At the entrance, I saw my Mom's family interacting with every guest that was coming in. A sudden uneasiness erupted when our eyes met. Hindi ko mapigilan na kabahan.
I looked in front but my eyes went wide when Sir Pierre was nowhere to be found, naalerto ako at napatingin sa paligid. What the hell? Nasa harapan ko lang dapat siya! Lumiko ba siya at may ibang pinuntahan na hindi ko mana lang namamalayan?
I looked at my side and then turned around and almost dropped my heart when I saw him behind me instead.
"Sir!" I asked confused but he remained looking at me.
Agaran akong lumapit habang hawak ang bandang dibdib ko sa lakas ng kabog nito. I will be really doomed if something bad happens to him. I'll be fired for sure!
"Akala ko po nawala ko na kayo." The relief that I was feeling was beyond.
Huminga ako ng malalim at tumingala sa kanya. Nanatili ang blangko niyang tingin sa akin pero pinagsawalang bahala ko na lang iyon.
"Mauna po kayo at sa likod lang po ako." I instructed him clearly.
Ganon naman ang posisyon namin kanina pero hindi ko namalayan na nauuna na pala akong maglakad kaysa sa kanya.
"Don't take your eyes off on him, Liberty." Sir Ejay instructed me through my ear piece.
Hinintay ko siyang maglakad pero nanatili siya sa kinatatayuan niya, while still looking at me blankly. I looked at him with brows furrowed. May problema ba? Maya-maya pa ay nagtagis muli ang kanyang panga at tumalim ang tingin niya sa mga ibang guest na ramdam kong nakatingin sa amin.
He is a celebrity and he is very popular so…natural na na maraming nakatingin sa amin.
"Sir?" I asked again, quite confused at his actions.
"Ayoko." Sir Pierce answered instead.
I licked my lips and looked at my surroundings. Iwas na ang tingin ng mga tao sa amin lalo na ang mga lalake.
Huminga ako ng malalim. I need more patience in handling him.
"Ano pong ayaw niyo na?" I need to clarify things.
Umiwas siya ng tingin sa akin pero agaran rin itong bumalik, galit pa rin ang kanyang mga tingin.
"I wanna go back to my unit. Ayaw ko na dito." He said with determination which made me more confused.
Gusto kong kamutin ang ulo ko sa sagot niya pero pinigil ko ang sarili.
"Ngayon na po?" I can't understand him at all.
"Yes, ngayon na." Mas matigas nitong sagot ngayon.
Napatingin ako sa harapan at ngayon ay pareho ng nakatingin sa akin si Mama at si Andra, nag aabang na sa paglapit namin. We can’t go home yet…and just like what my Mom said, Andra wanted some time with Pierce for this event.
But I can’t just dictate to him that we should stay here, he is my boss.
Huminga ako ng malalim at muling tumingin sa kanya.
“S-sige po—-”
“Do you wanna attend the event?” He suddenly asked instead.
I licked my lips again. Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin sa totoo lang. On a personal level, yes, because it is my Mom's birthday. Kahit na hanggang tingin lang naman ako ay okay lang sa akin. Pero siya ang masusunod at hindi naman ang kagustuhan ko.
“Let’s go.” Kaya naman nagulat na lang ako ng hawakan niya ang kamay ko at sinukbit sa braso niya mismo.
My insides panicked a little bit as I eyed my hand on his arm.
“You are my security but you are here in disguise, as my partner. Kaya dapat dito ka lang sa tabi ko. We should stay like this and not talk to other guests, especially men.”
I wanna react so badly but he has a point. Hindi naman pwedeng nasa likod na lang ako at mag aabang. Hindi naman namin sikreto na may security siyang kasama pero mas makakabuti na kong ganito ang sitwasyon namin.
He started walking and I didn't have a choice but to walk beside him. I feel confused and shy for some reason pero dahil na siguro iyon sa sanay akong naglalakad sa likod ng kliyente ko.
Napatingin ako sa harapan at mas lalong lumawak ang pagkakangiti ni Mama at ni Andra. But as we reached them, Andra's expression shifted as she eyed our linked arms. The urge inside me to pull away from his hold is at the edge but I felt him securing it more.
Hanggang sa nakarating na kami sa may harapan nila. I simply removed my ear piece and put it on my palms, ayokong marinig nila ang pag uusapan namin at hindi rin naman kami maririnig pwera na lang kung may sigawan sa harap ko mismo.
"Oh, Iho! I am glad you are here." Mom kissed his cheeks at nang mapunta ang tingin niya sa akin ay nagulat ako ng bigla niya ring pagdikitin ang pisngi namin.
"Please buy some time for your sister." She murmured which dropped the excitement that I was feeling in an instant.
Humiwalay siya sa akin at muling binalik ang tingin kay Sir Pierce, napababa naman ako ng tingin. I suddenly felt so wrong about this and I just wanna go home. Muli akong napaangat ng tingin.
"Happy birthday, Ma'am." Pierce greeted her with a slight smile on his face.
"I'm glad you came, Iho. Andra was so down nang wala ka pa, mabuti na lang at nandito ka na. Maybe you could stay beside her all throughout the party?" She happily suggested.
I bit my lips. I wanna celebrate my Mom's birthday too, to be with her even though I am from afar, but hearing those words and her remarks made me very uncomfortable. Huminga ako ng malalim. I am here as a security and nothing more, I have a job to do and I should just focus on it, no personal issue involved.
"I am really sorry for that Ma'am. I already have my security with me, at bawal po akong magtagal."
Umangat ang tingin ko kay Pierce pero muli rin itong bumalik sa harapan ko ng maramdaman ko ang mga mata ni Mama sa akin. She looked at me pleadingly pero umiwas na ako ng tingin, she knew that I would give in. But now, hindi pwede dahil trabaho ko ang nakasalalay rito.
"Ohh...that's very unfortunate…" Mom lamented then looked at me again with her pleading eyes, waiting for me to speak up.
Huminga ako ng malalim, at hinanap ang natitirang lakas ng loob ko para kontrahin ang gusto niya. Sir Pierce wanted to even leave the party from the very start, sapat na nakombinsi ko siyang ituloy ang pag attend ng event. Beyond that is no longer my problem to solve and control.
"We are still under tight security Ma'am...please do understand that we are making things as normal as possible."
I wanna clap my hands for myself after I utter those words. But still, just like what I had expected, their expression immediately changes.
Andra looked at me piercingly while Mom's vibrant energy died down in an instant.
"Again, I'm sorry, Ma'am. I don't want my security to be in trouble." Sir Pierce concluded.
Mom and Aandra smiled forcefully at him and Sir Pierce pulled me as we started walking away from them. I let him lead me as my mind was occupied with just what happened.
I shook my head. I need to be alert. My work is at stake here.
Tumingin ako sa paligid at katulad sa harapan kanina ay maraming nakatingin sa amin. The guestlist are already popular in their own field but I think being a celebrity coming from an influential family just like Sir Pierce is just another level.
People looked at him not just as an artist but the family that he'd come from too.
"Oh...you brought her here?"
Sir Pierce stopped when we saw Sir Grayson, almost near us with his dark red suit na agaw pansin rin. May mga kausap siyang lalake pero humiwalay pagkatapos niya kaming makita.
"Hi there, your security is really gorgeous." Sir Grayson stated as if I am not in front of him.
He has this evil and teasing smile on his face as he looks at Pierce. Halos magkasing tangkad lang sila at halos magkapareho rin ang bulto ng katawan nila. And they really look like cousins, kahit hindi naman.
"Yes, she is so shut the fuck up." He aggressively answered back.
Mas lalong ngumisi ng nakakaloko si Sir Grayson. "But you brought her here though, maraming titingin sa kanya…" Then he looked at our surroundings then back to him. "Marami na ngang nakatingin." He chuckled to himself.
Kumunot ang noo ko at tumingin rin sa paligid. Marami ngang nakatingin pero dahil iyon sa kasama ko ang dalawang maimpluwensyang tao. And I am damn sure that people are waiting for them to have a talk with them.
"Do you think I do not want to get her out of here? Fucker!" He hissed under his breath which made me more confused.
"Sir?" Naguguluhan kong agaw sa atensyon niya. "Gusto niyo na pong umuwi ulit?" Hindi ko na mapigilan na magtanong ulit.
He looked at me irritably then looked at his surroundings too. Then I heard him cursing again.
"Fuckers…" He softly cursed to himself.
I heard Sir Grayson laugh with his remarks.
"We will leave here in an hour, Liberty." He strictly commanded me.
I was still confused but I still nodded my head. Kanina ayaw niya, tapos gusto niya ulit, ngayon naman ayaw na niya ulit, at gusto ng umalis pagkatapos ng isang oras. It is for my benefit but just like what I have said, if he doesn't want to be here anymore then we'll leave. Hindi naman ako pwedeng mamamilit.
We sat at an exclusive table only for us at kami lang dalawa ang nakaupo pa. Afterwhich, the program started, starting with the introduction of the birthday celebrant.
I was happy seeing her in front looking so happy with her family. Hindi ko naman maitanggi na kasiyahan niya pa rin ang nangunguna para sa akin...if she is happy of what she have now then I do not have the right or take away that happiness from her. Masaya ako dahil masaya siya.
I continued monitoring the surroundings but everything looked normal. Panay rin ang dating ng mga updates sa ear pierce ko at wala namang problema.
"I need to go to the comfort room." Sir Pierce blurted out in the middle of the program.
Tumayo ako kaya hindi na rin ako nagdalawang isip na tumayo. He walked first at sa likod lamang ako. We exited the long lines of tables hanggang sa makita ko ang sineage ng comfort room ng panlalake.
I looked at it at wala namang pila o kung ano pa man. Inunahan ko siya sa paglalakad at binuksan ko ang pintuan para sa kanya pero nagulat ako ng puro mura ang narinig ko sa likod.
Napatingin ako sa kanya habang hawak pa rin ang pintuan ng comfort room.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He asked, angry and confused.
Napakurap kurap ako ng ilang saglit bago siya sagutin. And why is he even asking that question?
"Security niyo po ako kaya natural po na nandito ako ngayon."
He let out more curses as he stepped towards me and grabbed both of my arms. Nanlaki ang mata ko sa ginawa niya.
"You should have stayed there, makikita ka ng mga---"
He stopped when suddenly a group of three men exited the comfort room kaya napagilid rin ako. Napatingin sila sa aming pareho pero nagtagal ang tingin ng karamihan sa akin, lalo na ng hagudin nila ako ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa.
Nanlamig ako sa paraan ng tingin nila at kaagad na naglakad papunta sa likod ni Sir Pierce. I am not really anxious with just anything pero ibang usapan na kapag may pagnanasa akong nakikita sa mga mata ng mga nakakasalamuha ko. I am pro at reading eyes because it's just the nature of my work.
I hate the looks that they are giving kaya minsan ay mas gusto ko na lang rin talaga kapag nakasuot ako ng uniporme namin.
"What are you fucking looking at?" Sir Pierce harshly opened up.
My dress must be short kaya binaba ko ito kahit na wala ng ibababa. I looked in front again and saw the three men already entering the venue again. Napahinga ako ng malalim ng maramdaman ko ang pagharap ni Sir sa akin.
His eyes pierced, then he removed his coat and put it on my shoulder, almost reaching my knees.
Napatulala ako sa ginawa niya.
"We should get out of here too, ayoko ng matagal dito. We'll have dinner outside." Galit nitong saad.
He held my hand, felt him intertwined it and the next thing that I knew, he walked towards the exit na walang gaanong bisita at nasa parking na kami at pasakay na ng sasakyan. My mind was airy and I felt like I'm floating in the air as the picture of our intertwined fingers stayed on my mind.
He made me sit in the backseat while Sir Ejay was in the driver's seat. He looked at me through the mirror quite confused as to why we were out so early at doon na tuluyan na nagising ang diwa ko.
Tumikhim ako at umayos ng pagkakaupo habang binubuksan naman ni Sir Pierce ang kabilang pintuan ng sasakyan.
“Gusto na niyang umuwi.” I simply informed Sir Ejay.
Sir Pierce sat beside me and started fixing his coat on mine to cover my exposed thigh which shocked me again.
“Your dress is too short, I should have checked it myself first.” May halong inis sa boses nito.
Muli akong napatulala sa kanya habang inaayos niya ito ng mabuti, his brows were furrowed ad his lips were on a thin line, tila nagpipigil lang ng inis.
“We’ll have dinner outside…” He started instructing Sir Ejay at tuluyan na kaming umalis roon.
He remained beside me, just putting a small distance between us and remained looking the same hanggang sa makarating na kami sa isang eksklusibong restaurant.
I looked in front and we are in front of a hotel actually, sa baba nito ay kitang-kita ko ang mga taong kumakain pa ng dinner.
Binuksan ko ang pintuan at bumaba na ng tuluyan at hindi ko muling mapigilan na magulat ng maramdaman ko ang paghila niya muli sa kamay ko at ang pag ukupado ng bawat daliri niya sa akin.