MISSING : BIANCA CASTILLO

16: Memory

Ryder's

I slammed the phone and looked at the city scape. Another day full of hassle and surprise meetings na naman. Sakit sa ulo.

" Julia, I need one Biogesic then pakitawagan ang Jollibee. I need one spagetti with Jolly Hotdog meal, one chocolate sundae and large Coke tapos mag-order ka ng gusto mo. Thank you."

" Ok po, Sir Ry." , she said on the other line.

I looked at the city again and sighed. Sa wakas nakita na kita Bianca. But how can I even make you remember me? How can I tell you how much I miss and I love you? Ang hirap kasi ng ganito, magkaharap na kayo at lahat pero hindi ka pa rin nya kilala. Parang akong favorite childhood film nya na nung nagdalaga siya eh nako-cornyhan na siyang panoorin at balikan pa.

Paano kung hindi na nya ako maalala?

Paano kung hindi? I need to try harder, right? I need to prove to her how much I want her to be mine again. Gusto kong malaman nya na hindi niya akong pwedeng mapalitan ng mga alaalang binubuo nya ngayong ang alam nya lang ay siya ang tunay na Bianca Castillo.

After an hour, dumating na ang Jollibee Delivery, nilagay na lang ni Julia ang plastik sa gilid ng table ko. I handed her one sundae and one cheeseburger bago siya lumabas sa office. 4:00 na rin pala ng hapon, kaya pala halos mabaliw na ako sa pagod.

Habang kumakain ako ng sundae, biglang nagring ang phone ko.

" Hello?"

" Hi Sir Monteverde. This is Merryl,secreta.."

" Oh Merryl. How are you? Ano na naman pinapautos ng magaling mong boss?" Merryl is Drake Montemayor's ever conservative assistant na ubod ng galang. Every time she calls the office, lagi siyang nagpapakilala kahit kilala na ng buong team ko ang boses nya.

" Sir Ryder, Sir Montemayor would like to ask for your participation in his new Advertisement for Oxygen's new perfume " Memory". He said that you are the best per.."

" Wait. What? Are you serious? Ako?" Bakit ako na naman? He asked me this same question when we were just new in the advertising world. Since baguhan lang kami at wala pa syang connections sa mga sikat na models, he asked me to be in his team's TVC.

Ano pa ba intention niya at ako na naman kukuhanin nya? He has a wide selection of all the people that he can..

" Sir Ryder?"

" Yeah?"

" Payag na po kayo?"

" Huh?"

" Payag na po kayo maging model sa ad ni Sir Drake?", she asked.

" What's the catch, Merryl?"

Huminga ng malalim si Merryl sa kabilang linya at parang napakalapit nya sa telepono..

" Ang makakapartner niyo po si Miss Bianca Castillo."

Si Miss Bianca Castillo.

Si. Miss. BIANCA CASTILLO.

" Tinatanong pa ba yan? Syempre I'm on it, Merryl. Tsss", I said plainly. I heard Montemayor's secretary giggled and thanked me before ending the call.

----------------------------------------

" So, is everybody ready?" , Drake told us while we were standing in front of Tanjuatco-Yap International School.

Her alma mater.

Hindi windy. Hindi tirik ang araw. Just the perfect weather for the photoshoot. I was wearing this skater boy outfit and she was wearing her school uniform.

She looked at building with awe. " Grabe. Ang laki pala ng school ko, at ang ganda ng uniform ko in fairness"

She looked so clueless about everything in her past. Ganito pala ang naging epekto sa kanya ng ginawa nina Faye. They brainwashed her and turned her to someone so different from the old Bianca.

She looked at me and smiled, " Ganda ng porma ha. Parang gangster." Inayos nya ang buhok ko that made my heart skipped a beat. I didn't expect that ha!

Maganda na ang moment, eh umeksena ang walanghiyang Montemayor!

" Tama na landian. Shoot na." He was already out of patience at halatang init na init sa suot nyang pang-opisina. " C'mon haggang ngayon lang tayo pinayagan. Let's make the most out of it."

Agad kaming nakipagkamay sa mga photographers at sinunod ang mga poses na gusto nila para sa magazine and billboard ads.

After a dozen of shots, may isa na lang natitirang pose. " I want you to stand here and here.", the photographer put me in the left side and put Bianca in the right.

" The last shot should look like it wasn't scripted, ok?" We nodded. " I want you to close your eyes and face each other this close. More like, parang magkikiss pa lang."

Bianca froze in horror. Ako? Well, simple lang, nagmukha lang naman akong taong kamatis.