Memories

Chapter 8: Start of My New Life

Chapter 8 - Start of My New Life

Cass' POV

"Ash... Hm, nice nickname." Pero honestly, I don't wanna call him Ash. Okay, ako na pakialamera! But I really like calling people by their initials, so I'm gonna call him AJ instead. I was about to tell him about the 'AJ thingy', pero inunahan ako. -____-

"Thanks, Cass. Uh... Para makabawi naman ako sa'yo, let's have coffee. My treat." Who am I to decline? Bihira nalang ang gwapong lalaki na nanlilibre sa panahon ngayon ano!

So I went with him. He asked me things about myself, and I did tell him things... But I had to lie a little. Lumayas ako, remember? So kailangan maging maingat sa mga taong nakakasama ko.

And then it was his turn to tell things about himself. Ashton Jeremy Choi ang full name niya. He's 19, at grabe, siya agad ang magmamanage ng business nila! Well, mukha namang matalino siya, and he knows what he's doing... Labag nga lang sa kalooban niya. Parang parehas pala kami, tinakasan ko nga lang yung akin. XD

After niya magkwento, we ate in silence for a few minutes pero nag-ring yung phone niya. Habang kausap niya yung taong tumawag, I stared at his face.

His eyes are so expressive, there's something about it that attracts you. At yung ilong niya na sobrang tangos, super attractive din... And his lips. Aaah, natetempt ako *licks lips* HAHAH! He has a perfect set of teeth, and when he smiles I swear I could just imagine the world lighting up! His dimples show up, at yung singkit niyang mata ay lalong sumisingkit! Exagg, but that is how I feel...

"Err, Cass? I guess I need to go now. Thank you for the time, and for accepting my apology. Here, I wrote my number," at binigay niya sakin yung tissue na may nakasulat na number. Aaah, kinikilig ako. "Contact me if you need anything. Thanks again, I enjoyed your company."

"It's nothing. Thank you as well! Ingat ka!" Would you believe that? Yung lalaki na halos isumpa ko na sa sobrang inis ko, ay kaibigan ko na? AT ANG MALALA PA, CRUSH KO NA SIYA >.< Grabe, umalis lang ako ng Pilipinas, ang landi ko na. XD

~~~

"Why, hello! Cassandra, right?" Bati sakin ni Justin, ang makakasama ko dito sa condomenium unit na 'to. Sabi ni El, katropa daw dati nila ni Ed si Justin. He used to study in the Philippines, pero bigla nalang daw siyang lumipat ng US. They all remained friends though, something that I felt envious about. Ang hirap ng kailangang magtago. Ang bigat sa pakiramdam.

"Yep. Err, thanks for letting me stay here... I mean, you know, it's a little awkward. But don't worry, I'll try my best not to bother you."

"Oh, you can bother me anytime, miss." Kinindatan niya ako. Oh, na-mention ko bang binalaan ako ni El na may pagka-pilyo 'tong si Justin? Playboy nga daw. But I don't think his charms will work on me. Okay na sakin yung may crush ako kay AJ... Ahehe.

"And... Pwede bang mag-Tagalog tayo pag nandito? Kanina pa kasi ako nage-English, mauubusan na ako ng dugo." Pagbibiro ko. Totoo naman kasi! Tumawa siya at ayun, nagusap kami in Tagalog. Hahaha.

Ako ang nag-luto ng dinner namin for the evening. ADOBO BEYBEEEEH! :D

"Wow! Ang sarap nito ah, Cass! Sobrang namiss ko ang adobo, puro take out lang kasi ako. Kung magluluto man, yung fried or instant noodles. Hahaha." Yup! You heard right, comfortable na kami ni Justin sa isa't-isa. Andami din kasi naming napag-usapan kanina, including yung dahilan kung bakit ako nag-US. I don't know, I can see a little bit of Kuya Cy in him...

"Uh... Cass? May nasabi ba akong masama? S-sorry ... Hindi ko naman alam na touchy subject pala ang a-adobo..." Hindi ko namalayang naiiyak na pala ako. Pero dahil sa sinabi ni Justin, napatawa ako ng sobra.

"HAHAHA! Grabe naman, it's not the adobo! I just... I just miss all of them, that's all."

"Must be really hard, eh? I'm sure you'll get by... You're a strong woman, Cass." Tumatak sakin yung mga sinabi ni Justin. For the first time since I've stepped on American soil, I felt assurance. Sana ma-prove ko nga sa sarili ko na strong ako.

~~~

"You'll start on Monday, Ms. del Castillo. You may go now." MAY TRABAHO NA DIN SA WAKAS T.T I've been rejected 5 times. 5 TIMES! Ganun ba ako ka-walang kwenta?! Aishhhh. Buti nalang mabait si Justin at pinapatuloy ako ng libre, as long as ako ang nagluluto ng dinner. Okay lang naman, saya nga eh! :D

Anong job ko? Cashier sa bookstore malapit sa condo ni Justin. Pwede nadin, para hindi na gastos sa pamasahe, at madaling makakauwi. Di ko pa kabisado dito eh. :)

"Uy! Welcome back, Cass! Haggard yata tayo ah? Rough day?" Bati sakin ni Justin nung mapansin niyang nakahilata ako sa sofa. Packers, I am sooooo tired! It's a bit chilly today, thank God for that kasi baka himatayin na ako kung mainit.

"You have no idea. Limang beses akong nakatanggap ng 'no'. Yung bookstore lang pala na malapit dito yung bagsak ko! Di na sana ako nagpunta kung saan-saan." I complained. Tinawanan niya lang ako at pumasok sa kwarto niya. Makatulog na nga lang muna, gigising ako ng 4 to prepare our dinner. Around 6pm kasi kami kumakain ng dinner.

RIIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIING! RIIIII-

"Hm?" I answered half-awake. Wapakels na kung mabastusan yung nasa kabilang linya, inistorbo ako eh.

[...Cass?]

I gasped, "E-Eleanor? ELEANOR!!!" And the tears started falling. God, how I miss her! Kamusta na kaya silang lahat? Namimiss din ba nila ako? Kasi ako, sobrang namimiss ko na sila. Pakiramdam ko hindi ako makakatagal dito eh, wala si Kuya Cy, si El at Ed, kahit si Vamp, Kuya Vhyn at Ate Vina. They were always there for me, be it the highest or lowest of times, and most especially when my bratinella self shows up. Ngayon ako nalang mag-isa. Well, nandyan pa naman si Justin pero iba kapag sila eh. I miss my Mom and Dad. I miss the Philippines. :(

[Oh my goodness, Cassandra! I miss you to death! Are you adjusting well?]

"If by adjusting well, you mean namamayat sa kakahanap ng trabaho at pagod na pagod na sa rejections, then yes, I am adjusting well."

[Oh God, Cass... If I could only lessen your problems, I totally would. I may be a bitch to you, but I treat you as a sister, and I can't bear the thought of you living like that. Balik ka na, Cass. You know we won't judge you. Bumalik ka na samin...]  At tuluyan na siyang umiyak. What have I done? Nasasaktan sila ng sobra dahil sa pag-takas ko.

"You know how much I long for the warm Philippine air, Ellie. Pero mahirap eh, I would get judged, maybe even pushed away. Maaring hindi niyo gagawin yun, but how certain are we na yung ibang tao, ganun din ang pag-iisip? I will be back, El. Promise ko yan. Babalik ako sa oras na napatunayan ko na ang sarili ko at may ipagmamalaki ako. Hindi yung umaasa lang sa fixed marriage. You get what I mean naman diba? At paano mo pala nakuha number ko?"

[Kung yan lang ang paraan para bumalik ka samin at bumalik tayo sa dati, tututol pa ba ako? Basta, may tiwala ako sa'yo. I'll always be here, you know that. Anyway, tinanong ko kay Justin nung nakaraang gabi yung number mo. Speaking of J, kamusta naman si Justin?] And we talked for hours, parang katulad nung dati lang. After our conversation, hindi na ako nagpahinga. Nag-isip nalang ako ng plans para makapagtagumpay agad. Para makabalik agad.

~~~

"My first day. Kaya yaaan! AJA!" Bulong ko sa sarili ko at lumabas na ng kwarto. Unang araw ko bilang cashier. Oh God, who would've thought na si Cassandra del Castillo ay magiging cashier sa isang bookstore? No, hindi ko minamaliit ang pagiging cashier, but I was expected to be the heiress of our family business. I was trained and raised to be a successful businesswoman... And here I am, selling books for $2 an hour.

Paglabas ko, nakita ko si Justin na nagkakape habang hawak ang phone. Kalalaking tao, ang hilig sa text. OMG, could it be? O.O Joke, straight yan. Iba-iba ang girlfriend kada linggo eh. No wonder nagkasundo sila ni Eleanor. -___-

"Oh. Going to work?"

"Obvious ba. Oy, alis na ko! Wish me luck!" And off I go. Walking distance lang yung bookstore so tipid na tipid ako sa fare. At exercise nadin! Para sumexy lalo ;)

I arrived at the bookstore around 7:30. By 8am dapat nandito na ako so sakto lang. I took a deep breath, and entered.

First step, job. I'm getting there. Slowly but surely.