CHAPTER NINETEEN

MARTINA'S POV

Days passed, and I knew the space between Tere and I was getting wider and wider everyday. Maybe kasi kahit sinabi kong wala akong pakialam sa sikreto ni Tere ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasang maging curious. I know I'm not involved sa sikretong 'yun but the way Trecia said it, parang damay talaga ako.

Speaking of Trecia, she went back to the States yesterday. Nagkaroon daw ng offer sa kanya na movie at kailangan niya raw tingnan personally dahil bagong actor daw ang makakasama niya as her leading man.

Umalis naman siyang okay na kami pero paalis na at lahat ay ininis niya pa ako by bringing up the topic and warning me. Kaya naman hindi ako nakangiti nang ihatid ko siya sa airport at ganon din naman siya.

Going back to Tere, nandito kami sa meeting room sa shop kasama ang iba pang fairies ko. Tahimik lang siya habang tinitingnan ang folder na nakapatong sa table. Presentation ngayon ni Maecel para sa choices for MG Styles Fashion show in New York.

"Hey..." mahina kong tawag kay Tere na nasa kaliwa ko.

Napatingin naman siya sa akin. "Hmm? Himala at kinausap mo 'ko," puno ng sarcasm na sabi niya sa akin.

I sighed. "I'm sorry, I was preoccupied these days."

Tiningnan niya lang ako saka napabuntong-hininga. "It's okay. I'm sorry for being sarcastic," pagpapaumanhin naman niya. May binulong pa siya pero hindi ko na narinig.

"Good afternoon, everyone," bati ni Maecel. "I'll just do this fast to not take so much of your time." Tumingin pa siya sa akin na para bang humihingi ng permiso para makapagsimula na.

Tumango naman ako at nagsimula na siya. I focused my attention on her presentation and not on the woman to my left. Kaya lang kahit na ayaw ko ay napapatingin pa rin ako sa kanya at para bang malalim din ang iniisip niya.

I wonder what she's thinking.

Pumasok naman sa isip ko ang sinabi ni Tres na binabago na daw ako ni Tere. And whether I deny it or not, I also feel myself changing. But not in a bad way like how Tres makes it sound.

Nagkataon lang siguro na nabigla si Tres sa sudden change ko. D*mn! I even changed back my hair color and length for this woman. Napailing na lang ako.

Natotomboy na ba ako dahil sa kanya?

I observed myself and roamed my eyes around the room. I don't find any woman attractive other than Tere.

So tomboy na ako pero kay Tere lang?

I sighed and shook my head. Nababaliw na ako. "Didn't you like the idea, Fairy Queen?"

Nawala ako sa iniisip ko dahil sa tanong ni Maecel. Napatingin ako sa lahat, and saw them looking at me with worry.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "No, no. Don't mind me, I'm fine with the idea, please continue."

Napatingin naman ako kay Tere at nakatingin din pala siya sa akin saka siya nagtanong. "Okay ka lang?"

Napangiti naman ako. "Concern ka?" loko ko.

Kaya lang seryoso pa rin siyang nakatingin sa akin. "Oo. Kaibigan kita eh."

Para namang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko sa sinabi niya. "O-Oo nga naman. Okay lang ako." Pilit akong ngumiti.

Tumango siya saka bumalik sa pakikinig sa presentation. She seemed really serious about everything. If it's the normal her, she should've scowled at me because of my type of question.

Kaibigan kita eh.

Why do I feel like I hate that word?

At bakit kay Tere lang ako ganito?

What's so special about you, Tere?

~•~

THERESIA'S POV

Nang umalis si Jester kahapon eh talagang nalungkot si Martha. I now have to think of ways to have fun with her without going outside the house. Lalo na't lumiliit ang mundo nila ni Martina.

Buong meeting ay 'yon lang ang nasa isip ko. Ba't naman kasi umalis na naman yung lalakeng 'yun kung kelan nagkakaproblema nga ako?

I let out a sigh and continued with my work inside Martina's office. I just have to finish this Sets A to H of the Formal collection, this time hindi lang pambabaeng damit ang ipepresent kundi pati panlalake.

Hmm... So my agency has to provide male models din. My face lit up when I remembered someone. I bet he can help me, lalo na kung pang-akit din naman sa mga tao.

I immediately picked up my phone, went out of the room, and called him.

~•~

MARTINA'S POV

I frowned when I saw Tere leave my office without saying anything. Simula kaninang umaga, ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ngumiti na para bang excited. At may dala-dala pa niya ang phone niya.

Is she going to call someone?

Why does she look excited?

Does she have a boyfriend—

Wait. I shook my head. Imposibleng may boyfriend siya dahil wala raw sabi ng dad niya—o baka naman yung ipapaarrange sa kanya.

Nakapag-arrange na ba?

Does she have a fiance already?

I felt my blood boil with that thought. I was confused with my feelings these past few weeks but not anymore. The reasons dawned on me.

I think I figured out why I suddenly changed, why I said no to Noah, why I hate the thinking that Tere might have another man. I think it began five years ago.

I'm attracted to her.

I'm sorry, Tere but ever since you smiled at me that night, I already marked you as mine and no one can have you but me.

I quickly stood up to follow her pero bigla naman siyang pumasok ulit at bumalik sa pagkakaupo sa sofa. She was smiling, she looked upbeat.

Why?

I frustratedly sat down and made myself focus on my work, kaya lang I ended up focusing on her smile.

Who made her smile like that? I'll punch that son of a b*tch. I'm the only one who can do that. Her smile is mine and mine alone.

I stood up and walked towards her. I stopped when I was in front of her then she looked up at me.

I gulped when I realized our position. H-Her face w-was near m-my...

"Yes?" nakangiti niyang tanong.

I shrugged my desire and the naughty imagination in my head and focused on what I'm supposed to tell her. "Have dinner with me."

"Uhh... no, thanks?" she answered.

"I didn't ask, Tere."

She looked at me with confusion written all over her face. "What for?"

"Can't I just have dinner with you?" iritado kong tanong. She could just say yes.

She still seemed confused for a second before taking her eyes off me and settling them with the papers on the table. "Can't. I already have someone for tonight."

Nainis naman ako sa sinabi niya kaya pabagsak akong umupo sa tabi niya. "Who?"

"You don't have to know, Martina."

"It's Martin," pikon kong imporma.

She turned her face to me at mukha na naman siyang nalilito. "Ano bang nangyayari sayo?"

Napalitan naman ng gulat at kaba ang pagtataka niya nang ilapit ko ang mukha ko sa kanya. I held her chin to level her face with mine. "I don't know. You tell me. This is your fault anyway. You happened. You smiled at me. You bewitched me, woman. I'm supposed to like men, then explain why I'm frustrated over you."

I saw her gulp and licked her lower lip. "A-Ano bang sinasabi mo?"

I gave her a smile. "Tere..."

"B-Bakit?"

"Can't I just have you?"