Boy Next Door (LeAga)

Shoot -- straight to her heart

“Uy Salonga! Anyare sa’yo teh? Anng tinira mo, mukha kang adik! Hahahaha!” Vice told her as she went down the stairs and he laughed hysterically. Paano ba naman kasi, yung eyebags n’ya super visible na. Halatang halata na ilang araw na s’yang di natutulog. She lacks sleep for days not because of work related stuffs but because of overthinking. Yes, she still is thinking about the occurrences in her life these past few days.

“You look like the old you when you first came back here years ago.” It’s Dawn and her comment got into Lea. She raised her right eyebrow and looked at Dawn and then Vice. “Don’t get me started Dawn. If you guys have nothing good to say, just shut up.” Dawn shook her head while Vice went to Lea and examined her face which made the latter irritated. She looked at Vice with fury eyes and was about to speak up when he spoke. “Iniisip mo s’ya ‘no?”

Iniisip? Iniisip ko ba s’ya? I admit, I miss him and I -- I love him still. But is it right to still miss him when I was the one who left and gave up? Parang wala naman akong karapatang isipin at mamiss pa s’ya.

“Hindi ‘no!” Vice drew a mischievous smile. “Bakit may sagot ka agad? May sinabi na ba akong pangalan?” Namutla naman bigla si Lea. She bowed her head, shut her eyes and tapped her forehead. Oo nga, wala ngang binaggit si Vice pero – ugh. Stop thinking about the past Lea!

Paano!? E ginugulo ako ng lecheng past na yan! Bakit kapag okay ka na saka ka babalikan ng nakaraan? Saka ka babalikan ng mga bagay na nakasakit sa’yo ng sobra? Nananadya na talaga yung tadhana e! Kung kailan naka-move on ka na, saka babalik yung mga taong sangkot sa nakaraan mo.

Naka-move on ka na ba talaga? Half of her mind asked. Nakamove on na nga ba s’ya? Obviously, not yet.

“Yung kasama mo sa photo shoot ang tinutukoy ko teh! Balita ko gwapo yunnn! Pakilala mo naman ako! Hihihi!” Lea rolled her eyes as Vice sat beside her giggling. Parang igat si Vice na nagpakawala ng kuryente sa katawan. Apaka landi! Oo na, gwapo na, but what’s with the reaction? Lagi namang gwapo ang partner n’ya eh para daw equal yung equation, maganda kasi s’ya. (a/n: Mukha akong tangang nangingiti kasi na-iimagine kong sinasabi n’ya to. Hahaha!)

“Ano ngang pangalan n’ya?” asked Vice with his eyes twinkling. “Aga. Aga Muhlach. He is the magazine’s EIC’s bro — half-brother.” Lea answered nonchalantly. Out of nowhere, Dawn appeared and raised her eyebrow on her and smiled. “Nakapag-research ka na agad tungkol sa kanya?” Lea managed a simple, “Huh?” Dawn and Vice looked at her meaningfully, looked at each other, smiled and nodded consecutively. Lea found their reactions weird. “Anong problema n’yo?”

The two laughed at her. Vice stood up and told her to get ready. “Bakit? Saan na naman tayo pupunta?” She asked impatiently. The two didn’t answer but pulled her up instead. Then Dawn pushed her to her room. “Magbihis ka na! Pa-make over tayo! Nakakahiya sa partner mo sa shoot mamaya yang itsura mo!” Lea stopped midway. “Hey! Anong gusto mong palabasin? I don’t need a make-over! Maganda na ako ‘no!” Lea virtually flipped her hair and crossed her arms. Dawn frowned. “In your state now? Ugh. Mukha kang college student na limang araw walang tulog dahil sa projects at exams. Don’t even try to argue with me Carmen. Fix your things!” Okay. She was left with no choice when Dawn closed the door of her room. She rolled her eyes and went over her walk in closet to fix herself.

---

Lea came to the studio’s parking and is struggling with the shopping bags she is bringing. Dawn and Vice dropped her by and refused to take her shopping bags with them to be sent to her home! “Ugh! Why didn’t I bring my car with me?! And why the hell did I agree to buy all these? Hindi ko naman kayo kailangan e!” She half whispered and half shouted as she walked to the elevator.

“Let me carry that for you.” A manly voice from her behind said. She froze as the man snatched the shopping bags from her hand and made a contact. Cliché as it may seem but there’s the electricity flowing within her. “T-thank you, mi—“ “Aga.” The man interrupted.

The elevator opened and he let her in first. “T-thank you Ags.” Aga nodded. He looked at her and smiled. Oh hello deep dimples! Lea smiled back exposing her oh so cute little dimples. Syempre hindi s’ya papatalo sa labanan ng dimples ‘no!

They were still inside the elevator and awkward silence is filling the air. Few seconds later, the elevator suddenly stopped which caused Lea to lose her balance. She almost fell but managed to hold onto Aga who stood firmly on his position. Lea’s hand is still clasping on Aga’s V-neck shirt to keep her from falling on the elevator’s floor and it is exposing Aga’s muscled chest. Lea looked up, saw his exposed chest and met his gaze. She immediately stood properly and gazed at the elevator’s door. “S-sorry.” She managed to say after that scene. Aga chuckled and she looked at him. Aga walked nearer as if wanting to cage her or pin her to the wall and with every step he said, “And cute mo pag nate-tense.” He chuckled again and on his last step before totally leaving her with no space to step back on her behind, the elevator door opened, it continued operating without any of them noticing. Saved by the ‘ting!’. Lea sighed contentedly and shut her eyes.

“Ayaw mo d’yang lumabas? O baka gusto mong matuluyang matrap dyan?!” Aga laughed at her and she groaned of frustration. Ano bang nangyayari? Wala na naman s’ya sa sarili. -_-

---

“Hi Miss Lea!” Jazzle started. “I bet my staffs already brief you that –“ She caught some needed air and prepared to continue her introduction when Lea giggled and spoke. “You’re cute.” And Jazzle blushed of the compliment. “Yes. They already told me that your theme is sexy since it is summer. And I’m glad you told me earlier, nakakahiya sa partner ko at least kahit papaano nakapag-diet ako!” And with that, Lea’s loud laughter filled the room. Natawa naman din ang lahat hindi lang dahil sa sinabi n’ya but also because of her carefree laugh. Her laughter’s like an uncontrollable virus that you can’t help but be infected.

Hindi naman pala mahirap pakisamahan. Mabait, carefree, down-to-earth, taong tao. Jazzle thought. She must admit, at first, akala n’ya Ms. Lea is one of those who forgot where they came from when they reached the peak of success. Akala n’ya isa s’ya dun sa mga sikat na kung umasta akala mo sa Diyos na kailangan sambahin sila – mga maldita, elitista, mapanghamak ng iba. But then again, assumptions aren’t always proven to be true.

They started the pictorial and the two were asked to wear different kinds of summer wears. And they are now up to the last set. Lea is wearing a short maong shorts paired with a white polo and sandals while Aga is wearing a white sando shirt exposing his well-built arms and a flowery trunks (a/n: basta yung pang-summer! XD) with flip flops. She was asked to unbutton her polo up to the third one and do and sideways pose and show off her shoulders. This could have been an easy task if not for Aga being asked to pose next to her. He was standing in front of her looking intently as if examining her whole being while she is still doing the off-shoulder pose. The photographer asked them to stand still for he cannot get the angle he wanted for the magazine’s cover until he shouted a line that made Lea gulp multiple times.

“Aga! Shirt off!” The photographer shouted. Aga looked at him as if asking to repeat what he just said. “I said shirt off.” Lea felt tensed, her eyes widened. She gulped again. A half-naked Aga Muhlach in front of her. She tried to stop herself from drooling too much kahit nagsusumigaw ang six pack abs ni Aga sa harapan n’ya. She shut her eyes tight. Ano bang iniisip n’ya?

“Ugh! Lea! Stop!” She reminded herself.

“Lea, back to your sideways pose. Paki-ayos naman yung polo n’ya so we can expose her shoulders properly.” The photographer ordered. She was inattentive until they touched their polo and did the pose. “Aga, at her back please!” Aga positioned at her back and to her surprised, he held her waist making their bodies touch. They were so close she can’t breathe. Kahit hindi n’ya makita, she knows Aga is looking intently at her face and she could also feel his breathes on her bare shoulder meaning he is that close. His right hand is still in her waist and once again he pulled her closer. Ayan na naman yung kuryente sa katawan n’ya. Anong nangyayari sa kanya? Bakit ba masyado s’yang naattrack sa kanya?

Is she already under his spell?

xxx xxx