"It's just .. I don't want to be a hot topic," sabi ko habang inaayos ang seatbelt ko. I'm saving myself, my family, and him from any scandal. Me interfering with a guy's relationship will be Dad's end. And besides, he still has a career and girlfriend to uphold.
He started to maneuver the car away from the parking lot.
We were on the road when he suddenly opened up a conversation.
"Ahmm so ah Since I'm driving you home tonight. Can I ask something in return?" he asked out of nowhere. Nabalot ako ng pagtataka dahil sa biglaan nitong panghihingi ng kapalit. I swear if this guy wants a night I'm going to straight-up call my Dad.
"Sure whatcha need?" I asked him casually but in my purse, I'm slowly scrolling through my contacts to look for Dad's phone number.
"We will be flying later to Bahrain. Since we are in the same building, I want you to come with me to the airport then drive my raptor back to the condo. I will also entrust you the key of my raptor" he replied. I felt relieved when he didn't go to the road I was expecting him to go.
"Ahmm why me? What about your girlfriend? And are you sure? You're going to entrust me the key to your car? What if I decided to sell your car without your permission?" sunod-sunod na tanong ko sa kanya.
"Well, you can't sell it because my signature is needed in that. Besides, I have the papers with me so you can't sell it," he explained.
"Well, my Dad can go around that. He has connections," pabiro kong sabi dito.
"And about Samantha , she's busy with training. PVL starts in three days. She's fully booked," he explained.
"Whatever. What time do we leave then?" tinatamad kong tanong.
"Well our flight is at 10 am so we need to be there by 7 according to Coach Sandy. We will leave by 5:30." Pagkasabi nya ng oras ay tinignan ko ang relo ko.
It's 12:30. Well, I can manage. Kaya ko ngang magdrive kahit walang tulog. How much more ang kapag may ilang oras na tulog.
"Give me your number so I can call you when I'm ready to go," I asked said.
"Huh? I already have your number," taka nitong tanong pero kinuha nya ang phone nya sa bulsa nya at iniabot sakin iyon.
"I changed my number," I replied.
False. I just don't want him to have my personal phone number. My personal phone number is just limited to the people that I personally know. I'll give him my business phone number.
He has the latest iPhone and his lock is him and her girlfriend on the beach. Cute. I swiped up to unlock it but it has a password.
"What's the pass?" I asked him.
"Djim24," he replied in a heartbeat.
I was surprised that it has nothing to do with his girlfriend. Some cliche couples have each other's names as their password. Maybe they are not one of them. Besides this guy grew up in the States, having those as a password is so uncool for him.
I typed in my number and registered it under the name Miss Abad. Then I called my phone for me to record his phone number
"I saved my number under Miss Abad," I told him as I handed him over his phone.
We got stuck in traffic a few blocks from the condominium. I think there was a road crash.
Sumandal ako sa upuan at tinanaw ang magandang city lights. So lively and youthful. I smile crept out of my face.
"So besides your name and university, I know nothing about you. Mind telling me," he asked trying to dig deep into my personal life.
Wow, this guy is really being talkative right now. Is he drunk?
"Hmmm... My Dad works for a company, my brother is a surgeon at St. Luke's Medical Center and my mom is a former model," I answered. That's enough to shut him up.
"What about your Dad? What does he do for the company?" usisa nito
"Rather not talk about it. It's sorta confidential," pagpapaliwanag ko dito. This guy is up to something. Why is he suddenly interested in me?
"What about you? Tell me something about yourself," halos matawa ako sa sinabi ko. Am I interviewing someone?
"Hmmm My Dad is a Filipino and my Mom is American. I have a younger brother back in the States. I came to the Philippines to play ball," he replied.
See! He is focused on his career that's why I shouldn't be here sitting at the passenger seat of his Raptor! I might be the end of it all!
Naghiwalay kami pagkarating sa lobby ng condo. He was called by the receptionist. Looks like someone left something for him. I didn't wait for him and headed up to my unit.
Pagpasok ko ng unit ay agad kong hinubad ang stilettos ko at sumalampak sa kama.Nag set ako ng alarm ng 4:45 am and after that I'm off to the dream land.
4:45 am
I wake up from my sleep with a headache. Fucking hangover. Tumayo ako mula sa pag kakahiga at nagtungo sa banyo. I need some Advil. This headache will be the end of me.
Hindi ko maisip na gumising ako ng ganito kaaga para lang samahan ang lalakeng ilang araw ko palang kilala. Napairap na lang ako. Nakakainis din minsan ang mga patanga-tanga ko desisyon.
I walked towards the kitchen to make some coffee. My coffee is two shots of espresso and half a cup of milk.
Kinuha ko ang tasa at umupo sa may balcony. Hmmm cold early morning breeze.
About our trip to Bahrain, I'm having second thoughts about it. What if makita kami ni Dwight? He might assume na I'm one of his creepy fangirls trying to follow him wherever he goes. I don't want him to give meaning to all my actions.
It's a debate of my mind and body.
After finishing my coffee, I headed back to my room to take a shower. It was a quick one since I already enjoyed my bath time last night before going to the club.
I pulled out a plain white v-neck shirt and black structured shorts. It's a safe color combination.
Matapos kong magbihis ay humarap ako sa aking vanity mirror. I blow-dried my hair. I won't need to spend a lot of time on my face since it's a morning look. I opted for a natural fresh look. I applied a thin layer of tinted sunscreen then brushed my brows. I decided to apply a brow gel. After that, I put on a thin layer of blush then finished the look with a lip tint.
I decided to put my hair in a high ponytail. I accessorized my look by wearing my Gold Matinee necklace.
Kinuha ko ang aking Cross body bag at inilagay dun ang wallet, iPad, susi at hand sanitizer. After prepping, I looked at the clock. It's already 5:15 am. I should go ahead and wait for him in the lobby.
I called Dwight while I'm on my way to the elevator. He answered after two rings.
"Good morning, I'm on my way to the lobby," bungad ko dito.
"Just go straight to the parking lot. I'll wait for you by the elevator door." I stopped in my tracks. what? Nasa parking lot na sya?
"Was I late? Are we running late?" taka kong tanong.
"Nope. You're just in time. I kinda went down earlier to put my luggage," paliwanag nito.
"Alright. I'll meet you at the basement." After that, I ended the call and hop-in into the elevator.
As the elevator was going down, I got some flashbacks. I met his girlfriend in the elevator last time. She knows my face. If she sees pictures of me and Dwight, she can easily track me down. I can't back out from this but I still need to save my face. I need a disguise when I go out of the car!
A hat and sunglasses will do.
When the elevator door opened I immediately saw Dwight wearing a blue shirt with a small Philippine flag in its middle.
"Hi!, sorry but I have to get back. I promise I'll be quick. Here's my bag. Don't worry I won't leave you hanging." Iniabot ko sa kanya ang bag ko at pinindot ulit ang elevator paakyat sa unit ko
Ano kayang iniisip nun? Baka isipin nya natatae ako. Bahala na.
Pag pasok ko ng unit ay agad akong nagtungo sa kwarto para kunin ay sunglasses ko at ang baseball cap ni Kuya. On my way out I grabbed my flask.
Pagbaba ko sa basement ay nandun parin si Dwight at nakasukbit sa balikat nya ang bag ko.It somehow made me feel butterflies.
"Sorry for the wait," pagpapaumahin ko.
"No worries." Nauna syang maglakad. Sinabayan ko sya at ambang kukunin na ang bag ko pero iniiwas nya iyon.
"Let me carry it. It's not that heavy," he said.
"Yeah, it's not that heavy so let me carry it," I opposed him. Gusto nya ba yung bag ko?!Oh my! Don't tell me he's gay?!
"Savannah, It's too early to pick a fight. Just follow me," he said with finality. Okay, I'll let this slide but any other actions that will trigger my heart will not be allowed. I'll do everything to shield this freakin heart of mine.
While we are on the road, I was responding to brand emails. He turned on the stereo of the car to play some music. Hard rock music bombarded my ears. My eyes widened a fraction.I hate rock music. It's too proud and arrogant in some ways. I don't like the lyrics. In general, I just hate it.I decided to reach for my Airpods to play my own music. On my peripheral vision, I see him looking at me with a puzzled face. He later puzzled it all up when I inserted one of my Airpods on my right ear. I was about to insert the other one when he stopped me."You don't like rock music?" kuryoso nyang tanong. I bared my teeth."Sorta. I prefer soft music rather than those that destroy eardrums," sabi ko as I proceed to insert the other piece."Fine. Connect your phone to the stereo. I won't mind. It's insulting to put on earphones when you're with someone you know," he complained. I didn't waste any time and connected my phone to the stereo. I played my favorite playlist. It's my OPM study playlist.
I drove out of the village to find a place to think and destress. I know that Dad has no intention to ruin my plans but at the back of my mind, a voice is whispering the opposite. I drove to the city and I find myself in a cafe near Perpetual. Am I being unreasonable? Am I being childish? Was I too sensitive? I ordered a latte and sat by the window. Tila nakikisama ang panahon sa nararamdaman ko. It's raining. I took two sips of my coffee and then I realized I didn't tell mom where I am going. I grabbed my phone and typed a message.To: MommyMom, I'm just in a near cafe. Kailangan ko lang pong magpalamig. Gusto ni Dad na two days lang ang trip namin to Bahrain kasi daw may event. I'll be home before it gets dark.I know mom is the only one who understands me. Sya lang naman ang nakasama ko sa bawat hakbang ko sa buhay.I was about to put my phone down when I received a message from Kuya. From: Kuya Umalis ka daw ng bahay sabi ni Mommy? Anong sinabi sayo ni dad? Text me back if na
Morning came. Kuya arrived exactly at 5 am. He is no longer in his scrubs nor his doctor's coat. He is wearing a polo paired with khaki shorts. Sasakyan nya ang ginamit namin dahil didiretso na sya sa ospital pag kahatid nya sakin sa airport.I noticed that Mom was a bit stiff when she offered us breakfast. Baka may pinag usapan sila ni Dad. That's the only reason I see for Mom to be this stressed out so early in the morning. I am wearing a white cropped top and black jeans. Kailangan presentable parin ang suot ko kahit lalabas ako ng bansa. Maaring may mga taong humahanap parin ng butas sa pamilya namin. "I'll try to convince Dad to extend your trip. Baka pwedeng hindi ka naman kasama sa event. I'll update you if it's really important. Paniguradong isang charity ball lang yun para mapabango yung pangalan nya. I heard from Mom that Dad is planning to run for a position in the Senate," Kuya said as soon as we started driving out of the village. Oh crap. Hindi na sya nakuntento sa firm
"If you can endure not talking to me, I'm cool with that. But I apologize in advance if I will bug you any chance I get." He left me speechless as he steps out of the elevator. Those were his words last night before I had my dose of melatonin. How can he be so confident in saying shits like that when he's in a relationship. His way of handling relationships is a pain in the butt. Doesn't that guy know the word loyalty or faithfulness? " We will look around the city. Gusto mo bang pumunta sa shopping center nila?" tanong ni Dave nang makalabas kami ng hotel. The weather here in Bahrain just like in the Philippines. Humid. "Let's just look around. Bukas na tayo pumunta sa shoppping center nila. I want to see the beauty of this country even in the suburbs," I answered as I fix my sunglasses. We decided to visit the National Museum. It's in Manama. It's convenient because the National Theater is also within the area. "The game starts at 6:00pm. Mag didinner na ba muna tayo or after na
There was never an odd moment during the dinner. There's always someone cracking up jokes. Well, that's on the team's table while in ours, it's like a prayer meeting. I thought he wanted to talk about something yet all I can hear are the clink of the utensils as we eat. I thought he wants to talk so why he is silent as a mute. Hindi na lang ako kumibo at itinutok ang atensyon sa pagkain. We're all having a rib-eye steak. As much I want to get a salad I didn't ask for one. These people will think that I'm that conscious with my weight that I won't eat what they're eating. "Did you look around the city? How was it?" he asked. Finally! Akala ko mapapanis lang ang laway ko dito. I lifted my head to make eye contact with him. "Yeah, We look around the city. We went to the museum and I can say that their museum is unique. We also took some pictures at the museum's lake. It was fascinating." He was speechless. Looks like he never expected my answer. I gave him a puzzled look before I spoke
Dave brought me to the gym where the national team is practicing. It was awkward because I was the only woman there. I also saw Coach Donny giving me a side-eye. This isn't doing me any better. Malayo ito sa inaasahan ko. "Just sit by the bleachers next to Coach Sandy," Dave said leaving me on the side of the court. Tinignan ko ang bleachers na itinuro nya. Medyo elevated iyon kaya kitang-kita ang buong court. Lumakad ako papalpit sa pwesto ni Coach Sandy. Habang paakyat ako ng hagdan ay nahagip ng mata ko si Dwight na nakatagilid ang ulo habang nag pupunas ng pawis. May stiff neck ba ang lalakeng iyon? "Watch your step." Coach Sandy extended his hand to guide me. I smiled at him and accepted his hand. When we were both settled on the platform, he then walks towards the railing and lean on it as he watches the players. "I heard that your Dad will be running for a senatorial
After our trip to Bvlgari, we went to Cartier. As soon as we walked inside the store Dwight was attended by one of their people. The employee was a woman in her mid-20s. Their uniform hugs her in the right places. Requirement ba pag sales agent ka ng luxury brand ang pagiging sexy at enticing? Does a pretty sales agent equal high sales ba?"Good afternoon, Sir. How may I help you?" tanong ng attendant sa tonong nag papatas ng kilay ko. Is this their strategy? Mag sasalita na sana ako pero naunahan ako ni Dwight."Ah yes. My girlfriend and I are looking for some jewelry. Any recommendations?" Bumagsak ang mukha nung babae. She glanced at me and barred her teeth. I heard her take a deep breath before speaking again."This way." She walked in front of us with hips dramatically swaying. Pakiramdam ko tuloy mangangalas sya. I looked at Dwight who's waiting for me.&nbs
After the victory, the team went straight to dinner. Dave and I were invited but I have to politely decline the invitation since I don't know if Dwight's mad at me or what. "I hope you don't mind if we take Dave to dinner with us," Coach Donny said when we were already in the hotel's lobby. They offered to escort me to the lobby for their sanity. "I don't mind po. I'll just be on our hotel suite." Nag-antayan pa kami sandali kung sino ang unang aalis. Tinanguan ako ni Coach Sandy. Nag lakad na ako papunta elevator at sumakay doon. Sumandal ako habang papaakyat ang elevator. I hope Dave doesn't spill the tea about our departure tomorrow morning. Hindi ko alam kung masyado lang akong ilsyunada pero ayokong maapektuhan nang pag-alis namin ang laro nila for tomorrow night. Tumunog ang elevator indikasyon na nasa tamang palapag na ako. Paglabas ko ng elevator ay bumungad sakin ang dalawang room attendant ng hotel. I