Kabanata 16
Macy
"What is happening here?" Mayor Silas unbelievably looked at us as he pointed at the truck with his tarpaulin.
I bit my lower lip to stop myself from laughing but I couldn't so I turned my back on him. Nakita ko rin si Uno na nagpipigil ng tawa habang nakayuko.
Siniko ako ni Archie. "Mayor Silas is looking at you. Masama na ang tingin. Hala ka. Huwag kang tatawa."
"Ignore me. I am trying not to laugh. It looks like a real century tuna advertisement plus look at his fake muscles while—" I coughed.
Honestly, I didn't know why I was laughing. Sobrang babaw na yata ng kaligayahan ko simula nang makilala ko si Mayor Silas. But I find it funny. May emosyon pa rin naman ako kahit na gusto ko na siyang sakalin.
"Who edited the tarpaulin?" I heard Mayor Silas.
I composed myself and faced him again. Kausap niya ang EA at ilang staff. I watched him. He wasn't mad and he wasn't happy, either. Hindi ko sigurado dahil wala naman siyang ibang emosyon maliban sa nakakunot ang noo niya.
"Mayor, si Ma'am Naia po," sagot ng EA na nagpipigil din ng tawa.
Hindi ko alam kung anong naisip ni Ma'am Naia pero kumuha siya ng katawan ng isang tao na may six pack abs, iyong parang bodybuilder, tapos nilagay niya ang ulo ni Mayor Silas doon na kunwari ay model siya ng century tuna tapos ang background ay mga food packs na ibibigay namin sa nasalanta.
"Seriously?" Mayor Silas sighed. "Who approved that? Hindi ko 'yan nakita." Nakapamewang na siya habang iniisa-isa ang truck na lahat ay may ganoong tarpaulin.
Until our eyes met. I widened my smile and he raised his brow as if he was asking me, what?
I just shrugged and turned the other way. Hindi naman siya galit at ramdam ko na hindi siya magagalit kasi chill lang ang buong staff niya.
"Mayor, natatawa ako. Gago." Hindi na napigilan ni Uno. "Meron din palang sticker."
"Okay lang 'yan, Mayor. For sure ay matatawa rin ang mga makakakuha ng ayuda," si Archie.
"They're right, Mayor. Saka ang gwapo n'yo kaya dyan. Look at the muscle," asar ko.
"Fine. Pagtawanan niyo na dahil ipapatanggal ko rin yan. Also, can you call Naia? Nasaan na ba ang pinsan ko—"
"I heard my name. Hi, guys. Hi, Philippines! I'm back. Kuya Silas, nakita mo ba ang katas ng paghihirap ko?" Proud na sabi niya habang naglalakad palapit kay Mayor Silas.
"Naia, pinagtitripan mo na naman ako." Kinurot niya ang magkabilang pisngi ng pinsan niya bago ito bigyan ng yakap. "It's good to see you, though. Where's your brother? Did you even tell Nic about this tarpaulin?"
"Of course not. Si Kuya Prix ang nag-approve." Humagikgik siya. "Ayos ba?"
"Tsk. Ikaw talaga. Thank you for the effort but I will have it remove. You know how I do not like putting my face in this city and in anything that we're gonna give the citizens." Nag-senyas siya na tanggalin na ang mga tarpaulin para makaalis na ang truck papunta sa mga barangay.
Halos isang linggo na walang tigil ang ulan. Isang linggo na rin siyang walang tulog at pahinga dahil nga sa pag-aalala sa mga mamamayan ng siyudad namin.
Humupa na ang ulan ngayon pero narinig ko na maraming nasirang kabahayan tapos may mga lubog na barangay kaya magi-ikot ulit siya mamaya para na rin tingnan ang evacuation center.
"What? No." Naia pouted. "Come on. Sayang ang effort ko."
Uno and the rest of the bodyguards followed Mayor Silas and Ma'am Naia. Nagbibigay ng order si Mayor Silas tapos si Naia ay namimilit na huwag tanggalin ang poster. Dumating din ang ibang pinsan ni Mayor Silas. Hindi siya nakaligtas sa pang-aasar nila. Although, he was cool about it. Binatukan lang niya si Sir Yulo dahil sa sobrang ingay.
"Ma'am, can I have one tarpaulin?" Bulong ko sa EA. "Save one for me."
"Sure, Ma'am Macy." Ngumiti siya sa akin. "Hindi rin naman namin itatapon 'to. Ilalagay namin sa bahay." She laughed.
May nakita akong stickers doon sa may table kaya dumampot na muna ako bago sumunod sa kanila. They're already in the veranda of the mansion.
Isa-isa na rin na umalis ang trucks para maghatid ng ayuda sa bawat barangay.
I might be assuming but it felt like Mayor Silas was looking for me before I arrived. Masyado naman itong clingy porket hinalikan ko siya. Wala pa namang kami. Well, we never talked about it because he was so busy. We didn't even have midnight snack for a week because we were packing goods.
"What?" I mouthed when our gaze met. Tinago ko iyong stickers sa bulsa ko dahil baka biglang bawiin niya. Ipapakulam ko pa naman siya.
Umiling lang siya saka ngumiti bago kausapin ulit ang mga pinsan niya. They were all here except for Sir Nic who's still recovering from the accident.
"Ang KJ talaga nito. Ang ganda kaya. For sure, talong-talo natin ang naglalakihang tarpaulin ni Governor Simson dyan sa tarpaulin na ginawa ko." Ma'am Naia was still complaining although no one is listening to her. Kausap niya ang EA ni Mayor.
We were just waiting for his order. Kausap niya rin kasi sa telepono ang ilan sa head ng mga department pagkatapos ay nag-usap na ulit silang magpipinsan.
I pretended I wasn't paying attention by talking to Uno. Gusto ko pa nga sanang lumapit dahil hindi ko sila maintindihan pero mahahalata na ako.
"By the way, Macy, wala kang boyfriend, right?" Sumingit si Archie sa usapan. "Tama ba ako?"
"Yes, why? May irereto ka ba?" Nilakasan ko ng kaunti ang boses ko baka sakaling marinig ni Mayor Silas. For sure not as he was busy talking to them.
"Sure ka dyan? Bigay ko ba number mo kay Councilor Jude?" ani nito. "Hinihingi niya number mo. Type ka raw."
"Sino 'yon?" I acted as if I was interested.
"Iyong nakipag-kamay sa'yo three days ago. Naalala mo ba?" tanong ni Archie.
"Hmm. The one with the dimple? The cute one?" I raised my brow and pretended that I did not know who he was talking about.
"Oo. Nakuha mo. Bigay ko ba number mo?" Archie looked at me. I wasn't sure why he was suddenly telling me that.
There were still moments that they would tease me with Mayor Silas but I guess they thought it was just a joke. Mas maigi na rin na ganun ang isipin nila dahil hindi rin naman kami hanggang huli. We're going to be enemies soon.
"Maybe? Okay naman ba—"
"Miss Decano," Mayor Silas called me.
Sabay kaming napatingin ni Archie sa kanya. He has his plain look. Did I catch his attention? Lihim ako na napangiti.
"Yes, Mayor?" Lumapit ako sa kanya.
"I forgot my personal phone in my office. Can you get it for me?" utos niya bago tumingin kay Archie. "Pakihanda na rin ang sasakyan dahil aalis na tayo."
"Sure, Mayor."
Mabilis na pumasok ako sa loob ng mansyon at umakyat sa opisina niya para kunin ang cellphone. It wasn't there. I checked the drawer and the shelves but it was not there. Maybe he misplaced it.
Since we already exchanged personal numbers, I decided to call his number. It was ringing but I couldn't hear it from the inside. Lalabas na sana ako para sabihin sa kanya nang biglang may pumasok.
"Mayor?" I raised my brow. "I cannot find your—"
He pulled the phone from his pocket and shrugged. "Sorry, I lied. It's actually here in my pocket."
I laughed upon realizing what he just did. "Okay, what's going on?"
"Okay," he mimicked my voice. "Why are you giving your personal number to Councilor Jude."
"You heard that?" I bit my lower lip.
Mayor Silas leaned on the door as he crossed his arms, intently looking at me.
"You made me. Ang ingay niyo kaya. And you know that I always pay attention to you."
"Well, I did not give it yet. I was just thinking—"
"You are thinking of giving your personal number to someone else after you kissed me? After we kissed? Oh, by the way, you have to thank me because I have control of the CCTV or else Tiel would have seen it and he would have probably told everyone in my family."
I blushed. Ramdam ko ang pag-iinit ng pisngi ko.
"Damn it. I am sorry, Mayor. I hadn't realized that. It was the spur of the moment." I defended myself. "I am really sorry and I will not do it again."
"Yeah, you won't because I will be the one to do it from now on." He crossed the distance between us and cupped my face.
I blinked for a second until my eyes automatically closed when he kissed me. It was just a second. Damn it. Why am I expecting more?
"If you are gonna kiss me, you should kiss me for like five minutes and not just a smack." I flirted, flipping my hair on the back so he could see my neck.
"I want to but we have to clarify this thing between us because I am furious when I heard you are still giving your number to someone else when you already kissed me. Are you a playgirl?" Naningkit ang kilay niya. He tucked my hair behind my ear.
"I am just making you jealous, love." I winked. "I guess it worked."
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, it is working, Miss Decano. Or should I call you my lady now?"