"Hi, Moe." She greeted him over the phone. May bakas ng lungkot sa boses nito.
"Hi. How are you?" Bati naman ni Elmo.
"I'm fine." Tipid na sagot ni Julie.
Hindi na umimik ang binata. Hinihintay niyang magpaliwanag si Julie tungkol sa nabasa at nakita niyang pictures nito sa social media kasama si Jc.
"Uh.. I.. I'm about to eat my breakfast. Ikaw? Nagdinner ka na?"
"No. Not yet. Should we end this call?" Kaswal na tanong niya.
"N-no. No, Babe. I wanna hear your voice pa. Wala ka bang sasabihin or ikukwento? I was waiting for you last night. Hindi ka naman nag-online." Nagtatampong sambit ni Julie.
"Yes, I do have a lot of things to say. I've read the article about you and that guy dating last night and both of you said we broke up before I leave for New York." He answered mentally.
"Moe? Baby? Still there?"
"Uhm. Yeah. Sorry. Ano nga ulit 'yon?" Mula sa kama, lumipat siya sa gilid nito sa sahig at doon naupo.
"Sabi ko hinintay kita kagabi. Hindi ka naman nag-online."
"Ahh.. Jules, you said dapat 9am dito nakaonline na ako and I did. Ikaw yung hindi nag-online."
"Really? I'm sorry. 10pm na ako nakapag-online eh."
"Hm.. Where have you been? Mukha ngang busy ka, Babe eh." He joked.
"Sorry, Baby. Uh.. I was with Maqui kasi last night. Nagyaya manood ng movie and dinner na rin."
Mariin siyang napapikit. She's lying. Hindi niya akalain na magagawa ito ni Julie sa kaniya.
"Really, Babe? You were not with Jc?"
~~
"Really, Babe? You were not with Jc?"
Unti-unti nang tumulo ang mga luha niya. She hates what was happen last night. Ayaw niya naman gawin 'yon eh. Ayaw niya magsinungaling.
"Uhm.. I.. I'm sorry, Moe." She sobbed. Pinunasan niya ang luha niya saka siya kay Maqui na nasa kama niya. Bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha ng kaibigan. "Sorry for lying. Sorry for not telling you na may agreement kami ng management." Muli siyang humarap sa glass wall.
"Agreement? Management?"
"Baby.."
"Ano yun, Julie Anne?"
"Baby, they want me and JC to act like.. L-like.."
"Like what?!"
"Like we're a real couple." She sobs. "Baby, I'm sorry."
She heard him sigh.
"Pumayag ka? Tapos ano? Inutusan kayong magdate or to do something na iingay ang pangalan niyong dalawa? Yung loveteam niyo? And then may ambush interview kayong dalawa tapos sasabihin mo mismo na break na tayo at ginatungan niya. Tama ba?"
Kung kanina ay buntong hininga lang ang narinig niya mula sa binata,n ngayon ay ang tahimik na pag-iyak na nito.
"Julie Anne naman eh.. You don't need to do that. Mas mahalaga pa ba yang career mo kaysa sa akin? Answer me."
"B-baby.." She doesn't know what to say. "B-babe.. Y-you're far more important. Believe me, please."
Nilapitan na ni Maqui si Julie at niyakap ito.
