The best thing about being in love was that deep, sated feeling down the pit of your stomach. That... adoration and warmth expanding inside your chest. Hindi pa kayo naiinlove? Try niyo. Nakakaliyo yung ganoong pakiramdam.
Loving Neia was a lot like that. And para siyang lucky charm ko, because ever since I had her, a lot of opportunities opened up for me. I was even offered an opportunity to train as an artist for HIT.
"Seryoso?" Malaki ang mata niya habang nakatitig sa'kin. Limot na yung ice cream cone na hawak niya."Totoo nga? Magiging artista ka na?"
Tumango ako. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ko o maeexcite o ano.
"Oh," kumunot ang noo niya, nakabantay sa'kin. "Bakit parang di ka masaya?"
"I heard stories," I confessed. "Masyadong masalimuot ang training. Baka mawalan ako ng oras sa'yo tsaka sa school. And the showbiz industry... it's merciless, Neia. Hindi ko alam kung makakasurvive ako."
"You're scared," she surmised, because she's good at that. Alam niya na agad ang nararamdaman ko kahit hindi pa naman talaga ako nagpapaliwanag nang maayos. "Being scared means you're at the beginning of something greater, Third. Nothing great ever comes easy, remember? You would have to be a little scared."
Bumuntong hininga ako at sumiksik sa kanya, nakayukod hanggang nakapatong na ang noo ko sa balikat niya. Nakakangalay sa leeg pero komportable ang mga braso kong nakapulupot sa kanya. "Parang hindi naman little ang scared ko."
"Hay ang baby ko," she laughed and stroked my bangs, tapos pinisil ang kamay ko. She intertwined our fingers and her eyes were bright when I met them. "I'm here for you. Always."
And she was. She's good at being there. Noong official na kami na pumirma ng kontrata, inorient kami na wag na wag kaming magpapahuli na may kasama kaming opposite sex kung ayaw naming magkaroon ng scandal.
It's a ridiculous rule, but I understand where they're coming from. Muntik pa rin akong umatras dahil doon. Pero kinumbinsi ako ni Neia na ituloy ko na, kasi sayang naman daw yung opportunity. Minsan lang daw yon.
I met a lot of other people because of this new stint. Araw-araw may bagong tao. May mga biglang dumarating, biglang aalis, mga susulpot lang pero di nagtatagal. Our projects included being extras in music videos, advertisements, models for magazines, at iba pa.
It was fucking tiring, but at least I get paid. Nailalabas ko si Neia sa mga mas mamahaling lugar. Nabibigyan ko siya ng mga regalo kung kailan ko gusto (At palagi ko siyang gustong bilhan ng regalo). Yun nga lang... madalas hindi magtagpo ang oras namin.
Kakabulsa ko lang ng phone ko at magfofocus na sana sa klase nang mag-vibrate ulit ito. Nagpaexcuse ako sa prof at lumabas ng hallway para masagot yung tawag.
"Third! Si Arianne 'to."
"Yeah, what is it? May klase ako."
"Pinapatawag tayong lahat, may brand rep na nagrequest ng test-look. Ang hindi raw makarating in ten minutes tanggal na sa roster ng models."
BINABASA MO ANG
bad romance
Hayran Kurgu[COMPLETED] The memories of yesterday still haunt me. - Ireneia Salvador Five years ago, Ireneia and Third broke up. Five years later, they are the nation's newest love team, thrown together to work on the most ambitious film of the decade. No press...
