The Campus Queen Bee

Chapter 6: New life

Sa wakas ay nakarating na sya ng Boston. Umalis sya ng 9am sa Pilipinas at dumating sya sa Boston ng 2:30pm. Mag-aalas tres na ng madaling araw sa Pilipinas. Bumili sya ng bagong sim at nag text nalang sya sa daddy nya dahil ayaw nya ito gambalain sa pagtulog.

Tumawag sya ng taxi mula sa airport at nagpahatid sa Hyatt Regency Cambridge. Maya-maya pa ay binaba na sya nito sa destinasyon nya at sinalubong naman agad sya ng hotel boy para buhatin ang maleta nya. Mag-che-check in muna sya habang hindi pa pa sya nakakahanap ng matitirahan nya.

She slide her passes on her door at namangha sya ng sumalubong sa kanya ang makapal na salamin ng kwarto nya na makikita ang Boston at ang tubig na nakapaligid dito. Nagpasalamat sya sa hotel boy at inabutan ito ng twelve dollars as his tip.

Bahagya syang nag-isip habang nakatingin sa magandang kapaligiran na natatanaw nya mula sa hotel room nya. Naupo sya sa maliit na lamesa na nasa tabi ng bintana nya. She put down her laptop and read some emails from her friends. Pinaalam nya sa mga ito kung nasaan na sya. Kinuhanan nya ng picture ang sarili na makikita ang magandang tanawin sa likod nya at ipinadala sa mga ito.

Hindi na sya lumabas ng suite nya. She decided to order a hotel food room service than going down to look for a cozy restaurant. Maya-maya pa ay dumating na ang inorder nya na clam and chowder with fresh juice and bottled water. The food was excellent. She enjoy taking pictures of her self and the whole place.

Tiningnan nya ang bedside clock. It's 5pm at Boston. Hinihintay nya ang paglubog ng araw. She's excited to watch it. Her grab her phone when it rings.

"Hello, daddy." she said. "Good morning. How's you? Where are you? Have you eat?" sunod sunod na tanong nito sa kabilang linya. "Dad, relax. I'm fine. I check myself in Hyatt and yes, I have an early dinner." sabi nya dito. "I feel relief that you are fine, Ian. You understand why I do this, right? I just want the best for you." pagpapaliwanag ng daddy nya. Kahit papaano ay naawa sya dito at naiintindihan nya ito. "Yeah, dad." she calmly said. Kinwentuhan nya ito ng mga ginagawa nya.

"You can move your things in your new condo first hour in the morning, Ian. Someone bought it for you and said grab it as an early gift for your birthday." her father said. Hindi ba sya nagkakamali ng dinig?

Someone? And who's that someone? she thought.

Binigay sa kanya ng daddy nya ang exact location ng condo nya.

VENDOME CONDOMINIUMS

Commonwealth Ave.

Boston, Massachusetts 

*****

Nagising si Juliane sa tunog ng kanyang cellphone. She grab her phone beside the bed. "Hello." sabi nya na halatang inaantok pa. "Ian, don't leave your suite hanggang wala pa ang sundo mo, ha." her father said.

Who's going to fetch her? tanong nya sa sarili nya.

"Sino naman ang susundo sakin, daddy?" tanong nya dito. Curious sya. "Martin's personal driver." sabi ng nasa kabilang linya. Pumayag na din sya sa sinabi nito para di na lalong humaba ang usapan nilang mag-ama. She listen to her father's instructions carefully. Dadating daw ang personal driver ng kinakapatid nya ng 9am. Tiningnan nya ang oras sa cellphone nya. It's 7am. She have 2 hours left to packed her things.

Pagkatapos nya gumayak ay bumaba na sya. She settled her hotel bills. Sinulyapan nya ang oras sa kanyang Tommy Hilfiger wrist-watch. It's 8:30am. She have 30 minutes left.

"You must be Ms. Ayala, am I right?" sabi ng isang lalaki. The man was wearing a black suit and handsome as hell in his older age. Mukha itong kaedad ng daddy nya. Very masculine. He's a very inch look like a businessman. "Yes I am, Sir." sabi nya dito ng nakangiti. Ngumiti ito. Mukha itong pamilyar sa kanya pero di nya matandaan kung saan sila nagkita. "Then, go with me and I'll bring you home." sabi nito. Sumunod sya dito at pinagbuksan sya ng pinto. The man is using Black Wagon Hammer.

"Anyway, I am Bernard Maxfield." basag nito sa katahimikan. She smile and accept his shaking hands. "And I am Juliane Ayala, Mr. Maxfield." she said. Iniwan ng lalaki ang calling card nito at wag daw syang mahihiya na tumawag pag may kailangan. Magaan ang pakiramdam nya dito.

Maxfield.. It sounds familiar. 

She shook her head to throw the idea. Maya-maya pa ay binigay nito ang susi ng condo nya. Nagpasalamat sya kay Mr. Maxfield. She's heading the elevator and push the button where she can find her room.

She step out her feet on the elevator. Nagtaka sya. Sa floor na yun ay dalawa lang ang kwarto.

Dalawa lang kami na magkapit-bahay dito? she thought.

Well, who's the rich man who gave her this condo and served as an early gift for her birthday? She don't have an idea, after all.

She insert her key to the key hole. She left her jaw dropped when she saw the whole place. May couch ito na nakaharap sa isang malaking flat screen t.v. Lumakad sya sa gawing kaliwa at nakita ang kusina at ang refrigerator. Kumpleto na ito ng gamit at appliances. Malinis. May sarili din itong kainan.

Natanaw pa nya ang isa pang pinto. Pinasok nya iyon at napigil ang hininga ng makita nya ang isang malaking kama na may malaking cabinet sa paanan nito. May terrace ito na tanaw ang buong syudad. The place is heaven. She checked the c.r. Kulay green ang tiles nito at may malaking bathtub sa gitna. Kompleto din ito ng toiletries. She unpacked her things and put her clothes in the cabinet. Pagkatapos ay naligo sya.

She's picking a clothes to wear. She wore a lousy shirt and tight jeans paired with her booths. She will going to buy some stock foods and fresh milks at iba pang pwede nyang i-stock sa fridge.

Maya-maya pa ay tumunog ang doorbell nya. Nagtaka sya. She open the door and see a girl smiling at her.

"Excuse me? Umm. Do I know you, Ma'am? " tanong nya dito. "Definitely, no. You're new here. I am Martina. I will be your cleaner every Sunday's, Wednesday's and Friday's." sagot nito. An "oh" form on her lips. She smiled back.

"Okay, Martina. I'm sorry I should've known. Anyway, you can clean. I'm just going at Newbury Street to shop things for here and also stocks." sabi nya dito. Ngumiti lang ito. "Okay, Ma'am." sabi nito. "And one more thing, Martina. I'm Juliane. Call me in my first name. Formality bores me." she said smiling at the woman na ang tantsa nya ay 35. Hindi nagtagal ay umalis na din sya.