The Perks Of Being Annabeth Petrova

Fifty Two - Caught In Plainsight

ANDITO KAMI NGAYON SA ISA SA MGA MALL NILA ANDREW SINCE ITO ANG PINAKA-MALAPIT SA PARASIMO. Bawat store ay pinapasok namin ng dahil sa shop addict na kasama ko.

"Ooh... I like this one." Kuha sa isang Judith Leiber na bag. "And that one." Turo naman sa isang clutch bag. "I think this..." lapit sa isang shelf, "will perfectly compliment my outfit for Duchess Felise's birthday ball." Kinuha niya ang isang handbag inlaid with tourmaline and opal.

I sighed. "Alexa, you have your own walk-in-closet in your suite and it is definitely like a mall there. You don't need to buy all these." Turan ko sa sandamakmak na shopping bags na bitbit ng mga bodyguards niya who are in black suits. Kaya, takaw pansin talaga which makes me uneasy since sila ni Maria at Mia ay naka- civilian lang for secrecy.

"But, Annie... there are things here in the Philippines that can only be found here and not there in Andovia." Maarteng rason nito. I raised an eyebrow at her in reply.

"Just hurry up. You're taking too much time and attention."

"Who won't? We are goddesses walking on earth. You know that."

"Just shut up and shop fast."

She pouted at tinuloy ang pamimili.

Lumapit si Maria sa akin mula sa likuran at may sinabi sa akin. "Miss Annabeth, isn't that Mr, Salvatore at the jewelry store?"

Sinundan ko ng tingin ang turo niya. I saw a very handsome man na pumasok doon kasama ang isang babae. No doubt si Vince yung gwapo while ang babae- she look like a total slut.

Jealousy crept all of me. Is he cheating on me? Did he fool me? All along, is he lying to me? That he loves me.

As much as I want to go near them at komprontahin sila, Alexa pulled me far and into a bookstore. National Bookstore.

"Oh my, Annie! Look! There's the whole series of The Selection by Kiara Cass." Parang bata niyang pahayag. May mga ibang customers ang napatingin sa amin. I looked at them sternly which made them look away.

"You don't have to be so stern to them. You could just be apologetic to them." Saad nitong babaita.

"Am I at fault? You are the one causing a scene." Sagot ko.

Pinandilatan niya lang ako at kinuha ang buong series ng book.

She lined up the counter pero mukhang matatagalan siya sa haba nito.

"Wala pa bang ibibilis niyan?" hayag ko. Lahat nang customers ay napatingin sa akin. Pati si Alexa at ang cashier.

I rolled my eyes inside me.

"Patience is a virtue. You just have to wait." Sagot ni Alexa.

I raised an eyebrow. "Alexa, get out of the line. We're going home." I raised my forefinger signaling Maria and Mia na lalapit sa akin.

"Annie," reklamo niya, "I have to line to buy these. So you wait, please?" she cutely pleaded. Walang talab iyon sa akin.

"No. If I say were leaving, we leave. NOW." Padabog siyang umalis sa line habang pinagtitinginan kami ng mga nakausyusong customer.

"Walang modo." "Oo nga. Ang bastos. Ke-babaeng tao, walang galang."

"She has no manners. So pathetic." "Napakaganda sana, parang wala namang pinag-aralan." "Kawawa naman ang mga magulang niya. Naku, pag ganyan anak ko maghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan."

Although bulungan, I can hear them crystal clear. Alexa beside me is furious at parang susugid sa laban.

"Let them be, Alexa." Pigil ko.

"Let them be?! They're badmouthing you." Si Alexa.

"At least, they're telling the truth. Besides, I don't care at all."

Alexa gaped madly, hindi makapaniwala sa sagot ko.

"Je ne peux pas croire que cela arrive!"

(I can't believe this is happening!)

"Assez. Allons, Alexa. Nous ne faisons que perdre notre temps."

(Enough. Let's go, Alexa. We're just wasting our time.)

Nagpahila naman siya sa akin.

"Maria, get me the book author of The Selection series. Her name is Kiara Cass. Tell her to meet Alexa A. S. A. P. and give her the whole collection- dedicated and signed."

"Yes, Miss Annabeth. I'll tell her to phone you for the date."

"No. Tell her to phone Alexa directly."

"Princess Alexa, Miss Alexa!" Mia's call caught everyone open-mouthed. "You got a call from Prince Vann Bernard." She held out her phone.

Dali-dali kaming umalis at baka dumugin kami after the 'Princess' thing. Tumungo kami sa isang ice cream parlor medyo malayo sa bookstore.

"Annie, Vann Bernard wants to talk to you." She handed it to me worriedly.

I looked at it first before ko tinapat sa tenga ko. "Yes?"

"Isabelle..."

"Why'd you call?"

"I'm going to the Philippines..."

 

Thank you for reading! ^_^