Kronack Crown

Chapter 2

HALOS WALONG oras din ang itinagal ng biyahe ni Kalisz bago siya nakarating ng Maynila kaya naman hapon na't nasa estasyon pa rin siya ng bus. She already felt tired and her body was craving for a bed.

"Saan na kaya 'yon?" mahina niyang bulong sa sarili.

Maglalabinlimang minuto na siyang nasa bus station at hinahanap ang dapat ay susundo sa kanya.

Kalisz was starting to get uncomfortable and annoyed with the people around her. Especially when few of them were looking at her brazenly. Some looked at her with grimaces on their faces, and others with amazement...

Amazement in a contemptuous way just because of how she looks and dresses.

Hooman. Kalisz thought.

She could stare at them, too. Contest with their nonsensical staring but she's too tired to do so.

Kalisz took a deep sigh and scanned the area again, looking for that person who would match the description given to her of the man named Kronack.

And to her joy and surprise, she saw someone.

Isang lalaking matangkad at mukhang may lahing banyaga. May hawak itong placard at nakasulat doon ang initial ng unang pangalan at ang buong apelyido niya.

Ugh. Buti naman nakita ko na.

Mabilis siyang lumakad palapit dito habang hila-hila ang dalawang bagahe niya. Hindi na siya nag-abala pang pansinin ang mga taong nakukuha niya ang atensyon.

"Kuya, ako po si Kalisz Roman," pagpapakilala niya sa lalaki nang makalapit siya.

Tiningnan siya ng lalaki mula ulo hanggang paa tapos ay ibinalik nito ang tingin sa mukha niya. Napakunot ang noo nito at sandaling natigilan bago ito nagtanong.

"May ID ka ba diyan, miss? Passport perhaps?" tanong nito. "I just want to make sure," he added.

Tumango siya at ibinigay dito ang ID niya.

Pinapanood ni Kalisz ang lalaki habang tinitingnan nito ang ID niya. Agaw pansin ito sa lugar. Matangkad at gwapo ang lalaki. Matangos ang ilong nito at mapaghahalatang hindi ito purong Pilipino. Seryoso rin ang mga mata nito at walang kangiti-ngiti ang labi. Pero sa kabila ng masungit na dating ng mukha nito ay marami pa ring babae ang mukhang interesado itong iuwi.

Hindi niya maiwasang mapangiwi nang makita ang ibang babae na parang sinisilihan at hindi mapakali. But what made the scene funny to her was that the man seemed oblivious to the attention. Or... He's used to it. Whatever it was, she didn't care.

"Okay... come," he told her after checking her ID.

He kept the placard in his left hand and helped her with her baggage. "I'll bring this one. Follow me," anito at lumakad na.

Tahimik si Kalisz na sumunod dito. She could feel the envious glances from women as they walked towards the car parked not far from the bus station. It was an expensive car from a well-known automaker company—the Crown. A brand that sells multi-million dollars' worth of cars—mostly limited edition.

Hindi mapigilan ni Kalisz ang mapabuntong-hininga dahil sa atensyon na nasa kanila. Aside from that, she's annoyed. Gahol siyang makasabay sa lalaki dahil matangkad ito at mahahaba ang biyas nito kumpara sa kanya na nasa five four lang ang height.

When they reached the car, he stopped beside the car trunk, opened it, and put her two traveling bags. Matapos nitong ilagay roon ang bagahe niya ay iginiya siya nito sa harapan at pinagbuksan siya ng pintuan sa passenger seat.

"By the way, we're not traveling tonight to Crown Island. It's already late for that. It will take us five hours to reach the pier by car and another thirty minutes to reach the island by ship. We'll be staying in the Laventis Hotel. Don't worry about the charges. It's already taken care of," mahabang paliwanag nito sa kanya.

"Okay... Salamat," sagot niya at isinara na nito ang pinto bago umikot papunta sa driver's seat.

Hindi siya kinausap ng lalaki habang nasa biyahe sila. Tahimik lang ito habang nagmamaneho.

Walang kaso sa kanya. Sanay siyang hindi nagsasalita lalong-lalo na kung hindi niya kilala ang kasama. The silence of someone who's a stranger to her was something she always appreciated. Most often, people would try to start a conversation when left in a close area for a long period. But it seemed like the man—just like her—didn't find a reason to start a conversation.

Hanggang sa makarating sila sa sinasabing hotel ay nanatiling tahimik ang kasama niya.

Hindi mapigilan ni Kalisz ang humanga sa hotel na pinagdalhan sa kanya ng lalaki. In front of her was an enormously tall and beautiful building. She estimated it to have about ninety to one hundred floors. From the outside, it looked so expensive and prestigious that she has hard a time believing that the charges were not on her.

"Uhm... Sigurado ka ba wala akong babayaran?" tanong niya sa lalaki.

She has to make sure. Well, she has the money but she's definitely not spending it on an expensive hotel. Specifically, a hotel that could cost every penny in her account.

"Yes, naka-book na ang kuwarto mo. Tanungin mo na lang yung receptionist kung saan," he replied, searching something in his wallet. Nang makita nito ang hinahanap ay inabot nito iyon sa kanya. "Here, give this to the receptionist."

He gave her a silver card. May koronang kulay gold na nakaguhit doon at numerong nakasulat.

"We'll leave your things here but bring what you think is important," pagpapatuloy nito at lumabas na ng sasakyan.

Umibis na rin siya ng sasakyan at tinungo ang trunk ng kotse na nakabukas na. Hinila niya ang isang traveling bag na naglalaman ng mga importanteng gamit bago niya binalingan ang lalaking nasa tabi lang at nakatingin sa cellphone nito.

"This is all I want to take to my room," imporma niya rito.

"Mm-hmm," tugon nito.

Ilang sandali ang lumipas bago ito nag-angat ng tingin.

"Mauna ka nang pumasok sa loob. Mamaya pa ako at may pupuntahan pa ako," saad nito.

Tumango siya.

Hawak ang ibinigay nitong card ay tinungo niya ang entrance ng hotel habang hila ang traveling bag niya. Nakita niya agad ang reception area ng hotel pagkapasok.

"Good evening, Ma'am! How may I help you?" masiglang bati sa kanya ng babaeng receptionist.

Tipid na ngumiti si Kalisz sa babae at inabot dito ang card na hawak. Kinuha ito ng babae at sandaling tiningnan bago nito iyon isinwipe sa device na nakakonekta sa computer nito.

"May I have your ID, Ma'am?"

Ibinigay niya ang ID at mabilis din nito iyong ibinalik.

"Okay, Ma'am. Sa 25th floor po and here's your room number." Inabot nito ang isang bagong card na may nakasulat na room number. "Your key to your room, Ma'am."

"Thank you, Miss," Kalisz smiled kindly.

"You're welcome."

Mabilis siyang nagtungo sa elevator at pinindot ang 25th button nang makapasok.

Exhausted, Kalisz leaned against the wall while waiting for the lift to reach the 25th floor. And when it did, she weakly exited the lift and looked for her room which she found instantly.

Kalisz swiped the card key and entered the room. And just like what she had guessed, the room looked expensive for somebody who only earned a few thousand a month like her.

It has a one queen-sized bed facing the big glass wall overlooking the city of Manila. May TV din at L-shaped sofa with a coffee table in the center.

Nilapag ni Kalisz ang gamit na dala. Maliligo muna siya bago matulog. Ang lagkit na ng pakiramdam niya.

She then took a short maroon-colored satin slip dress. Yup! It's clothing that was very unusual to find in someone's closet that has a fashion sense of someone's grandma. But the dress was very comfortable and light. It was too hard for her not to wear it for sleeping. Basta gusto niya ganito ang suot 'pag matutulog siya. Wala namang makakakita sa kanya.

Kalisz was after a bath and almost ready to call it a night when she heard her phone ring. Agad niya itong kinuha sa bag.

Auri calling...

"Hello, Au," she greeted, tiredness lacing her voice.

"Hey, Kalisz. Are you already in the hotel?" Auri asked.

"Oo, katatapos ko lang maligo," sagot niya rito habang tinutuyo ang buhok gamit ang towel.

"Sino sumundo sa 'yo?" Narinig niya ang pagpalatak nito bago ulit nagsalita. "Nalasing pala si Kuya kaya hindi ka nasundo. Sorry about it," anito.

"Okay lang. May sumundo naman sa akin, hindi ko nga lang alam kung ano ang pangalan niya." Imporma niya kay Auri.

"Baka si Lust."

Kalisz frowned. "Huh? Lust?"

"Yup! Yung sumundo sa 'yo Lust pangalan n'on," sagot nito. "As in si pagnanasa," dagdag pa nito na natatawa.

"Aah..."

Kalisz was speechless. Sa lahat ba naman ng ipapangalan ng magulang, 'yon talaga.

Weird parents.

Mas lumakas ang tawa ng kaibigan niya sa kabilang linya.

"Hulaan ko, hindi na naman nagpakilala yung lalaking 'yon, 'no?"

"Hindi, eh."

"Tsk. Tsk. Yung isang 'yon talaga."

"Okay lang naman. Hindi ko rin naman siya tinanong," aniya sa kaibigan.

"Hmm... Alam ko namang 'di ka magtatanong. So, matutulog ka na ba?" maya-maya ay tanong nito.

"Oo, eh. Napagod ako sa biyahe at maaga yata kaming aalis bukas," Kalisz replied, yawning.

"Okay, okay. Good night. I could hear your yawn. Tumawag lang ako para kumustahin ka. Hintayin kita dito sa villa bukas, okay?"

"Sige, good night."

Nahiga na siya matapos niyang makipag-usap kay Auri. Nag-set muna siya ng alarm bago niya hinayaan ang sariling kainin ng pagod at antok.