LABINGAPAT
"What?" gulat nitong sabi bago kami pinaghiwalay dalawa. Tinitigan niya ako at nginitian ko siya.
"Anong what?" nangingiti kong tanong.Andrei looked at na para bang gulat na gulat ito.
"You said those three words.." bulong niya pa. Akala ko ba sabi niya kanina pareho kami, pagkatapos ngayong magtataka siya na sinabi ko na mahal ko siya? Baliw talaga.
"Ang alin? I love you?" natutuwa kong sabi kay Andrei. Lalong nanlaki ang mga mata niya at unti unti ng ngumiti.
"Ano? Di ko narinig." My laugh echoed the whole second floor.I stuck my tongue out and his face fell. Hinila ko na siya pababa when he suddenly pulled me at binuhat ako papasok sa kwarto.
"Now, honey, explain this." I pouted noong tinuro niya sa akin ang unan ko at kisame. I buried my face on his chest at hiyang hiya dahil sa ginagawa nito.
"Aanhin mo pa ang unan, nandito na rin naman yung totoo." He teased. Hinampas ko siya at marahan niya akong binaba sa kama at tumabi sa akin. Binato niya ang unan at inapakan ito.
"ANDREI!!" mabilis kong pinulot ang unan. He pouted and sulked on my bed.
"You know,you can't bring that pillow when we are already married." He grumpily said habang masamang masama ang tingin sa unan ko.
"Drei, this is just a pillow." Paalala ko. Andrei tsked pagkatapos ay nagtalukbong na ng kumot. Ano bang problema nito.
"Hey.." yugyog ko sa kanya. He didn't even budge. I sighed bago niyakap ang likuran niya. I felt him stiffened.
"Why are you so mad? Hindi ka ba masaya na mukha mo yung nakalagay sa unan. Atleast it is not another guy. Atleast it is not Adam." I whispered. He breathed sharply and in one swift move, nasa ibabaw ko na siya.
"You don't have to hug and sleep with a goddamn pillow for almost six years habang ako nagiisa sa pad ko." Parang bata nitong sabi. Tumawa na lang ako and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"But I love the pillow Andrei.."
"No. You ought not to fall inlove with any other guy!" he hissed. Tawa naman ako ng tawa. Unan lang gagawin niya pang big deal? Minsan talaga, pagiisip nito parang ewan lang.
"I love you Drei Immatured." I teased him. Tinitigan muna niya ako bago ngumiti at hinalikan ako sa labi.
"Madaya ka." He murmured dreamily. Moment later narinig ko na ang mga hilik niya. I touched his face, ang bilis namang makatulog nito. Inayos ko ang kumot niya at tatabi na sana when his phone rang. Naalimpungatan yata siya at mabilis na kinuha ito at sinagot.
"Hello? Ngayon na? That is not on my sched manager, akala ko ba usapan hanggang Sabado pa ako free? Talagang ngayon na? Fine." He slammed his phone at humiga ulit.
"Sino yun?"
"Si Manager. May shoot daw kami ng commercial ngayon. Tss. Akala ko pa naman break muna ako." He said bago humikab. Naawa naman ako sa kanya. Mukhang wala na talagang pahinga itong isang ito.
"Gusto ko dito lang ako sayo." Sabi niya na para bang isang batang maliit. Yumakap pa siya sa beywang ko.
"Andrei, you have to go. Work yun." I told him. Tumango lang ito bago tumayo na.
"Workaholic." He teased me. Tumango na lang ako at hinila na siya para makalabas na kami sa kwarto. Nasa pintuan na kami nung bigla na lang siyang bumalik at kinuha ang unan ko.
"Andrei! Saan mo siya dadalhin?"
"Isasama ko. Mahirap na baka mangaliwa ka habang wala ako." He said before dragging my poor pillow on the floor.
Bakit ba niya pinagseselosan ang unan ko ha?
______________________________
"Matagal pa ba?" I brushed the excess powder on my face. Though I am thankful with my commercials dahil natuto akong umarte, I hate this one shoot in particular. Masyadong clingy ang actress na si Anne sa akin. Baka makarating pa ito kay Yana, mahirap na.
"Isang scene na lang tapos pack up na." Direk answered me. I nodded at pumunta na sa pwesto ko. The last scene is the kissing scene, kung saan ifaflash sa camera ang mga ngipin naming dalawa ni Anne and then the logo of the toothpaste would show up. Seriously? Do we really have to kiss just to ensure everybody that our breaths are fresh? Damn toothpaste commercials.
"Hey Drei!" Anne smiled sweetly at me. Tumango lang ako. She went to me and wrapped her arms on my shoulders pero hindi ko na pinansin. The crew smiled at us na para bang kinikilig habang ako naman ay hindi magkamayaw sa pagmamadali.
"Okay, places everyone. 5,4,3,2,1 ACTION!!"
I smiled sweetly at Anne and touched her cheeks. Unti unti akong lumapit sa kanya and we both smiled, exposing our teeths.
"CUT!!" Direk said. Mabilis kong tinulak si Anne.
"What? Walang kissing scene?" she said. Natawa na lang ako at naglakad palayo.
"Wait!! Wait!! Andrei!" she shouted habang hirap na hirap sa pagtakbo dahil sa suot na heels. Tumigil naman ako at huminto.
"I will still have my kiss." She said. My brows furrowed.
"What--" and before I could even finish, hinalikan na niya ako. I was too shocked to move pero naitulak ko siya kaagad when I recovered.
"What the hell was that Anne?!" I shouted and brushed my lips clean. Baka mainfect pa si Yana mamaya kapag hinalikan ko siya.
"Nothing. Byeie!" she waved at me bago naglakad palayo. Marco, my drummer, tapped my shoulders.
"Women.." he whispered. Sinapok ko na lang ang kaibigan kong sunod ng sunod sa kambal ni Mikaella. I shook my head and headed for my car. Shuta, namanyak pa ako ni Anne, badtrip.
Pabalik na ako sa apartment ni Yana when my phone rang. I put it on speaker phone and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Montreal." I shifted on my seat when I heard Yana's father on the other line.
"Anong kailangan mo...po?" I said. He laughed before clearing his throat.
"Can we talk?" he asked me, in a friendly voice that freaks me out. Edilberto Sandoval is never friendly.
"We're already talking...po, Sir."
"No. I mean, in person. I am on Crunchy Chicken now. Pwede ba tayong magkita?" he asked me. I agreed at tumuloy na roon. I have to deal with the old man, father-in-law ko siya eh. Just by thinking about it, I can't help but smile. Yana will soon become Mrs. Montreal.
After fifteen munutes of driving, I arrived at the place. Hinanap ko siya and saw him reading a newspaper. Nagsuot ako ng aviators para walang makakilala sa akin bago nakayukong lumapit sa kanya. I discreetly grabbed a seat infront of him and shook his hand. He took it and shook mine too.
"Mag order ka na. My treat." He said. Nabigla naman ako pero pinagbigyan ko na siya. Libre naman eh. Masarap kapag libre hindi ba? Wala ka ng gastos, busog ka pa.
He watched me habang hinihintay ang order. I cleared my throat.
"Anong kailangan mo sa akin, po?" I asked him. He crossed his arms and looked at me.
"Nagkabalikan na pala kayo ng anak ko Andrei?" he said. I stiffened. He smiled that lopsided smile and I trembled. I remember that smile. I kept a straight face para hindi ipahalata ang alaalang dumaan sa akin, when we talked like this, on the streets of California, five years ago.
"I don't think that is an issue Mr. Sandoval. That is never an issue." I said, seryoso ang tono ng boses. May iilang tao ang nagtinginan sa amin so I cleared my throat at yumuko.
"That is not an issue to you maybe. But it is to me." he said at unti unti ng nawala ang mga ngiti niya sa labi.
"Don't you ever do what you did back then Sir. Hindi ko na hahayaang maulit yun." I whispered. He laughed and shook his head.
"You should thank me Andrei. Kung natuloy ang kasal ninyo ni Ericka, hindi niya maaabot ang mga pangarap niya. Both of you would become miserable--"
"Have you seen your daughter now? Sa tingin mo ba masaya siya dahil sa diploma niya sa Harvard? Do you really think, dahil sa tinitingala siya ngayon ng mga businessman, masaya na siya? Is that your idea of happiness Mr. Sandoval?" I shot back. He clenched his jaw bago ako dinuro.
"At sa tingin mo, mapapasaya mo ang anak ko?" he hissed. Tinabig ko ang daliri niya and looked at him. Tinanggal ko na ang salamin ko sa mata.
"Yes." He threw his head back and laughed before shaking his head. Tumayo na ito. Sumunod ako. He fixed his tie and looked at me.
"You are not the man for my daughter Andrei Montreal. Magpapakasal si Ericka sa lalaking ako mismo ang pipili. And you.." he pointed to me. "You are certainly not on my list.." he said before walking away. I clenched my fist at lumabas na rin.
No. I will not lose to Edilberto Sandoval. Not again. The first time na natalo ako, it caused me my happiness and Yana. I will make sure that won't happen again.
*pen<3