KHRONICLED DESTINY: Cassandra

CHAPTER TWO

WEAR something casual.

That was what he told her earlier bago siya umalis para dumaan sa opisina at i-check sa kanyang assistant kung may mga papeles pa siyang nakaligtaang pirmahan. Tuloy ay naligo na rin siya at nagpalit ng damit sa banyo na kanugnog ng executive office na matatagpuan sa pinakalikod ng building na nagsisibling main office at showroom ng furniture company. Pero mukhang wala sa bokabolaryo ng ka-date niya ang salitang casual.

Pinagmamasdan niya ito kaninang pababa ito ng hagdan at hindi niya mapigilang humanga. She was wearing a simple floral-print yellow dress, paired with a Huarache sandal heels probably bought in Mexico... but she was too dressed up to where they were going. Ini-expect niya na naka simpleng blouse at pantalon lang ito katulad ng sinusuot ng ibang nakaka-date niya noon but he was dead wrong. Cassandra was too feminine to wear t-shirts and jeans.

And now, andito na sila nakaparada sa harap ng isang kilalang ice cream shop sa Quezon City. Sandra turned to him in horror. Halos hindi maipinta ang magandang mukha nito sa pagkakangiwi.

"Sabi mo lunch!" Naiirita at hintakot na sabi nito, accusation laced all over her voice.

He finally let go of the chuckle he was holding back mula nang sumakay sila sa kotse niya. "Sinful lunch," he grinned and went out of the car at nagtuloy sa loob ng ice cream shop.

Ngunit nasa pintuan na siya ng tindahan ay hindi pa rin bumababa si Sandra sa kotse. Bumalik siya sa pinanggalingan at yumuko sa bintana ng passenger's seat kung saan ito nakaupo. Kinatok niya ang bintana na binuksan naman ng dalaga na hindi pa rin nawawala ang kunot ng noo.

"Hindi bagay sa iyo ang nakasimangot. What's wrong with ice cream for lunch?" nakangiting sabi niya.

"Everything!" She almost shouted dala ng inis sa kausap. "I don't eat ice cream..." That was untrue pero hinding-hindi niya babawiin iyon. Nagbihis siya at naglaan ng ilang oras para lang dalhin sa pambatang lugar na ito?! She even carefully chose what to wear dahil ang sabi ng binata ay magde-date daw sila. She was so excited by the prospect of being dated by an older guy, and a very handsome one at that, ngunit tila binagsakan siya ng langit nang matanto kung saan siya dinala ng ka-date.

"Come on! Hindi naman makakasira sa diet mo ang pagkain ng isa o dalawang serve ng banana split. Besides, maaga pa naman. Wala pang alas doce at naparami ang kain ko kanina kaya busog pa ako. And as far as I can remember you loved ice cream," paliwanag niya, pero hindi pa rin natitinag si Sandra.

Maaga siyang nakabalik dahil wala naman siyang ginagwa sa opisina. He was like a giddy teenage boy, excited for his first date na pagkadating niya sa Makati ay agad siyang dumerecho sa banyo at naligo. Iniisip niyang dalhin si Sandra sa Intercon sa Makati para mag-lunch but he checked himself and almost cringed in disgust at the realization na kababatang kapatid ni Julio ang makakasama niya... ang batang madalas magpabili sa kanya ng ice cream noon at itinuturing siyang kuya!

"That's the operative word: loved," she spat it out like acid at ipinag-krus ang mga kamay sa dibdib, pulling Ran back out of his reverie.

"Hindi ka talaga lalabas?" It was spoken softly, laced with a little threat at mukhang effective naman dahil napatingin sa kanya ang dalagita.

Napabuntong-hininga ito at padabog na lumabas ng sasakyan slamming the door behind her, and he can only hold his breath, grunting to himself. Wala pang kahit na sino ang gumawa noon sa kotse niya. His car is a 1970 Shelby Mustang GT500... a gray muscle car with black racing stripes from front to back. But it was more than just a muscle car for him. Ang kotseng ito ay dating pagmamay-ari ng tiyuhin niyang race car driver, at madalas ipagamit sa kanya kapag umuuwi siya ng Pilipinas para magbakasyon. Though he kept it a secret, he used this car many times to race the streets of Batangas and Manila, and even on the race track.