Ayie
"Tita Aria."
"Ayie,.."
"Tita, hindi ko talaga alam bakit ganoon! Tsaka hindi ko alam bakit at paano kami nakuhanan ng picture noon! Birthday yun ni Daddy Matti, andoon ako syempre at di ko naman alam na invited din sya! Tapos Tita, wala naman nang tao dun sa villa. Kami na lang kasi day after the party na po yun."
"Yes, pero Ayie, may picture eh."
"Pwede bang wag na lang po natin pansinin Tita?"
"Ayie, I'm sorry but I don't think we can deny this nor we keep quiet about this issue."
"Anong ibig mong sabihin Tita?"
"Hindi ko alam kung paano natin papatayin ang issue na ito. This issue now is about morals. You were seen together in one room early morning, now he's with you while you are on leave at a family event. You even had a picture kissing each other. You even have a little girl playing with both of you. Sure naniniwala ako, even Mary because I know you, we know you. Unfortunately Ayie, we are not your market, we are not your crowd."
"Tita..."
Tita and I both sighed. Iniabot naman ni Mary sa akin yung iPad na puno ng mga hate comments. Hate comments na akala mo sila ang nagpapakain sa akin. Hate comments na halos di ko malunok.
Grabe yung mga bash tungkol sa akin. Sana hindi nababasa ito ng parents ko.
"Tita anong gagawin ko? Grabe naman po itong issues na ito."
Tita Aria closed her eyes.
"Hindi ko rin alam Ayie. Buti sana kung kagaya ni Ashley, wala tayong pakialam sa image mo, but you are different, your case is far different kaya mahirap ang ganitong sitwasyon."
Tita Aria sighed in dispair. Kakaayos nya lang nung issue sa Boracay nabuhay na naman. Haiii.
"I'm really sorry Tita."
Tita shakes her head.
"Tita Aria! Can I suggest?"
"What Mary?"
"Can we like ask him to pretend Ayie's boyfriend instead?"
"Mary! Ano ka ba naman! Kaka kdrama mo yan kasi eh."
"Hindi! Effective to! Imagine, magiging okay lang, magiging acceptable ang lahat. Kasi boyfriend mo sya eh."
"Mary! That's absurd! We are only acquaintances."
"No, tama si Mary. That actually can be good Ayie. Desperate times need desperate measures. He can act like a boyfriend and the issue will condense just like that. Because if he is your boyfriend, nothing is wrong with what you are doing. Tama si Mary."
"Pero Tita hindi naman po magiging ganoon kadali iyon."
"Alam ko Ayie. But we need to try."
"Hindi po ba nakakahiya?"
"Ayie, this is a matter of life and death of your career. Isantabi na muna natin yang hiya na yan."
"Oonga naman Ayie, kausapin muna natin si Doc Raphael. "
"Mary, bring Doc Raphael to us so we can talk about this."
"Tita,.."
"I know your worries Ayie, but if we don't act up and take a shot on this, you will be losing everything. Would you rather lose everything you've worked hard for?"
"Tita,.."
Tita Aria sighed.
"Ayie, the Ladies of Goodwill wants you out of the list. Your signature perfume that will be launched next month would be canceled and we'll gonna be paying for it. On-hold din ang endorsements mo under their label."
"Tita,.."
"PROs and CONs Ayie, we need to try, we don't want our detractors to salvage what you've worked hard for."
"Pero hindi po ba natin nilalamangan si Doc Raphael?"
"I know your point Ayie but we need to try, I will be talking to him. We need to make terms with him. We will pay him if that's what we need."
"Tita. Hindi ba parang lolokohin na natin ang mga tao? Ang mga fans?"
"Ayie, this is how showbiz works. I am sorry, we tried to play clean but not this time Ayie. Someone's playing dirty on us, hindi pwedeng hindi tayo maglaro kasabay nila."
I sighed.
"Ayie, more than anyone else, I know how hard you've worked for this. Hindi natin minagic ang meron ka. You spent all your energy on this. Just remember all the days you cannot even eat because of too much exhaustion, because of the pressure. Think of what you've sacrificed. Those days that you are far from your Mama and Papa."
I sighed.
"Ayie, as your Manager, I need to protect you at all cost. I need to save you. So let me handle this."
"Pero paano po si Doc Raphael?"
"Let me talk to him, ako na muna ang aayos Ayie, for now, please, take a rest first."
"Pero Tita."
"Don't worry Ayie, trust me, we'll fix this. Let me fix this."
Sumunod ako kay Tita. I decided to leave after finishing some of the tasks I have in the office and go home first. Napakababa ng energy ko. Hindi ko alam kung paano pa akong babawi ngayon. Ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang nangyari at bigla na lamang ako nagkaganito!
I was waiting for my driver in the lobby when people and media started attacking me. Shocks! There's no way out now! I am being ambushed! There are people pushing me here and there. Nagkakasugat na ako. I just wished somebody would be taking me out of here.
"Aiesa, totoo bang buntis ka?"
"May anak ka na daw?"
"Ikakasal ka na nga ba?"
"Magququit ka na ba sa showbiz?"
"Sino ang ama ng anak mo?"
"Bakit mo tinatanggi ang anak mo?"
"Ilang taon na ang anak mo?"
I am having panic. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. I am being surrounded by too many people. Konti na lang bibigay na ako! Nasususfocate na ako sa dami ng pumalibot sa akin. I just felt so relieved when someone pulls me out of chaos and hugged me so I can leave the crowd with no scratch.
"Kapag hindi pa ako nakapasang super hero mo, hindi ko na alam."
Suddenly I felt so safe.
"Halika na, bumalik ka na muna sa taas."
Raphael securely guided me and bring me back to the office.
"Andito ka na agad?"
"Eh sabi ni Mary kailangan ko daw magmadali eh."
I sighed.
"Thank you."
He just smiled. Hawak nya pa rin ako hanggang makabalik kami sa offcie ni Tita Aria. Nanghina talaga ako.
"Ayie! Jusko! Akala namin kung anong nangyari sayo doon sa baba!"
"Tita.."
"Okay ka lang ba?"
I nodded.
"Tita, sya nga po pala si Doc Raphael Javier."
"Oh, ikaw pala. I am Aria, Ayie's manager. Halika Doc, buti nakarating ka sa perfect na pagkakataon. Upo ka po Doc."
Raphael takes his seat. Binigyan naman ako ng tubig ng assistant ni Tita.
"Ah Ayie, you can leave using the fire exit. Ihahatid ka ni Darius at Len. Len, make sure Ayie is safe."
"Pero Tita."
"Ako na ang bahalang kumausap kay Doc Raphael."
"Tita!"
"Go Ayie, please, leave."
Nagtataka man at nangangamba umalis na ako. Bahala na nga si Tita sa gusto nya. Pero sana lang, whatever happens, hindi ko mabibigo ang parents ko.
