Chapter 9 – Someone New?
Rein’s P.O.V.
A month has passed since Daniel and I’s romance ended. He left me and until now, walang kahit anong news from him. Wala man lang text, tawag, message sa FB, email. Siguro may nakita na siyang iba doon.
And as for me, balik nanaman ako sa dati. Office, photoshoot, bahay. Yun lang.
Sa totoo lang since he left, ngayon lang nagsink-in saakin na nung umalis si Daniel, parang naging back to zero nanaman ako tulad nalang nung nawala saakin si Michael.
And what even made it worst is now, I feel like I was left by the two persons who are important to me. Feeling ko they both walked away and left me empty handed and without a warning. Lalong nagdouble yung pain na naramdaman ko.
Daniel was my second and yes, I fell for him easily. I was easily attached to him dahil narin siguro he has some traits the same as Michael. Sometimes, I even see Michael and Daniel as one. Para kasing nabuhay si Michael sa katauhan ni Daniel eh.
“Allyson! Aayusan ka na! Stop day dreaming!” Sabi nung gay na organizer nang photoshoot ni Mama. Kasi naman merong bagong collection si Mama at ayon, ako nanaman ginawang model.
Umupo na ako sa harap nang salamin and the make-up artist started to apply make-up sa face ko. I was just playing with my iPad2 nang kung ano-ano. Nung bigla ko nalang nakita yung Papa ko sa pintuan nung dressing room ko.
“Hi Princess! How are you?” Lumapit siya saakin and kissed my cheek. Hair ko nalang naman inaayos kaya okay lang na maglikot na ako haha.
“Pa!! I thought next week ka pa babalik! I missed you so much, Pa! How’s Paris?”
That’s my biological Dad, si Adrian Lorenzo Villafuerte. I call him Papa. Wala pa siyang family ever since he had me. Parang ayaw niya na nga magkaroon nang ibang family kasi ako na daw ang first priority niya. He always makes sure na everything’s fine pagdating saakin. He was the one who bought me my condo.
“The same as always but this time, it’s much more tiring. Had to do a lot of stuff.” He said while placing my favorite Starbucks drink and a sandwich in the table infront of me. “Have you eaten already? Ayan kain ka. You’re too thin.”
“Pa! Ano ka ba! Sexy lang ako. S-E-X-Y. Sexy!” He laughed with what I said.
Kahit sabihin mong dalwa ang Daddy ko, mas important and mas close parin talaga yung biological Dad ko saakin. Hindi naman sa sinasabi ko na masama si Dad, rather, si Tito Matteo saakin, pero siyempre iba parin yung bond namin ni Papa.
“Anyway, I bought my Princess some things.” Tapos lumabas siya sa door and pagpasok niya ulit, he was bringing paperbags from Louis Vuitton, Christian Loubotins, Gucci, Swatch, Hermes, Swarovski, Fendi, Abercrombie and Fitch, H&M, and Gap.
“Pa naman. Alam mo naman na I don’t ask for too much. Ang dami niyan!” Everytime he comes back from another country, ang dami niyang dala for me. Tapos puro designer brands pa. At alam kong hindi biro yung mga prices noon dahil even 1 bag from LV and Hermes costs about 600,000php and yun na yung may lowest price nila.
“Anything for my princess. Here, give this to Bliss, and this to Seth and Safe.” He told me while handing me three separate paper bags from H&M and Gap.
“Ally! It’s your turn already. Oh! Enzo! Welcome back! Kelan ka pa dumating?” Mom said while papunta saamin ni Papa. Nagbeso sila and Papa gave Mom something. “Pumunta ka na doon Ally. I’ll just talk to your Papa for a while.”
Nauna na ako sa studio. Buti nalang talaga walang partner ‘tong project na ‘to. Nakakailang kasi pag may partner. Well, Michael used to be my partner. -.-
Enzo’s P.O.V. (Rein’s biological father)
“Pumunta ka na muna doon, Ally. I’ll just talk to your Papa for a while.” Erika told my daughter.
Umalis na si Rein.
Just by looking at my daughter, it just shows how perfect my life is. Kahit her mother and I didn’t end up together, she still grew up to be a beautiful, loving, humble, and smart girl.
Erika, her mother found out that she was pregnant after 3 days nung wedding nila ni Matteo. We eventually knew that I was the father. Still, I’m lucky that Matteo accepted my daughter as his own. Sa nakikita ko, mahal na mahal naman din siya ni Matteo and mga half-brothers and sister niya.
“Enzo, I don’t know how to say this, pero Rein has been going back to the way she was when Michael passed away. She’s tiring herself out from work again. Tapos she doesn’t go out of her house unless she really needs to. Don’t you think she’s depressed again?”
“Ano ba nangyari? I thought everything was going well with him and Daniel.”
“Well, si Daniel, umalis na. He went to the States to study. Enzo, natatakot ako. Rein might get major depression and do things again.”
“Hindi yan. Let’s just hope na hindi na ulit pumasok sa isip niya yung ginawa niya before. Or ganito nalang, if you want, I’ll stay with her muna. Maybe until she moves on?”
“Hindi ko alam kung papayag siya. Matteo and I will try to talk to her about this. Gusto na nga namin siya pabalikin sa bahay namin but she just won’t leave her house.”
Erika really is worried.
Lahat kami, we tried to do everything just to make her go back to her senses nung nawala si Michael.
Sana lang hindi na ulit maging katulad nang dati yung mga nangyari.
Rein’s P.O.V.
Hinatid na ako ni Papa pauwi sa bahay ko. He tried to ask me kung pwede siya tumira kasama ko. Alam ko naman na kaya niya tinanong yun eh because Mom talked him into this. Natatakot nanaman sila sa mga pwede kong gawin pag magisa.
Pero I allowed my Papa to stay with me. Tama naman si Daniel. This house is too big for me. Kahit dalawa pa kaming tumira dito, malaki parin. And at least I’ll have someone na magbabantay saakin.
Nothing insteresting happened for the next days except for the one who was always leaving flowers at my door. Consistent siya kung sino man yun kasi before ako umalis nang bahay papunta nang office, I always find a boquet of stargazers. And pagtiningnan ko yung card, it always has the initials J.A.V. Kahit si Papa nacu-curious na.
“Allyson!! WAAAAH! May bagong boyfriend ka na ba?!” Salubong agad nung office mates ko na si Trina and Ysabelle, they’re both my secretaries and my really close friends besides Ella.
“What?! Who told you that?! And will you keep your voices down? Baka marinig kayo ni Papa!”
“Sorry. It’s just that your office is full of your favorite flowers.” Ysabelle said while grinning.
I literally ran papunta sa office ko to see kung totoo nga yung mga sinasabi nila.
And it’s true. This time, not only stargazers but may kasama nang roses and tulips. I immadiately took the card to see what was written in it.
My driver will pick you up later after your work. Hope you liked all the flowers I gave you. See you later. :)
~J.A.V.
Ang kapal naman nito. I don’t even know him then he expects me na sumama sa driver niya and makipagkita sakanya. Baka naman kung saan ako dalhin nun.
“Haba nang hair ‘teh. Now tell us, what the J.A.V. stand for and who is he?” Sabi ni Trina habang tinatap niya yung fingers niya sa table ko. Maaga pa naman kaya okay lang na magkwentuhan, we always go to the office early eh.
“Look. I don’t know who the hell JAV is. Basta hindi ako pupunta.”
“Ano ka ba! Bruha ka! KJ! Pumunta ka na! Malay mo siya na yung prince charming na hinihintay mo!” Sabi ni Ysabelle.
“Good morning girls.” Sir Papa as he flashed his killer smile at us. Nahiya ako kasi ang lakas lakas nang bosses namin and hindi pa nakasara yung door. He might have heard all the things we said. Trina and Ysabelle greeted him back.
“Ally!! Ang gwapo talaga ng Papa mo!! Bakit ba single pa yan hanggang ngayon?! Dapat ako nalang stepmom mo eh!!” Sabi ni Trina while her hands were place on top of her chest.
Eeeewww. Binatukan ko si Trina sa sinabi niya. “I wouldn’t stand you if you’re going to be my stepmom! And isa pa, gagawin pa pang pedo yung Papa ko! EEEEWWWW!!”
Nagtawanan kami and they went back to their desks outside my office. I put the flowers aside so I could work properly.
**
I’ve done all the work that I needed to finish earlier than I expected kaya pumunta ako sa desk nila Ysabelle. They kept blabbering about the invitation I got earlier to meet this guy who has been sending me flowers everyday.
And parang naconvince narin nila ako. Paano nga kung yung guy na yun na yung para saakin? What if siya yung hindi mangiiwan saakin?
I guess this is what I get from believing in fairytales and reading romance books too much. Hai. The only happy ending for me is yung kay Mom and my stepdad. Kahit nga si Papa walang happy ending eh.
Pero tama sila, why don’t I just give it a try.
Buti nalang I wore one of my best dresses in the office today. Nagayos ako but I didn’t put any make-up on. Ayoko magpaganda. Hindi ko naman din kilala kung sino yun eh.
I just stayed in the lobby and waited kung sino man yung susundo saakin. Nagpaalam na din kay Papa. Pero hindi ko sinabi na hindi ko kilala yung kadate ko, hindi ako papayagan nun eh.
My phone rang and it was an unregistered number, naisip ko na baka yun na yung susndo saakin so I answered.
“Hello? Good evening po. Eto po ba si Ma’am Rein?” The guy on the under line asked me.
“Yes. May I know who is this?”
“Ma’am pinapasundo daw po kayo ni Sir saakin. Nandito na po ako sa labas nang opisina niyo.”
“Ah, okay. Labas na ako.”
Pagkalabas ko nang doors nang building, I was stunned with the blue Jaguar XJ Luxury na naghihintay saakin. Is that guy that rich to have a Jaguar? Ako nga hanggang Porsche lang.
The driver greeted me happily and opened the door for me to go inside.
While driving, he told me that I was a very lucky girl kasi minsan lang daw magkagusto yung boss niya. He told me na mabait naman daw yun and gwapo. He stopped driving infront of La Capinnina, an itallian restaurant.
I was surprised to see the restaurant with only one table set-up. It’s really hard to have a reservation from this restaurant yet the guy found a way to rent the whole place. And isa pa, the place was full of candles and rose petals. And the place was filled with insturmental music.
I saw a well-built man standing infront of the window looking at the view of the beach. Sa tingin ko he is around 25 years old.
“So you’re the one who’s been sending me flowers everyday.”
When he turned around, I saw a man with stunning light brown eyes, sharp jaw lines, full lips. His looks will be enough to get every girl she wants. He was beyond handsome.
“Hope you liked them.” He walked towards me and offered me his hand to shake hands with him. “Jeremiah Alex Vergara.”
“Rein Allyson Villafruerte. Nice meeting you Jeremiah.” We shook hands kaya lang after non, he didn’t let go of my hand he kissed it and guided me to the chair where I was supposed to seat. He is a gentleman. Infairnes.
“Drop the formality. Just call me Alex.”
Our dinner went well. I’ve learned different things about him like he’s the youngest and the only boy in their family. He gets everything he wants, or kahit hindi niya hinihingi, binibigay parin sakanya. He studied and finished his college in Ateneo. He was Magna cum laude like Michael and I.
Despite of being spoiled, he maintained being a gentleman.
Alex was the third man who new my personal space. I don’t usually invite people here kasi I want to it stay private as possible.
Dumeretso lang ako pagpasok ko sa bahay without knowing that Papa was still on the couch waiting for me. Tinawag niya lang ako when I was already on the 5th step of the staircase.
“It’s almost 12 young lady. Saan ka galing?”
“Pa, don’t you think I’m too old for curfews? I’m already 21.”
“Answer my question Allyson.” Papa was using his powerful voice, the voice he uses when he commands his personel in his company.
I went to him and hug him. Alam ko naman na nagbibiro lang yan si Papa eh. “Pa, ano ka ba? I just had dinner with the one who sends me flowers everyday. I’ve met him already and he is really nice.”
“Baby, don’t you think it’s too early to fall in love again? Daniel and you just broke up.”
Bigla tuloy bumigat yung feeling ko. Papa hugged me back. “Pa, ikaw talaga. We just had dinner tapos in love na agad? Sobra ka Pa ah.”
“Alam mo Baby, if you’re not ready to be hurt, you shouldn’t fall in love muna. Dapat when you love someone, iexpect mo na masasaktan ka. That’s the way it goes. Laging magkasama ang love and hurt. The only thing na kailangan mo is your strength. Don’t ever be weak okay?”
Naiyak naman ako sa sinabi ni Papa. “Oh, bat ka umiiyak?”
“Pa, bakit ganon? When I love someone, they always leave me. Don’t I have the right to be happy? Am I not beautiful enough? Am I not smart enough? Parang gusto ko nalang tuloy mamatay.” I told him while still hugging him.
He guided me to the sofa and pinaupo niya ako.
“Shhh. Don’t say that. You’re already 21 but you still think like a teenager. Everything will happen at the right time baby. Right now, your Mom, Tito Matt, Safe, Seth, Bliss, and I will always be with you okay? We love you Baby.”
I felt the security with what my Papa said. Iba talaga pag sakanya nanggaling.
Funny how I’m already old enough but I’m still close to my parents. Yung iba kasi, in my age, all they want is a life of their own. Pero saakin, iba. My family is really important for me. Me and my sibling grew up family-centered.
Enzo’s P.O.V.
My daughter just got home from a date without asking my permission. -.-
Well, at least she got home safetly. I hope the man she dated was a gentleman and has the same position in the society as ours. Ayoko naman ng basta nalang pababayaan ang prinsesa ko. I want a guy who would take my daughter whole-heartedly without changing who she is or without changing the way she lived.
Nakatulog nanaman siya kakaiyak.
Maybe she needs to see a physciatrists again. Si Rein kasi yung tipong kahit depressed na, hindi parin siya nagsasabi pero halata mo. She’ll just keep on pretending everything’s all right but at one point, she just can’t help but to break down.