Revenge of the Villainess

18-Preparation 1

Noong araw ng pagkikita nina Janessa at John sa hotel, apat na oras bago ang itinakdang ala-siyete ng gabi.

SA isang high end shopping mall sa Makati napadpad si John para bumili ng bulaklak na paborito ni Janessa. It would have been easier to just order or ask someone from the hotel of his staff to do it for him pero mas gusto niyang siya mismo ang pipili at bibili ng bulaklak. He wanted to buy something that would make her remember about him and about them. Habang naghahanap ng flower shop, nag-ring ang phone niya. Hindi ito sa mobile number na ginagamit niya sa Pilipinas pumasok, kung hindi sa phone app na may video conferencing at call function na gumagana basta may internet connection. Dahil naka-data plan naman ang gamit na phone ni John ay laging nakabukas ang internet nito. He answered immediately after seeing who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" sagot niya habang naglalakad papunta sa mall directory na namataan niya malapit sa elevator.

"John, si Anika 'to."

It was weird to receive a call from that person dahil isinusumpa rin siya ng taong iyon kagaya ni Janessa.

"I know." Nasa tapat na siya ng mall directory at humahanap na ng mga flower shops nang matigilan siya dahil sa sumunod na sinabi ng kausap.

"Janessa found out about the real-life size standees of her and your monetary reward to find her," nagmamadaling sabi ng kausap na para bang may ibang makakarinig sa pinaguusapan nila.

"Akala ko ba hindi kayo nagkikita at naguusap?" Napakunot ang noo niyang tanong. Alam naman niyang may communication pa sila Anika at Janessa ngunit hindi niya naiwasang mag-react. Ilang linggo at buwan nga ba siyang nag-abang sa apartment ni Anika at Janessa noong gusto na niyang makausap ang huli?

"I know you did not believe me at alam ko ring hindi ka tanga to believe that," she said in a curt tone. Iyon ang dahilan kung bakit pinapasubaybayan pa rin niya si Anika kahit sinabi na nito na wala itong alam sa whereabouts ni Janessa.

"I'm not stupid and yes, I never believed you were estranged friends like you claimed to be. Those real-life standees were my life savers. Thanks to those ads nakita ko na si Nessa. I'll be meeting with her later." Sanay magmultitask si John. Habang kausap si Anika ay nakahanap siya ng tatlong flower shops sa directory. He took a note of the stall numbers and direction on his memory. Palakad na siya papunta sa unang stall nang magsalita muli si Anika. He heard the panic on her voice.

"Magkikita kayo? Today?!"

"Oo. We'll be meeting tonight at 7 to be exact."

"This is not good, John. If she agreed to meet with you, its not good at all."

"What do you mean?"

"She's livid. She's extremely mad. Ang mga description na iyon ay kulang pa para ilarawan ko sa'yo how pissed she was because of your quest to find her when she didn't want to be found."

"I'm doing my best to find her so we can talk and I can explain."

"Sa tingin mo ba may magagawa kahit mag-explain ka pa? She was burned real bad, John. You of all people should know how she would take that amount of pain. When you met her she was tough and you know that tapos---"

"I know. I broke her and that is why I'm trying to find her so I can make up for it. Alam kong darating ang panahon na kakausapin niya ako at magkakabalikan kaming muli."

Hindi alam ni John kung sino ang kinukumbinsi niya. Si Anika ba o ang sarili niya.

Nasa tapat na siya ng isang stall ng flower shop nang magsalita muli si Anika.