Chase and Shots

Chapter 6

"Ano ba ang iniisip mo dad?"

"It's for the company hija, makipagtulungan ka naman," sunod lang ng sunod si daddy sa akin. Ako naman ang layo ng layo.

"Parang ang sama naman po no'n."

"Hindi 'yon masama. You just have to stay close to them. Befriend each one of them, know if they had plans with their business and tell me each details. We need reason to stay within thier league and you can be the best asset."

"May plano ka bang nakawin ang plano nila sa pagpapalago ng negosyo? Gagamitin mo ako para sa-"

"It's the best for us!" he cut me off.

"It's not dad! You are being selfish here! Nanakawin mo ang pinaghirapan ng iba para lang sa sariling kasiyahan. Hindi pa ba sapat sa'yo ang pakikipagkasundo ni Mr. Gilmour na mag-invest sa kompanya? He is one of the big shareholder your company had!"

"Hindi mo naiintindihan ang sitwasyon Aielle-"

"Then make me understand! Bakit kailangang ganito? Bakit kailangan ko pang lokohin ang magpipinsan? I want to be good friends with them. Gusto kong makipagkaibigan sa kanila dahil gusto ko, hindi dahil kailangan. You are making me feel bad..."

"Babagsak na ang kompanya natin Aielle. I bargained all we had, including this house and the plantation. Kapag hindi tayo nakabangon, kukunin ng mga kasosyo ang lahat ng meron tayo. Mawawalan tayo ng pera, at mawawalan ka ng tiyansang makapagpatuloy sa pag-aaral."

Natigilan ako. Sa pagkakatong ito hindi na alam kung ano pa ang isasagot.

Is this the sole reason why they had to work night and day, so they could save the company? Babagsak na kami...

"Dad... Bakit hindi mo ito sinabi agad?" iiling-iling akong umatras.

"Sorry...That's why you had to stay close to the boys."

"It's still so lame dad. Pwede naman siguro nating pakiusapan silang lahat na mag-invest sa kompanya 'diba? Pwede kong kausapin ang mga magulang nila. Maybe using my sincerity, I could get their approval. Huwag nalang nating nakawin' yong pinaghirapan nila."

"Aielle-"

"Please dad," I clasped my hands together, "Don't make this hard for me."

Marahas itong napabuntong hininga at napatingala.

"Okay," he said after awhile, "But there's a rule."

"What is it?"

"Don't make yourself fall inlove to one of them. Bata ka pa para makipagrelasyon. You had to finish your studies first. Be contented being a friend."

"Kung ganoon naman pala ang gusto mo. Why don't I just stay away from them?"

"You'll only get close to them for the business. They'll actually be a big catch if you make one of them fall inlove. Pero hilaw ka pa sa karanasan. Matinik ang magpipinsang Gilmour, ayaw kong nakikita kang nasasaktan pagdating ng panahon. Baka makasira pa iyon sa pag-aaral mo. Just think you are in a mission. You can't let your personal feelings drown you."

May pagpipilian pa ba ako? The decision has been made.

Itutulak ko ang sarili ko sa kanila. Makikipagkaibigan, at hanggang doon lang dapat. I can't break the rule cause it would result to a serious consequence, knowing how strict my dad was.

Ayos lang naman siguro 'yon' diba? If I got to know them even more, I might find out the real meaning of the feelings I had for Nolan later on. I must have mistook it for something else. At pagdating ng panahon, malalaman ko rin ang kaibahan ng mga bagay na nararamdaman.