THE AWESOME HEIRESS Road to Ambition

Chapter 4

"I missed you!" nakaakap na lambing ni Cassandra sa kaibigan.

"Haist!" kunway naasiwang reaksiyon ni Harry. "Kaya ayaw tayong paniwalaang magkaibigan dahil kung makadikit ka para kang linta."

Nakangusong sumimangot ang dalaga at tumingala sa mukha ng kausap. "Ayaw mo? E di huwag!" sabay kalas nito sa katawan ng lalaki.

"O sige na! Sige na nga!" mabilis na bawi ng binata.

Ngumiwi ang babae. "Ikaw pakipot ka rin! I know you missed me too!" Yumakap ulit ito at pagkuway ngumiti. "Na-miss talaga kita," kunwari ay naiiyak na wika nito.

"Stop acting sweet," may pagkasupladong saad ni Harry habang nakatingin sa bumbunan ng kaibigang mahipit na nakaakap sa kanya. "If you really missed me, you won't do this kind of thing. Kababalik mo pa lang from States tapos nilayasan mo na ako," may kahinaang bigkas niya nang napapatingin sa paligid upang tiyaking walang nakakarinig sa pag-uusap nila.

Bumitiw si Cassandra sa kaibigan at  humalukipkip. "Ang intensiyon ko lang naman ay simpleng mag-open up kina Mommy't Daddy tungkol sa pangarap ko. I didn't expect them to be this harsh especially Dad! I thought he'll take my side but I was wrong! Akalain ko ba namang palalayasin pala nila ako at hahayaan lamang na tumira dito kina Tito Melchor."

"Ikaw kasi masyado kang nagmamadali. For sure they were hugely shocked. Maybe they were still ecstatic for having a daughter who just graduated  summa cum laude from Yale University tapos boom! All of a sudden magsasabi ang anak nila na gusto niyang magpulis and decided to just waste the four years effort she sacrificed studying abroad. If you were in their shoes, matutuwa ka ba agad? Do you expect them to give you one huge applause?"

Tiningnan niya nang masama ang binata. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty now? Or deep inside you also think that I am stupid for choosing a nonsense dream! I trusted you Harry!" nagdadramang sumbat niya.

Mabilis na napataas ng dalawang kamay ang lalaki. "Hey don't get mad at me lady! Relax! I was the only one who knew about that weird ambition of yours. If I were to betray you dapat noon ko pa sinabi kina Tito at Tita ang plano mo. But I didn't because I supported you and I still believe that you can make it in due time...all I'm saying is that I wish you didn't execute your plan too soon. Masyado pang wrong timing!" Dismayado itong ngumiwi. "Ni hindi mo man lang muna naisip na maglaan ng oras para sa akin," may tampong tono nito.

"Stop pretending you wish to spend fun time with me. Akala ko ba natutuwa ka pag wala ako dahil wala kang sakit ng ulo!" ingus ng dalaga. 

"Ahhh... so you took that comment seriously. You really believe that I hate seeing you?"

Di nakaimik ang babae sa nangongonsensiyang tanong ng kausap.

Bumuntong-hininga nang malalim si Harry habang patingin-tingin sa paligid. "Ano nga naman ang ginagawa ko dito eh ayaw nga pala kitang makita. Bye!" Tumalikod siya at naglakad papalayo nang may seryosong mukha.

"Wait! Wait!" Habol ng dalaga sabay hawak sa braso ng kaibigan at hila pabalik. "Inaasar lang kita! Ikaw talaga masyado kang sensitive!" mataray ngunit may lambing ng tono nito.

Supladong inalis ni Harry ang kanyang braso mula sa mahigpit na pagkakahawak ng babae. "I'm not sensitive it's just that sometimes you're too insensitive. You're too good in your academics but when it's come to real life you're always off the track," sermon nito.

"Pinuntahan mo ba ako dito para awayin?" mahina't naglulungkot-lungkutang wika ni Cassandra.

Nakokonsensiyang humugot nang malalim na buntong-hininga ang binata. "W-Well n-no. It's just that... hindi lang ako natutuwa na umiral na naman yang pagka-impulsive mo. We agreed to thoroughly discuss this thing first before you open up to your parents. Plan the best things to say and the best timing to say it. But what did you do? You suddenly shut me out  and decided everything on your own. Look what happened to you now? You just made me so freaking worried Cassandra!" Sa bandang dulo ay hindi na naman nito naiwasang huwag magtaas ng boses.