Shattered Reflections

Simula

I bow down at sa aking pagtayo ay napangiti ako sa dami ng mga taong nakatayo at nagpapalakpakan saking harapan. They look satisfied—more than satisfied actually. After a few thank you and speeches ay bumalik na ako sa back stage.

"Beware Ade, there's a lot of media outside!" Sigaw ng aking dance partner. Nag thumbs up lang ako at dumiretso na sa labas. Hindi siya nagkakamali, ang rami ngang media ang naghihintay sakin.

"Miss Ade!"

"Miss Ade!"

"When will be your next art exhibit?"

"Will it be held here in Paris?"

"Are you single Miss Ade?"

"When will be your next violin performance?"

Wala ako ni isang sinagot sa kanila hanggang sa nakapasok ako sa aking sasakyan. Life here in Paris is good, peaceful. Better than my life on my mother country. My life here is simple, I'm a ballerina and sometimes I perform violin on some events, I also do art exhibitions once in a while, and I love cooking and baking.

"Ade!" Agad akong bumalik saking dinaanan at nagpasyang di nalang bibili ng kape pero bago paman ako makalayo nahawakan niya ang braso ko.

Inis ko itong binalingan. "What do you want?"

"You. Look, I'm sorry, it was an accident. I was..drunk" Umirap ako sa naging rason niya. He had sex with my friend—well not anymore.

"You don't have to say sorry, we are not on a relationship. You can fuck around whenever you want. I don't care" Ani ko at binawi rito ang braso ko.

"Ade! Ade!" Sigaw nito habang sinusundan ako.

"You should be thankful I'm trying to stay with you! You are boring! Too boring!" Galit na sigaw nito na mas nagpabilis saking lakad. Fuck him if I'm boring!

Before I knew it, I bump into something hard...no, someone with a really broad shoulder.  Tiningala ko ito.

"Are you okay?"

"Ade! Come here!" Galit na galit si Gerald.

"Hey!" Bago pa man ako maabot ni Gerald ay nailagay na ako ng lalaki sa likuran niya.

"Go mind your fucking business dude!" Si Gerald.

"He's my boyfriend, Gerald! So please let me be" Oh God! Why did I said that?! Napalingon ang lalaki sakin and all I could do is beg through my eyes. Mukhang naintindihan naman ako nito at agad niyang pinulupot ang kanyang braso saking bewang.

"What?" Di makapaniwalang ani ni Gerald.

"What do you want with my girlfriend?" Sa malalim at tindig balihibong ani ng lalaki.

"Are you serious?" Gerald.

"Yes she is, what are you waiting for? Leave my woman alone" Kalmado siya pero ramdam na randam ko ang panganib sa boses nito.

Tumango tango si Gerald habang nasa akin ang titig bago niya ito nilipat sa lalaki at dahan dahang umalis. Hinintay ko munang mawala ito saking tingin bago ako kumawala sa lalaki.

"T-Thank you" I couldn't look at his eyes.

"You owe me" Dahil sa sinabi niya ay napatingin ako sa kanya na kanina pa pala nakatingin sakin. He looks...handsome. Gwapo siya, yun lang, Ade. He looks like a spoiled fuck boy.

"What?"

"I guess you live here. I'm not quite good with directions so maybe tour me around?"

"Uh..I-I'm sorry I cannot, I have an art class to attend to any minute now" I lied.

"Oh, if that so, maybe tomorrow? Let's meet here, at the same place and time" Suggestion niya.

"Don't worry, I have no intention, I just need someone to tour me around....to accompany me" Dagdag niya nang mapansin ang pag-aalinlangan ko.

"Okay" Napatango tango ako. "Tomorrow then" Dagdag ko pa. Of course I can't say no, he saved me from that bastard, hindi ko din naman pwedeng sabihin na ngayon ko nalang siya ipapasyal, mabubuko ako, and he seems nice despite looking like a spoiled fuck boy.

"You need to come home, now"

"What? For what?" Tanong ko saking ama na nasa kabilang linya.

"Your sister run away and her engagement will be announce anytime soon, habang wala siya, ikaw muna ang papalit sa kanya—" I cut him off.

"Pero dad, pwede naman sabihin na lang natin ang totoo! We'll find her and then talk to her, and then marry whoever that guy is!" Nag papanic na ako. I don't wanna go back. I can't leave. My life is in Paris.

"Ang bobo mo talaga Adelaide! Mag-isip ka nga! Mapapahiya tayo sa mga Eschieverra pag ginawa natin yan! Mapapahiya ako!"

"Either way mapapahiya ka dad! Ibang mukha ang makikilala nila and then suddenly when you find ate ipapakilala mo siya!"

"I can talk to them and explain them once I found your sister! Pag wala akong hinarap na anak sa kanila, they'll probably going to pull their investments! Mahihirapan ang kompanya! So if you love your life in Paris! Go back home!" Galit na sigaw nito.

"I can't, my exhibition is approaching! And..my life is in Paris"

"Do not test my patience Adelaide! You won't like it." I stop.

"At kung ayaw mong tuluyang mawala sayo ang Art Gallery mo" Dagdag pa nito na mas nagpatakot sakin.