- Kathryn’s POV -
Kumakain na lang ako ng tahimik while everyone was busy chatting. Pano ba naman, hulaan nyo sino katabi ko? Sino pa nga ba eh di the master playboy himself! Ang tunay na BATMAN! BATa pa lang MANyak na! The one and only, Daniel John Ford Padilla. The man I super duper hate!
“Kath, how long will you be staying here?” Tanong sa kin ni Janella.
“3 weeks…4 weeks tops” I answered while taking a bite of the food na niserve sa min.
“That’s great, Bes! Aabot ka pa sa engagement party naming ni Quen!” Masayang announcement ni Julia M.
“Yeah, I do hope so!” I smiled at my bestfriend. Ang saya ko na she finally found her match.
“May family business kayo sa California, right?” Tanong naman ni Jerome.
“Yes, it’s a telecommunications company na nistart ni Dad after we moved there.”
“Pero ikaw na nagmamanage?” Pahabol na tanong ni Julia B.
“Yes, after ko magraduate sa USC , I took up a business degree dahil alam ko naman na kakailanganin ni Dad ng help with that someday.” Simpleng sagot ko habang tinitiktman ang sorbet na kakaserve lang.
“And I heard na lalo pang gumanda ang kita ng company nyo after you took over.” Dagdag pa ni Khalil.
“Thanks”. Sabi ko na lang. Ayoko na pagusapan pa ang achievements ko. Mas marami pa ko nyan kung alam nyo lang and it extends even outside the business world.
“You know, alam ko namang magiging successful ka in whatever profession you choose, Kath. I’m so proud of you!” Aww. Nakakatouch naman tong bestfriend ko.
“By the way, DJ is a major contender sa Businessman of the Year award! This would be your 3rd year in a row, diba bro?” Singit naman ni Quen. Hala sige i-push mo yan!
“Fourth actually. Pero di pa naman sure. Dominic Roque is a big threat. Not that I’m worried.” Kalmadong sagot ni DJ.
Kapal ng mukha. Not that I’m worried ka dyan! Yabang!
“You two are so good in business!” Excited na sabi ni Julia B.
“I’m sure if the two of you work together sobrang successful nun!” All smiles na sabi ni Janella.
Here they go with the “the-two-of-you-are-so-perfect-together” lines. I have expected this. And all I can do is magsmile ganun din si DJ.
“It would be nice na makatrabaho ka some time, Kath.” Sabi ni DJ habang nakatitig sa kin.
WHAT? Ano daw? Kala ko ba sya nagwarning sa kin na mangyayari to at pinlano lahat to ng mga friends naming tapos gumaganyan sya ngayon? Napakalabo talaga kausap nito ni DJ kahit kalian!
At dahil nabusy ako sa kakaisip, ngayon ko lang napansin na nakatitig pala lahat sila sa kin at hinihintay ang sagot ko sa sinabi ni DJ.
Ang totoo kong sagot? WORK WITH YOU? OVER MY DEAD SEXY BODY!
Pero syempre di ko pwedeng sabihin yun so…
“Yeah it would probably be nice.” At nagforce na ko ng smile.
__________
- Daniel’s POV -
Umupo ako sa harapan ni Kath at tinitigan sya. Mukhang naiinip na ito dahil lahat ng mga friends naming nasa dance floor na at iniwan talaga nila kami. Obvious naman na planado ang lahat. So andito kami ngayon ni Kath secretly hoping na mapagod na sila at bumalik na dito sa table.
Mukha na kaming tanga dito di man lang kami naguusap. Bahala nga nga si Batman. Ako na lang magiinitiate ng conversation.
“Pwede ko ba malaman bakit ka bumalik dito sa Pilipinas” Tanong ko sa kanya.
Tiningnan nya lang ako at parang nagulat na nagsalita ako. Mukha din syang uneasy na kinakausap ko sya. I think it’s a good sign. She might not be as “immune” to me gaya ng sabi nya.
“Business” Simpleng sagot ni Kath at uminom ito sa cocktail drink nya.
“What kind of business?” tanong ko ulit. Hello? One worded answer ba naman ibigay sa kin!
“The kind that’s none of your.” Masungit na sagot nya sa kin, not even bothering to look at me.
GRABE! Nakakainis na tong babaeng ito ha! I never had any woman treat me this way. Breathe in, breathe out, kalma lang DJ.
“Nagbago ka na talaga.” Sabi ko.
“At least isa sa atin nagbago na.” Sagot nya habang binaba ang cocktail drink.
“DJ, I’m going to be frank with you. Hindi tayo friends at the moment, there’s no sense of camaraderie between the two of us or whatsoever. So wag mong pilitin ang wala naman.” Sabi nya sa kin.
Nagulat ako dun ha. Nagbago na talaga sya. Ibang iba sa Kathryn na nakilala ko. I have underestimated her. She’s no longer the friendly and happy go lucky Kath. Sobrang serious na and business type. Para na syang ako. Oh no!
Kanina pa naman pinlano ko to try and win her over. Op op! Not to make her mine again pero at least maging okay na uli kami and not to make things more complicated than they already are. I just wanted to try and win our friendship back. Pero looking at how she’s reacting, mukhang mahirap na mangyari yun.
Pero teka, ako ata si Daniel Padilla. At walang mahirap para sa kin. So, tumayo ako at…
“Would you like to dance?”
__________
- Julia M.’s POV –
“Tingnan mo, Babe! Naguusap na sila!” Bulong ko kay Quen habang sumasayaw kami.
“Yeah, nakikita ko yun. Pero bakit parang di naman interested si Kath na makipagusap?” sabi sa kin ni Quen.
“Siguro dahil di naman talaga Lady Magnet si DJ as everyone thought he was” sagot ko sa kanya.
“What? Baliw ka ba? Impossible yun. DJ is a well renowned playboy. Kilala mo si DJ nearly as kung gaano ko sya kakilala.” Quen said while making a face.
“Well, okay maybe not.” Sabi ko na lang. Tama naman si Quen. Hmm..
__________
- Janella’s POV –
“Naguusap na sila. That’s a good start, right?” sabi ko kay Jerome habang nagssway sa music.
“I guess. Kailangang bilisan ni DJ though. He has roughly a month.” Sambit ni Jerome.
“Oh, feeling ko di mo kailangan magworry about that, Hon.” Sabi ko sa kanya while smiling dahil nakita namin si DJ na tumayo at inooffer ang kamay nya kay Kath.
Nagsmile si Jerome.
“I guess, I don’t.”
__________
- Julia B’s POV –
“He’s finally asking her to dance!” Excited kong sabi kay Khal.
Tiningnan nya yung dalawa at nagsmile.
“Feeling mo ba they’ll end up together?” Tanong ko sa kanya.
“I think we have a lot of work to do.” Huh? Labo naman ng sagot nito.
__________
- Daniel’s POV –
Tiningnan na ang kamay ko na nagyayang sumayaw.
“Did you even hear what I said?” Inis na sabi nya at hindi pa rin gumagalaw sa upuan.
Mukhang hindi magpapatalo si Kath at lalong hindi ako magpapatalo, so I took her hand.
“I did, but I just want to dance.” Hinila ko sya papunta sa dance floor.
“But I don’t…” Sasagot pa sana sya.
“Know how to dance?” Pang-aasar ko sa kanya.
“Marunong ako sumayaw. You should know that! We…” Hininto ni Kath ang sinasabi nya when she realized what she just said.
One very special night kasi 6 years ago, pagkatapos ng isang candlelit dinner by the beach ay nagsayaw kami buong gabi while barefooted. We were just enjoying the feel of the sand beneath our feet at ang malamig na simoy ng hangin. It was a magical night. I guess Kath don’t want to bring that up. At ayoko na ring pagusapan pa.
Nakita ko sa mga mata nya na naaalala pa nya ang gabing yun. Pero pareho naming ayaw ng balikan pa. So I decided to act nonchalant about it.
“Right. Alam ko nga. Pero siguro time na to prove it to me again?” I dared her.
“Wala kong kailangang patunayan sayo” She coldly told me.
“Sorry Kath, but I’m not taking no for an answer.” Sabi ko at hinila na sya papunta sa dance floor. Ayoko na ng away pa.
__________
- Kathryn’s POV –
So here we are standing face to face, my hand in his. I stepped backward para magkaroon ng space. Oops. Nasobrahan ata sa space. Kasya pa isang tao between us. Pero napansin ni DJ yun so he stepped forward to close the gap.
Halatang nagpipigil ng inis sa kin si DJ. I’m being stubborn. Nagulat na lang ako when he wrapped his arm around my waist. Nagtry ako magstruggle at kumawala, pero wala na kong magawa. Masyadng malakas si DJ para makaalis pa ko.
Mali to! Mali talaga to! Sabi ko sa sarili ko ng paulit ulit. I need to getaway from him! FAST!
“DJ…”
“Pwede bang wag muna tayo magusap ngayon?” Putol nya sa sasabihin ko.
“Sumayaw na lang tayo.” Sabi nya pa uli sabay hila sa kin papalapit lalo sa kanya.
I didn’t bother resisting. Halata naman na wala syang balak na pakawalan ako. Ayoko sumayaw kasama sya pero mukha naman akong tanga na nakatayo lang dito sa dancefloor so wala na kong nagawa kundi ilagay ang kamay ko sa likod nya at nagsimulang magsway sa music.
I found myself enjoying his scent of mixed fabric conditioner and vanilla. Hindi kasi talaga mahilig sa pabango si DJ. Sadyang mabango lang sya.
Tiningnan ko sya at mukhang yun din ang iniisip nya. He looked hypnotized.
At biglang nagkatitigan kami sa realization na yun at natigilan.
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Hi! I'm back with some updates. I hope you guys like it. Comments please? :)