"Have we met before?" Hindi napigilan ni Nikki na maitanong.
Tumaas ang kilay ng lalaki. Then he snorted.
"If you wanted to ask my name, you could have picked a better line," anito sa malalim na boses. His lips twisted mockingly, na nagpasinghap kay Nikki. Ang kapal! Ngunit bago pa siya nakapagreact ay nagsalita ulit ito. "And you're 5 minutes late, Miss Martinez. Don't keep everyone waiting," anito bago tuluyang tumalikod.
Naiwang nanggagalaiti si Nikki. Bakit ba naman kasi siya natulala dahil lang gwapo ito? At wala man lang siyang nasabi sa pang-i-insulto nito gayong hindi naman sila magkakilala!
Pagkaisip doon ay bigla siyang natigilan. Tinawag lang siya nito sa pangalan! He obviously knew her. Pero ni hindi niya alam kung saang lupalop nanggaling ang lalaki.
Napilitan si Nikki na sundan ang binata nang mapansin niya na sa board room ito dumiretso. Dahan-dahan siyang pumaso. Saktong may nagsasalita na sa harap. Nakita niya si Miss Veron na nakaupo sa may dulong lamesa. Dumiretso siya doon at tinabihan ang editor.
"Dominique! Bakit ang tagal mo?" pasinghal nito. "Nasaan na ang manuscript?"
Inabot niya dito ang flash drive niya.
"Ano 'to?" Masungit na tanong ng editor nya. Mukhang PMS pa ata.
"Eh, Miss, wala na akong hard copy ng manuscript. Sabi mo sa'kin, basura 'yon kaya itinapon ko na. Anyway, what's this all about? Bakit may biglaang meeting?"
Pasimple niyang iniikot ang mata sa mga tao sa loob ng board room. Nakita niya ang masungit na lalaki na nakaupo sa may unahan.
"And who is that guy?" Naiinis niyang sabi, sabay nguso sa binata na ang atensyon ay naka-focus sa nagsasalita sa unahan.
Sinundan ng editor ng tingin ang inginuso niya, sabay ngisi. Basta gwapo, nabubuo na ang araw nito.
"Have you met him yet? That's Mr. Francisco."
Sukat sa sinabi nito ay napalakas ang boses ni Nikki nang magsalita, "The Jared Francisco?"
Sa lakas ng boses niya ay biglang tumahimik sa loob ng board room at lahat ay napatingin kay Nikki. Kahit ang editor nya ay itinikom na lang ang bibig. Habang si Nikki naman ay hindi malaman kung saan ibabaling ang atensyon. Awkward silence filled the air when a cold, masculine voice broke that silence.
"Are you talking about me?"
Napatingin si Nikki sa pinanggalingan ng tinig. She was shocked to find a handsome guy beaming in front of her.
Sino na naman 'to?
"I don't believe we've met yet, Miss Martinez," the guy said good-naturedly. Then added, "I'm Jared Alexis Francisco. The Jared Francisco. But you can call me Lex," sukat sa sinabi nito ay mahinang tumawa ang mga tao sa board room.
Naguluhan si Nikki. So, this one isn't Matt. Kunsabagay, ni sa hinagip ay hindi niya maisip na magiging ganito kagandang lalaki si Matt. Oh, Matt was not ugly. It was just that this guy in front of her was way too good-looking to be the same guy.
This one was very handsome, alright. Mas gwapo pa ngang 'di hamak dun sa binatang nakita niya sa may elevator. This man was fairer but of the same height. Magaganda ang mga mata na may mahahabang pilikmata. Hell, he could pass for a girl at walang magdududa. Matangos ang ilong at may killer smile. May maliliit na dimples sa magkabilang pisngi.
Why, if this really was Jared the phantom, then he looked as beautiful as the songs he composed.
Magsasalita sana si Nikki nang maunahan siya ng headwriter nila.
"Everyone, this lady here is Miss Dominique Martinez. Shes the person behind the script. Miss Martinez, please come up here and give us a brief summary of your story."
Nikki gasped. She's already seen this coming pero hindi pa rin niya maiwasan ang mamangha. Bakit ba ang bilis ng mga pangyayari? One moment, she was busy having coffee. Then this?
Her script would actually be made into a film!
Nikki turned to her editor. Pasimple lang itong sumisipol sa tabi niya.
"I didn't even know anything. What was I supposed to say?" she hissed. Kinakabahan dahil wala talaga siyang alam sa mga nangyayari. Kung meron mang may kasalanan, iyon ay si Miss Veron na hindi man lang siya pinaabisuhan.
"Just tell them something. Anything. Sabihin mo sa kanila yung sinabi mo sa akin two weeks ago."
"But Miss, you already rejected the story, remember? Paano kung 'di nila magustuhan?" tuloy pa rin siya sa pagpalatak kahit na nakatingin na lahat sa kanila at na-ku-curious marahil kung ano ang pinagtatalunan nila ng editor niya.
"You're right. It was already rejected once so another rejection won't hurt, right?" Bilib din si Nikki sa pag-i-isip ng editor niya. "Don't worry. It was already approved by his manager kaya just do your thing."
Gusto sanang pandilatan ni Nikki ang editor niya pero sinikap nalang niyang ikalma ang sarili. Tahimik siyang naglakad papunta sa unahan. She was aware that everyone was staring at her.
What the heck! Bahala na.
In concise yet coherent pitch, ipinaliwanag ni Nikki kung ano ang gusto niyang mangyari tungkol sa pelikula. She emphasized that it was conceived for pure enjoyment. At hindi nila inaasahan ang mataas na rating since it was a simple love story.
The people in the room all nodded their approval. May mga nag-comment na since Jared was an amateur, the movie would be favorable dahil everyone could relate to a story about love at hindi mahihirapan si Jared i-act out ito. The president of the company also said that the movie was perfect since they were approaching late October, and the pre- and post-production plus the shooting schedules would probably end by late January. So pwedeng gawing post-Valentine movie ang gagawing pelikula.
Habang ang mga tao sa loob ng board room ay dini-discuss ang production process, bumalik si Nikki sa upuan. Nanghihinayang man siya na hindi ito si Matt ay okay lang sa kanya. Anyway, hindi na rin naman niya inaasahan na magkikita pa sila ulit nito. When Matt left seven years ago, there was no assurance that he would be back.
Paglingon ni Nikki sa kabilang side ng kwarto ay nakita niya ang lalakeng nakasalubong niya sa may elevator na nakatingin sa kanya. He really looked very familiar. Hindi niya lang talaga malaman kung saan nakita ito.
Maya-maya pa ay tumayo ito at lumapit sa pwesto niya. And in that same baritone voice, he spoke to her directly.
"So, I guess we'd be working with each other from now on."
Kumunot ang noo ni Nikki, pagkatapos ay tumingin sa tabi niya. Wala namang ibang tao maliban sa kanya, so malamang siya nga ang kinakausap nito. Eh, pero sino ba 'to?
"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't know you," she tried to smile apologetically.
She saw something akin to pain crossed his eyes and vanished instantly, though that cannot be possible. Gumagana na naman ang imagination mo, Nikki, saway niya sa sarili.
May ilang sandali lang ito'ng nakatingin sa kanya. Then his mouth twisted into what could only be called a semblance of a smile. That was when it suddenly hit her.
That smile! She could never mistake it for anyone else's!
Bago pa siya nakapagsalita ay naunahan na siya nito. Sa nagyeyelong tinig ay, "Have you already forgotten me that easily, Miss Martinez? You're really living up to my expectations."
Kumurap-kurap si Nikki.
"M-matt?"
"Well, at least you still know my name. I didn't quite expect it after what you did to me." He was saying it ever so casually, pero hindi nakaligtas kay Nikki ang animosity sa tinig nito.
Ito na ba si Matt? Oh...
Pinilit ni Nikki na pasiglahin ang tinig kahit na gusto na niyang mahimatay sa lakas ng pagrigodon ng puso niya. "It's because you look so different, Matt. Hindi kita nakilala kaagad."
Tumaas ang kilay nito. "Why? Still expecting to find me in the same pathetic state?" Nagulat si Nikki sa harshness na nasa tinig nito.
Who was this guy in front of her? He said that he was Matt, pero parang hindi gustong maniwala ni Nikki. Matt wouldn't talk to her this way. Everyone would, but not Matt.
Tamang-tama naman na lumapit si Miss Veron.
"Oh, hell, Mr. Francisco." Nakakunot ang noong pinaglipat-lipat nito ang tingin sa kanilang dalawa. "Nikki, Matt here is Lex's younger brother and manager. Hindi ko alam na magkakilala pala kayo."
Si Matt ang nagsalita habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa kanya. "Not really. She was just some acquaintance of mine years ago."
Nasaktan si Nikki sa sinabi nito. Just some acquaintance...
So, iyon lang pala ang tingin ni Matt sa pinagsamahan nilang dalawa.
She tried to smile kahit na nanginginig ang tuhod niya sa pinagsamahang pananabik na makita ulit ito at sa sakit dahil sa malamig na pagtrato nito sa kanya.
"He's right. Naging schoolmates kaming dalawa nung high school. Matt is just some acquaintance."
Her editor was obviously delighted. Lumingon ito kay Matt.
"So, you studied here? Paano ka napunta sa US?"
Nagkibit-balikat si Matt. "Frankly, I didn't want to. But unfortunate circumstances have its own way of pushing me into a corner."
May pakiramdam si Nikki na siya ang pinatutungkulan ni Matt sa sinabi nitong iyon. Nang hindi na siya makatiis ay nagpaalam na siya.
"Miss Veron, mauna na ho ako." Napilitan siyang tumingin kay Matt. She tried to act normal. "Nice meeting you again, Matt."
Tumango lang ito, his face unreadable.
Nagmamadali si Nikki na lumabas ng building at naghintay ng taxi. Nang maka-para ay nahahapo siyang sumandal.
Finally, after seven years, she met him again.
Hindi alam ni Nikki kung ano ba ang dapat maramdaman. She wanted to embrace Matt. Siguraduhin na hindi siya nananaginip at ito nga talaga ang nasa harap niya kanina.
God, she had missed him. Ilang taon rin niyang inasam na sana ay magkita ulit sila.
And he had changed so much in the last seven years. Hindi niya nga halos ito nakilala nang una niyang masilayan. Gone was the nerd na lagi na lang nagkukulong sa storage room at tinatawag na 'delinquent' ng mga tao. The nerd was replaced by a guy oozing with masculinity and sex appeal.
Sa isang banda ay gusto ni Nikki na masaktan sa malamig na pagtrato ni Matt sa kanya. She probably deserved it dahil wala pa siguro iyon sa kalingkingan ng sakit na idinulot niya dito. But she was not ready for it. Ni hindi nga siya naabisuhan man lang.
Nang makarating sa apartment ay dumiretso siya sa bedroom. She turned on the television and tuned in to Jared Francisco's live interview.
Mukha ni Lex ang unang bumungad sa kanya na nakaupo sa harap ng mahabang lamesang puti. Imbes na maayos ang presscon ay nagkakagulo ang lahat. Jared Francisco appearing in public literally rocked the entertainment industry. Narinig niyang tumatawa ito sa comment ng isang reporter about him hiding in anonymity gayong pang-artista naman pala ang hitsura nito. He was charming his way sa press people nang walang ka-effort effort.
Sa tabi nito ay si Matt na tahimik na nagmamasid at sumasagot paminsan-minsan sa mga personal na tanong patungkol kay Lex. He was comfortably sitting in front of the cameras at tila hindi ito na-i-ilang sa mga flashes.
He sure had changed a lot. Except for his smile, he didn't look anything like the shy guy who would hide inside the storage room composing songs. Para bang nakalimutan na nito ang pagiging introvert. Kasama kaya siya sa mga kinalimutan nito? She winced at the thought.
Pinatay niya ang TV at nagtitig lang sa kisame. Kapagkuwan ay binuksan ang drawer sa side table at kinuha ang cd player. She put her earphones on and played the only cd that was in it. Sa una ay pag-hum ng kumakanta ang mariring. Followed seconds later by one of the most beautiful voices she has ever heard.
As far as I can see, this is heaven
And speaking just for me, it's ours to share
Perhaps the glow of love will grow
With every passing day
Or we may never meet again
But then...
It's not for me to say