Chapter 19

You've been busted

Dinala naman ako ni Harriet sa isang kainan pero bago pa man kami makarating doon ay bigla na lang din may sumugod kay Harriet at sumalampak na lamang ito sa lupa. Nang makita ko naman si Scott ay agad ko naman siyang pinigilan na suntukin muli si Harriet. Tumayo namang mag-isa si Harriet at pinapakalma ko naman si Scott dahil ang agresibo niya bigla nang makita niyang magkahawak ang kamay namin.

"Sino 'yan, Reena? Baka mamaya miyebro 'yan ng budol budol gang." pagtukoy pa niya kay Harriet.

Agad naman akong umiling, "hindi Scott, siya si Harriet. Nakakagulat pero siya nga 'yan. Hindi siya budol budol gang okay?" aniko.

"Reena's right, I'm Harriet... you can come with anyway." anito.

"Kahit hindi mo sabihin, hindi ko iiwanan si Reena."

Napakibit balikat na lang din naman si Harriet at isinama na nga namin si Scott. Pagkarating namin sa isang kainan doon ay pina-order pa kami ni Harriet kung ano gusto naming kainin pero inumin na lang din naman ang kinuha ko. Si Scott ang nagdemand ng makakain.

"Sinong tinatawagan mo, Scott?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Nilayo naman niya saglit sa kanyang tenga ang phone, "si Amy, tinatanong kung okay ka lang daw ba. Saka umiiyak si Riley, ayaw daw tumahan." anito.

"Sige nga, pakausap nga muna." aniko.

Kinausap naman ni Scott na ilapat ni Amy ang phone sa tenga ni Riley para makausap ko. Napatingin naman ako kay Harriet na nakangiti naman sa akin. Kinausap ko naman si Riley, umiiyak ito pero simula nang magsalita ako ay tumahan na rin naman ito. Nang si Amy na rin naman ang sumagot ay ako naman ang kinausap nito saka binaba ko na ang tawag.

"I see that your happy." ani Harriet.

Napangisi naman si Scott habang kumakain.

Napangiti na lang din ako, "yes, iniisip kasi ng iba malas ang nangyari sa akin pero hindi ko iniisip na malas dahil dumating sa akin si Riley ngayon." aniko, "anyway, starts with the pictures, why did you do that?"

Napantingin naman si Scott kay Harriet, "so ikaw rin pala talaga ang may pakana no'n 'no? Hindi kasi kita namukhaan noon kaya hindi ako sigurado pero pwede ba kitang suntukin ulit ngayon?"

Natawa naman si Harriet, "one time is enough, bro." aniya, "just let me tell it to her, just listen."

Tiningnan ko naman si Scott, "you heard that, just listen."

He rolled his eyes, "whatever." aniya at bumalik sa kanyang pagkain.

Umayos naman ng pagkakaupo si Harriet at uminom sa kanyang juice. "So, it started when I saw you at the restaurant. Noong una, wala naman akong pakelam, kasama ko mga kaibigan ko noon pero imbis na sa usapan namin ako nakatuon sayo napupunta ang atensyon ko. Sa tuwing tumatayo ka para pumunta sa buffet table, I was so struck that time. Hindi ko na inalis ang tingin ko sayo and I sneak a picture of you, nakita kong nakatingin ang kaibigan mo, akala ko sisitahin ako pero hindi pala."

Napangisi naman si Scott, "bugbugin pa kita no'n eh." 

"Scott, ano ba." saway ko naman dito. "'wag ka na lang makisabat, okay?"

"I'm just--ah, fine." He sighed in defeat.

"Actually, I posted your picture on my account to know who you are but in the next few days, it gains like and shares. Nafeature sa ilang sites at naging headline na most beautiful girl in the world. And when I knew your name, hindi na kita pinakawalan."

"Pa'no mo nalaman kung saan ako nakatira?" tanong ko pa.

"Mind if I ask, how many times did you beat on Reena's pictures?" ngisi pa ni Scott.

Pinalo ko naman siya dahil ang bastos  bastos ng iniisip ni Scott. Nang balingan ko nama si Harriet at natatawa na lang din ito. Nang taasan ko siya ng kilay ay napayuko na lang din naman ito. What does that mean? 

"Proceed, Harriet, 'wag ka na epal Scott. Okay?" ani ko pero hindi na niya ako pinansin at pumunta na sa counter, may binili siya at pagbalik ay hindi na kami pinansin. Binalik ko ang tingin kay Harriet at tinanguan ko naman siya.

"Remember the day na biglang may sumampa sayo?" tanong nito, tumango naman ako sa kanya. "That was me, I know you already knew that 'cause of the letter. But I followed you there when you came home and that's the start to leave letters on you."

"What's your goal by doing this Harriet? I mean, bakit mo siya ginagawa? Trip mo lang ba?" kunot noo ko pang tanong sa kanya.

umiling naman siya, "no, that wasn't my intention. I did that because I want you to be crazy about me," napangisi naman si Scott kaya natigil si Harriet pero hindi na namin siya pinansin. "I wanted you to be frustrated who am I. There's no definite reasons on the letters, it is just my only way for you to know me and to meet you in person. That's too cliche but I find that thing too interesting and challenging for me. Whether you buy it or not. And now you're here, for six months, I patiently wait for you. Thank you for coming..."

"Atleast I've met you this time, no letters and words." ngiti ko pa sa kanya, "what about the helps you're talking about? Enlighten me, please."

He nodded, "yes, remember the picture on the club?" He asked and so I nodded. "I was also there--actually, wherever you are."

"Stalker." ngisi pa ni Scott.

"Pa'no mo nalaman na nandoon ako?" tanong ko naman sa kanya. "You came there with Simoun, his fans were updated about him kaya alam kong pumunta kayo doon. I have to present an ID para lang makapasok dahil puro high personalities nga ang nandoon. I stayed there for about hours, hindi kita iniwan kasama si Simoun."

"When did the kiss happen? How did you caught us?"

"That time, I saw Anatoche came.  The white girl stole the attention of everybody pero hindi niyo iyon napansin dahil lasing na kayo. I even smelled the milk shake you drink that night, it has vodka." and now everythings seems clear to me now. "I followed my eyes on Anatoche. She saw you guys on the far corner on your table. You didn't saw her but Simoun does. They talked, I'm far so I don't know what they're talking about. You were drunk and asleep that moment when Simoun kisses you, Anatoche grab the moment and took you both a photo."

"Then why did you do the same?" I asked.

"I did that to warn you, as what I gave to you, you can see Anatoche's back there while she's taking a picture of you... but I guess you didn't notice that 'cause the picture comes in dim."

"Why didn't you speak about this?" Scott ask.

Napatango rin naman ako, "yes, why did you keep silent?"

He sighed, "I said it to you, even if I did, I had no power. They wouldn't even believe on me."

"You have a proof!"

He shook his head, "that wasn't enough." buntong hininga pa nito. "And remember the scene on boracay when you and Simoun take another room?"

Napatango naman ako dahil alam niya iyon.

"As I said, wherever you are, I was there." aniya, "I have the room when you and Simoun got a little moment. I left the door open 'cause I forget it and when I cameback, I saw him at the top of you. And then I tried to take a picture of you pero naisip kong mali naman iyon pero..."

"Did you Harriet?" tanong ko naman.

Tumango naman ito, may kinuha naman siya sa kanya bulsa at pasimpleng inabot sa kamay ko. Nang tingnan ko naman iyon ay hindi ako makapaniwala na ako nga ang nandoon. Nakusot ko na lang din naman iyon.

"Sorry, I didnt mean to see that but that was my room." tugon naman nito sa akin. "And after that, I tried to stop sending you a letter."

"You could've warned me on your letter."

"I was afraid, I'm sorry..."

Halo halo naman ang emosyon na nararamdaman ko. Hindi ko alam na pati iyon ay kanyang malalaman. Sa lahat din pala ng oras na magkasama kami ni Simoun ay niloloko niya lang din pala ako, pinapakitaan na maayos ang pagsasama namin. Hindi pala iyon ang intensyon niya. Kundi ang siraan din ako.

Pero dahil partner niya ako, nasira din ang kanyang image. 

The most beautiful girl in the world has been given to a british woman, Enica Montesiur. And the most handsome man in the world is on the Aussie guy, Nicholo Mandowee.

"Ahm, Harriet, I should go now."

He nodded, "okay, be safe."

But before we leave, isang babae naman ang lumapit sa akin at hindi ako pinadaan at titig na titig ito sa akin. Nang lagpasan ko siya ay bigla naman siyang sumigaw na ako si Reena Francesca Campbell. Natigil na lang din ako ng gawin niya iyon at naglabasan ang kanilang mga camera, hinawakan na lang ni Scott ang kamay ko at sabay kaming tumakbo palayo. Nakita ko rin na tumakbo na rin palayo si Harriet dahil kung hindi ay siya rin ang pagkakaguluhan.

"You've been busted, Reena." Scott said.

I sighed, "maybe, they have the right to know. Just like, I am."

Everything has an answer and that comes into the right place and time. I can be free, again...