AN:
Hello there! Well, congrats to me again. I was able to post 3 chaps together in one day! That's really nice isnt it? Well, sinamantala ko yung holiday vacay ko. Cause when I came back to work, medyo mabagal na ulit ang update. Alam ko naman na naiintindihan nyo ako. Cause you guys are the most understanding folks I know. *wink*
Anyway, i decided na in this story (probably on my other books also), it will be Clarisse's POV all through the end of the story. Well, yeah. I found it cute and easy to write when using only one POV. Siguro 2 chaps before ending ko na lang ilalagay yung kay Ice. Yeah? Alright! So much for this chatting galore! Enjoy reading! Mwah!
CLARISSE
Onions. Check! Garlic. Check! Worcester sauce. Check!
Sumandal ako sa couch ng matapos akong magcheck ng mga pinamili sa palengke. Ang dami nito. At ang OA ng nag-utos. Para naman magagamit nya lahat to sa bahay nya e hindi naman sya nagluluto. And besides, hindi naman ganito kadami ang naubos kong ingredients nung nagluto ako sa bahay nya. Psh.
Pero well, bahala sya. At least hindi naman ako napagod sa pamamalengke. Wais yata to! Sa halip, tinawagan ko ang caretaker namin dito sa bahay at sya ang inutusan kong bumili ng mga nasa listahan. Knowing Ice, hindi ko alam kung kailangan nya ba lahat ang nakasulat dito o nang-aasar lang sya at pinapahirapan ako. Pero seriously, mas mahaba pa yata sa listahan ni Santa ang listahan na ibinigay nya!
Pero kung akala nya matalino na sya sa naisip na idea, bwahahaha! Nagkakamali sya. Mas matalino ako. Well, hindi nya alam na pwede kong iutos sa iba ang pinapagawa nya. Besides, busy din ako no? At wala akong panahon para pumunta sa palengke at sakyan ang trip nya. So lame!
Sadly, hindi na naman natuloy ang usapan namin na lunch ni Jake. Kung kelan naman ako bakante kanina, sya naman ang busy dahil sa business meeting. Oh well, baka nga hindi na matuloy. Kainis!
Isa-isa ko nang ibinalik ang mga pinamili sa eco bag na nasa harapan ko. I am not kidding when I say na limang evo bags lang naman ang total ng lahat ng nasa listahan nya. Imagine? Pagbubuhatin nya ako ng ganun karami. Anong akala nya sakin, si Wonderwoman? Though yeah, mas sexy sya sakin pero mas maganda naman ako sa kanya. Hihihi.
I grabbed the eco bags and went outside the door. Isa-isa kong binalikan ang mga yun sa loob ng bahay para ipasok sa compartment ng kotse ko. Kanina kasi, iniwan ni Icr sakin ang susi ng bahay nya. Ilagay ko na rin daw sa cabinet at fridge nya lahat ng pinamili. Tsk! Feeling nya talaga katulong nya ako. Hanapan ko na lang kaya sya ng katulong para hindi na ako ang uutusan nya.
Limang bahay lang ang pagitan namin sa isat isa. And I cant imagine na magsasayang ako ng gasolina at magdadagdag ng polusyon sa mundo para lang maihatid ang mga ito sa bahay ng kutong lupa na iyon. GRRRRR!!!!
I switched the door open. Saka isa-isa kong ipinasok ang eco bags na nasa kotse ko. I need to get this over with para makauwi na rin ako.
***
I looked at cabinets full of food stocks. Oh well, nice job to me! Natapos ko agad ang pag-aayos ng foods sa fridge at cabinets. Bahala na syang ilipat ang mga ito kung mali ang pinaglagyan ko. Hindi ko na trabaho yun.
Matapos itupi ang eco bags na ginamit ko, lumabas na agad ako sa bahay ni Ice at sumakay sa kotse. I looked at my wrist watch. 3pm. Hmmmn... Tamang tama para sa merienda. I decided to go somewhere out in the village.
***
"Is that all, ma'am?", tumango lang ako sa waiter bilang sagot.
Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko nang makaalis ang waiter. Hmmmn.. I got two messages from Tanya. Asking me to come to their place on Saturday. Today is Wednesday so I still got two days before that.
I was busy typing my response to Tanya when someone stood in front of me. Dahil akala ko yung waiter lang yun, hindi ako nag-angat ng tingin. Pero ilang minuto na wala pa rin syang inilalagay sa mesa at nakatayo lang sa harapan ko. So then, I decided to look up.
To say that I was shocked is an understatement. Surprised is the right word.
"Jake!" I exclaimed.
"Hello to you too." His sexy-friendly smile playing on his lips. "May I join you?"
"Of course! Have a seat." Na-excite talaga ako ng bongga.
"How have you been? It's been days since we saw each other." Nasa labi nya pa rin ang smile na iyon.
"I'm....good." Good nga ba? Kahit ako hindi ko masabi kung maayos nga ba ang mga nakaraang araw ko. "Well, anyways.. Ikaw? Kumusta ka na? Akala ko ba may business meeting ka?" Yun ang sabi nya kaninang umaga nung tumawag sya sakin.
"Well, yeah. Kanina meron. I just got off from there. Medyo matagal yung naging discussion. I decided to stop by here dahil ginutom ako." He said chuckling.
"Of all places, dito pa? Dont tell me favorite mo rin kainan ang Banapple?" Isang hilera ang kainan dito sa plaza and I cant deny na masasarap din ang foods. But of all places, Banapple talaga ang mas gusto kong kainan.
"Yeah. You can say that." He said with a wink.
OMG! This is the 5th stuff na compatible kami. First, pareho kaming mahilig magdoodle. Second, he loves horror movies just like I do. Third, he's sooo into singing. Yeah right, we can be a better duo! Fourth, he's a fan of Jesse Mcartney. And fifth, Banapple. He loves Banapple! OMG!
Hindi katulad ni Ice. We dont have anything in common. As in wala! Lahat yata ng alam kong gusto nya, yun naman ang ayoko. Like duh? Paano ko naman makakasundo ang taong kabaliktaran lahat ng gusto ko. Pero well, I still got a crush on him. Kahit na kasing lamig pa sya ng yelo.
"Hey, you okay?" Jake snapped. Para namang bigla akong bumalik sa kasalukuyan.
"You were saying?" Naku, nakakahiya! Masyado naman akong nalunod sa pag-iisip!
Jake chuckled.
"Nothing. You're more beautiful when confused." I just glared at him. Alam kong hindi yun ang sinasabi nya kanina.
Maya-maya ay dumating na ang waiter dala ang order ko. Saka naman umorder ng food si Jake.
We talked a lot. Yes, a lot. Ewan ko ba. Pero naging at ease na ako sa pakikipag-usap kay Jake. I feel like I've known him for a long time. Like a brother. Or a best friend. Nagtatawanan kami sa mga corny jokes namin sa isat isa. And honestly, I really had a good time.
Hindi nagtagal, naisip namin na umalis na sa resto na yun. Alam ko rin kasi na pagod na rin si Jake and he needs to rest.
We were walking out the restaurant when I saw Ice walking across me. Papasok sila at kami naman palabas. He's with God-knows-who. Basta maganda sya. Bigla, parang nag-init ang ulo ko. Or nainis? I dont know.
Nakita nya rin ako. At he was eyeing me as if I did a crime. Bakit ganun sya makatingin? Para syang... galit? I decided not to greet or approach him. Bakit pa? Wala namang dahilan para kausapin sya.
Pero nagkamali ako dahil nang makalapit sila samin, tumigil sya. Wearing a smirk on his lips.
"Reese, I didnt know you're here." I almost rolled my eyes. Ano naman ang pakialam nya kung nandito ako?
"Hi, Ice." I said casually.
Oh please! Wag mo nang pahabain ang usapan, Ice. I wanna get out of here and fast.
"Who is she, hon?" Malanding sabi ng babaeng kasama nya.
Hon? How lame! Corny!
"Oh she's a friend... By the way, Clarisse, this is Mae. And Mae, this is Clarisse. A friend of mine." Gusto kong mapataas ng kilay sa sinabi nyang "friend of mine".
Mae stared at me from head to toe silently. Yung tipong para akong karne na tinda sa palengke. Then her eye brow raised gently. Maldita! E ano kung naka-jeans and simple shirt lang ako with flat shoes. E ano rin kung naka-mini dress sya with stilettos? Matangkad pa rin naman ako kahit wala ang takong. Hmp! The world is full of insecurities!
"Hi, Mae. It's nice to meet you." Ako na ang nag-abot ng kamay ko. Mukhang hindi rin naman sya ang mag-aaproach.
"Hi." Simpleng sagot nya at nakipagkamay sakin. Halatang fake! Hmp!
"And yeah... This is Engr. Jake Alegre. Jake this is Ice Montemayor." agad naman na nagkamay ang dalawa. Err.. I dont like the environment, really. Parang unti unting sumisikip.
"Sorru, guys. But we have to go. Anyway, Ice..." I said fishing something inside my bag. Nang makuha ko iyon ay agad na iniabot ko sa kanya. "Here's your key..."
Tiningnan nya ang inabot ko sa kanya saka tumingin ulit sakin.
"I can pick it up to you later." He said grinning.
"Para hindi ka na pumunta sa bahay. Have a good day. Bye, Mae." Sabi ko pero masamang tingin lang ang isinukli sakin ng babae.
Serves you right, girl. Yun naman talaga ang purpose ko. Ang inisin sya. I dont understand myself either. Basta lang gusto ko mainis sya. And it seems I succeeded.
"Let's go..." I said turning to Jake as we headed out the restaurant.
Nasa parking lot na kami ng mapansin ko ang klase ng tingin sakin ni Jake. I stopped beside my car and faced him.
"What now, Jake?" Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako sa hitsura nya.
"Dont tell me... you were... sleeping with Ice?" He said stuttering. Nanlaki ang mata ko.
"What? Hell no!" I swear, minsan lang ako magmura. And what he just said made me cuss.
"Sorry... I never meant to judge you. Pero...about the key... Why do you have his house key?" He asked confused.
I sighed.
"Long story, Jake. But it's not what you think." I said.
"You can tell me." I looked at him. Mukhang handa nga syang makinig. Pero hindi ako handang magkwento sa kanya. What would I tell him? 'Hey, Jake. Guess what? I just had a deal with Ice Montemayor. He'll continue being our Project Sponsor while I'll be his all-around girl. Just like a maid. Isnt it great?'. Lame! With a capital T. Lihim akong napailing sa naisip ko.
Then suddenly, Jake snapped at me again.
"Earth to Clarisse! Hey! Are you okay?" I just looked at him. "You know what, it doent really matter if you dont wanna tell me. I understand." He said while giving his reassuring smile. But then again, pwede ko rin naman sabihin sa kanya. Besides, kasama ko rin naman sya sa project. And I can trust him.
"Just promise you're not gonna laugh at me." Baka kasi pagtawanan nya lang ako sa naisip kong idea at mawala ang tiwala nya sakin. Like I cant blame him if that happens. I, being the president of the company, gagawa ng ganun? Just so shame!
"Try me..." His sexy smile again formed in his lips.
I sighed.
"Let's go somewhere else."
I led the way to the park not far from the plaza. Medyo maraming tao ang nasa park. Hapon na rin kasi at masarap tumambay dito dahil mahangin. We chose to sit under the mango tree.
"So what now?" Sabi ni Jake. Ilang minuto na kaming nakaupo pero hindi pa rin ako nagsasalita.
"Eto na nga. Just thinking of how to start it.." I took a deep breath. "Here it goes..." Then i started telling him the story. From the biggest to smallest details.
Sinabi ko rin sa kanya na kilala ko na talaga si Ice noon pa. We were silent for a minute.
"You should've told me. Para hindi ka na napasok sa option na ibinigay nya." Napatingin ako kay Jake. There's worry in his eyes. "Natulungan sana kitang maghanap ng sponsor na papalit sa kanya."
"Hindi naman yata pwede yun. I am the president of RCF. Meaning, problema ko to at hindi ko dapat iasa sayo o kung kanino man. Besides, kaya ko naman lusutan ang kondisyon nya. Dont worry about me." I gave him a reasurring smile.
"I doubt, Clarisse. You are not entitled to be a maid. You're a princess for goodness sake!" he shook his head in disbelief.
"Wag ka nang OA... Kaya ko to. Saka hindi rin magtatagal to. Trust me."
I have to convince him more. And after a few arguments, sa wakas nakumbinsi ko rin sya.
We decided to go back to the parking lot para makauwi na rin. Pero bago ako makasakay sa kotse, may sinabi si Jake na nagpatigil sakin.
"What... What did you say?" Parang bigla akong nabingi sa sinabi nya. He just chuckled.
"See? So totoo nga. Gusto mo pang ulitin ko." He teased.
"Ha? E hindi ko naman talaga narinig e," totoo naman. Hindi ko naman kasi narinig talaga. Napatawa ulit si Jake.
"Sabi ko, maybe you like him..."
"Hell no! Of course not..."
"This is the second time you cuss in just a day." He said chuckling. "You may keep telling that to yourself. Anyway, i have to go. Keep safe, Clarisse."
I just gave him a faint smile as I watch him walked to his car. Then I decided to slipped in my car as well.
Grrrr!!! Ganun ba ako ka-obvious? Pero hindi ko naman gusto talaga si Ice. Ok, I admit. Super crush ko sya dati. Noong matino pa sya. Pero napalitan na ng inis ngayon ang feelings ko sa kanya. Dahil sobrang nakakainis sya! Maybe Jake was just teasing me.