The Tale of the Non-Celebrity Girlfriend (ONGOING)

75: I Have A Boyfriend

"SORRY to keep you waiting, guys," malakas at puno ng buhay na sabi ni Gigi pagpasok niya sa waiting room.

Lumapit sa kanya si Kuya Caloy. "No problem, Gigi. Medyo nalate din kami ng kaunti. Puno ang sked ng boys this morning."

"Of course, it's the holidays. I'm sure sobrang in demand nanaman kayo ngayon sa lahat ng mga events."

"That's why we need your help, Gigi. We need the boys to look their best."

"I understand. Let's go?"

Tumayo na kami sa sofa at sumunod kay Gigi. Familiar na naman kami sa studio niya. Bago pa kami sumikat ng husto 4 years ago, naging stylist namin si Gigi para sa isang event. At that time ay wala pa kaming privilege na maghintay sa private room. Saka isa sa mga staff lang niya ang nag-assist sa amin. But now, Gigi personally greets us in a private waiting room.

We entered another room. All these years, hindi ko pa rin alam kung ano ang tawag dito. It's like a dressing room but also like a big, and I mean a very big closet. Sa gitna ay may sofa set at kung anu-anong decorations. I'm pretty sure Gigi just likes to put random stuff in here.

"Craig, nandito ka pa pala?" Gigi said to someone.

That someone stood up from one of the sofa. Pagkatapos ay lumapit siya sa amin.

"Hinihintay ko pa ang driver ko." Then he turned to us. "Night Hellions. Hi, guys."

Tumango lang kami ni Xander. Hahayaan na namin si Dom na makipag-usap kay Craig. Craig lang. Walang surname. Like Madonna, Rihanna, you know. Anyway, sikat na singer si Craig. But I can't say we're friends with him. We just know each other. Kahit pa noong walang pandemic, we never really had any chance to work together. So there's no reason for us to be friendly.

"It's nice to see you, Craig," sabi ni Dom.

"Kayo din, guys. Parang ngayon lang tayo uli nagkita since..." he stopped to think. "Two years ago pa yata."

"Yeah, two years na nga. We both performed in the Pinoy Music Awards."

"Yeah, man."

"Anyway, Craig," singit ni Gigi. "Do you mind waiting in the other room?"

Yan naman ang gusto namin kay Gigi. Pagdating sa trabaho, napaka-professional niya. Hindi din siya nagdi-discriminate. Kahit noong time na hindi pa kami sikat. Maliban sa nabanggit kong kawalan ng access sa private room at yung pag-assist sa amin ng staff, wala na kaming marereklamo. He worked with us and styled us as if we're superstars.

"No, of course not," sagot ni Craig.

Sumenyas si Gigi sa kung sino man. In the next second, a staff appeared and led Craig to another room. Sa wakas ay kami na lang ang narito.

"I thought Craig would be taller."

"Ha?" napatingin ako kay Lhianne sa tabi ko.

Nakasanayan na namin ni Lhianne na magtabi pa rin kahit nasa public place kami. But with reasonable distance naman. Saka I always make sure not to look at her at all. I would always just look straight ahead, pero ang attention ko ay nasa gilid ng mata ko. That way, no one would suspect anything.

"Mukha kasi siyang matangkad pag sa mga videos."

"Si Craig?"

"Oo. Compared to you, he's just average."

Alam kong kinokompara lang naman niya ang height namin. But it still feels great to hear my girl talk like that about me.

"I'm so sorry, guys," maya-maya ay sabi nanaman ni Gigi. "Nagkaroon yata ng mix-up sa mga damit na prinepare ko. If you could just wait a few more minutes here, I'll personally check na."