Kwento ni Jannelle Romana Santana (Alternative Ending)

Chapter Five

Chapter five: 

It was a cheeky joke, alright, a joke that was delivered to him fifteen minutes ago.

‘Marry me?’

Pero sabi nga nila, jokes are always half meant. Unfortunately, not with Jannelle. Alam ni Hunter na isa lang itong tanging harmless na biro na idinerekta sa kanya. Nothing more, nothing less much to his dismay.

Aware ito kung ano ang lugar nya sa buhay ni Jann and he wouldn’t ask for me. Sa totoo lang ay takot ito, takot na umamin at sabihin ang nararamdaman nya para kaya Jann dahil alam nya na ang kalalabasan nito. He knows that Jann would accept the offer of being his girlfriend but all for the wrong reasons. Tatanggapin lang sya nito sapagkat malaki na ang naging utang na loob at hindi kakayanin ni Jann na makita ang dejected look sa mukha nito.

Because believe it or not, love is solely a onetime thing. Sa isang tao mo lang mararamdaman na kumpleto ka. Isang tao lang ang magpaparamdam sa’yo ng sakit pero handa ka paring magtiis para dito. Isang tao lang ang magpaparanas sa’yo ng sabay sabay na iba’t ibang emosyon sa isang sandali.

Unluckily, he isn’t that person. She may be right by his side now, but her heart is long gone and possessed by someone else.

Yes, Jann is in love with another man. Hunter hates the fact that he couldn’t even compete for her affection. Matagal na itong wala pero hanggang ngayon ay kahit hindi ito sinasabi ni Jann ay sya parin pala talaga.

“Chris, move closer near Jann. Hindi ka kakainin nyan.” Watching Jann near those eight models one by one isn’t helping his little jealousy that he has been nursing for a little while now.

Pangalawa palang si Chris sa walo na kinukuhanan kasama si Jann. Mukha namang comportable si Jann dahil sya na mismo ang lumalapit kapag naiilang sa kanya ang mga lalaki.

Ang nauna na ay si Richard na isang half Filipino half Ukrainian na hanggang ngayon ay nakadikit pa rin ang tingin kay Jann. Richard didn’t expect her to be perfectly enchanting and captivating and at the same time down to earth and quirky. She’s not the usual female models na seryoso at maiilang kapag nalaman nyang walong modelo ang makakapareha nya all by herself.

Richard glances around the room and unsurprisingly notice everyone’s eyes on Jannelle like he did just a few moments ago. Napansin rin nya si Hunter na nakatayo lang sa gilid at pinagmamasdan ang nakangiting Jann habang kinukuhanan. He certainly hopes like the other gentleman inside the room that he is not in a relationship with her. Hunter doesn’t look all that bad. He can even be a model with his looks and height if he really wanted to’.

But who is he kidding anyway? The way her eyes lit up when she saw Hunter and joked him into marrying her.

“Vince, you’re up.” Vince stood up from his seat at dumiretso na kay Jann na kasalukuyang inaayusan ng make up. The two have modeled together before as to why Vince seems to be very familiar with her.

“I want you to face each other. Yes, that’s right. Can you close the distance between your faces a bit?” Pag-uutos ng photographer. Mabilis namang sinunod ng dalawa ang utos and the others found the position of the two in a very close distance Their nose touches one another while Vince left hand is placed at the small back of Jann.

Hunter clenched his teeth and looked away. His face darkened and his chest constricted with pain. Bakit pa kasi nya naisip sumama?

Male models who posed with Jann came one after another. Merong mga iba na masyadong touchy, may mga iba naman na hindi na kailangang lagyan ng palamuti sa mukha sa sobrang pula. One distinct characteristic of Jannelle that remained with her up until now is how clueless she is with men wanting her. Kung hindi pa harap harapang sasabihin sa kanya na may gusto sa kanya ang mga ito ay hindi nya pa maiitindihan ang tunay na intensyon sa kanya ng mga ito.

The problem with Jannelle ay hindi mo alam kung friendly lang ba ito o seryosong nakikipag flirt. But if you personally know her, alam mong she never flirts.

Matapos ang huling model na si William ay tahasan nitong tinanong sa harap ng marami kung pwede ba nitong mahingi ang number nito. Thinking nothing of it ay ibinigay naman ni Jann ang number nya.

Nagsisimula nang magsiligpitan ang mga tao nang magsalita si Jann.

“Andrew, do you mind if you take a picture of me and my friend?” Nginitian nya ang photographer ng matamis. Like any other guy, madali itong bumigay kay Jann at binigay ang consent nito.

“Hunter! Come here.” She beckoned for him to come over. Hunter didn’t know what she was about to do since hindi naman ganun kalakas ang naging pag-uusap ni Jann at ng photographer.

An angry and pissed Hunter came into picture in front of her. Nakita rin kasi ni Hunter kung pano hiningi nung William ang number nya at basta basta nya nalang ibinigay ito.

“What’s the matter?” Alalang alalang pagtatanong ni Jann. Naisip nyang hindi siguro maige na binitbit nya si Hunter sa photoshoot nya ngayong araw. Palagay nya ay sobrang nainip at nabagot ito. She quickly came to his side and massaged the crease forming on his forehead.

Hunter instantly softened with her touch. He placed his hands at her waist and moved her closer to him.

Click

He was forced to look away from Jann para tingnan ang kumuha sa kanila ng letrato na si Andrew. Tatanungin nya na sana ito kung bakit sila kinunan nang maramdaman nyang dumampi ang mga labi ni Jann sa pisngi nya.

He would have closed his eyes and just continue feeling her soft lips against his skin but he knew very well that it will just look weird to many people. Jann may have not noticed but he can feel every pair of eyes on them, mostly, a resentful glare directed to him.

She finally removed her lips away from him and Hunter felt himself weaken from the lost of touch. He focused his gaze to Jann who is innocently grinning from ear to ear at him.

Another click went off and Jann finally detach herself from Hunter’s body.

“Thank you Andrew. I owe you one.” Nakipag kamay si Jann sa photographer bago humarap kay Hunter. Sinabi nya dito na magbibihis lang muna sya at pwede na silang umuwi.

Mga ilang minuto pa lang ang nakakalipas ay lumabas na rin si Jann suot suot ang normal nitong damit. Iilang modelo nalang at mga tiga ayos ang natira.

Hunter rapidly moved next to Jann’s side and settled a possessive hand on her shoulders na agad namang napansin ng lahat ng tao sa kwarto. He guided her towards the empty elevator.

Hunter mentally scolded himself once situated inside the elevator. Hindi nya alam kung bakit nagkakaroon nalang sya ng urge para ipakita sa maraming tao na sa kanya si Jann. He felt like a jerk for even thinking that Jann belongs to her like a property.

“hey…” Jann touched his cheek. She gently coaxes him to look at her.

Napansin ni Jann na medyo rigid at mukhang may malalim na iniisip si Hunter. Bumaba ang kamay ni Hunter sa balikat nito papunta sa baywang nya. Naramdaman naman ni Jann ang paghigpit na hawak sa kanya nito. Hindi naman ito yung hawak na nakakasakit pero madaling mapansin na mukha ngang may problema sa binata.

Sa loob loob ay hindi na mapakali si Jann, pakiramdam nya talaga ay may mali kay Hunter.

In a matter of seconds, Hunter’s face was very near to Jann. Just a few gaps to close and their lips would be touching.

Bumilis ang pagtibok ng puso ni Jann as she gaze at Hunter’s sea blue eyes.

“I told you..” He trailed off and chose his next words carefully before speaking. “I told you not to look at me like that Jannelle, it makes me go crazy. I might really kiss you then.”

She couldn’t really understand what look she might be giving off, and she really didn’t care about it for the time being. Her mind was all over the elevator and all she can process is that... He wants to kiss her, badly. How did that happened is beyond her.

She produced a few shaky breaths and matched the intensity of his now darker shade blue eyes.

“Kiss me then.”

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