OFFSTAGE (Suspire Series #2)

Kabanata 13

I took a deep breath and shoved all the negative stuff that had happened earlier out of my mind. Nilapitan ko si Mason nang unti-unting naubos ang mga tao sa stage. Tapos na ang rehearsal nila at naghahanda na para sa pupuntahan naming charity. Mason was still poring through his prolonged script. He's completely oblivious to my presence. I felt him stiffen slightly when I hugged him from behind.

I guffawed. "Hi," I said softly. Ngumiti siya at binaba ang binabasa niya. Hinarap niya ako and kiss me on the lips. I admired his lovely face, his dark blue button-up shirt, which glistened against his porcelain complexion, and his caramel pants. Gwapo!

Siniksik ko ang sarili sa yakap niya. "You okay?" biglang tanong niya. "How was the talked?"

My lips pursed. "It was fine," I respond. Tinitigan niya ako sa mata. He acted as if he was trying to figure out whether or not I was telling the truth. Should I tell him that my mother was the architect behind my unit's plundering? I took a step closer and kissed him on the lips. When he saw my hand, he bit his bottom lip. Namumula ito dahil sa suntok kanina. Mabuti nalang walang nabaling buto sa kamay ko pero ramdam ko pa rin ang sakit. Ang tigas pa naman ng mukha ni Lester. "I'm fine," I assured him.

Bumuntong-hininga siya. He told me to wait here until he got his stuff. He offered me some ointment for my hand. We left the theater together.

Iyong sasakyan niya ang iniwan namin sa theater bago sumunod sa mga kasama namin sa pag-attend sa charity. It's an event that helps those who were affected by Typhoons last year. Every year pala silang may dinadaos na ganito. Pagkarating namin ay nagsimula na ang program.

Tumulong kami ni Mason sa pagdi-distribute ng mga relief goods, school supplies and cash sa mga tao. Nagpahinga kami saglit sa isang tent na sinetup nila para sa aming dalawa. He had just received a phone call from Claude, so I waited for him inside the tent.

Tinali ko ang buhok ko ng high ponytail dahil sa init. Nagulat ako nang may pumasok. A woman with a red leather skirt and a tank top that reveals a bit of her stomach. She removed her sunglasses and took a look around the room. Her eyebrow rose when she only spotted me in the room.

"Who are you?" she scorned. "Where's Mason?"

Magsasalita na sana ako nang biglang pumasok si Mason sa tent. The woman tucked a few strands of her long wavy brown hair behind her ear and smiled softly at Mason.

Gusto ko na sana siya eh dahil sa porma niya pero mukhang nakakaamoy ako ng malansa dahil sa ngiting pinakita niya sa boyfriend ko. Tumuloy na pumasok sa loob ng tent si Mason at tumabi sa inu-upuan ko.

"I'm Leah. I will be replacing Amanda, you heard about that right?" pakilala nung Leah at titig na titig kay Mason. Hindi ko naman siya masisi.

Mason is like a work of art that you can't take your gaze away from.

Inabutan ko ng tubig si Mason at tinanggap naman niya. Hindi nakatakas sa akin ang kakaibang tingin ni Leah sa ginawa ko. Uminom muna si Mason bago sinagot si Leah na parang tangang naghihintay sa harap namin.

"I heard about it. Nice to meet you Leah. I didn't know you're going to be here. I thought that next week will be our official meeting with the boards," nagtatakang paliwanag niya.

Ngumiti ng matamis si Leah. Pinasadahan muna niya ako ng tingin bago binalik ang atensyon sa kasama ko. "I'm only here to offer support. I'll see you next week." Bakas ang pagtataka sa mukha ni Mason nang makaalis ito. Hindi niya siguro inaasahan na bibisita 'to unannounced sa charity.

"Anong sabi ni Claude?" I asks.

His perplexed face changes to a flinched grimace. "He went to Europe," sagot niya.