MIRRORED FATES

CHAPTER 30

EISER’S POV

“Okay, okay, byebye, Cheri, enjoy your vacation with your family. Hope all goes well with all of you.” pagpapaalam ko kay Ali na pupunta raw sa abroad kasama ang pamilya niya. Matapos niya ring magpaalam ay ibinaba ko na ang tawag at pabuntong-hiningang pinawi na ang munting pagngiti ko.

I’m genuinely happy for her, at least, she’s starting to get back to her feet. She always give me a gist of her progress in life and so far, she’s loving the way Renz could laugh and smile with the three of them, I really hope that her son will take her as his mother sooner.

Masayang-masaya rin ako sa kung paano niya na pinapamahalaan din ang nasimulan niya nang negosyo; I don’t feel any jealousy nor envy at all because as her best friend, seeing her with small happy family is also making me blissful.

Sana ay ito na talaga at hindi na sila mawawatak pa.

Totoong nagka-crush ako sa kaniya noon pero madali ko rin iyong nilabanan dahil naisip kong may anak na siya’t darating din ang araw na babalikan niya si Alexis kahit paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi sa akin na galit siya sa lalaking iyon, halata pa rin naman sa mga mata niyang mahal niya pa rin e, and I don’t wanna be a homewrecker since she’s also still married to him—moreover, with two kids.

Kaya simula noon hanggang ngayon ay purong kaibigan lamang na parang kapatid ang tingin ko sa kaniya, I learned that you can love someone deeply without looking for more.

I love how we support each other’s lives and how we are always ready to back up each other, I love that we support each other. She’s the best person ever, my best best friend.

Huminto ako sa pagpindot ng slides sa camera ng photographer kong kinuha ko para sa mga litrato ng mga pagkaing nasa newly built fastfood chain ko dahil kailangan kong maglagay ng menus sa counter at tablets, nang masilayan ko ang pinakamaganda na yatang muse na nakita ko sa buong buhay ko, pero hindi ko siya kilalang model o artista, wala rin siyang hawak na pagkain.

She looks lovely with her brown skin, little to no makeup, sunlight hitting her eyes while her delicate hand covering her forehead, she isn’t smiling and that made her sleepy eyes to look more tantalizing, her skin is glistening against the sun; the shape of her jaw is drop-dead gorgeous, thin heart-shaped lips, high-bridge cute nose, thick flat brows, and her eyes...

Her eyes are just. . . So literally eye-catching! Is this naturally sleepy? Or even if it’s not, I’m hella sure these are mesmerizing. Bewitching.

Napakisap ako ng mga mata ko nang mapansin kong matagal na akong nakatitig sa litrato ng babae sa camera, I might have looked like a creep but I just couldn’t take my eyes off of this rare look for me, my mind couldn’t even describe her entire beauty rightfully but I swear, this is not a typical beauty I’ve ever seen.

No makeup? No filter? She’s already my type.

Everyone is uniquely beautiful, I know, but it depends on that one person who will see someone who looks like a seldomly seen diamond.

I cleared my throat but never did my eyes leave the screen of the camera as I spoke. “Mang Noel, sino itong babae sa kuha mo?” sumilip naman siya sa hawak ko.

“Ay, sorry po, Sir, hindi na po kasama sa mga kuha ko para sa mga ipa-print niyo iyang mga picture ni Naih, hindi ko lang po mga dinelete e kasi sayang naman.” Naih.

Cute name.

“Naih? It’s okay, mabuti nga’t hindi mo dinelete kasi sayang talaga,” ang ganda na ng kuha, ang ganda pa ng kinuhanan. “Tagasaan siya?”

“Sa bahay ko, Sir, panganay ko kasi iyan,” napalingon ako kay mang Noel nang nakataas ang dalawang kilay.

“Oh, talaga? Ilang taon na ba siya?...I mean, we can make her our model for me, her face can advertise Vittles.” nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya at panandaliang napatabon sa kaniyang bibig.