Saving Harper

Asa

XAVIER'S POV

I can watch her eat that cheeseburger the whole night. We're here sa burger joint kung saan ko sya inorderan ng lunch nung naging assistant nya ko.

I can still feel her high energy after bringing her sa photo exhibit. She mentioned that it's her first time sa ganon. I wouldn't have believed it pero dahil alam kong workaholic sya, posible nga naman. I wonder what she usually does on weekends?

I watched her narrate her reactions to the photos and what she thought about mine.

Medyo malakas yung appetite nya, lalu na sa cheeseburger. I curiously pointed out that fact and akala ko kababawan lang, like favorite lang talaga nya. I didn't expect it to be something deeper. Waaaay deeper kasi dahil pala sa dad nya. Theirs was a relationship that was once doting between a father and a daughter, but now she doesn't even want to talk about it.

I felt privileged when she opened up about it because I can see some hesitation in her, pero sinabi parin nya. It was like she opened a window for me to glimpse a part of her life through her eyes.

Franco said she hated talking about it so medyo condensed version yung binigay nya sakin. I wanted to know more but I didn't pry anymore. I'll be patient.

I waited for more than a year to get to know her, what's another year? But I know we might not have that time. Will a short time be enough?

"Cheeseburger felt like the home I remembered." The sadness on her eyes was evident even if it only passed for a second.

Well shit. Harper has been dealing with this since college? I can't imagine how she stays sane carrying this.

"Okay dahil dyan, may cheeseburger ka araw-araw." I smiled at her. Pero deep inside nalulungkot ako. I want to share her pain so she doesn't have to carry it all by herself. But all I can do for now was jest to distract her kahit alam kong it will just be of little help.

Well sabi nga nila, baby steps.

Those baby steps were tested the following day.

I made a deal with her over winning the book cover challenge na ginagawa naming mga artists. "Okay Ms. Javier, let's put a wager on that. If I get this cover, you owe me. If not, then I owe you." I smiled.

Hindi naman sa pagmamayabang, but this is too easy. May leverage nako agad kasi nabasa ko na yung manuscript. The junior artists always make a mistake of just reading the summary contained in the editor's creative brief kaya I hold the record of creating the most number of cover art. Syempre except kay Franco na nine years nang nandito.

"What do we owe each other?" She frowns. Natawa ako kasi parang takot na agad sya. Mas curious ako kung anong gusto nya pag nanalo sya.

"So anything?"

Anything nga ba? Of course. "Yup." Knowing I might be selfish on my intentions for this wager. Baby steps daw ampota. Tumalon ka e.

"So, I can ask for a new car?" Okay tangina. I was hoping intangible things yung gusto nya. E paano nga pag yun ang hingin nya? Napasubo ka na Xavier. Tanga.

Ako hindi ko na kailangan isipin kung anong hihingin ko sakanya. A chance.

But reality dawned on me. Hindi ko yun hihingin sa pustahan kasi if I do, walang diperensya yun sa ginagawa namin ngayon. I will not trap her into something na wala syang choice. Pag nagustuhan nya ko, kailangan totoo. Walang pag papanggap