Mizpah: Jillian

Chapter 15

"Huwag muna kayong umuwi ha," sabi ni Marigold habang may bitbit na mga inumin.

Ang mga models ay nakauwi na dahil may pictorial pa daw sila bukas. Marigold said that she was given a day off tomorrow since she did a good job in her pictorial yesterday kaya't maglalasing daw siya ngayon.

Katabi ko pa rin si Chad at magkatabi rin si Marigold at Vaughn. Kanina pa sila magkadikit.

Kanina, while the models were around, they teased them and Marigold always looked at me while smirking kaya't napipikon ako. Ano bang gusto niyang iparating? Si Vaughn naman kanina, ngiti lang ng ngiti at tawa ng tawa.

"Here."

Chad poured my glass. I smiled a little.

"Thanks," I said.

Chad smiled at me before he poured one for himself.

"Mukhang close na kayong dalawa," Marigold sipped her drink. "Hindi masyadong malapit si Chad sa mga babae kaya't nagdududa ako bakit close na kayo sa isa't-isa. You just met last week, diba? 'Yung sa bahay mo, Chad?"

Seryosong napatingin si Vaughn sa amin while he emptied his shot glass. Parang kanina lang ang saya niya tapos ngayon ang seryoso naman.

"Stop what you're thinking, Gold. I know you're implying something," Chad chuckled.

I sipped my drink. I get it. She thinks there's something going on between Chad and I.

"Hoy, ano ka ba. Wala akong ibang ibig sabihin. Nagtataka lang talaga ako," she looked at me. "Aside from me, ikaw lang talaga ang kilala ko na babaeng kaibigan ni Chad."

"Hindi mo lang alam pero marami na akong mga babaeng kaibigan sa Riyadh, Gold. Jillian is just my only girl friend here aside from you," Chad replied. "Hindi na ako awkward around girls hindi tulad noon."

I tilted my head towards Chad.

"Awkward ka sa mga babae noon?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

He chuckled. "Yeah. Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit. That's the reason why I don't have any girlfriend."

He's awkward? I mean, if I were a boy and had a face like Chad, wala talaga akong mararamdamang hiya.

"Kahit sa Riyadh?" Marigold inserted.

"Wala nga."

Napatingin ulit si Marigold sa akin.

"Diba sabi mo wala kang boyfriend?"

Kailangan ba talagang ulit-ulitin ang tanong na 'yan? Nakakainis ha.

"Oo. Bakit?"

"How about... You two should date? Wala naman kayong mga jowa and nasa tamang edad na kayo," she suggested.

I was shocked when she said that. I don't see myself with Chad. Hindi kami bagay. Kaibigan lang talaga ang tingin ko sa kanya.

He's a great guy. If ibang babae lang siguro ako, I would definitely want to date him. I'm sure he would be a perfect fit as an ideal man for other women.

"Babalik din si Chad sa Riyadh. Useless lang kapag magde-date silang dalawa," Vaughn said.

Gulat na napatingin si Marigold kay Vaughn. Nagulat din ako mismo dahil hindi kanina pa siya tahimik kaya't hindi ko siya namalayan. Well, may point din naman siya.

He poured a drink to his shot glass and then drink it. After that, he stared at me. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa kanya at nilagyan ang baso ko.

"Tama si Vaughn, Gold," Chad said.