"Anong petsa ka matatapos d'yan, Madrigal?"
Sigaw ni Analie habang nagbibihis ako sa loob ng aking kwarto. Analie is my cousin—the closest friend that I have aside from Ares. I looked at myself in the mirror and admired myself even more. I will never be Blythe Madrigal without this pretty face. Ang kasikatan na tinatamasa ko ngayon ay pinaghirapan kong abutin.
Hindi ko ginamit ang kapangyarihan at ang pangalan ng tatay ko para makarating sa tuktok. I used my own skill and beauty to get this place. Ilang taon din ang ginugol ko sa mga acting workshop para pumasa ako sa audition para sa mga role sa mga pelikula. I started from scratch. Maraming kumuha sa akin noon pero tinanggihan ko ang mga iyon dahil gusto kong magsimula sa baba—gusto kong simulan sa ilalim para kapag nasa itaas na ako ay mas maging proud ako sa sarili ko.
I turned around and appreciated what I am seeing. May pupuntahan kaming party ng pinsan ko. Isa iyong piging kasama ang mga kaibigan ni Papa sa pulitika. My dad was still wishing for me to follow his step, but I already made it clear to him na wala akong balak sa pulitika. It was never my calling.
"I am done, Bastenin," sigaw ko pabalik sa kanya. She was outside, mas nauna kasi siyang natapos kaysa sa akin. I was having a hard time choosing the gown that I wanted to wear. Napili kong suotin ang red body-hugging dress na mababa ang neckline.
"Good. Tumatawag na si tito, pinapadali na tayo," aniya.
Umingos ako nang makalabas na ako ng kwarto. Kunot-noong tinignan ako ni Analie. Halatang inip na inip na ito sa kakahintay sa akin but the hell I care! They deserve to wait; hindi naman sa lahat ng panahon ay ako ang maghihintay sa kanila. I am tired of waiting. I have been waiting for John since forever but it ended up to nothing. I am starting to move on. Ayaw ko na siyang isipin dahil nasasaktan pa rin ako. Hindi naman 'yon madaling mawala, but again, ayaw kong mastuck sa isang bagay o tao na alam kong wala na akong laban.
Dumiritso na kami ni Analie sa baba. She grabbed her own car. Hindi na ito nagpaalam pa sa akin. Wala naman kasi itong driver dahil mas gusto nitong mag-isa, while I, on the other hand, need to have a driver. I am my dad's only princess kaya as much as he could, he'll provide everything to me.
Binuksan ng driver ang pinto ng sasakyan. Dahan-dahan akong pumasok. We were heading to Cennon de Vista. Hindi naman masyadong malayo ang naturang hotel. Kaya after twenty minutes ay nakarating na kami ng walang aberya. Inalalayan ako ng driver namin para makababa ng sasakyan. I walked like a queen. Sinalubong ako ng mga press but I just flashed a smile. The press were throwing questions at me, but there was one question that caught me off guard.
"Blythe, how are you feeling after John's marriage with the only heir of Delallana Inc.?" one of the reporters asked me. I glared at her. Akala ko patay ang issue tungkol sa amin ni John pero hindi pa rin pala.
I just kept my mouth shut but she asked me again.
"Are you still in love with John Antonio Guanzalo?"
Parang nag-freeze iyong ngiti ko sa camera. Natuon ang mga mata ko sa babaeng nagtanong sa akin. I don't know how to respond. Ayaw kong magmukhang kawawa sa harap ng ibang tao. I am tired of looking at myself in the mirror while crying and asking where I went wrong.
"Are you still in love with him?" she repeated the question.
I cleared my throat. I smiled again at the camera. Again, ayaw kong magmukha akong kawawa sa harap ng ibang tao. Ayaw kong kaawaan ako.
"I am no longer in love with Guanzalo." I feigned a smile. "I was never in love with him. When he got married, I realized that Guanzalo was never the man that was meant for me. The love that I thought I had for him was suddenly drowned by the wind. Naniniwala ako, kung mahal mo ang isang tao, hindi iyon basta-bastang mawawala. It will leave you until you die, but for John—wala. Nawala." Sabi ko habang nakangiti. The reporters were just nodding their heads. I waved to them again before I went inside.
