Compilation of Short Stories

Once Again 1

Corinne's POV

I was surprised nang ipatawag ako ni Daddy sa office. As the general manager of one of the resorts we own, I don't answer to anyone except to my father. Everyone else answers to me. Walang nagkikwestyon nang ibigay sa akin ang trabahong ito kahit kakagraduate ko lang nang magretiro ang mommy ko sa pagpapatakbo nitong resort.

Kumatok ako sa opisina ko pero mukhang pansamantalang inangkin ni Dad. I didn't wait for him to answer before I entered the room.

Kung alam ko lang kung sino ang kasama ni Dad, I wouldn't have come and gave him some excuse. "Corinne, you remember Diego diba? Anak ni manong Gorio?" nakangiting tanong ni Dad. I don't know if he was pretending to have forgotten or he was up to something. Imposibleng di ko maalala si Diego. He was my first love and first heartbreak. He was the reason I've been single since forever. Wala ngang naging kami pero sobra na akong nasaktan sa nangyari sa amin dati.

"Of course." I faked a smile as I answered. He was three years older than me. Dati naming driver at mekaniko ang tatay ni Diego. Nang mamatay ang nanay niya nung high school siya at nalaman ni Dad, pinatira sila ni Dad sa servants' quarter's ng bahay namin. Pinag-aral siya ni Dad sa university na pinapasukan ko rin at naging personal driver ko siya. Di rin naman exclusive for rich kids yung university. Mahal nga siya pero marami ring mga scholar na tulad niya ng estado sa buhay kaya wala siyang naging problema mag-adjust.

I was in my second year of college and not yet of legal age and he was graduating from his course na architecture when I told him of my feelings. I was so fucking naïve and full of ideals of romance and love back then. At nung sinabi niyang pareho kaming nararamdaman, I thought it was going to last forever. Pero tulad ng sabi ng nakararami, walang forever. Our relationship, or whatever it was called, consisted of a year of pakikiramdaman and a few months of being in a relationship with no label. Kaya heto ako ngayon seven years later, bitter and single.

Dad talked to him that if he didn't stop whatever happened between us, di na susustentuhan ni Dad pag-aaral niya. And that was the end of it. Umalis siya ng bahay at tumuloy sa isang boarding house malapit. Pinagpalit niya ako para sa pangarap niya. I couldn't blame him though. I know he loved me. Pero di naman makakain ang pag-ibig.

My walked down memory lane was cut short nang magsalita si Diego. "Good afternoon Ma'am Corinne," bati niya.

I hated it when he added "ma'am" before my name. Tila kasi sinasampal sa akin na dahil sa estado ko sa buhay, di kami pwede. I'm grateful for everything I have in my life but because of all these, the one person I loved couldn't be mine. Masyadong mataas ang respeto niya at utang na loob sa tatay ko at sa pamilya namin kaya nang hilingin sa kanya ni Dad na lubayan ako, di siya nagdalawang isip sumunod.

Lumapit ako sa kanya kahit labag sa loob ko. Seeing him again brought back to many bad memories. Parang kami pero walang kami. Inside the school, parang kami talaga. But the moment we got outside the car nang makarating kami sa bahay, tila halos di kami magkakilala. "Diego, it's been so long," I said smiling. Pero halos mapunit ang balat ng mukha ko sa kakapilit ko panatilihin ang ngiti ko. "Proud na proud siguro si Manong Gorio sayo at sa mga narating mo."

The indifferent smile he gave just proved to me na wala na talaga siyang nararamdaman. Na parang wala lang ang nakaraan naming. "Diego here will be the one to design the new function hall and the new building of the resort." Nabili kasi namin ang katabing beach side property kaya naisipan ni Dad na magtayo ng building na parang convention center or function hall na rin dahil marami na ring nagpapabook ng seminar, team building, training at reception ng kasal dito sa resort. The existing function rooms we have are not big enough to accommodate some clients. And since fully booked kami over the summer every year that we have to decline some guests kaya naisipan namin magdagdag ng building. The ones we have kasi are cottage types situated strategically around the property. "His portfolio is quite impressive, hija. He has designed buildings all over the country and some other Southeast Asian countries."