"Hoy Beatrice!"
"Oh?" Sabay hawi niya ng kurtina ko. "Ano ba?! It's too bright! Ang aga aga lakas mong mangbwiset!" Bumangon na ako ng kama at padabog na pumasok ng banyo para maghilamos. Pagka-labas ko ng banyo, narinig kong mayroong nagkakalkal ng mga gamit sa kusina. Teka, sino yung gumising sa akin kanina?
I made my way to the kitchen nang biglang... "Boo!" Pinalo ko ng pinalo ang nanggulat sa akin. Wala akong pake kung sino siya. Shit siya, wag ako.
"You really hate me that much, Bea?" Niyakap ako ni James para mahinto ang pag-palo ko sa kanya. "I missed you." Pero hindi lang yata ang pag-palo ko ang huminto...
"Kelan ka pa dumating?" Tanong ko breaking out of his hug.
"Kanina lang." Sabay turo niya sa mga maleta niya. He's smiling geekily na parang bata. Parang waiting on something
"Wait! Nag-Tagalog ka!" Tawa ako ng tawa over my realization. "You should do it 'minsan' lang. Hindi bagay!"
"Nan said it suits me!"
"Whatever. So why didn't you tell me? I should've prepared!"
"I wanted it to be a surprise. So, shall I cook for you?"
"Better not. I don't have groceries here in my flat."
"And why is that?"
"I don't cook." Kitang kita sa mukha niya ang disbelief sa sinabi ko. He went towards his duffel bag and shoved it on his arms.
"Let's go?" Looking at my face, he's waiting for an answer. "We're gonna go grocery shopping." At hinila na niya ako palabas.
Ang daming naka-tambay sa tapat ng apartment. Nang binuksan namin ang pinto, nakita ko ang sandamakmak na camerang nakatutok sa amin.
"Don't mind them." As he said his instruction, inakbayan niya ako to keep me close to him. We made our way to a Jeep waiting for us. "I'm sorry, I didn't know." Tinutukoy niya ang mga paparazzi na nasa tapat. "I shouldn't have come." Sabi niya pagkasakay namin ng sasakyan.
"It's okay. If you didn't came I wouldn't be in a Jeep I've been dreaming of." He just smiled and played with his fingers.
"Do you still want to go grocery shopping? Some might spot us there."
"It's okay. As long as they don't come hovering so close to us."
"Why?"
"I'm claustrophobic."
"Don't worry about it." Sagot naman ng lalaking sa front passenger seat nakaupo. "There will be assigned body guards to be controlling the crowd from the outside and I'd be with you, shopping. So, let's go?" Umikot ang lalaki papunta sa pintuan ko, and he guided James and I towards the grocery. "I'm Fred, by the way. James's closest bodyguard. Nice to meet you, Beatrice."
Kakaunti lang ang tao sa loob ng grocery dahil members lang ng certain community club ang nakakapasok dito. Fred is like ten to fifteen steps behind us and keeps his distance to give us privacy, I think.
Kahit na onti lang ang tao sa loob, hindi naiwasan na may magpakuha ng picture kay James. Yung iba, sa akin pa nakikisuyo to take a picture of them. I don't mind, really. After all, I like taking pictures of anything.
"Please don't tell me that for the past five months you've been here alone, you didn't went grocery shopping."
"I have no plans on telling you, actually." I said sarcastically. Halos napuno namin ang grocery cart. Hindi pala, 'namin', puro siya lang ang naglalagay ng mga items sa cart. "I'm definitely not going to pay for this."
"Let's split up the bill."
"What?! No! What the fuck, James. You chose all of these, not me!"
"But all of these will be for your flat."
"Still a no. I'm going out if you insist." Umamba na akong maglakad towards the door nang hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.
"You wouldn't want to be going out there, alone." Turo niya mga paparazzi sa labas. Hawak hawak pa din niya ang kamay ko noong itinuro niya ito sa akin. He handed his credit card to the lady behind the cashier counter.
"You should get used to this, Beatrice." With his accent, hindi ako sigurado kung 'this' ba yun or 'these'. But whatever that word is, I still don't get it.
"James! James! Are you two together?!" One of the paparazzis shouted as we went out of the grocery.
