ZWCS#7: Back To December

Chapter Twelve

Pilit man niyang iwasan si Travis ay tila ba kasama na ito sa buong sistema niya. Hindi man niya ito nakikita'y hindi rin naman nito nililisan ang kaniyang isipan.

If you can't get someone off your head, maybe they're supposed to be there.

She groaned frustratedly at the thought. After that night at Iphigenia's event, she tried her very best not to cross the hall with him. So far, she's succeeding. For the past eight weeks, hindi niya ito nakikita dahil sakanyang pag-iwas. Hindi narin siya pumupunta sa opisina ng kaniyang ama upang maiwasan ang kanilang pag-tatagpo. But until when?

Luminga-linga siya sa paligid ng Alberto's, call it crazy but she's so paranoid whenever she's out. Mas gusto niya pang dumugin ng paparazzi kaysa makasalubong si Travis sa daan. Not because she's scared of him but because she's scared of herself. Sa kung paanong maipagkakanulo na naman niya ang sarili dito.

With Travis around, the last person she can trust is herself. Dahil dayain man niya ng dayain ang kaniyang sarili ay hinding hindi niya kayang ipagsawalang bahala ang kaniyang nararamdaman and it will be better if she'll avoid his every step. It's for her own good, for her own sake.

Tuwi na'y nasa unit lamang siya ni Atticus, mabuti rin at ilang business trip ang dumaan kay Atticus nitong mga nakaraan kaya hindi din siya nito masyadong nayayaya lumabas labas. Ayaw man niyang mag-bintang, but she has a strong feeling that there's a bigger possibility to see Travis when Atticus is with her so she rather be alone.

"Gift, over here." Napalingon siyang agad nang makita ang kumakaway na si Shanna.

Habang tinutungo ang mahabang lamesa sa window side ay inisa-isa niyang sipatin ang mga naroon. Kata, who's now four months heavy is sitting beside Shanna. Sa harap ng mga ito ay naroon sina Brooke, Cassidy, Trinity, Jinny, Generose at Amelia. Who would've thought na mas lamang pa pala ng isang buwan ang tyan ni Kata kay Rosas!

"Where's Violet?" Naupo siya sa upuang bakante sa tabi ni Shanna.

"Violet called yesterday she's in Cambodia with her fiancé." Nakangising sabi ni Brooke na naging sanhi ng tawanan ng lahat.

"I still can't believe that Violet is definitely settling down." Cassidy added.

"Too bad, Blanche wont be able to see her today." It was Shanna again. "I remember Violet to be her favorite next to Gift."

"Favorite inisin!" Natatawang sabi ni Jinny.

Her forehead knotted. "Blanche? We're talking about Blanche the badass biker chick, aren't we?"

Magkakasunod na tango ang ginawa ni Shanna habang sumisimsim ng mango shake nito. "Yep, no other than Diane Blanche Zobel de Ayala!"

Bahagya siyang namangha sa sinabi nito. "She's back? Since when?"

"Last night!" Humalakhak si Brooke. "She phoned me, miski ako nagulat. Why it's been a long time since I last heard from her! She's back from London, ang sabi niya uuwi siya ng Pilipinas para maging hands on sa negosyo na itinatayo niya which will soon be operating. Sabi niya'y mag-set daw ako ng brunch, so here we are. Sinabi ko rin sakanya na isasama ko si Kata at Lia para naman ma-meet niya."

"Nako, sinasabi ko sainyo maloloka kayo don kay Blanche!" Halakhak ni Jinny.

Napailing na lamang siya at saka itinaas ang kamay upang mag-tawag ang server para umorder ng maiinom bago muling balingan ang mga kaibigan. "And she's more late than me again, huh?"

"As always!" Sabay pang sabi ni Brooke at Cassidy na naging sanhi ng muling tawanan ng mga ito.

Diane Blanche Cavallero Zobel de Ayala is a member of their sorority years back, holding the position of Event's Planner who's associated with Brooke as the Social and Communication Officer, until she decided to leave the country and study abroad. Sa London ito nagpaka-dalubhasa sa Bartending and Cocktail Mixing.