Skipper

29| The Little Goddess

TRICIA

"Ate, the girl is obviously challenging you," Tiana whispered while we're watching the shoot for today. She took a sip on her lemon juice then she played with the straw. 

Skipper and his team are currently re-taking the shots that I disapproved. And I can see how hard the model was trying. 

Tiana came earlier than expected. Wala daw s'yang magawa kaya mas inagahan na lang n'ya ang punta dito. Ang akala ko nga ay aakyat din s'ya ng bundok. Napaaga din kasi ang punta ni Adam dito, pero aakyat daw muna s'ya ng bundok. 

I chose not to respond on my sister. Sanay naman na si Tiana na madalas kong hindi pinapansin ang sinasabi n'ya kapag walang sense, o kaya naman ay kapag nang-aasar lang s'ya. 

Kung talagang hinahamon ako ni Darlene Aiyana, gaya ng sinasabi ni Tiana, wala akong pananagutan na patulan ang kababawan n'ya. She can showcase her body as much as she wants. She could even get naked, and I won't care. 

Hindi ko kailangan na mag-bikini sa harap ng mga tao para mapatunayan na maganda ang katawan ko. Hindi ko kailangan ng paghanga ng iba. I am confident with what I have, and I don't have to prove it to anybody. Skipper loved me the way I am. The reserved and decent Tricia. 

"I wonder how long you can keep your confidence," Tiana smirked. 

I looked at her with a hint of irritation. She motioned me to look at a certain direction. 

Nang sundan ko ng tingin ang tinuturo ni Tiana, I saw my husband smiling contentedly while looking on the monitor. He lifted his gaze on the model posing on the rock formations and say something, a compliment maybe, because that Darlene Aiyana smiled from ear to ear, probably too proud of herself. 

I rolled my eyes in annoyance. Bakit kaya may mga tao na napakababaw. Kaonting papuri, sobrang saya na? Nakakairita. 

I want to walk out, but I won't. Bakit naman ako maiinis, 'di ba? 

"I love beaches!" malakas na anunsyo ni Tiana at saka s'ya tumayo. I watched my sister as she stripped her chiffon sarong then revealed her red bikini. I saw how heads turned to her direction. 

Tiana has always been liberated and bold. She once tried skinny dipping on our backyard, and she's proud of it. 

"Kuya!" Tiana called my husband. Sa lakas ng tawag n'ya, lahat ay tumingin. 

Kumunot ang noo ni Skipper pero nagsimula na din s'yang mag-jog papunta sa amin. May kalayuan pa naman ang lokasyon namin sa pwesto ng photoshoot nila. 

"If my Ate can't, then I'll do the honor of distracting my brother-in-law from the seduction of his ex," Tiana giggled. 

My brow shot up. 

"What's the nonsense, Tiana? Skipper's doing his job."

"Oh yeah. Convince yourself," mataray na sagot ni Tiana at inirapan ako. "Your annoyed expression shows how threatened you are, Ate."

Bahagyang nagulat ako sa tinuran ng kapatid ko. Gan'on ba 'yon? Pero bakit naman ako matatakot? Napakadaling tanggalin n'yang si Darlene Aiyana sa buhay naming mag-asawa. Isang utos ko lang, kaya kong kunin ang lahat sa kanya.

"Whatever," tugon ko na halos pabulong na dahil malapit na si Skipper. 

Muli ko na lang inabala ang sarili ko sa pagbabasa ng mga mails sa akin. Kung hindi dumating 'tong si Tiana, tahimik na nag-ta-trabaho sana ako sa villa ngayon. Hindi sana napapasukan ng kung ano'ng ideya ang utak ko.