#COMM

Chapter 12

The next day, I was unusually silent kaya naman mabilis iyong napansin ng mga kapatid ko. All of them were looking at me weirdly. Even Cohen looked worried! Ganoon na ba akong kahalata? I barely got any sleep last night pagkatapos kong silipin si Jasper! And speaking of which, napapadalas na iyong pagsilip ko! He's making me develop a weird hobby!

After my loud breakfast with my brothers—dahil wala iyong parents namin so they took the liberty to talk about guy stuff that I had no interest in—lumabas na ako para pumunta sa work.

"Good morning, Ma'am!" masayang bati ni Kellan pagkalabas ko pa lang.

I eyed him. "Good morning?" I replied, unsure dahil he's too energetic. It's weird, okay. Kellan's kinda Mr. Sunshine pero hindi naman umabot sa point na he's like a bouncing ball of energy.

"Where's Jasper?" I asked in the most subtle way. I didn't want to come off as too interested, pero naman kasi! Why was he doing push-ups ng madaling-araw?! Ano ang gusto niyang patunayan, right?

Kellan's grin was making me crazy with thoughts. Ano na naman ba ang naiisip niya? At nasaan na si Nico na kakambal niya?

"Bakit mo hinahanap, Ma'am?" tukso niya.

"Duh? Aalis na kasi tayo," I replied, trying to keep it cool. "Anyway, nagbreakfast na ba kayo? Kasi mahaba 'yung shoot for today. Not sure pa if masasamahan ko kayo para maglunch later..."

Lately kasi, naka-gawian ko na na magprepare ng food for them. And since sobrang paranoid lang talaga ni Jasper about food, I always made sure na present ako mula sa pagpili ng ingredients hanggang sa pagmake-sure na clean iyong container. I also hold on to the food like it's my dear life. Para sure na safe! Kasi if not, matatapos iyong araw na wala siyang kinakain. Tapos ako iyong bothered kahit si Jasper naman 'yung gutom.

"Yes, Ma'am, kumain na po kami. Gusto niyo po bang malaman kung ano ang kinain ni Sir Jasper?"

"And why will I want to know?"

"Kasi crush niyo siya?"

Hinampas ko nga. "Ang instigator niyo ni Nico!" pagalit ko sa kanya. Hahampasin ko pa sana ulit siya pero natigilan ako kasi nakita ko si Jasper na naka-tingin sa amin. I immediately stood up properly and kept a cool face.

I thought lalapit siya, pero nagulat ako nung bumalik siya papasok sa guest house. Napaawang tuloy iyong labi ko!

Kellan chuckled. "Wag kasi kayong basta hahawak sa lalaki, Ma'am," sabi niya ng may nakakalokong ngiti. Gosh. Why was I surrounded with weird guys?! Mula sa brothers ko hanggang sa mga guards ko!

"Alam mo? Paasa ka rin kagaya ni Nico," I told him... and magically, Nico appeared!

"Bakit ako na naman, Ma'am?" tanong ng clueless na si Nico.

"LQ na naman sila ni Sir," Kellan explained.

"Excuse me?" I asked with my brow arched. "We're not lovers, no!"

"Bakit namumula ka, Ma'am? Gusto mo rin, no?" Kellan teased.

Stressed na nga ako sa work, stressed pa rin ako sa bodyguards ko! And it's not even afternoon yet, pero 'yung stress ko sa kanila, pang gabi na!

"Tigilan niyo nga ako. Kapag kayo narinig ni Evan, lagot kayo," I told them. Nico nodded, as if he was scared of Evan finding out what they're doing. Takot din pala. Sabagay... Evan's giving off this scary vibes. Among the four of them, he's the strictest.

After mentioning Evan, hindi na nila ako tinukso kay Jasper... and for some reasons, nalungkot ako. Bakit ba natutuwa ako na tinutukso nila ako kay Jasper? I was really in some deep crap para kahit ganoon na bagay, matuwa ako!

A few minutes after, lumabas na si Evan at Jasper mula sa guest house. Parehong naka-kunot iyong noo nila na parang may pinagtalunan sila. My curiosity level reached a new all time high! It looked like they're hiding something... and I badly wanted to unravel whatever secret that may be.

And I was really contradicting myself when it came to Jasper. Kahit ilang beses na sabihin ko na ayoko na, I always see myself coming back for more. Grabe talaga na crush 'to.

"Problema nun..." I uttered to myself when I caught Evan almost glaring at me. Ni wala pa nga akong nagagawa or nasasabi sa kanya ngayong araw! And we didn't even talk much yesterday! Was he mad kasi halos madaling-araw na kaming naka-uwi kagabi? Important ba sa kanya ang 8 hours of sleep?

My mouth parted because I almost asked Jasper kung ano ang problema ng kaibigan niya nang mapansin ko na wala na pala akong kakausapin dahil iniwan ako ni Jasper at pumasok na siya sa sasakyan. Great. Bad mood iyong kalahati ng protection squad.

I sighed as I went inside. I quietly took my spot. Jasper's forehead was still creased. I was tempted to touch his forehead and straighten the crease, but baka naman sabihan niya ako ng ginagawa ko na naman na personal!

E bakit kasi siya nagsscowl and speak Tagalog and push-up?! Gulo niya rin, e! He kept on telling me to back off, pero opposite naman pinapakita niya! Gosh, he's confusing the eff out of me!

Pero ako rin naman. I kept on reminding myself to stop this crush, pero isang tingin lang sa dull boy na 'to, kinakain ko rin lahat ng sinasabi ko.

Hanggang makarating kami sa destination, tahimik lang si Jasper. When the car stopped, I bit my tongue so hard kasi baka ano na naman ang masabi ko. Sobrang concerned pa naman ako kasi Jasper had dark circle under his eyes... I saw him doing push-ups kasi ng 2am... tapos ako naman na creeper, stayed and watched him hanggang 2:30! 30 minutes lang naman!

"Do you wanna take a nap? I'll be getting my make-up done for an hour pa naman... I can ask Kellan and Nico to look after me..." I offered kasi feeler ako kaya inaako ko na ako 'yung dahilan kung bakit puyat siya.

I thought he's going to argue and be Jasper-like kaya naman nagulat ako when he nodded.

"Be there in half an hour. Don't leave the premise," he said as if he's talking to a kid. My lips slightly parted tapos he talked to his Bluetooth thingy. Kausap niya yata sila Kellan. "Look after Sparkplug," iyon lang 'yung sinabi niya tapos kinuha niya iyong neck pillow at saka pumikit. Tignan mo 'tong tao na 'to! He's so weird!

I stared at him for a few seconds before I got convinced na he's sleeping nga. Para akong bata na bumaba sa sasakyan.

"Tara na, Ma'am?" Nico asked, kinuha niya iyong bag ko.

I must've been pouting real bad dahil pati makeup artist, napansin agad na wala ako sa mood.

"May guards sa mismong place, so chill lang kayo, okay?" I told Nico and Kellan because they're too stiff. It's so unlike their usual, playful selves.

"Wag mo kaming pansinin, Ma'am. Make-up ka lang dyan," Nico said, still looking paranoid na parang bigla kaming papasukin dito at babarilin. Napailing na lang ako. Sir nga nila si Jasper. Manang-mana sa pagka-paranoid, e.

After I was done with the makeup, agad na binigay sa akin iyong susuot ko. It's a bikini top and denim cutoffs for a summer campaign of a huge clothing brand. Ni hindi pa nga nalalabas in public iyong campaign na naka-bikini ako kaya hindi pa todo iyong galit ni Mama... but mas okay naman 'yung suot ko ngayon so I didn't they'd mind.

Kita ko na namula iyong mukha nung dalawa. Natawa ako.

"What? Ngayon lang kayo nakakita ng bikini?" I asked and then dangled the piece of cloth in front of them. They're so red!

"Ma'am, 'wag mo naman kaming ipahamak kay Sir..." parang nagmamakaawa na sabi ni Nico. "Baka kami pag-initan nun."

"Hala, issue talaga kayong dalawa! Wala ngang gusto sa akin 'yun!"

"Si Ma'am 'di ko alam kung tanga-tangahan o gusto mo lang talaga kaming ipahamak," sabi ni Kellan na parang hindi ako 'yung anak ng amo nila. Mabuti na lang gusto ko sila as humans kaya okay lang na ganito kami mag-usap.

"Bakit naman siya magagalit sa inyo?"

"Ma'am hanggang 4am nga nagpush-up dahil lang yakap mo ex mo... paano pa kaya 'pag nakita ka namin na 'yan lang suot?" sabi niya sabay turo dun sa bikini top.

My lips parted when I heard na hanggang 4am nagpush-up si Jasper. Was he being serious? Ano'ng problema talaga nung dull guy na 'yun?

I sighed. "Pero serious kasi... 'wag niyo na akong tuksuhin kay Jasper, okay? I mean... oo na, crush ko siya... pero hindi naman mutual 'yung feelings. Help niyo na lang ako magmove on, okay?" seryoso na sabi ko sa kanila.

They both shrugged their shoulders.

"Crush ka nga rin ni Sir," sabay na sabi nila.

"Hindi nga."

"Oo nga. Pustahan?"

"Hilig niyo magpustahan. Makipagfriends nga kayo sa mga kapatid ko," sabi ko at saka pumasok ako sa CR para magpalit na. I made sure to wear a robe nung lumabas ako dahil baka kung ano ang mangyari sa dalawa na 'yun.

"Nasan na 'yung dalawa?" nagtataka na tanong ko nang mapansin ko na wala ng tao sa dressing room bukod sa akin. I got my phone and went outside para hanapin iyong dalawa. Napahinto ako nang makita ko si Evan at Jasper na nag-uusap.

I was about to call their attention when I heard my name being mentioned.

"Don't even look at Maggie's way," Evan said. "Remember your promise to Helene, Jasper."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Who's Helene?

"I know," Jasper said, sounding tormented.

"Alam mo naman pala. Umayos ka," Evan replied. What the heck were they talking about and why were they so serious?

I stood there, waiting for Jasper's reply... I was so curious kung ano ang sasabihin niya. At gusto kong malaman kung sino iyong Helene na sinasabi niya. Bakit ang daming babae? Iba pa ba 'yun doon sa namatay na binabantayan niya dati? Ang gulo lang.

"It's not like I can just—" Jasper said and stopped midway. "Fuck," he uttered under his breath. He actually cursed. Ganun ba talaga ka-seryoso iyong pinag-uusapan nila?

"It's easy," Evan said. "If you can't handle this job, tell them you want to be transferred somewhere else."

Agad na umawang ang labi ko. What?! Ano'ng ililipat?!

Para akong tanga na naghintay na sabihin ni Jasper na hindi siya lilipat... kasi 'di ba kahit naman sinasabi niya na ayaw niya sa akin, ramdam ko naman na may kahit kaunti, e... He's the one who kept on confusing me. He's the one who stopped me from actually moving forward.

Iyong mga simpleng tingin niya.

Iyong simpleng paramdam niya.

He's making it impossible to move on.

"Okay," he replied. "I'll leave if I can't handle this."

Hindi ko alam kung bakit palagi niya na lang binabasag 'yung puso ko sa mga salita niya.