Chapter 20

different car with another man

I didn't left, and so I stay to hear more of what they're going to talk about. I know, it seems like I have been violating their private space but hey, hindi naman nila alam na nakikinig ako sa kanila and they should've locked the door instead—nope, they shouldn't... iba na ang pumapasok sa isipan ko kapag ginawa nila iyon and it's not a good thing though.

There have been some na napupunta ng second floor to find the restroom also, sinusundan ko lang sila hanggat sa matungo nila ang restroom but the my main point of going the second floor ay naiba. Hindi ko pinahalata ang sarili kong nakikinig sa loob ng kwarto—parang wala naman kasing tao and they didn't care kung makita nila akong nakatambay mag-isa. I'm no one and so they didn't bother.

"Why do you come back in the first place, Mia, your reason, really?"

I heard her sighs, "I know what things we have left off before and it's not good, gusto kong makipag-ayos sayo and I'm just doing this transferee kind of thing para hindi mo na ako kamuhian. I know my mistakes and I dwell to that phase pero ngayon, I know what I've done at hindi na iyon mauulit."

Korg's smirked, "you know what Mia, I missed you too, but it would not be the same as you. I can forgive you but I couldn't forget all the mess you did."

"You forgive me, but are you sincere with it?" she asked.

"I am, and are you honest with all the things you have said?" he countered, natahimik naman si Lathomia, or she just letting him speak. "There were so many things, Mia. I could forgive you and we'll be okay, but not the way you wanted."

"What do you think I wanted, Gi?"

"You wanted, us, to be in a relationship, again."

She scoffs, "how sure are you with that?"

"I felt it," he said, "hindi mo naman ako susundan kung nasaan ako if you're intention was just to make all clear. You won't get back to school—you love your career and I think you're messing it because you wanted us back."

"You were right Gi," her voice rises up and the tension is coming up, "I gave up my career for now because I want you back, I know what mistakes I have done with Herron and I regret that but you should know that I didn't do nothing to make what we have, wrecked. You pushed me away, Gi."

"'Cause it was you the problem."

"No," she said. "The problem here is you."

"Why? I'm not the one here who did all the mistakes."

She laugh evily, and it's creepy. "Wow, ako lang ba Gi? You're a selfless jerk, hindi mo alam kung anong ginive-up ko para lang maging maayos tayong dalawa but still in the end, you ruin everything."

Ngisi lamang ang narinig kong tugon ni Korg.

"You will learn how to forget all the things Gi, and you will kneel for me... trust me, I can make that happen."

"Maybe, but not gonna happen."

I heard Lathomia's footsteps closer, and when she got outside of the room, tuloy-tuloy lang naman siya palabas ng room at hindi ako napansin nito. Hindi rin nagtagal ay lumabas si Korg. Kung hindi ako nakita ng kanyang ex, siya naman ang nakapansin sa akin.

Nakangiwi lang ako sa kanya, trying to hide whatever's happen earlier and showing my innocent face para hindi niya ako paghinalaan.

"How long are you there?" he asked.

But I didn't said any respond.

"Alex!" sabay naman kaming napatingin ni Korg sa tumawag sa pangalan ko na si Alec. Bumalik pa ang tingin ni Korg sa akin, hindi ko siya nilingon at hinayaan ko ang mga tingin niya sa akin. "Oh, Korg, magkasama ba kayo ni Mia? She already left." Aniya.

He timidly nodded to him, "just let her go."

"What happened, dude?" tanong ni Alec na pinatong ang kamay sa balikat na agad namang hinawi ni Korg, natawa na lang din si Alec. "So, whatever's happening between you guys, sana maayos niyo pa."

He smirked and shooked his head, "I don't think that'll happen... I gotta go 'Lec."

"Sige, bro." Alec said.

So I was left again with Alec. Hindi ko alam pero biglang nawala ang bigat sa damdamin ko, gusto kong makausap si Korg but I don't think talking will help him to get through what's going on.

"Did you find the restroom?" he asked.

Umiling naman ako sa kanya bilang alibi, "hindi nga eh, can you lead the way." Aniko.

Natatawa naman niyang dinala ako sa pinto kung nasaan ang restroom. Mabilis lang din naman ako at lumabas kaagad ako. Nang salubungin naman ako ni Alec ay buong-buo ang ngiti nito sa akin pero napakunot noo na lang din naman ako sa kanya.

"What's with the smile?"

He just shook his head, "nothing, I just find you so simple yet so pretty."

"Baliw, walang gano'n 'no." sagot ko naman sa kanya, "but can I ask you something Alec, if its okay?"

"About what?"

"Korg and his ex." Sa pagkakasabi ko no'n ay napa-uwang naman ang kanyang bibig at saka tumango.

"What about them?"

"What happened with their relationship, bakit parang hate ni Korg masyado si Lathomia?"

"Why do you know that? Did you eavesdrops?"

I just smiled to him, "parang gano'n na nga but hey... hindi naman nila alam and you know something, gusto ko lang maliwanagan."

"Okay, I will tell you but please don't tell it to anyone lalo na kay Korg na sinabi ko 'to sayo, okay?" mabilis naman akong tumango sa kanya, "Korg find out that his girlfriend, Mia, were making out with his co-model."

Napataas naman ang kilay ko sa sinabi niya, "why would she do that? Or baka naman it is part of their role as being a model?"

"That's what Mia said," aniya. "But it's different on Korg's side. He just said, he visited her in her photoshoot, but the time he comes into the set, it is done but he found out that, in a private room, his girlfriend were have been touched and kissed by her co-model."

"Herron?" I mumbled.

"Oh, you know the guy?" I immediately shook my head, "oh, so were really eavesdropping, huh." Tawa pa nito sa akin, "but anyway, what's going into them, sila na lang naman ang bahala doon diba?"

Napakibit balikat naman ako sa sinabi niya, "I don't know what to say..."

"Anyway, I have to bring you on the beer pong." Mabilis nitong sabi sa akin pero agad namang nag-ring ang phone ko and excuse myself na mauna na siya doon at susunod na lang din ako sa kanya. He was okay with it at naiwan naman muli akong mag-isa.

Agad ko namang sinagot ang video call at ang bumungad sa akin ay si Pee shooter.

"Oh, my goodness, you were a lifesaver." Buntong hininga ko pa sa kanya.

Tinaasan naman niya ako ng kilay dahil sa reaksyon ko, "Amber, anong life saver? Anong pinagsasabi mo diyan?"

"Okay, I will tell you where am I at 'wag kang magugulat, ah?"

He nodded, "go, girl."

"I'm at Levi's party."

And his reaction cannot be explained, but his widened eyes and mouth would tell that he's really surprise.

"Anong ginagawa mo diyan? How come na napunta ka diyan?"

"It's a long story, iku-kwento ko na lang bukas," aniko. "But anyway, you were a lifesaver dahil yayayain sana ako ni Alec sa beer pong—I don't drink alcohol!"

Nginisihan naman niya ako, "bakit kasi ano pang ginagawa mo diyan?"

"Korg was here."

Sa pagkasabi ko no'n ay napabuntong hininga na lang din naman siya.

"Oh, tapos, anong nangyari?"

Umiling naman ako, "wala, sobrang awkward lang at hindi pa rin niya ako gaanong pinapansin. Something were really off at hindi ko na siya nafi-feel."

"Umaasa ka naman kasing papansin ka diba? He doesn't really care. Pinatulan ka lang naman niyan sa dinner date dahil may kasalanan din siya sayo diba?"

Muli naman akong napabunot ng malalim na hininga, "dibale, hayaan na lang. Kung ano man ang mangyari, bahala na."

"Oh, siya rin, I called you because I have to tell you something."

"Ano naman iyon?"

"Nalaman ko from my parents na wala na pala sa talents ng agency namin si Lathomia."

"I knew that."

Napataas naman siya ng tingin sa sinabi ko, "how come? Kakasabi ko lang diba?"

"I heard them talking and she gave up everything to get back on Korg."

"Oh..." he mumbled. "'Wag ka na talagang umasa kay Korg, kasi for what I know, Lathomia is a bitch kaya marami ring may ayaw sa kanyang ibang model—even my parents who own the agency, they just keep her dahil malakas ang dating niya but her attitude doesn't really fit to anyone."

"And we should look out for ourselves." Aniko pa. "By the way, thank you for telling that, baka uuwi na rin ako ngayon. Hindi ko talaga intention ang pumunta dito sa party."

He rolled his eyes on me, "ewan ko sayo girl, kung sinabi mo lang ng mas maaga, sana nasamahan ka naming ni Bella diyan, diba?"

"Kakasabi ko lang diba? Hindi ko naman talaga inisip na mag-stay, hinatid ko lang ang pina-laundry ni Levi sa shop naming."

"Wow naman pala, may pa service delivery na ang shop nila." Hagikgik pa nito.

"Baliw! Long story kasi!"

"Whatever, basta mag-prepare ka na lang bukas for your audition sa play, okay?"

"Oh, shit." I hissed.

"Oh, nakalimutan mo?" tatango-tango naman ako sa kanya, "bahala ka diyan girl, walang sasagip sayo bukas o ang magiging role mo ay maging props people which is really exhausting at laging overnight ang trabaho."

"Bahala na kung anong mangyari bukas! Gonna hang up now, Pee shooter, bye!" and I ended the video call.

Pagbaba ko naman ng hagdan ay biglang may nagtext sa akin. Nang basahin koi yon ay mula sa parents ko. Nataranta naman ako bigla.

From: Papa

Alex? Nasaan ka ngayon? Bakit wala ka sa shop? Umuwi ka na ngayon please or I'll call the police to search for you.

Ang OA naman mag-react ni father. Nagreply din naman agad ako.

Me:

Pauwi na po ako. Nagkaroon lang ng isang oras na traffic—hulaan mo po kung saan.

Hindi nagtagal ay hinanap ko rin si Alec sa backyard na nasa beer pong na. Lumapit naman ako sa kanya at nagpaalam, ayaw pa sana ako nito pauwiin pero nang ipakita ko naman sa kanya ang message ng parents ko ay hindi na siya umangal but then, the night is too dark para sa isang babae na maglalakad pauwi sa kanyang bahay—he offered me a ride pabalik sa bahay.

"You really don't need to do that." Sabi ko pa sa kanya.

"It doesn't matter." Sagot naman niya sa akin. "And I don't wanna risk to let you go alone, I just wanna know you were home safe."

Napangiti naman ako sa sinabi niya, "thank you."

He also smiled, "no problem."

When we reach my home, nakita ko naman ang parents ko na naka-abang sa porch ng bahay naming. Hindi ko na naman inabala pang ipakilala si Alec sa kanila and he drove right away nang makababa ako ng sasakyan niya.

Nakapameywang naman si Mother nang harangan ako sa pinto.

"The first time you step out of the ferrari pinagbigyan naming iyon nakilala na naming si Korg but seeing you again on a different car with another man, anong iisipin naming ng ama mo Alex? You're betraying Korgian."

Napakunot noo naman ako sa sinabi niya, "Mom, anong betray? Bat nadamay iyon dito?"

"We knew you like him." Father said, "and we're okay with that."

Napabuntong hininga naman ako sa kanya, "you wouldn't like if I say, I no longer admire him."

Sabay namang kumunot ang mukha nila sa sinabi ko, "why would you say that, Alex?" Mom said.

I looked at them, and smiled, "he's not the only guy I can admire... and he's a jerk, and he's... he's... wala po."

They let me inside at dumiretsyo naman ako sa kwarto ko at napahiga na lang ako sa kama ko. There were too many things na lumilipad sa isipan ko ngayon and I don't like thinking of it. Nakakainis lang na sobrang bilis magbago ng mga tao ngayon.

You wouldn't know if the time comes na aayawan ka na lang bigla. Sobrang nakakabilib na nagagawa nila iyon yet, sobrang sakit.