A noisy neighborhood, angry drivers on the street flipping each other off, dogs barking along the streets, barking at anything that moves, anything that breathes.
Neighbors swearing at each other, glaring at each other, yelling. Landowners screeching over months of unpaid rents and tenants not giving a fuck.
Just another normal day in the place where she grew up. Such a lovely neighborhood indeed.
She walks up to her own little home, is this even home? She fishes for her keys in her pocket and carefully unlocked her door, careful not to further damage the almost dangling doorknob bakit may door knob pa? Tang ina isang ihip lang tanggal na ito, welcome magnanakaw kapag may nahanap kang pera sabihan mo ako hati tayo hinayupak ka . She stepped into her house and took everything in, faded walls, broken windows, a leaking kitchen faucet, a sad pathetic couch, an ugly tv that doesn't even work... she dropped her bag on to the couch and walked to her room, and yes the loveliest room in town with a crumpled folding bed with holes in it, an overused pillow she has since she was six years old which she didn't replace not because she doesn't want to but because she doesn't have money ibili na lang ng pagkain at mag ipon mabubuhay naman ang tao kahit walang unan.
She took off her shirt and sighed, staring at the big ugly coffee stain. Tang ina siya makapang buhos ng kape akala mo naman mukhang tao mukha namang puwet ng manok.
"Sir here's your order one Caramel macchiato"
Ilalapag na sana niya ang order ng customer ng pigilan siya nito, at pagalit na nagsalita
"I did not order that!"
edi wow Sir, kalma lang maka ayaw naman 'to kala mo may lason 'yong kape, ibuhos ko kaya sa'yo 'to?
"I'm sorry Sir, but it's what's in the receipt po"
She reached for the receipt to show the customer but the guy pushed her and stood up
"Ang bastos mo naman ata? Is this how you treat your customers here?!"
Hala sira ulo ka pala Sir eh, bastos ba iyon? Dramatic mo naman Sir! Sasagot pa sana siya pero nakialam na ang manager.
"Sir I'm so sorry for my worker's attitude, what's the problem po ba? We can just resolve this without using force Sir"
Hala Manager ba't ka nag sosorry dyan? Wala naman tayong kasalanan ah!
"Ang bastos ng bibig! Minura ako!"
"Hala naman sir! May amnesia ka yata! Anong mura Sir?"
"Aba sumasagot ka?!"
She was about to answer but the guy grabbed the coffee she was supposed to give him and threw the contents at her.
Napabuntong hininga na lang siya at nagsimulang labhan ang damit. Ganda ng buhay ko, so perfect, ang saya, wala na bang mas isasaya 'to? Just then her phone started ringing, she wiped her hands off on her pants and answered the phone without even looking at the caller.
"Wala akong pera bawal utang dito"
Napatawa naman ang nasa kabilang dulo ng telepono, and she immediately rolled her eyes.
"So have you thought about it?"
pa english english pa, nasa Pilipinas naman feeling Foreigner ang impakto.
"it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, if you refuse it'll take you so long before you can get another job"
Another job, she needs a job now. If she doesn't get a job within the next two days she'll have to use her savings, and she really hates the idea of deducting even a single penny from that crappy old box she calls her 'bank'.
"come on Peach, it's not like you'll die if you say yes"
"mapapatay ako ng mga magulang mo sa galit"
She went to her kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, the last glass of water she has.
"They don't even know you and besides that's the goal, make them angry"
"Pa'no kapag inatake sa puso mga magulang mo ha?! Kargado pa ng konsensya ko sira ulo"
The person from the other line huffed,
"Don't be dramatic, they're healthy they won't die early. If you pass this opportunity up sayang naman ang 500k mo"
She bit her lip and thought, thought real hard. this is a very risky job. A lot at stake, not that she has a lot to stake but still, it's risky even for someone who doesn't have much to risk. 500k is enough, more than enough to buy herself a ticket to fly to Canada and find her... find someone.
"think about it Peach, and I'll be waiting tomorrow"
She stared at her phone. Should she take this risk? Can she?
She's sat outside at the back of the coffee shop she used to work, yes, she was fired. Just minutes ago, or has it been an hour already? Her world just seemed to have stopped. What is she supposed to do now? How can she save up now? The coffee shop was the only place who hired people with no educational background. When she woke up earlier she told herself that life ain't that fucked up, but now sitting on the street, jobless, now, yes the world is fucked up.
"How long are you planning on sitting like a monkey in distress?"
She looked up and saw a guy with his shades on, wearing an outfit that screams expensive and a shoes that's brighter than her future. Who the fuck is this guy again?
"Long time no see Peach"
He smiled. She rolled her eyes. Yes, now she remembers who the fuck this guy is. How can she ever forget that shit eating grin. The same fucking grin he gave her when she was so stupid to think that people were actually honest.
"anong pang-loloko na naman trip mo?"
The guy walked towards her and stood in front of her, stood too close that she had to straighten herself, lean back and look up at him, which she found out was a wrong move cause the position was awkward.
"Lumayo ka nga, bastos to. Hindi mo na ako maloloko"
"Oh come on Peachy, what made you think that I'm here para lang mangloko?"
She rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbed her stitched up cheap bag and shoved him.
"Puro pang loloko lang ginawa mo sa akin, lumayo ka, masasapak kita"
She started to walk away, may mas imamalas pa pala araw na'to? Akalain mo?
"I have a business offer, I'll pay you 200k, no job requirements but yourself"
Napatigil siya. 200k?! Mas malaki pa iyon kesa sa pinagsama-samang sweldong natanggap niya sa loob ng pitong taong pagtratrabaho! Ngunit nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad
"Wala akong planong mag benta ng laman loob gago"
"WHAT?"
hinabol siya ng lalake at hinarangan, tinanggal nito ang shades at tinutukan siya ng matiim.
"I don't need your organs, ew, you don't even look healthy to be a donor--
"Alam mo kung mang lalait ka lang tumalon ka na lang sa tulay!"
"I'm stating facts, but ANYWAY back to business. I don't need your body or any part of you okay? I just need you to do a few things, a few simple things for a few days and I'll pay you 200k and I'll never bother you again"
200k, 200k, 200k, 200k, 200k.
"Tangina mo, huwag mo akong niloloko, alis!"
"I'm serious! This is money we're talking about, I don't fuck around when money's involved"
"Oo napansin ko halata ngang mukha kang pera"
"Yeah, and you look in desperate need of money which by the way I'm giving you an opportunity to have but here you are being picky and complaining!"
Aba, kakaiba mag hire 'to, mapanglait ang puta. She rolled her eyes at him and started to walk away yet again, and again he stopped her.
"500k, I'll pay you 500k and all you have to do is act, be an actress for a few days and I'll pay you"
she stopped. Not because of 500k but because of his voice, there was desperation in it. Akalain mo? May mayaman palang desperado? She faced him and considered his offer, she stared right into his eyes and saw the softness she once saw back when...
"Ano bang trabaho iyan?"
His eyes lit up and he grinned again.
"Simple, just be an actress. Pretend you're someone who'll piss someone off and cause a deal to be called off and you'll get paid"
"Full details gago ka ba? Sa tingin mo papayag ako kapag ganyan lang? Paano kapag pagpanggapin mo akong asawa ng matandang mayaman ha?! tapos lalasunin mo iyong matanda tapos ako maaakusahan?!"
"No rich old man would want you"
Tinaas niya ang kamao at akmang sasapakin ang kausap at agad naman itong umtras at sumuko.
"OKAY OKAY! Jesus christ Peach! Okay, Okay. You'll pretend to be my girlfriend for a few days meet my parents, and then we break up in front of them, that's all"
"ba't naman natin lolokohin mga magulang mo? Abnoy ka talaga pati mga magulang pinagtritripan mo"
He rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and exaggerated a huff
"Dude, they've been pestering me to get married they're planning to marry me off to someone who's not even pretty, so you come along pretend to be my girlfriend then you're gonna break up with me then they'll see how miserable I'll be and they'll back off thinking they're adorable poor son is broken hearted, see? It's a win win situation, I'll be able to live happily single and you'll have the money and find your--
"Pag iisipan ko"
And she walked away.
Never stopping again. 500k. 500k. 500k.
"I'll be here tomorrow waiting for you!"
500k. She can buy her self a plane ticket, fly to Canada and find the person she's been searching for 7 years. 500k. She needs money, she needs to find that person. She needs all the answers to her why's. For 7 years she's been asking. 500k will give her the answers. She just have to pretend. It doesn't sound much, she can do that. She can for 500k. For the plane ticket. For Canada. For answers.
The next day she sat on the same spot where he found her the day before.
YOU ARE READING
Category: Fake Love
Teen FictionShe has a lot of why's. A plane ticket will answer it all. 500k will help her. She just needs to pretend for a few days and she'll get answers, but what if in the process of pretending real feelings resurface? The past she desperately tried to forge...
