Chapter 14

Nanggigil ako kay Fabio.

I wouldn't like to be in the spotlight and be the center of attention, but I feel like I wouldn't be able to get away with this now. Idinala ako ng production team to assist me and change my clothes. They've got their own wardrobes for models to try kaya naman naghanap sila ng kasya sa akin at babagay sa katawan ko.

They handed over to me a maroon tight sheath fitting dress. My mouth slightly opened upon seeing it. Parang maliit sa akin. Hindi babagay sa hulma ng katawan ko. Tatanggihan ko pa sana, but they insist for me to try it on and if I wouldn't like it on, may inihanda na silang isa pang option na maxi dress para sa akin.

That would be my choice since it would be fine for me. I wouldn't be conscious of how I look.

But then I ended up looking so good in the dress I was wearing. Kahit sarili ko ay kinagulat pa na when I stepped in front of the mirror and looked myself around it.

"You look so gorgeous, Miss Verzosa," the stylist said.

"I'm kind of..."

She put her hands on my shoulder. "Don't stress it out, you look so pretty. And I may just say that this would be a sexy advertisement. People would love this."

Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga. "Okay, fine. Let's do this!"

"Fantastic, Miss Versoza. Now, let's proceed with your hair and make-up."

I was assisted again to sit on the chair in front of the vanity mirror so they could start putting make-up on my face and they said it looked so better for me when my hair is straight so they just run the hair iron down on my hair and flat it out.

It took quite some time after they finally finished my hair and make-up. Nang tumayo ako sa kinauupuan ko para dalhin nila sa shooting area, pagkatalikod ko ay doon ko lang napansin na kanina pa pala ako pinapanood ni Fabio.

He smirked when our eyes meet.

"You look so sexy," he complimented.

Napangisi lang din ako. "You're getting what you asked for."

"I bet," he muttered.

"Come on, Miss Verzosa. Let's proceed to the shooting area."

Fabio followed me behind as we went back to the shooting area and I was greeted with a lot of compliments as they found me wearing this kind of dress. For the past few months, I've never worn so daring clothes yet, but this is something that made me try so I wouldn't forget about this.

They assisted and told me what I should do. Sinunod ko lang din naman ang bawat sinasabi nila sa akin. They were so nice and so caring about me. They handed the bottle of wine to me and of course, I had to pose with it.

After a few shots, the photographer requested Caiden to join me on the shoot.

Caiden was about to pick up and wear his suit again when Fabio stepped in.

"Can I instead join her?" Fabio requested. Caiden just looked at them. "She's my wife, anyway..."

"Oh..." everyone muttered inside the room.

We're not really together—we're not even married to begin with, and I'm not his wife. But no one in this room knows that we're together—like because of the baby, but not together at all.

"Maybe after Fabio, we could have a shot with Caiden as well?" I suggested since I don't wanna make him feel bad about it. They agreed about it, so Fabio suit-up and stood next to me as we followed the order of the photographer on what kind of pose we should do.

It surely felt a little weird when this happens, we're so intimate, daring, and so close to each other. But this is for work. I just have to get by on it. It took us a couple of shots and angles in which in one take, we ended up having our faces so close to each other and was like we're almost kidding. Ako agad ang unang umiwas nang matapos sabihin ng photographer namin na okay na ang shots naming at pinakita ito sa amin ni Fabio.

"I like that on," he said, pointing to the screen of the camera in which both of us are looking so intently at each other. "You should consider that one."

"We'll do," the photographer said. "We shall proceed with Caiden. Please, prepare yourselves and then we'll start."

A quick retouch had happened and they quickly put us back on set. I didn't mind Fabio watching us, but I know he didn't look away so he knows what was happening. Until my shoot with Caiden had finished, Fabio went to me asking if I'm tired or anything else.

"Maybe we should go home and then you should take a rest. I can tell it to Andre."

Mabilis ko naman siyang inilangan. "No, no need to. I'll be out in three hours, so if you're already bored or you wanted to leave. Sure, you can. No one will stop you."

He crossed his arms, bite his lower lips, and squinted his eyes a little. Damn, he was still in his suit and I just looked away. I know he'll notice I'll be staring so hard at him for that.

"Do you think I'll just go and leave you here?"

I nodded. "Yes... you did that before, so why wouldn't I think of that?"

He sighed as well as his shoulders dropped. "I am a changed man, woman."

Napataas ako ng kilay sa sinabi niya. "I don't see it yet, prove it."

He held on to my chin and let me face him directly.

"I am and I will," he said those words straight looking into my eyes.

I just shove his hands off of my face. "Just show it to me, and I'll be fine with that."

Tinalikuran ko na siya upang makapagpalit ng mas komportableng damit and I couldn't wear this dress all day since it was part of the wardrobe that production brought so I cannot take it. It was a really good experience and I will remember it for my entire life... this baby would see that before she or he could even see the world, the world sees it first.

After I finished changing my clothes, Andre come up to me saying I could go home now and take some rest. Ang sabi ko naman, ayos lang sa akin and I can stay until my time-out, but he insisted at malakas ang kutob ko na may kinalaman si Fabio rito.

Kinuha ko na rin naman ang gamit ko saka ako nagpaalam sa kaniya. As I was heading out, nakasalubong ko pa si Caiden sa exit.

"How was the shoot?" I asked. "Did you have fun?"

He chuckled, nodding his head. "I absolutely had. I've never had the chance to work on this kind of project before, so it was quite a new setup for me. But I enjoyed it. You don't always get to be approached to model for a brand of wine out of nowhere."

"That's impossible for someone like you," I taunted.

He smirked, giggling. "Well, there are days that aren't good, but I guess this was one of the best days I had. Glad I really chose Sicily to have a vacation."

"And you said you'll be here quite some more weeks, right?"

Caiden nodded. "Absolutely. I'll get to enjoy Sicily over and over."

I giggled. "I'm sure you will."

Not that I noticed, Fabio showed up on our side by making his presence stand out by clearing his throat so loud that Caiden and I furiously shifted our attention to him.

"I'm sorry to keep you going," pagpapasensya pa ni Caiden.

Hinawakan ko siya sa braso just so he knows that I don't mind. "No, it's not a problem." At alam kong ang mata ni Fabio at tumuloy rin kung saan dumampi ang kamay ko, but who cares?

When I told Caiden I'll be seeing him around and I suggested he should go to Ale's bar and just mention my name and he'll get a free drink there. He was so ecstatic upon hearing that, but it's good to know that I get to be a friend with someone else here in Sicily other than Ale and this man—si Fabio na nakasimangot na.

Sinusundan ko siya papunta sa sasakyan niya. Dala-dala niya iyong hand bag ko. Hindi ko siya inutusang dalhin 'yon dahil kusa niyang kinuha sa akin 'yon. Paka-gentleman daw siya. Sus, pakulo nitong mokong.

Nang marating namin iyong sasakyan niya at pinagbuksan niya ako ng pinto. Tikom ang bibig niya. Tiningnan niya lang ako hangga't sa makapasok ako sa loob. When I settled inside and he followed in and quickly check on me and then strapped himself with the seatbelt.

Hinihintay ko naman siyang i-start ang sasakyan, pero para lang siyang nakatunganga at nakatingin sa isang direksyon at magkasalubong ang kilay niya.

"Why are you flirting with that guy?" he couldn't take it anymore and asked it away. He shifted his stares towards mine.

"And so?"

Mas lalong tumalim ang tingin niya sa akin. "What do you mean with that?"

"And so do you care?"

"You're pregnant and I was there and you're talking to him like you're asking him for a date."

Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya. "And so? I know I'm pregnant and Caiden's a pretty guy, and just so you know, that wasn't flirting. I'm not gonna date him. I was just being friendly because he was someone we just work with. Get your mind up right, Fabio. Not all things would be about you."

"I'm saying—"

Mabilis ko siyang pinatigil magsalita sa pagtaas ko ng kamay ko. "I don't need any of your reasons anymore. Let's just go home. I wanna take a rest."

Hindi na naman siya sumabat kung hindi ay ini-start na niya ang sasakyan at pinaandar ito. I was just quiet along the way. Hindi ko iginagawi ang ulo ko sa kanya. Nakahilig lamang ako sa bintana sa tabi ko. Para ba akong magkaka-stiff neck sa ginawa ko, but that happened all the way to his home.

When we reached his home and parked his car away, baba na kaming dalawa when he stopped me going off. Bahagya naman akong natigilan sa ginawa niya.

"Why are you so stiff?" he asked worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Dahan-dahan naman akong tumango saka ko sinilip ang mukha niya.

"I'm not gonna hurt you or anything," he said, shaking his head. "Why would I even do that? I'm just gonna say something..." He took a deep breath and his body come soft. "I don't know why I don't want to see you with someone else. I don't know why I have to be with you. I don't know why I'm getting mad about it because I know I'm not the man you're expecting to be with, so I'm trying to be the best man for you. For our... family." Napangisi naman ito. "It sounds weird... and cheesy, but I feel like I'm ready to do this world with you, Jacinta. So, please, let me be..."

Huminga ako nang malalim. "I know you're trying your best, and I know I'm still mad about what you did, but I'm already giving you a chance and it's a chance for you to prove to me that you're someone I expected not to be the man who has left me before. Sana nga totoo iyong sinabi mo na you're a changed man... I know there's still a part of you who is good."

A little smile formed on his face and I think that's enough assurance for him that what we talked about might help us navigate our future together. Because I don't know how far we'll do this until things come crashing to us again.

Letting him become part of my life again is something I gambled, and hopefully, it won't crash me.

#BirthOfLiesInSicily #BOLISChapter14 #WTS9