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Chapter Two

"Just get straight to the point!"

Pagtataas ko ng boses na siyang kinagulat ni Rielle. Gosh, jetlag is hitting me.

"Okay. So, when I was back at home like home sa bahay naming talaga and not my apartment, may dumating na problema sa household namin. Some Italian guy came and sabi niya anak daw ako ng boss niya."

Hinigit ko ang hininga ko. Nasobrahan atah to sa pagbabasa ng novels at in-adapt na ang storya ng bida.

"Zaph, I'm serious. Hindi ako nagsisinungaling."

She assured.

"Ang hirap paniwalaan ng mga salitang yan kung galing sayo Rielle."

Sabat ko. She sighed and from that on napansin ko na para ngang totoo ang sinasabi niya. Bahala na, sasakyan ko na lang ang trip niya.

"Do you still want me to make kwento or not?"

Sinenyasan ko naman syang magpatuloy. Bahala siyang mag aksaya ng laway niya.

"So yun nga. Nagpakilala yung guy na yun na personal butler daw siya ng father ko from Italy. Tapos you know naman ako, I tried my best not to laugh sa harapan nung lalaking yun. Then I looked at my parents. Nakita kong gulat na gulat sila na may halong takot.

"Nag alala ako nun. Akala ko they couldn't comprehend yung sinasabi nung guy. Pero you know what they did?"

She paused tapos tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay. Sige lang, trip pa.

"Pinaupo nila yung guy! Like they welcomed him pa talaga sa bahay. Then they told me to sit down with them. I was like, what's going on?"

"So, in the end sumama ka sa butler then you went to Italy and came back to Philippines to say goodbye ganon?"

"Gaga no, this happened two months ago lang. sabi daw nung father ko from Italy, I will be given due time to think if sasama ba ako or not. Pero in return, I'll have bodyguards with me all the freaking time."

This actually makes me sad. Maybe living alone had caused so much pain kay Rielle because since birth hanggang college she lived with her parents. She only transferred to an apartment kasi sobrang layo ng bahay nila to her work and that caused her to be late most of the time.

"Rielle, alam kong malalampasan mo to. Kapit ka lang." I genuinely was worried kasi she's getting worse na talaga. I think I should contact our Psychologist friend na si Van.

She looked at me with her eyes swelling with tears.

"I'm sorry I just, hindi ko parin na-absorb yung nangyayari. I'm trying to be positive lang talaga kasi nga ayoko magdagdag ng stress sa buhay ko."

She said while wiping her tears na hindi pa naman tumutulo.

"It's gonna be okay. We'll try and contact Van na lang para sayo."

Bigla naman siyang napahinto. Siguro ngayon nya lang na realize na pwede pala sya mag-consult kay Van about her problem.

"Wait, I already talked to Van about this. She knows na din."

Ani Rielle which made me pause for a bit. Wala bang nagawa si Van? Maybe we should consult a different therapist, napaka walang kwentang psych naman ni Van.

"We'll try to find someone else we can consult with." I said na siyang kinakunot ng nuo ni Rielle na para bang naguguluhan sa sinabi ko. Parang nasa in-denial stage pa ata.

"Zaph oh my gosh. Do you think I'm loka loka na?" sabi niya na halatang naiirita.

"Kasi naman..." I started but she cut me off.