Jessie is very much attracted to her best friend's brother, Rigs. But why not? He is good looking, hot, an architect and with a big house near the city. And he is also engaged to his childhood sweetheart. She was brokenhearted without a boyfriend.
...
"Damn it, Gina! If you can't make it this time, you have to give my folks a better reason!" Ang galit na tinig ng isang lalaki ang bumasag sa naririnig kong kanta sa magkabilang ear pod ko. Nahinto ang ginagawa kong pagtingin sa magasin. Mabilis na nag-angat ako ng mukha kasabay nang papalakas na pintig ng puso ko sa pamilyar na tinig na iyon.
Si Rigs. He was wearing a white polo shirt branded on the left sleeve. He carried on his left shoulder a black storage tube. He angrily removed it without noticing me and put it on the bin near the door. Kasunod nito ang babae na kagaya nito ay halata sa itsura na iritable. She was wearing a white ruffled short sleeve linen and black tight-fitting slacks which complemented her height and figure. Ever since Gina De Mesa was an eye-catching celebrity in their small town in San Roque. Rigs and Gina were a perfect sweetheart while they were growing up. And now that Rigs was a successful architect and Gina was working as a news reporter in a prestigious TV network in the country, everyone from their hometown was expecting that a match made from heaven would have a big wedding of the year.
"And that's the problem, right? I always have to give you a valid reason!" The woman exclaimed heatedly.
Sasagot sana si Rigs nang sa wakas ay napansin na niya ako na nakatulala sa kanila habang hawak ko ang earpod ko. Napakurap ito at agad na nagbago ang ekspresyon.
"Jessie." He greeted in a not-so-friendly voice. Rigs and I were both of the same age. But I was enrolled in a catholic school until high school in San Roque. I was in college when my parents decided to migrate to Australia because my sister lives there. Isinama nila ako kahit ayoko. I remembered how I begged my parents to allow me to stay in the country together with my grandparents. But they were persistent. Only last year, we decided to come back when my grandfather died and my mother was the only living child. My uncle died five years ago in a car accident. My parents also decided to stay for good and continue to manage the farm that my grandfather left to us. Mabait naman ang naging katiwala ng Lolo kaya maayos na napamahalaan ang farm. Ang mga pinsan ko naman ay nasa Manila rin at dito nagtatrabaho na. Nakabili na rin sila ng lupa sa may Quezon City kaya bihira silang umuwi sa Laguna.
I became his younger sister's friend because we were badminton buddies in our hometown. Madalas na magkita kami sa gym kung saan may weekend session ang mga gustong mag-badminton noon elementary. Their house was just three blocks away from us so basically we knew each other since birth. I was in high school when I started visiting Rian, his sister, in their house so we can play badminton. It was just an excuse because of I already like her brother. Kaya lamang, aloof si Rigs. He never threw a glance at me whenever I was visiting their home. Rian, however, was not immune how much I like her brother. Madalas tinutukso niya ako at hindi ko iyon itinatago. I was showing interest that any breathing male would recognize my obvious display of how much I liked him.
He just didn't show any interest then. Instead, he had shown interest to one of the beauty queens in our town. I didn't take it seriously since Rigs was not the only good looking guy way back then. I had an ultimate crush who happened to be his buddy, Anthony. But unlike Rigs, Anthony was debonair. Courting everyone who fancies his attention. I was also in high school when I became his two-week girlfriend.
Agad na napatayo ako, I could feel I became nervous now that I was staring at his dark eyes. Rigs had always this power to make my heart skip a beat. It was still the same even after ten long years. I had few boyfriends in Australia but it never made me feel like this. Never had this power to make my knees go weak in a mere sight. When I came back last year, I didn't know he would still have the same effect on me. The first time we saw again after ten long years was during the wake of my grandfather. It was a polite, one-word 'condolence' that came from him and that was it. Rian and I managed to keep communication within ten years and she was equally happy that my family chose to stay.
Alanganing ngumiti ako. "Hi, Rigs. I–I was just visiting Rian. May mga supplies ako na binili and I decided to drop by." I said in a casual voice. I was managing a small bookshop in our town. I've had enough savings to start a small business when my family decided to stay for good. "Hello, Gina. I like your dress." I smiled at the woman who still looked irritated but tried to smile when I complimented her outfit.
"Eric saw your bookshop and said it was pretty nice," sabi ni Gina na ang tinutukoy ay ang pinsan nito. I saw him twice every week and was a client already. He was always looking for political books.
I nodded. "Yes. He is a constant customer ng shop."
"How long are you going to stay here? Or are you staying somewhere?" Nakakunot ang noo ni Rigs.
Napakurap ako at nakaramdam ng pagkapahiya. May apat na beses na akong bumibisita kay Rian sa tuwing may binibili ako sa Manila para sa bookshop. At sa apat na beses na iyon ay hindi ko matanggihan si Rian pag sinasabi nito na sa apartment na ako mag-stay. Na kagaya noon, hindi nagugustuhan ni Rigs. Hindi ko siya masisisi. Naging masyado akong forward dati sa pagpapakita ng interes sa kanya at hindi ko siya masisisi kung isipin niya na hanggang ngayon ay nagpapakita ako ng interes sa kanya.
Pero bago pa ako nakasagot ay lumabas na si Rian mula sa kusina at may dalang dalawang baso ng juice. Nagulat ito nang makita ang kuya nito at si Gina. Napatingin siya sa akin bago nakakunot ang noong ibinalik ang tingin sa kuya nito.
"Kuya, andito pa pala kayo? Akala ko ba mauuna na kayong umuwi sa San Roque?" nagtatakang tanong ni Rian na ibinaba sa center table ang dala nitong dalawang baso ng juice. "Hindi ba at ngayon gabi kayo ini-expect ni Mommy dahil ngayon lamang nasa bayan ang couturier na anak ng kaibigan ni Mommy?"
I wished I could ignore the envy feeling that I was feeling right now. But yes, they were engaged a month before I came back.
I had no idea that I would still feel the same even if it was clear as day that he would never look at me the way he looked at her...
📌 Year 2024 new preordering in hardbound bundle 📌 PROMO form is available until January 31 ONLY 📌 REGULAR PREORDERING after January 31 📌 FULL PAYMENT/INSTALLMENT 📌 SOLD AS BUNDLE only (With You Softbound/Hardbound)
E-book at www.nobelista.com
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
