Of Love and Politics I: Juego Limpio - Completed

CHAPTER 67

Hindi na mapuknat ang ngiti sa labi ni Alana sa pagpayag in Lily na manligaw siya. She smiled to herself nang makita ang repleksiyon niya sa salamin. She was exicted to get off work dahil inaya niya itong kumain sa labas. And for the second time around that day, pumayag ito. Matutuloy na talaga ang dinner date nila.

"Hmm... someone's excited."

Alana looked at the door and her eyebrows scrunched nang makita si Vin sa hamba ng pinto. Vin was leaning on the door and was looking at her with a slight worry in her eyes.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Vin?"

"Bakit? Bawal na ba akong pumunta dito Ate?"

"Hindi naman sa ganun Vin." Napahilamos na lang si Alana sa mukha niya.

The last time she saw Vin was that day na sobrang nainis din sa kanya si Lily. She doesn't get it why Vin ran away. Inalis lang naman niya ang braso nito dahil ayaw niyang nakikita ni Lily na hinahawakan siya ng ibang babae. Though Vin is technically a sister to her. But still ngayon na lang ulit ito napunta ditto sa office niya. Mukhang ayos na ulit ito.

"I just don't want Lily to think that there's something going on between us."

Vin's jaw tightened. "What if I want something to be going on between us, Ate Al?"

Lumapit ito sa kanya and leaned on her table. Alana looked away. Shit. This is the reason why she doesn't want to see Vin. She can be quite aggressive at hindi din madali sa kanya ang lahat dahil tila nabuhay si Helen sa katauhan nito. But Helen wouldn't be so bold like Vin was.

"Pwede ba Vin? I don't like you as a woman. You are like a little sister to me. Please stop crushing on me. Wala kang mapapala."

Ibinaling niya ang tingin dito para titigan ito ng masama. Vin's eyes darted between her eyes. Pagkatapos ay ngumiti ito ng mapait. Hindi nakahuma si Alana nang maglakad palabas ng office niya si Vin without saying anything.

When did Vin started liking her? Hindi niya matandaan. Maybe because she was there when the Alegre family was putting their life together?

She exhaled the breath she was holding. Mabuti na nga din sigurong ito na ang nag walk out sa kanya kesa naman sapilitan niya itong palabasin ng office niya.

Alana stood up and shook her head. Vin is a problem to be solve another day. Sa ngayon ay si Lily muna ang uunahin niya. She took the flower and the chocolates in the chair next to her.

She smiled again nang maalala ang mukha ni Lily kaninang umaga. Lily was clearly blushing. Mukhang unti unti niya na itong napapalambot. But for the sake of her love, she will always court Lily to make up for all the hurt she caused.

Inayos niya ang sarili at muling tiningnan ang sarili niya bago siya bumaba sa clinic ng munisipyo.

Her smile immediately showed when she saw Lily. Nag aayos na ito ng gamit. Napailing na lang si Alana nang makitang nginuso siya ni Nurse Clea kay Lily.

Lily's eyebrow was scrunched nang bumaling sa kanya pero agad ding nawala ang kunot ng noo nito. Lily must have seen the flowers and chocolates in her hands. Agad na namula ang mukha nito nang magsalubong ang mga mata nila.

Nurse Clea chuckled and quickly said her goodbye to Lily. Isang nanunuksong ngiti ang ibinigay sa kanya ni Nurse Clea bago ito tuluyang lumabas ng pinto.

"For you." Alana handed the flowers to Lily.

Hindi ito makatingin sa kanya nang tanggapin ang bulaklak sa mga kamay niya.

"You looked beautiful Doc."

"B-Bolera." Lily bit her lip hard. "Nakasuot ako ng lab coat. Anong maganda pinagsasabi mo diyan?"

Hindi niya na napigilan ang pag tawa. Sinamaan siya nito ng tingin. "See. Bolera ka talaga."

"I'm not. For me you are the most attractive woman there is. Ikaw lang nakapag paantay sakin ng 3 years, Doc."

Hindi ito nag salita sa sinabi niya, but Lily's flaming cheeks is an indication for her. Nakangiting ibinigay niya ang braso niya ditto. Lily was hesitant to grab it at first pero siya na ang nag lagay ng kamay nito sa braso niya.

"Let's go?"

"Ang tapang mo mag aya ha? Wala ka namang dalang kotse." Lily retorted and Alana threw her head back laughing.

"Ang cute mo, Doc. Do you want me to take you on a ride with my car, then?"

"Tse."

Alana's smile didn't leave her face nang makarating sila sa kotse ni Lily. Pinagbuksan niya ito ng pinto bago siya pumunta sa passenger's seat. Itinuro niya ang restaurant na pag kakainan nila and when they are there ay inalalayan niya ito sa table na pina reserve niya.

Pagkaupo ay agad niyang ibinigay ang menu kay Lily. "Choose whatever you like, Lily. I'll pay."

Lily looked at her. Saglit siya nitong tinitigan bago nito ibaling ang tingin sa menu.

Alana put her hands together and looked at Lily. She liked looking at Lily this way. Kapag hindi ito nakatingin sa kanya. She just wants to observe every little details of Lily's face. Bakit lahat ng gawin nito ay cute para sa kanya? The way those eyebrows scrunched and the way that lips move?

Ibinaba nito ang menu at nag panic siya ng titigan siya nito ng masama.

"What are you doing? Bakit hindi ka tumitingin sa menu?"

Well she's busted anyway. She might as well say what's on her mind. "You looked cute. Alam na alam ko na kapag ayaw o gusto mo ang nakalista sa menu nila."

"What's cute in that?" Umiling iling ito pero kita niya naman ang pamumula ng pisngi. "Hindi ka ba pipili ng iyo?"

"Nakapili na ako." She pointed towards Lily and winked.

"Corny nito."

Lumawak ang ngiti sa labi niya lalo na nang lumapit na ang waitress sa kanila para kuhain ang order nila. Mukhang narinig kasi nito ang banat niya kay Lily. Pulang pula na ang mukha ni Lily at hindi ito makatingin sa waitress na kakadating lang.

Bumaling na lang tuloy siya sa waitress. "Di ba Miss? Maganda naman napili ko di ba?"

"O-Opo."

The waitress immediately took their orders and Lily pinched her hands on the table.

"Dinamay mo pa yung waitress."

Umalog ang balikat niya hanggang sa tumawa na lang siya ng tumawa. Lily is so amusing. Ang cute talaga nito mag blush at madali lang itong mainis.

"So. Bakit ka naging politician? I thought you wanted to be a Doctor?"

Alana was stumped for a moment. Ngumiti siya at tumingon sa ibang deriksiyon. It's funny how sometimes destiny had other plans for her. "For a long time, I wanted to become a Doctor but there's a different calling. Hindi ako masyadong makakapag create ng difference kung Doctor ang tatahakin ko, Lily. So I opted to be in Politics. I wanted to change a little corner of the world. Kahit man lang sa pamamalakad ko sa isang bayan. Magkaroon ako ng malaking impact sa ibang tao. I know I could help people with being a Doctor, but being a politician is different. It gives you power. I will use this power to change this place. I want Atega to flourish someday."

"I want to see that too. A place where there's peace and wealth. Sana magawa mo nga yan. Al."

Nakangiting bumaling siya dito.

Lily looked at her and smiled too.

Ginagap niya ang kamay nito. "Pero bago ang lahat. Gusto kong mangako sayo, Lily. I will make up for all the wrong doing I did to you. For the rest of my life. Hindi tama yung ginawa ko and there's no excuse for that."

Lumunok siya. It was getting harder to breathe and her eyes are starting to sting. Nagiging emotional na naman siya. "Thank you for giving me another chance."