T R A P P E D

1: She Lacks Intimacy

KASALUKUYANG nasa Starbucks si Vanna. She loves her coffee, but she just can't seem to enjoy it at the moment. She stirs her coffee endlessly. Kanina pa siya nag-iisip, contemplating if what will be the next thing to do.

She had been bothered this morning. Something is seriously off.

Masaya na siya gaano man kasimple ang buhay niya. She has her income na gaano man kaliit ay sumasapat naman sa mga pangangailangan niya, plus na-eenjoy niya pa ang passion niya. Maraming nagsasabi na wala daw yumayaman sa pagsusulat, but who cares? It's not all about the money in the first place. It's the passion to write, to share and to express herself which makes her happy, so why deprive herself right?

Nandiyan din ang boyfriend niya, Alexander Vasquez, which is always right there to support her. Mahal na mahal niya ito, and she knows that he feels the same way towards her. They won't make it to their third anniversary if they don't right?

Kuntento na siya, sa kung ano ang meron siya ngayon. Everything is smooth, at kung nagkakaroon man ng conflicts ay yung minor lang at madaling ayusin. In fact, hinihintay niya na lang na mag-propose sa kanya and she's more than willing to settle, pero mukhang busy pa ito sa sariling negosyo, and she understand that. She know the pressure of being a bussinessman, hectic ang schedule ng mga ito, kaya naman naiintindihan niya kung hindi na niya masiyadong nakakasama si Alex this past few days.

One of the good things about being a writer, is that it makes you more mature. She's only 23 years old, but has the understanding that extends toward the age of 40. Writing made her that way. Maraming nagsasabi na napaka-broad daw ng understanding niya. Well, it's because in writing, you have to impersonate persons of different age. You put yourself in their shoe and try to act and think like them, kaya siguro ganon.

Sabi nga ni Alex, yun daw ang isa sa mga bagay na nagustuhan nito sa kanya. She always try to understand him, kung ano yung mga ginagawa at kailangan nitong gawin. She never get on her way, because she doesn't want to deprive him of his passion, she know how it feels.

She smiled, remembering Alex, but that smile instantly fade ng muling sumagi sa isip niya ang rason kung bakit naroon siya ngayon sa Starbucks at halos hindi alam ang gagawin.

FLASHBACK

Pumasok siya sa loob ng opisina ni Mr. Santosi. Hindi maitatanggi ang kabang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Sa loob ng dalawang taong pagtatrabaho niya sa Socorro Publishing ay ngayon lamang nito siya pinatawag para sa isang pribadong pag-uusap. Hindi niya alam kung may problema ba o ano. Ang alam niya, maayos naman ang mga ginagawa niyang mga libro, katunayan ay bestselling ang karamihan doon. So what would be the possible reason para ipatawag siya?

Nag-angat ng tingin si Mr. Santosi, at ng makita siyang nakatayo sa may pintuan ay agad siya nitong minuwestrang maupo sa silyang kaharap.