Chapter 22
I really had a rough, bizarre morning when I woke up from a heavy headache. I had to lay down on my bed in the meantime, bahagya pa akong lumingon sa digital clock na nakatayo sa bedside table. It's already past seven. Dapat nag-aayos na ako ngayon para pumasok pero hindi ako makagalaw dahil masakit ang ulo ko. Masakit din ang buo kong katawan at tamad na tamad akong kumilos.
I had to call the office and give them a heads up na hindi ako makakapasok today. Nagrason lamang akong may sakit ako. Tinanggap naman nila iyon ng walang pag-aalinlangan. I also can't risk my body and my class seeing me weak. Para akong binugbog kagabi and I only had a few things to remember last night and the rest was all a blur.
Nakakahiya mang aminin pero mukhang napasabak din ako sa inuman kagabi. All that happen because Cashel got mad at me. I tried to send him a message pero walang reply. He's completely ignoring me now. At ayoko munang isipin at pasakitin ang ulo ko. Kailangan ko muna ng pahinga para gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko. I called Victor if he could buy me some aspirin to lessen the headache, mabuti na lamang ay sinagot niya at on the way na kaagad siya papunta sa apartment ko.
Ipinikit ko muna ang mga mata ko, sa tuwing idinidilat ko ang mata ko ay umiikot ang paningin ko. Makalipas ang ilang minuto, hindi ko sigurado kung isang minuto o twenty minutes ang nakakalipas, masyadong masakit ang ulo ko para mag-isip pa ng numero.
May kumatok sa pinto at tinawag ko na lamang na pumasok ito. Bahagya kong nilingon ang ulo ko sa direksyon ng pinto at nasilayan ko si Victor. Umangat ang labi ng makita kong dala niya ang gamot para sa akin.
"What happened to you? My goodness, Cosette," takang usal nito, dumiretsyo siya sa kusina para kumuha ng tap water. Hawak ang baso ng tubig at aspirin sa kabilang kamay niya, inalalayan niya naman akong makaangat sa kinahihigaan ko para maayos kong mainom ang gamot. "You'll be fine..."
I lay my head back to rest and mouthed thank you at him.
Tinabihan niya ako sa kama at ilang malalim na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan niya sabay ilang paulit ng pag-iling sa akin. I know by the looks of it, jina-judge na niya ako ng todo. I informed what happened to me and Cashel last night. Alam niya ring nagpahatak ako kay Chevy sa night club.
"You know, you don't have to drink last night," bakas sa tono niyang pinaparamdam sa akin na mali ako. "What you did last night is terrible. You have a boyfriend and you still chose to go out with Chevalier. That nasty guy."
Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Why would you call him nasty? Have you met him?"
"Nope," iling pa nito sa akin.
"And so why are you talking to him like that? He's such a nice person, he saved from being harassed by that paparazzi. He's also a quite lovely guy. And lastly, Cashel doesn't have the right to be jealous in the first place. I caught him kissing his best friend and we're totally not in a relationship so I can whatever I want to be."
Victor gasped, apparently shocked by my sudden outburst. "I didn't know he kissed his best friend. That's fishy, Cosette. But you're in agreement with him. You both agreed to show and be a couple in public. I guess, what happened in Beaujolais remained private, right?"
Tumango ako sa kanya. "Oui, but he doesn't even care at all. I was just an item for him. He has his job and that's to please the people."
He heaved out a deep sigh. "You're such in a big problem, Cosette."
"I know, but would you be able to stay here with me in the meantime?"
He bows his head, raises his arm to his chest to check the time on his wristwatch. "Fine, the good thing, my boss called that we'll be opening at eleven so I can look after you before I go to my job."
"Sure, thanks, Vic. I really appreciate your help," I plastered a smile but it seems weak. "I think I'm just gonna go and take a rest and hopefully, the aspirin would react to my system sooner."
"Go ahead," he said. "I'm just going to make you some soup... but I don't think there are enough stocks in here but I'll do what I can. See, Cosette? I'm actually a nice friend and you won't like anyone else like me in Paris."
I chuckled settling down in my bed. I mumbled while pulling the comforter up to my shoulder and lay on my side. Gusto ko lang maalis ang sakit ng ulo ko para makabalik na ako sa routines ko. I hate being drunk.
***
I freaked out, waking up, even shouting at the top of my lungs. Nahagip pa ng mata ko na muntik nang bumalentong si Victor sa kinauupuan niya. Tahimik siya nag-scroll sa kanyang phone tapos sisigaw na lang ako out of nowhere. I, too, couldn't believe what just happened.
"You scared the hell out of me, Cosette," he said, shaking his head. "You're a crazy woman!"
Kinuha ko naman ang baso sa bedside table. Kalahati pa ang lamang tubig kaya naubos iyon sa isang lagukan. I breathe in slowly and let it go after a few seconds. My body dropped and rest my back on the headboard and feel so tired and exhausted already.
"Why did you scream like that, Cosette?" tanong ni Victor, nakataas pa ang kilay niyang nakaturan sa akin. "You went crazy. Crazy, crazy!"
I chuckled then shook my head. Kinuha ko naman ang una saka niyakap iyon. "I just had a dream that Chevy and I kissed last night and it freaked me out. Napasigaw na lang ako kasi ang daming nakatingin sa amin at nakatutok pa ang mga camera nila. Hindi ako makapaniwala. Pa'no kaya kung 'yon talaga ang nangyari kagabi?"
"Okay, sweetie. Stop right there. I don't understand what you're saying. I don't speak your language so please could you adjust it to your french friend here?" said Victor. It made me laughed as well. Daldal ako ng daldal, hindi na pala ako naiintindihan ng lalaking 'to. "Anyway, I prepared some soup for you. It's one of the easiest things I know to cook—maybe at all. I hope you will like it."
"Sure, let me try it."
Tumungo si Victor sa kusina. Kumuha ng bowl at nagsalin ng soup. Bago siya bumalik sa akin ay kumuha siya ng kutsara at dahan dahan niyang iniabot sa akin ang mangkok. He warned me that it's hot. Halata naman dahil umuusok pa ito. Nagpatong na lamang ako ng unan sa hita ko at nilagay ko sa ibabaw ang bowl.
"Taste it and let me know," nakangiting tugon pa ni Victor. He's brushing his mustache with his fingers while watching me eating the soup he made.
I plunged the spoon into the soup. Hinipan ko ito para hindi masyadong mainit. Unang lasap ko ay malasa naman ang sabaw, medyo nanuot ang alat niya sa bibig ko pero swak naman dahil may taong nag-alalaga para sa akin. And the one who supposed to be with me ay nag galit-galitan pa. Hindi ko susuyuin 'yon. 'Wag na siyang umarteng damulag kung gano'n lang din pala ang trato niya sa akin.
Iiwan na lang bigla sa ere. Hindi ko kinaya 'yon. Binigay na lang niya ako kay Chevy kagabi. At hindi ko naman masisisi ang sarili ko dahil hinayaan niya ako. Pero panigurado napilitan lang talaga siyang sumama sa main. Cashel doesn't want to be left out. Gusto niya lagi siyang nakasabay sa mga ganap. Maybe his heart really lies somewhere else, it could be in Beaujolais right now.
"This tasted good, Victor. Je vous remercie pour votre aide. J'ai vraiment l'apprécier."
"Pas de problème, ma cherie. C'est pas une grosse affaire," Victor said. "Anyway, because I'll be leaving before lunch to go to work, I called Cashel to help you here."
Halos mabilaukan ako sa sinabi niya. Muntik pang tumurpido ang kutsara hanggang sa lalamunan ko. Naduwal ako sa sinabi niya dahil sa gulat. Pinakuha ko siya ng maiinom na tubig muli at inabot sa akin ang baso ko. Nahimasmasan naman ako ng kaunti ng dumaloy ang tubig sa sistema ko.
I send sharp stares to him. At the though of Cashel being here in my apartment after what he did last night, hindi ko maisip kung anong mangyayari.
"What did he say?" tanong ko sa kanya.
"He said he'll be here right before noon."
"And why did you do that?"
"Because he's the only person I could think of? And who else could there be for you? This Chevy won't be good for you though. Cashel might be right. You shouldn't be around that nasty man."
"Before I believe you, tell me why you were calling him like that."
"It's one of the top searches last year. Chevalier is a homewrecker. There's this young couple who just got married the same year and Chevy just went on flirting with the lady. A few weeks later, they were caught again at a night club. The lady's husband was away and can't be seen. Of course, who knows where could be the paparazzi's hiding, they were caught and people believed they were having sex weekly on a Saturday night."
"Was that even true?" Taas kilay kong tanong sa kanya. I'm trying to believe but it seems hard to process it all at once.
"Cosette, I speak nothing but the truth. I trust Cashel more than that Chevalier. His name might be ruled as a knight in shining armor, what he really is kinda deceiving."
"I don't know, Victor... sounds fake news to me."
Napasapo siya sa noon at napailing. "If you're not going to believe, just don't do anything stupid when you're around him, okay?"
I nodded attentively. "Sure... I'll try my best."
"Don't try, trust yourself," paninindigan pa nito para sa akin. "But when I called Cashel earlier, he sounds worried for you. If you think he doesn't care, he does, Cosette. It is just the way you see it because that's how you set your mind. But do you think if Amauree's isn't around the scene, would you give him a real chance?"
"I thought of it. But that was before Amauree and Chevy." I breathe in and let it go. "You know what, let's just forget about that for a moment. At least I feel a little better now, and hopefully, that stays for the rest of the day."
Naubos ko naman ang soup na inihanda ni Victor para sa akin. I never thought I'd found a friend like him in Paris. It's a good thing we have a mutual friend back home.
Mabilis din namang lumipas ang oras at kailangan nang umalis ni Victor. Nagmadali pa siyang umalis dahil pinagmamadali na siya ng kanyang boss. Tumayo na rin naman ako sa kama at kahit papaano ay nakukuha ko na ang balase ko. Hindi katulad kaninang umaga pagkain ko ay sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. Mabuti na lamang ay agarang tumalab sa akin ang gamot.
Pumunta ako sa banyo para umihi matapos ay tumungo ako sa tapat ng bintana at binuksan ng napakalaki para pumasok ang hangin sa loob ng kwarto at mapalitan ang atmosphere. Sinandal ko ang braso ko at nagpangalumbaba ako habang tinatanaw ko ang paligid. Minsan napapaisip akong sobrang grateful ko to have a job in Paris. To live in such a dreamy place. Hindi kasi lahat ng tao ay may opportunity to live and work here.
Siguro nga destiny na lumubog ang career ko sa Pinas at makilala internationally. And I think that's beautiful.
Saglit lamang ay nakarinig ako ng katok sa pinto. I thought it was Victor. Madalas pa namang may makalimutan 'yon dahil natataranta siya minsan. Sinigaw ko na lamang na pumasok na siya at ilang segundo ang nakalipas, hindi siya nagsasalita kaya tumalikod na ako para lingunin ko siya.
Natigilan ako ng makita kong si Cashel pala ang nakatayo sa tapat ng pinto at may mga hawak siyang paper bag. Puno ang kanyang braso at kamay. Nag-shopping ba muna siya bago puntahan? Ginawa niya ba 'yon para mapagaan ang feelings ko?
"Cashel..." banggit ko sa pangalan niya.
He timidly showed a smile. "Cosette, how are you?"
"I feel better now..." sagot ko. "I didn't know you'll come—well, Victor said but after what happened last night—"
He cuts me off before I could even finish my sentence.
"Don't worry about what happened last night. It's not your fault. It was me. I just don't feel okay last night and I put my temper on you so please, I apologized."
Napangiti na lamang ako.
"Look who got all of these gifts?" aniya at ini-angat niya ang paper bags at ipinatong niya iyon sa kama. It almost occupied half of my bed.
"Are all these for me?" tanong ko habang chini-check ang bawat cards na siyang nakapangalan nga sa akin.
"Yup. I guess, this all happened over the weekend and there must be more coming in the next few weeks. And you don't have to give me anything, these all are for you."
"Sure... and this one," kinuha ko ang isang paper bag na naglalaman ng bote ng alak. Napalunok ako ng laway nang alalahanin ko kung saan ako nagpunta kagabi. "Galing din ba sa fan 'tong wine na 'to?"
"Oh no! That's from my apartment. I know Papa already gave you one but I wanted to share with you this bottle from my apartment. And you can't have a taste of it until you'll be good."
Sumampa naman ako sa kama ay inisa-isa ko nang tingnan ang mga gifts na ibinigay ng mga fans ko. I posted it in my IG stories and received many feedbacks from many people. Marai rin agad nagsabi na nakita nila ang pinadala nila sa akin. Hindi ko naman sila ma-isa-isa kaya nagvideo na lang akong nagpapasalamat sa kanilang lahat.
Nang ma-ipost ko ang video, napansin ko namang nakatitig si Cashel sa akin at nakangisi.
I chuckled. "Anong tinitingin-tingin mo d'yan?"
"Baise, Cosette," he muttered, swamping me to the bed and leaned closer to me face. "I'm sorry what I did to you, we deserved this."
Then Cashel held on to my cheek and finally, keep our mouth shut with a kiss. He started playing with my mouth and even though I was sick, he didn't mind. But maybe this was to ease what we're feeling inside.
Hopefully, this mouthful kiss would resolve our problems.
***
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