My Guard for Life

Chapter 2

It's Saturday, five in the afternoon, when my class in Thesis Writing 2 has ended. I wanted to pat myself on the back. One semester na lang at ga-graduate na ako ng Creative Writing—the program I love.

Ngumiti sa akin ang mga block mates ko nang lumabas sila sa room. I took my bag and followed them to the corridor.

"Sasama ka sa 'min, Dae?" tanong ng class rep namin.

I pouted. "Sad, may trabaho ako."

Kung ano-anong komento ang napakinggan ko mula sa kanila. I smiled at them.

"Sumama na ako sa inyo last week, I can't do it again."

Naalala ko ang pagsama ko sa kanila sa restobar last Friday. Nagpaalam naman ako sa manager ng coffee shop na pinagtatrabahuhan ko. I'm a cashier of the said place. It's part of my job as a ghostwriter. Before I write a story, I always let myself experience the life that I planned my characters would have. At least kahit sa work lang.

Kumaway silang lima sa akin, nagpapaalam at ipinaparamdam na I'm missing out. Kasama ni Philip ang mga ka-block mates ko rin na sina Yeri, Ruth, Nico, and James. Sila rin ang kasama ko no'ng isang linggo. They're fun to be with. Medyo hindi ko lang na-enjoy dahil pinagbawalan ako ni Pierre, ang bodyguard ko. I let out a sigh.

"Speaking of...." I whispered to myself, half-annoyed.

Bitbit ang may kalakihang bag, lumapit sa akin si Pierre. His family has a service company, the PAL Protection Force, that provides bodyguards to high-status families. My father had a partnership with their company a decade ago. Bilang kasunduan na rin; they let me have one. As an obedient son of the Castellano, Pierre became a bodyguard to take the program he wanted, Veterinary Medicine.

Ibinigay ko sa kanya ang maliit kong bag like it was the most normal thing to us. But this time I made to a point na medyo pinatamaan ko ang dibdib niya para iparamdam sa kanyang naiinis pa rin ako sa ginawa niya last Friday. I'm bitter dahil wala akong magawa kundi sumunod sa kanya na h'wag sobrang mag-inom. I wanted to enjoy the drinks that day, party and all...but he's there guarding me with his life.

"Work?" maikli niyang tanong, not minding my cold action.

Tinarayan ko siya saglit. Hindi nakatakas ang amoy ng pabango niya sa ilong ko. I couldn't help, but smile. I chose the right perfume.

Sumunod siya sa akin pababa ng fourth floor ng College of Fine Arts. We strode past the noisy schoolmates, enjoying the time they had because isang sem na lang bago ang graduation. I really love this program. No one could stop me, even my parents.

Thank goodness. Pierre promised me that he would keep his mouth shut sa sikreto ko. I was supposed to be taking Business Management and not Creative writing.

Well, I'm not obedient like him. I don't want to be deprived of the only thing I love. It's my passion to write. I know it's a big deal that my parents don't know what I'm doing with my life. And if the time comes na malaman man nila, at least I'll have no regrets.

Tiningnan ko saglit si Pierre. His taller built and his long legs are hard to miss in his veterinary uniform. Papasa siyang artista katulad ni Ate Aviolin, ang ate niya na may-ari ng coffee shop na pinagtatrabahuhan ko. I'm her ghostwriter. She knows that my parents are against my passion, so she let me use her name for my benefit. I like her so much more than this guy beside me. I sneered and walked faster.

Parang nasasayang ang oras niya sa akin—binabasa na agad ang hawak na libro.

"Why are you going that way, Dae?" biglang tanong ni Pierre sa akin.

Wala na syempre sa libro niya ang tingin. His thick brows are almost close to each other dahil sa pagtataka. Sa dami nang iniisip ko, nagkamali ng direksyon ang mga paa ko.