ibinibigay ko sa'yo. I'm not that kind of person."
She gave him a blank stare. "Just give it to her," sambit niya. Ibinaling ang tingin sa isang direction. Napatingin din si Reichen sa tiningnan niya.
It's Savannah. She's leaning against the wall habang nakamasid sa kanilang dalawa. Ngumisi ito sa kanila bago umalis sa pagkakasandal at lumapit din sa kanila. Nakiupo sa silyang bakante roon at inagaw ang kapeng dapat ay para sa kaniya.
She took a sip. "Hmm. Your coffee is good," she complimented and took another sip again.
Reichen smiled at her. "Thank you. Buti ka pa, iyong iba kasi diyan akala mo naman lalasunin."
Savannah put down her coffee and laughed. "Hey! We couldn't blame her. We all came from a well-known clan, so it's possible that we sometimes encounter people who want us to die. Truthfully, I was hospitalized recently for taking in something with poison."
Reichen gaped at her. "Seriously? That's terrible. How are you now? Maybe that's why I noticed you're kind of pale."
"I was asleep for two weeks. My blood pressure dropped down. If you just saw me back there- everyone is telling me I definitely look good as dead! Thankfully, our family has an antidote to cure me, though it took a long time for me to recover from that." naiiling na sambit ni Savannah. "But you know what, how I wished I just died that time after knowing who's behind that incident." napatingin ito sa kaniya. Her green eyes express something like sadness and betrayal..
"Sino daw? Nahuli niyo ba? Nasaan na?" Tanong ni Reichen dito.
"It was your father," sambit ni Georgina. Napaang sa kaniya si Reichen dahil sa sinabi. "Am I right?" dugtong pa niya. Nakatingin ng deretso kay Savannah.
Savanna let out another laugh- a bitter one.
"Yeah. I wasn't surprised after he told me that. Actually, only the two of us know that fact aside from his right-hand man." isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan nito. "I- I am really not surprised, but you know, I was really hurt knowing that he really can kill me like I was nothing to him."
There's a moment of silence after that.
Georgina felt sympathy for her. Their life is almost the same. A father who only sees them as a weapon or thing thay they can easily leave behind when it's not useful at all.
Si Reichen ang unang bumasag ng katahimikan. He cleared his throat. "Dapat pala beer ang dinala ko hindi kape. Wait, I'll go check if may stocks pa si uncle Martin." tumayo ito at iniwanan silang dalawa.
Savannah turned to her with a grin on her face. Napalitan na ang malungkot na ekspresyon nito kanina.
"So... you and Green, huh?" panunukso nito.
Here she goes again. Napahilot siya ng sentido. "Stop playing cupid, Lazovsky. Wala akong type kahit kanino sa kanila. Tigilan mo ako."
"Girl! Why not! All of them are hotties! I want to take home any of them kaso baka hindi pa nakakababa ng sasakyan ay ratratin na ng bala ng tauhan ng tatay ko ang boylet ko. My gosh! I dated this one guy before, after a day hindi na nagpakita iyon pala tinakot na ng tatay ko! He killed one of his dogs as a warning. I really felt bad for the dog, I hope he's running free somewhere. After that hindi na ako nakipag date pa kahit kanino. Though I do flings, those guys na pinapakilala ng tatay ko. They're all good looking naman so hinarot ko nalang din ng konti pero iniwanan ko lang din." mahabang kwento nito.
This is the first time Georgina has heard her talk in another language, and she sounds so good in that.
"I don't do dates unless it's for business." maikling sagot niya lang dito. She opened her pouch and took out her cigarettes, and she lit up one. "Want some?"
Hindi na siya nagdalawang beses mag alok. Kumuha rin ito ng isa at nagsindi. She even looks so excited. They both puff it out in the air.
Ganoon sila naabutan ni Reichen pagbalik nito.
"Hoy! Hoy! Ano yan? Bawal yan! Masama yan!" paninita nito. Ibinaba nito ang hawak na isang bucket ng beer sa table nila. Kinuha nito ang mga yosi at inapak apakan nito iyon sa sahig para mamatay.
"And liquors are not?" nakahalukipkip na tanong ni Savannah.
"Mas malala ang tama sa baga, mas toxic yon! Itong alak hindi masama kung hindi mo gagawing tubig. Saka alam niyo ba iyong second and third hand smoke? Mas malala makatama iyon! Kaya umayos kayo!" tumataas din ang boses nito.
"Calm down gramps. Hindi na nga." Savannah shook her head.
Umingos lang si Reichen. Ibinulsa na rin nito ang lagayan ng yosi niya. Naupo ito sa silya at binigyam sila ng tig isang light beer. "Kayo na ang magbukas, kaya niyo na mga sarili niyo."
Kinuha ni Georgina ang can opener at binuksan ang beer niya. Binuksan na rin niya ang kay Savannah.
"You speak Filipino pala Savannah. Who taught you?" Reichen asked.
Lumagok muna si Savannah sa beer bago sumagot, "My yaya before. She's pinay and worked for me until I reached highschool, sadly she got sick kaya pinauwi ko na sa family niya for her to rest. She's old na rin kasi." she explained. "By the way, ayos lang bang uminom tayo rito after what happened? We look so chill right now to be honest."
"Oo, ayos lang yan. Parang hindi ka anak ng Mafia Boss din eh. This is our daily life, the usual." Reichen turn to her, "Ikaw Kim? Ayos ka lang? I mean after everything that happened tonight, baka mas lumayo ka sa amin."
Confused, Georgina turned to him.
"Are we even really that close for me para lumayo?" pambabara niya dito. Savannah chuckled. "My father has a lot of death threats too like every single day. Just like politics, business is dirty too so I am not shocked by something like this. I guess nothing surprises me anymore." she shrugged.
"How's the noisy girl by the way?" Savannah asked, pertaining to Yvonne.
"Kinausap ko na kanina, mukhang kumalma naman na. I told her ako nalang maghahatid sa kaniya after this for her safety. Ayaw ni Gio eh, naiirita." sagot ni Reichen.
"of course, who wouldn't get irritated by her? Which family does she come from?"
"I'm quite not sure, pero I heard their clan is also one of the wealthiest family in Japan."
"Oh, a Japanese spitz." Savannah commented.
Napailing si Georgina sa huling sinabi ni Savannah. Ginawang aso naman nito ang babae.
Patuloy na nag usap ang dalawa sa kung ano ano, nakikinig lang naman si Georgina at paminsan ay nakikisali na rin kapag kinakausap siya ng mga ito.
"Ay wow! Nagsosolo mag-jamming yung tatlo! Hindi man lang nakaalala na nandito rin kami. One call away lang oh! Grabe Reichen, isa isang babae lang."
It's Magnus. Siyempre kasama din nito si Leandro, Odin at Giovanni. Giovanni's eyes is already fixed on her. Kinikilabutan na naalibadbaran siya sa mga tingin nito. It's weird but he's making her uncomfortable.
The boys joined them. Nagpakuha ang mga ito ng extra chairs at nagpadala na rin ng beers at pagkain. Ang kinaiinis pa niya ay tumabi sa kaniya mismo si Giovanni.
"So, anong pinag uusapan niyo?" Leandro ask. Palipat lipat ang tingin nito sa kanilang tatlo.
"Nothing much. You came last so you're not kasama na sa usapan." Savannah answered him.
"Ayos ka din no.. hindi naman kami boto sa'yo para maging asawa ni Giovanni e."
"As if naman mamatay ako kapag hindi ko siya naging asawa ko- Oops! I'll probably be a dead meat nga pala sa father ko. But anyway, I don't plan on marrying him. He has other type kase eh..." she laughed and gave her a look. Nagtaas baba pa ang mga kilay nito at ingunguso pa ang katabi niya.
Pinanlakihan niya ito ng mata para magtigil pero hindi naman ito natinag. Gaga talaga.
"Oh! Mukhang kilala ko kung sino 'yan!" dagdag pa ni Reichen. Nilalantakan nito rin ang isang plastic bag ng popcorn. Ngising ngisi ito habang ngumunguya. Naglalaro din ang tingin nito sa kanilang dalawa ni Giovanni.
Goergina felt really uncomfortable, gustong gusto na niyang bigwasan ang dalawa at pag untugin ang mga ito pero pinipigilan niya lang ang sarili. Wala siya sa lugar niya, kalma muna siya. Instead, she gave them a middle finger.
Wala namang nakakatawa pero humagalpak ang dalawa sa ginawa niya. The others ay hindi naman nakakasabay sa trip ng mga ito.
The hour passed by, patuloy ang kwentuhan ng mga ito sa iba't ibang topic. Family, work and anything else. Halos dalawang case ng beer na rin ang nauubos.
"Georgina, nagka boyfriend ka na ba?" Reichen asked her out of the blue. Mukhang iba na naman ang topic ng mga ito.
"I'll answer you!" Savannah intervene, "Single yan si Kim."
"Talaga? Ayos yan, single din yung kaibigan namin. Baka matipuhan mo, Kim? Pero kung may bf ka naman, hindi ko ipipilit. Masama 'yon, makasakit ng damdamin ng iba."
"Ang bait! Parang hindi babaero! Dude, kilala na namin. Matinik ka sa chicks!" si Magnus.
"I date a lot of girls pero hindi ko naman sila pinagsasabay. You see, my father is the notorious one for being a playboy. Kahit kasal na sila ng nanay ko ginagawa niya pa rin. My mother might be strong in front but I saw her breakdown, like most of the time after finding out father cheated. I don't want to be like him. Kung mahal mo, bakit mo sinasaktan? Aware or not, nasa edad ka na. You know what is right and wrong." mahabang sambit nito sabay lagok ng alak. Bigla ring naiba ang aura nito.
"Oh my. Ikaw nalang kaya pakasalan ko, Green? I like broadminded men like you." ani ni Savannah. "I had enough of men around me na halos akala mo ay mawawalan ng babae sa mundo. Magtitino na lang siguro if they get sick or something. Damn them all, that's why hindi sila agad sumasaya. Kinakarma muna."
Sabay sabay na napaubo si Magnus, Leandro at Odin. Savannah glared at them.
"Miss Lazovsky, we're human too. We're weak to temptations lalo na kung abot kamay mo lang-"
"And will that serve as a valid reason to ignore your partner's feelings and look for someone else who's much more approachable and near?" Savannah cut Leandro's sentence, "That's too shallow. Your mind is too shallow. Get lost."
"Uy, what if pala hindi ko na mahal talaga yung partner ko ngayon? Syempre I'll resort to find anyone-"
"That's the point. Don't get into a relationship if you're unsure of your own feelings. Bakit mo ba minahal? Find the reason if you feel like your feelings is wavering, don't resort na makipag usap sa iba kung hindi kana sigurado sa nararamdaman mo. Mas confusion lang ang mararamdaman mo kaysa malaman yung totoong nararamdaman mo. Analized both of your situations, yung side niya at side mo. We, girls are confused of mixed signals. If you love me, why do I need to feel like I am not belong to your circle? That if I don't ask, you will not say a thing? Be straight to your motive. Stop sending mixed signals, be serious."
Biglang pumintig ang sentido ni Georgina, hindi niya alam kung sa tama na ng alak or sa mahabang litanya ni Savannah. Hindi niya magets ang mga pinagsasabi ng mga ito.
"Ang haba naman ng sinabi mo, Miss Lazovsky. Why, have you fallen in love?" Magnus asked. Nakapangalumbaba ito sa mesa at nakatitig kay Savannah.
She nodded, "Yeah. Twice. The first one was shot dead by my father in front of my face." she stopped and drink her beer. "The second one, he made me so special that I thought he's also the one I'll marry. Then the bastard left me for another woman he met from his work. What a dumbass. But seriously, I am also a flawed human, I made mistakes too. I made the wrong decisions but I made up for it, I even lowered my pride but he still left me because he's not in love with me anymore."
"Gago, paano may ibang babae na yata kasing natitipuhan. Hindi naman nawawala basta ang love if in the first place nothing is making him question his love for you. Mahal mo naman diba? Baka may ibang rason na nga." wika ni Reichen. "Oh, inom." inabutan nito ng bagong beer si Savannah.
Tinapik ni Odin ang balikat ni Reichen saka umakbay dito. "Rei, hindi naman kasi porke nagmamahalan kayo, kayo na talaga. If someone falls out of love, maybe it means his love for you is not that deep too. Don't judge me, I know malandi ako pero that doesn't mean I don't know how to love. We are all human, napapagod naman tayo sa lahat ng bagay. Kapag napagod ang puso, rest. After that, then talk. Your differences, what you both want ba talaga? If you always have different opinion of things at hindi talaga magkasundo then both of you must let go... Mahirap lalo na kung parehas niyo naman mahal yung isa't isa pero hindi talaga kayo magkasundo... Kung maayos niyo naman eh di goods! Maikli lang yung buhay natin dito sa mundo, change the bad habits, change those things that makes you miscommunicate. Sayang yung time kasi bukas hindi natin alam yung pwedeng mangyari. But don't rush, take things slow for the both of you to really get to know each other. Not all the time talaga magkakasundo kayo, it's just a matter of understanding and proper communication."
Everyone was silent after Odin's speech. Even his friends was looking at him in awe and surprised.
Binatukan ito ni Magnus bigla, "Tanginang words of wisdom yan! Ikaw ba talaga yan Odin?! Muntik na kitang hindi nakilala! Akala ko din masusuka na ako sa pinagsasabi mo! Tangina! Mas babaero ka sa atin eh!"
"Gago!" sikmat ni Odin at binatukan din ang huli.
"Yie! Na in-love na kasi yan si Odin before, I know the girl pero kayo ay hindi niyo na yata siya nakilala pa. I'm not surprised hearing him that. He also cried to me that night when the girl left. Diba Odin? Ang gago mo kasi talaga, mahal mo pero palagi mong ipinaparamdam na pwede mo siyang palitan. Ayun, hindi kana talaga binalikan. Tsk tsk tsk."
Dahil sa sinabi ni Reichen ay napatulala na naman ang lahat kay Odin.
"Tangina!? Kaya pala ang lalim ng hugot eh!" Leandro added. Ginulo gulo pa nito ang buhok ng lalaki.
"Secret kasi yun! Tangina ka naman, Reichen! Sabi mo hindi mo ipagsasabi!"
"What? Don't be ashamed of your kagaguhan my friend. Man up! Now mas alam mo na kung paano ihandle yung relationship mo, kasi naranasan mo na eh. True love exists, but not all people can take responsibility for it and handle it well enough not to be shaken by any destruction or temptations."
Georgina is only watching them laugh and be silly at each other. They look normal people. Getting hurt and feel things like love. It felt good getting to know them little by little, although her wall is always guarded.
Her heart aches. When was the last time she felt so happy without any worry or even being loved? Hindi niya matandaan, mukhang hindi pa nga niya nararamdaman. She knows too well that her father is not capable of loving anyone but himself. A self centered person who only wants to be powerful among his peers. What happened today just proved that she and her siblings are only a weapon to him that he can dispose of anytime.
Savannah suddenly stood up and went to Odin, "You're cute pala, Odin. Pa hug nga!" she hugged her from his back, at kahit na magpupumiglas si Odin ay hindi ito makawala dito. "Don't move, idiot! I'm getting dizzy and- bleugh!"
Biglang sumuka si Savannah sa likuran ni Odin. Natigilan ang lahat doon and watched how Odin's face turn to grimaced.
"Tangina! Kadiri!" ang boses nito ay umalingaw ngaw buong Villa sa kalaliman nang gabi.
Hindi napigilan ni Georgina ang matawa sa hitsura ni Odin. Well, he kind of hates this guy so seeing him full of vomit makes him look funny.
Natigil lang siyang tumawa ng makita na nakatitig pala sa kaniya si Giovanni sa tabi.
Ang mga titig nito ay nanunuot yata sa kaluluwa niya.
"You look lively and lovely when you laugh, Kim. Bagay sa'yo. Pero mukhang mas bagay din tayo."
"What the heck is that cheesy punch line, Estrada?! Damnit! Ang corny mo pero ayieee! GG couple is sailing!" si Savannah iyon na kahit puno ng suka ang bibig pa ay nagawa paring manukso.
"You look unclassy righ now, Lazovsky. Shut up!" Sambit ni Georgina dito and walk out. Savannah's laugher echoed.
She felt her cheeks burning pero baka sa epekto lang iyon ng alak.
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:)
Sept 4, 2023