It's You

Chapter Sixteen

We are currently having dinner with the whole family, yes, with Tita paki-- este Tita Allickia.

"So, You, plano mo nalang bang magmukmok dito sa bahay?" The dinner was going smooth kaso ibinida na naman ako ni Tita Kia, ako lang talaga ang pinapakialaman n'ya sa'ming tatlo, ang ganda ko na ba talaguh?

Hindi ko s'ya sinagot, baka lumipad lang kasi 'tong mesa mamaya papunta sakan'ya, char. Baka kasi hindi ako makapagtimpi at maubos pa'tong natitirang respeto I mean kaplastikan sa katawan ko. Ssssss, I'm a snake.

"Ate, definitely not. Starting tomorrow, may pagkakaabalahan na s'ya." Mom said after sipping a bit of water at ngumiti sa'kin.

"And what? Hindi ata ako informed, Mom?" I was still chewing food at hindi naman ako pormalista para maniwala sa 'don't talk when your mouth is full'.

"Dear, napansin kasi naming you're being so responsible these days, and we want to reward you." Si Dad naman ang nagsalita habang nagpause sa pags-slice ng beef steak.

"Responsible, big word," natatawa nama ng bulong ni Pau sa tabi ko ang so kinurot ko s'ya sa tagiliran nang kaunti.

"Dad, I'm not a kid aiming for rewards. Pero... ano ba 'yun?" I said, trying to hide the gladness, I was waiting for him habang binibitin ako sa slowmong paggalaw ng bibig n'ya.

"You are gonna have work." Sagot n'ya na finally at napakunot naman ako ng noo.

"If that is a reward, mahihiya ang pagiging grounded. Seriously?" Kailan pa naging reward ang pagkakaroon ng trabaho? Sabihin n'yo nga sa'kin?

Abot langit naman ang ngiti ng lahat sa mesa especially Pau maliban sa'min ni Tita Kia.

Hindi na'ko umangal, hindi ko pa naman kasi alam kung ano'ng klaseng work 'yun, baka magiging elevator girl ako sa isang branch ng hotels namin, o baka naman tourist guide? Argh, what am I thinking?!

Natapos na kaming kumain and kay Pau nakaschedule ang panghuhugas ngayon. Well, ako ang nag-ayos ng sched namin, answerte nga ng maid eh, pero wala naman kasi akong ibang magawa, wala akong hinahabol na deadline and I can just do anything I want, anytime, but not just anything anymore.

Well, lemme use the perks of being the oldest one, wahahahaha.

...

"Whaaaat? Intern? Look, Mom, Dad...I JUST GRADUATED FREAKING 7 YEARS AGO!" Napasigaw na'ko sa pagkagulat at nang marealize kong may mali sa sinabi ko ay napapikit din pagkatapos.

"Sorry,"

At mas nagulat pa ako nang lumabas 'yun sa bibig ko. Kita ko namang nagkatinginan sina Mom at Dad habang natatawa. What? Tinatawanan lang ba nila ako sa sitwasyong 'to? I'm 29 just to be an intern! Ano nalang sasabihin ng mga tao?

"So rare for you to say sorry, pero hindi naman talaga intern, you just have to observe how a company works," napailing tapos napangiting ani Mom.

I admit that they're the best parents ever, payagan ba naman ako sa lahat ng gusto ko? Ewan ko ba, I wonder if I saved the world in my past life. Minsan lang silang humingi ng favor sa'kin at wala naman akong tinanggihan sa mga 'yun, just this one, I don't like this.

"You, do us this favor. Makakabuti naman 'to sa'yo, besides na may mapag-aabalahan ka, mas matututunan mo pa'ng magpatakbo ng kompanya natin." Dad held my shoulder at napatingin naman ako sa kamay n'ya.

Never knew companies had feet.

"S-sa company lang naman natin 'yan, 'diba?" Papalit-palit ko silang tinignan at nagkatinginan din namn sila.

"Sorry, darling, but no."

What? Why are they making this complicated tho?

Hindi nalang ako umangal, alam ko namang pwede kong hindian 'yun gamit ang charms ko but ewan, masubukan na nga lang.

...

Kinabukasan ay ginising ako ng Yaya, nabugahan ko naman s'ya ng apoy 'coz it's still 6 am for all the sake!

"M-ma'am, sabi po kasi ni Ma'am Wayneline gisingin po kayo ng maaga." Nakababa lang ang tingin ng maid at napasinghal naman ako. My beauty sleep, argh.

"Okay, get out." Ke aga aga, mas mainit pa ang dugo ko kesa sa sinag ng araw.

I did my morning rituals as slow as I could, observer lang din naman ako 'diba.

I went to the address of the company na sinabi ni Mom, karagdagan n'ya namang info ay business partner namin ang may ari nito. Sa CEO daw ako dapat bumuntot tsaka Mom said na surprise lang daw kung sino 'yun, what if it's one of my exes? I should go then if that's it, choss.

I approached the front desk, "Where's your CEO?"

"Excuse me, Ma'am? What's your name?" Sagot naman nu'ng babae. Wow, sagutin ba naman ang tanong ko ng tanong?

"Euniceline Beleazar," I rolled my eyes, waiting is not actually my thing.

May tinawagan s'ya tapos bumaling na rin sa'kin. "Sorry Ma'am, but our CEO cancelled all his schedules for today, his secretary says tomorrow will do."

Napakunot ako ng noo. I even woke up early for this! Matalim kong tinignan 'yung babaeng hindi naman pantay ang blush on--oops just saying the truth, 'diba Lord?

I admit malandi ako but I'm not to the highest point of gullibility na ipipilit pa ang sarili for one thing that I don't really feel.

"Never mind. If you only know what you just wasted," I raised a brow on her at engrandeng nag walk out.

Good thing tho I'll have enough reason to tell Mom. Argh.

Nagpalamig pa muna ako and so I went to a coffee shop, how ironic.
Pumasok ako do'n dala-dala ang confidence pero natigilan din agad ako.

I just saw my asshole ex fling! Cringing because of the 'ex' word anyway.

Ang defeated naman ata kung lalabas ako ng coffee shop eh hindi naman s'ya ang may ari nito. But, he's not just an ex, he tried to assault me! I know it's another irony pero basta! Bastos s'ya! Walang galang! I shouldn't be ashamed, s'ya dapat ang mahiya eh, he should be on jail by now if I just spoke a word.

He's with a girl, his new toy maybe? Baka mabulilyaso na s'ya this time huh. Our visions met at basang basa ko ang kamanyakan sa mga mata n'ya. I looked at him as if he was just air at nag-order na. Jerk.

"One coffee caramel and some of these bread," I pointed the glass nang biglang may tumabi sa'kin at sadya talagang diniin ang braso n'ya sa braso ko. Judging from the yucky smell, alam ko nang it's Memphis Alcantara, kaedad n'ya lang si Pau at laking pagsisisi kong pinatulan ko s'ya. Don't gemme wrong, walang nangyari sa'min, just flirting things, pumipili naman ako ng mga ikakama 'noh.

"Hi, You." He had that irritating grin mula sa peripheral vision ko.

I ignored him. "Take out," I said to the seller.

"Itetake out mo'ko?" Bumulong naman sa'kin ang loko at sinuklian ko lang s'ya ng nakakamatay na tingin.

"Get lost."

Tumawa naman s'ya. "Uy, pahard to get ka na pala ngayon?"

"Why the heck are you talking to me?" Nagpipigil na'kong sumuntok, yup, I know how to punch, I go to boxing gyms.

"Tss, para naman tayong walang pinagsamahan. Anyway, gusto mong ano, kita tayo minsan, baka may balak kang iunblock ang number ko,"

Napapikit ako sa inis at kinuha na 'yung order ko. I turned to him for the last time. "Memphis, let's move on, I'm not that bitchy You anymore. Payo ko lang sa'yo, ibugok mo nalang sa bato 'yang ulo mo para naman maayos, you're young, 'wag mo sayangin buhay mo."

Hindi ko na inintay ang reaksyon n'ya at tumalikod na, I was so determined to get out of that shop pero may nabingwit ang mga mata ko, a friend. And so I walked towards his table dahil s'ya lang din naman mag-isa.

"Nice to see you again, Xav." I greeted him with a smile at halata namang hindi n'ya inaasahan ang pagkikita namin.