Samantha
"Sam, lapitan mo dali. Sabihin mo ikaw si Van."
Bago pa ako makapiyok ay naitulak na ako agad palabas ng pinto ng sasakyan nila Van at Railey.
"What the fuck, guys?!"
Hindi ko talaga napagilan ang mapamura habang nakatayo ako sa mismong harapan ng babaeng nangloko kay Van. Jusko! Anong gagawin ko dito?
The girl is quite simple and pretty. Branded naman yung damit. Probably came from a middle-class family. But heck? Why am I fronting for Vanilla?
Walang nagawang nilapitan ko na lang yung babaeng panay ang lingon. Malamang hinahanap na nito si Van.
"Uhm.. Hi." Tila nahihiyang sabi nung babae sa akin.
Napabuntong hininga naman ako. Van is really stupid. Who would meet a girl sa labas ng coffee shop at sa mismong kalsada? Only Van could think of it.
"Hey, nice meeting you." Ngumiti ako ng tipid.
Inilahad nung babae yung kamay nito kaya walang choice na kinuha ko din yung kamay nito for a handshake. That lasted only three seconds. Just enough for courtesy.
Sanay na akong madaming natutulala pag nakatingin sa akin. But this girl is just smiling at me. Walang admiration. But I can tell that she finds me appealing.
"Do you want to have coffee?" Again, out of courtesy, ay tanong ko dito. I don't even know why Van is doing this to me. Sya dapat yung nakikipag usap at hindi ako.
"Sure." Sagot agad nung babae bago nakangiting itinuro yung loob ng coffee shop.
Pinili namin yung table na medyo hindi tanaw sa kalsada. Just my evil thought para itorture si Van. It's her idea. Bahala sya mamatay ngayon sa curiosity kung anong pinag uusapan namin nitong poser nya.
"Is she mad at me?"
Tila naman natauhan ako sa itinanong nito. She's smiling pero halatang malungkot.
"I'm Carmilla, by the way." Pakilala nito. "Galit ba sya sa akin kaya ayaw nya ko makita?"
Natawa naman ako. A genuine one. This girl knows her thing. So she knows that I'm not Van? Then, nice. I won't have to play a role in place of Van. I really hate it anyways.
"She's mad at you." I confirmed.
Itinaas ko yung kamay ko para maka order kami ng coffee. I really want one.
"I'll have cappucino, Carmi. Ikaw?" I asked her. Nakatungo kasi ito at nilalaro yung daliri nito. Is she crying?
Sinabihan ko na lang yung waiter na gawin na lang dalawa yung cup ng cappucino and two orders of french toast.
"Do you know, Vanilla?" Itinukod ko yung elbow ko sa mesa habang tinititigan sya. She's really good looking.
Yung itsura nito is above average. She had a fair complexion skin at halos nasa 5'5 din ang height. Not the skinny type pero she's slim.
Tumango ito. There's a sad smile pasted on her lips. I know that kind of smile. That's the smile that Grant is giving me whenever no one is looking. Lalo na kapag tungkol sa Mommy nito. The woman who've given her life just to save our lives.
"Too bad, I'm not her." Sabi ko na lang. In my mind, I'm cursing Van for putting me here. Ang awkward sobra.
Mabilis naman itong umiling. "No. I mean, thank you for showing up. Atleast medyo gumaan ang loob ko. When she told me that she already knows my identity, that scared me. But I'm still glad that she wants to meet me."
"But you're meeting me instead."
"But it's still nice that I wasn't stood up on my first date, right?"
Napangiti ako. Okay, she's witty too. Something that might blend with Van's bad temper.
"I'm Samantha, by the way."
Tumango ito. "Nice meeting you, Sam. Are you her friend?"
"Beast friend." I replied, "I mean best friend." pahabol ko bago kumindat dito.
That makes the girl laughed.
On my peripheral vision, I could already see Van and Rail's silhouettes.
Got yah, Van. I know you can't take the torture of waiting by just sitting inside that damn car.
"Hey, do me a favor." Lumapit ako kay Carmi nang sobrang lapit. Muntik na itong umatras but I winked at her.
"What favor?"
"They're still looking at us, you know? And my pride is still hurt that they pushed me out of the car. So, why don't you help me get back at them for that?"
"In what way?"
"Stay put ka lang. Should we both count from one to ten as we drew the distance closer? If Van won't showed up, you can have a kiss from me. If Van would interfere, you'll got her to talk to you. Either way, you'll not lose. But I really hope she stops us. My girlfriend is just working in this building too."
Natawa ito bago sunod sunod na tumango.
"I really hope she interferes. Not that I don't want to kiss you, Sam. But I don't think it's nice given that I'm fatally attracted to your best friend."
"Not bad." I agreed. But I'm really sure Van would stop us. Van is not the type who will just sit in the corner and will shut up. Lalo na if it's concerning her.
One..
Two..
Three..
Four..
On my peripheral vision, nakita ko na ang pagtayo ni Van.
Five..
Six..
Van is already walking her way papunta sa amin.
Seven..
Eight..
Fudge, Van. Make it fast! Isang pulgada na lang kasi yung layo namin ni Carmilla sa isa't isa. Halos nagtatama na yung ilong naming dalawa. Pag bahagya kong inadjust yung mukha ko ay sigurong maglalapat na yung labi namin.
Nine..
"Stop it, Sam. What the hell are you doing?!"
Got yah!
Napangiti naman ako sa isip ko. While Carmi's eyes are twinkling while looking at Van. Damn! She looks like a lovesick puppy.
"I thought you want me to pretend I'm you?" painosenteng tanong ko dito.
"Does it include kissing?"
Tumango naman ako bago itinuro si Carmi.
"She said sorry. And she asked me if we can start over and settle things with a kiss. So I told her, okay."
Gusto kong matawa nang makita ko yung pamimilog ng mata ni Van.
"You did what?"
"You know me, Van. I'm the type who can easily forgive. So I just said okay. Dapat ba hindi?"
Hindi ito makapaniwala na nagawa ko itong ibenta. Well, not exactly. So if she wants to correct it with this poser girl, she have to do it herself.
Tumayo naman na ako. I think I'm done with this nang magthumbs up sakin si Railey na nasa kabilang table.
"You can have my order, Van. Don't worry, it's your favorite. I'll have my date with Railey instead. We'll just take a cab so be free to go wherever you want to go after your little coffee break."
I kissed Van on the cheek bago nagmamadaling nilapitan si Railey at hinatak palabas.
Bahala sya dyan. She's old enough to do her thing. Alangan namang tulungan ko pa sya makipagligawan di ba? That will be truly awkward, swear.
***
Terry
"Is that Samantha?" mahinang bulong ko sa sarili ko.
Wala sa loob na napahawak ako sa suot kong singsing.
It's really Samantha. What is she doing here?
Pinuntahan nya ba ako? Lalapitan ko na sana sya pero natigilan ako nang may lapitan syang babae.
That woman is the same girl who is working inside. Kasama ito doon sa mga nag assist sakin kanina for my contract signing. She's part of the HR team.
Wala sa loob na sinundan ko sila ng tingin hanggang sa makapasok sila sa loob ng coffee shop.
They're talking and laughing na akala mo matagal nang magkakilala. Mula sa pwesto ko ay kita ko kung paano sila magharutan ng babaeng iyon.
Tsk! Ano nga ulit yung sinasabi ni Leigh? Samantha is asexual? She can't feel desire?
So ano ngayon yung ginagawa ni Sam? Nakikipaglaro doon sa babaeng kasama nya ngayon? Normal din ba sa kanya ang makipaghalikan kung kani-kanino?
Gago ka talaga Sam!
Naguilty pa naman ako sa pagsusungit ko sayo kahapon. Hanggang ngayon naguguilty pa ako dahil ni isang text o tawag mo wala akong sinagot. And here I thought na baka nga nasaktan pa kita. Na baka seryoso ka pala talaga nung sinabi mo sa akin na bakit hindi na lang tayo talaga magpakasal for real.
Tapos here you are, proving me that I'm wrong. That I made the right choice of turning you down because you can't be honest just for once. Akala mo lahat ng bagay nadadaanan lang sa kung paano mo gusto mangyari.
You treat people as if they're just a spawn to entertain you. A perfect collectibles for someone as perfect as you.
"Hala, si Ms. Carmi ba yan?" Tanong sakin ng kasama kong si Clint. Gaya ko ay bagong hire din ito at bukas na din mag. istart ng trabaho. He is also a licensed engineer like me.
"Sinong Ms. Carmi?" Takang tanong ko dahil nakatitig din ito kay Sam at sa babaeng kasama nito.
"Ayun O." Itinuro nito yung babaeng kasama ni Samantha. "Yung head ng HR team na nag assist satin kanina. Balita ko nga anak ng director yan kaya naging Head agad. Ang ganda pala ng girlfriend nyan ni Ms. Carmi. Hanep no? Pag mayaman talaga at maganda, mayaman at maganda din talaga nagiging tadhana." Tumawa pa ito.
Bakit parang tumagos yata sa akin yun? Dahil mahirap ako at hindi kagandahan? So that's what I only deserve too.
"Tara dun tayo sa Pancake house kumain. Libre muna kita. Tutal first job ko 'to. Saka balita ko malakas ka sa anak ng may-ari ng kumpanya. Baka maambunan ako ng koneksyon." Pabirong sabi nito na itinuro yung katabing kainan ng coffee shop.
Walang nagawang sumunod na lang ako dito. Kesa naman mukha akong tanga na nakatunganga lang dito sa kalsada habang nakikipaglandian si Samantha di ba?
Maybe, I'll just settle with just being strangers with her after matapos ang role play namin. Sana makontak nya na yung mga magulang nya at maging maayos yung resulta.
Kawawa naman din sya kung patuloy nyang itatago yung tunay na girlfriend nya dahil lang nakatali sya sakin dahil sa family tradition nila.
"Ilang taon ka na nga, Terry?"
"Twenty-two."
Tumango si Clint at ipinaghila pa ako ng upuan. A typical gentleman. Meron pa palang ganito.
"Bata ka pa pala. Ako kasi twenty-five na. Finally, nakatapos din at nakapasa agad ng board exams. Ang hirap magtrabaho habang nag-aaral no?"
"Yeah. Ako din e. Need ko magpart-time job. Nagwaitress ako at cashier sa coffee shops habang nag-aaral at nag-iipon ng pang review center bago nakapagtake ng board exams."
"Di ba pinsan mo si Ms. Corinne? She's the lead head daw sa Cebu site natin. Buti ka pa. Nasa lahi nyo talaga yung matatalino."
Si Ate Corinne na naman? Lagi na lang ba akong anino ni Ate Corinne? Sa bahay. Kay Samantha. Pati sa trabaho.
Pilit akong ngumiti.
"Oo. We grew up together. Si Ate Corinne kasi samin na talaga tumira after mawala ng parents nya. Kaya siguro nagustuhan ko din magtake ng Engineering. Sabay kasi kami nag-aral. Saka safe na din kasi may kokopyahan ako ng assignment at sagot sa exams."
Tumawa si Clinton saka nag-order ng food naming dalawa.
"Buti ka pa. Samantalang ako kelangan ko talaga kumayod at magsipag. Wala akong aasahan e."
"Mas maganda nga yun di ba?" Hindi ko napigilan sabihin. "Atleast walang pagkukumparahan sayo. Whether mag succeed ka o mag fail, you're still the best you. Ako kasi, I'll be always Ate Corinne's shadow. She's too smart. She even placed eight in the board exams. Samantalang ako halos malaglag pa sa passing grade. Tapos sya pa yung maganda. Sya pa yung mabait at magaling makipag usap sa tao. "
Nagulat naman ako ng hawakan ni Clinton yung kamay ko at bahagyang pinisil.
"It's okay. Atleast whether you fail or not, wala sayo yung spotlight di ba? Kasi di ka masyadong napapansin. Kung magsucceed ka at malampasan mo sya, you'll have your name. Swerte mo na yun. Pero sya, kapag bumagsak sya, she have to start all over again from scratch. Mas mahirap yun kasi mas maraming nakatingala sa kanya. Sayo wala."
That made me smile at him.
For the first time someone saw me as a shadow ready to take over. No one does before. But here in front of me is someone who believes I might be able to shine brighter than the well-admired stars.
I'll be someone worthy too. Worthy enough for others and be the best that they've got.
***