Chapter 6

As Reena

The hairstylist gives me some kind of intimidating aura. Ang sabi kasi ay kailangan ko naman daw maging fierce this time, ang nangyari kasi no'ng last time ay puro pabebe daw—I know in my terms, gano'n daw ang dating kaya ngayon ay medyo lalagyan na nila ng konting contour ang mukha ko. Amy disagrees with that decision pero si Miss Toche na ang nagsabi no'n kaya pumayag na siya. No'ng una rin kasing pictorial ay powder lang ang ginamit ko kaya ayun, no choice na.

Before dumating ang crew ay naglinis pa kaming tatlo kasi most of the background daw na gagamitin ay sa sala kaya doon kami nagtiyang maglinis. Kung kailan naman kasi kailangan namin ang maids namin, doon pa sila nagsabay sabay magday-off. Dahilan nila ay magiging busy naman na daw ako next few weeks kaya doon sila babawi, bakit ngayon pa kayo nagsialisan kung kailan kailangan ko sila.

Nang halos ready na ang lahat ay finay-nalize na ang set. The photographer asked me to do some pose that could give him the perfect angle and I did the right thing, almost. Natigil sa pagkuha sa akin ang photographer at lumapit iyon kay Miss Anatoche. Nag-usap sila, tinuturo ang kuha sa camera. Hindi ko naman marinig ang pinag-uusapan nila, hindi ko rin naman mabasa ang bibig nila. Masyado lang akong nagiging pre-occupied.

"Reena." Nang tawagin niya ako ay napatayo naman ako sa kinauupuan ko.

"No, just sit there!" sita nito sa akin kaya naman bumalik ako sa pagkakaupo ko. "You should get some dress, showing more skin, I guess?"

Nagtaka naman ako sa suhestyon niya. "Hindi po ba bagay sa akin ang suot kong damit? I thought it's perfect, just like you said." Kunot noo ko pa.

"Yeah, it's perfect." Tango pa nito, hinawakan naman niya ang strap ng dress na suot ko. "But trying some more revealing could get more appeal to you."

"Hindi na naman po ata bagay iyon sa akin?" ani ko. "I'm fine with these fancy dress, they look good to me."

Bumalik naman ang tingin ni Anatoche sa photographer, mukhang nagkakaintindihan naman sila sa mga titig na iyon. Tinapik naman ni Miss Toche ang balikat ko and mouthed good luck. Hindi ko naman alam kung bakit at para saan iyon. Ipinagpatuloy naman namin ang pictorial. Hindi ko alam kung nang-aasar na ang photographer dahil pinapahirapan na ako sa mga pose niya.

And even kahit ayoko, pinilit niya akong gawin ang pagkakalaylay ng strap ng dress ko.

"You're good at that, Reena!" then he thumbs up. Oh, nice, I get a word from him or what they called compliment.

Mayamaya lang din naman ay may nagdoorbell. Wala naman akong inaasahan na pupunta dahil nga may nakaschedule akong photoshoot kaya hindi ako pwedeng magpapunta dito. Gladly, hindi alam ng mga paparazzi ang bahay ko, as of now. They were hunting me, kaya panigurado kapag nailabas itong magazine na sinasabi ni Miss Toche. They would know.

Scott run to the door, nanonood lang din kasi siya at walang ginagawa. Kapag napapalingon naman ako kay Miss Toche, hindi ko pa siya nakikitang nakangiti ngayon. Wonder why? Hindi ba niya nagugustuhan ang ginagawa ko? The photographer said I'm doing great.

Nang makita ko ang kasama ni Scott ay halos matuwa naman ako. He waved at me, hindi ko naman napigilan ang sarili kong kumaway din sa kanya.

Napansin kong tumingin si Miss Toche sa kanya at nilapitan niya ito.

"Have you know that fans weren't allowed inside?" mataray nitong tugon sa lalaking nasa harapan niya.

Agad naman akong tumayo sa kinauupuan ko at nilapitan sila. Tinawag naman ako ng photographer pero hindi ko siya nilingon.

"Miss Toche, don't worry, he's my father." Sa pagkasabi ko noon ay pansin ko ang gulat niya. Hindi niya siguro inaasahan na ang papa ko iyong kaharap niya.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Miss Toche said. "I'm just strict to our photoshoot, I didn't mind that you were her father."

Nakangiti pa rin naman si papa. "That's okay, I understand." Nang yakapin ko naman si papa ay hindi rin ako pinakawalan nito. "You look beautiful, Esca."

I giggle; I like it when I've heard it from my father's lips. "Of course, I came from you."

Miss Toche stole the scene by clearing her throat. "Mind you sir if Reena would continue her pictorial?"

"Oh, sure!" father gladly said, "I know I've seen you on tv, whats—"

"Anatoche—Anatosh." She pronounced it.

"Nice to—" but then hindi pinatapos ni Miss Toche ang pagsasalita ni papa.

She pull me out of him and goes back to the pictorial. What a rude girl. Nang balikan ko ng tingin si papa ay nakangiti pa rin ito sa akin. Kinausap naman siya ni Scott at lumapit na rin sa kanila si Amy. Huminga ako ng malalim at naupo mula sa pwesto ko.

It lasted two hours to get a break. Doon lang ako nagkaroon ng time para makausap ulit si papa. Anatoche reminded me that my interview will be later. Alam kong gusto niyang matapos kaagad ang lahat ng ito but she's too strict, parang lahat na rin ng galaw mo ay papansin niya.

Pumunta ako sa kusina kung nasaan si papa na kasama ni Scott. Naabutan ko siyang gumagawa ng mango shake kaya naman tuwang tuwa ako. Pinanood ko naman siyang isalin iyon sa baso ko. Minsan kapag nagiging masaya ako, bigla bigla na lang din akong nalulungkot. Iyon talaga ang nararamdaman ko kapag nakikita ko ring masaya si papa.

If they were still together up until now but they blew each other and filed divorced.

Am I still the perfect girl you know?

There so much thing you need to know, everything has they seen on me. They just see the Reena, the most beautiful girl in the world. Not the Esca, whom wish to be perfect woman.

I felt dad's hand on my shoulder and when I look at him, he's worried. So I put smile on my face. "Is there something you wanna tell me?" he asked but I shook my head, "okay," he nodded. "I have."

"Ano 'yon?" taka kong tanong sa kanya.

May kinuha naman siya sa kanyang bulsa at nang may ilabas siyang papel ay kinuha ko rin naman iyon. Pamilyar naman sa akin ang amoy ng papel. Nang isipin ko naman kung saan, nang buklatin ko ang papel ay doon ko naman na-realize iyon.

"Pa, ikaw 'to? Sa'yo 'to galing?!"

Natawa nama si papa habang ang mukha ko ay parang lutang dahil bakit niya ako binigyan ng ganitong sulat or in one mean, siya rin ang nagbigay sa akin nito no'ng nakaraan. "No, Esca, I just found it on your doorstep and when I notice the words on it. It said it's for your eyes only."

"Seryoso pa, hindi sayo 'yo?"

Napailing na lang din naman si papa sa kakatawa. "No, Esca, I'm not." Ngisi pa nito. "Who do you think would give you a letter?"

Napakibit balikat naman ako.

"I still have no idea," aniko. "Actually pa, this is the second letter."

"Maybe from someone special?" hula naman ni papa.

Natawa rin naman ako, "naisip mo 'yan pa?"

"Or maybe from Simoun?" ngisi naman ni Scott, inirapan ko naman siya.

"Well, up until now, I didn't know that my Esca was a famous star."

"You really didn't know?"

He shook his head, why so innocent and cute papa! "I guess, I'm out of this world." Hagikgik pa nito. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong dahilan ni mama para hiwalayan si papa. They were perfect, almost.

Gusto ko pa sanang makausap si papa at basahin ang letter ay bigla na lamang sumulpot si Miss Toche para tawagin ako for the interview, okay na daw kasi ang pictures. So diretsyo na kami sa interview.

"May mango shake." I pouted.

Papa laughed, "I would fridge it for you, don't worry Esca."

"You got it pa! Love you, don't go muna! Take a dinner with me!"

He nodded, "I'll wait."

Iniwan ko naman silang dalawa ni Scott doon at bumalik na ako sa sala. Sinalubong naman ako ni Amy na maging handa daw ako sa magiging tanong nila sa kanila. Recorded na ito and if they would change anything on what I said, ibang usapan na ang mapupuntahan no'n.

Miss Toche took the questions and I answer all of those with dignity. And one of the nerve cracking she asked was, did you take this opportunity to gain money and people?

And then I answered, "No, everything wasn't I expected. I didn't take this opportunity for money or the praise of the people. On this moment, I'm a role model. What they saw in me, they might copied it. And I took this position because I want to show that being beautiful, being perfect or not is not the thing. The thing is how you live your life with what you have right now. You really knew me as Reena... I'm Reena Francesca Campbell and you just only know the one fourth of who I am. You see me as Reena not Reena Francesca Campbell, be who you are and not to be me. You're more than perfect to me... Be your whole."

Nang mapalingon naman ako sa gilid ay napansin kong pinapanood pala ako ni papa. Nakangiti lang siya sa doon at nginitian ko rin siya.

"So, in short, the label on me wasn't taken for granted."

Miss Anatoche smiled, and for the whole day, I saw it just this once.

And that's how the pictorial and interview ended. Nagpack up na naman ang crew at nang lumapit naman ako kila papa ay halos ang sarap lang sa pakiramdam no'n.

"I'm so proud of my daughter."

"Thank you pa."

"I wish your mom—"

I look at his eyes, "it's okay pa... ahm, I would love if you'll cook for our dinner. I miss your adobo."

"That's my girl."

Miss Anatoche called us to bid goodbye. Sinabi naman nito na itete-text na lang daw niya kami para sa launch ng magazine at magkakaroon daw ako ng signing kapag nagkataon. I would love that, minsan lang mangyari iyon sa buhay ko.

Habang nagluluto naman si papa ay doon ko naman binasa ang letter na inabot niya kanina sa akin.

A

Reena,

Did you get to know the most handsome in the world? I guess, you are. You may not know me but wait for me, don't fall for him—his face rather. You know, when the time comes, I'm sure you'll say I'm worth the wait.

I still don't understand, who's this guy? And he's trying to mess with me, hindi na ako natutuwa. Just like what I said, they only knew me as Reena. The beautiful girl that they get off their silly mind. I guess, this wasn't bad at all, people are.

I wouldn't conquer for more, there will be a time that I stop and lay low. Trust me, everything changes.