My Favorite Almost

"Papa Chris can you please tell me that story again? Yung tungkol po sa story ng dalawang almost lovers. Please, po!"

Muntik ko nang maibuga ang iniinom kong kape sa winika ng nag-iisang anak ko. Kay aga-aga, nasasaktan na naman ako. Ayaw kong sariwain ang nangyari pero may magagawa ba ako?

"Sinabi ko na sa'yo iyan noon, Chlara. Wag mo nang ulitin."

"Please, papa? Isaysay niyo po yung nangyari. Please?" Oh, here she goes again with those beautiful, pleading eyes! May pinagmahan talaga.

"Alright. Take a seat. Makinig kang mabuti, ha? Hindi ko na uulitin to." She nodded.

There's this guy who was such a cassanova. Mahilig siyang manakit ng puso ng mga babae. Gwapo nga siya pero no one can stand his bad attitude. Walang gustong magsumbong sa mga kalokohan niya kasi anak siya ng may-ari ng school. He is Kris Dela Torre.

Lumaki si Kris sa mentalidad na nadadaan ang lahat sa pera. Maimpluwensya kasi ang pamilya nila. The Dela Torre's are wealthy and famous for their love for poetry and the arts. As the only son of the family, it is expected na siya ang susunod na presidente ng kanilang family business. When he turned 20, his parents died in a car accident. Kinakailangang maitaguyod ni Kris ang business nila sa Pilipinas kaya pinag-aral siya ng kanyang lola sa U.S.A. for college. He graduated with flying colors and successfully rebuilt the empire of his family. Since his return from the States, Chris somewhat changed for the better. His mindset also grew in terms of money. Nagsariling sikap siya sa U.S. kaya't nagbago ang kanyang pananaw sa pera. With the help of his grandmother, he turned out to be a fine, young man.

There was a time when they were hiring people for specific jobs inside his company. He hired people who are worthy. During the interview, nakilala niya si Carla Angeline Yu. She may have passed the standards that they were looking for, pero there's just something about that woman that makes his blood boil. Hindi niya maintindihan lung bakit pero palagi siyang napipikon sa tuwing nakikita niya si Carla.

"Papa, wala naman pong ginawa yung si Miss Carla diba para magalit si Sir? T-teka, b-ba't magkatunog ang pangalan ninyo ni Sir Kris?"

I just smiled. Kasi sa totoo lang, pinalitan ko lang ng spelling ang pangalan ng main character ng story na sinasabi ko kay Chlara. Pero sa totoong buhay, ako talaga yun. Si Sir Kris at ako ay iisa. Hindi ko lang maisatinig sa anak ko. I want her to figure things out by herself.

"Oo, magkatunog ang pangalan namin pero magkaiba ng spelling. My name starts with letter C, while his name starts with letter K." I lied.

"Pero ba't ganun, Dad? Ba't ganoon na lamang ang galit ng Sir Kris na yun?"

"Ewan ko rin. Basta, iyon ang naramdaman niya. I will continue the story, okay?

Hindi niya talaga mawari kung bakit ganoon na lang ang kanyang pagkakapikon. Hindi naman siya ganito sa tuwing nakakakita siya ng ibang babae. Carla is blessed with wits and looks. She graduated with flying colors, and one thing that makes her outstand from the rest is that she fights for what she believes in. Sa tuwing bumibisita si Kris sa kumpanya, hindi lumilipas ang araw na hindi niya hinahanap ng patago si Carla. He even reached the point of stalking her in social media. Tamang stalk lang. Pero hindi niya in-add as friend ang babae.

One rainy night, as he was about to leave the building, nakita niya si Carla na nag-aabang ng masasakyan. It's already 8:40 pm at hindi pa rin nakakasakay ang dalaga. Hindi alam ni Kris kung anong espirito ang sumanib sa kanya pero pinasakay niya si Carla at hinatid patungo sa kanyang bahay.

They were silent the entire time. Awkward masyado ang paligid nila. Panay iwas si Kris na magtagpo ang kanilang mata pero hindi nakiayon ang sitwasyon sa kanya. Carla talked to him.