#COMM

Chapter 3

For today's rehearsal, we were asked to bring some things. I began dragging my stuff from my room when I stumbled upon Psalm. Great. Umaga pa lang, may mang-iinis na sa akin.

"You know there's your bodyguard to do this thing for you, right?" he asked while looking at me. He didn't even offer to help me. And he's wondering why I was nice to others except for him.

"I'm not a brat like you," I shot back at him and then continued dragging my bag. I should really start hitting the gym again! Ganito lang e napapagod na ako!

Psalm laughed hysterically. "Mags, I wasn't the one who begged our dad to buy you a yacht for your 18th."

I glared at him. "I clearly remember you using my yacht to bring some of your girls... or guys? I'm not really sure which way you sway," I said and then patted his shoulder.

Nilagpasan ko siya at saka ko nakasalubong si Jasper.

'Eyes on his face, Siobhan!' I chastised myself. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isip ko para silipan siya kagabi! I felt so horrible that the first thing I did when I wake up was to go to the confessional. If my mother knew, she'd blind my eyes, for sure.

Lumapit si Jasper para kuhanin iyong gamit, pero mabilis kong kinuha iyon. Mabilis din na kumunot ang noo niya.

"It's fine," I told him. Akmang kukunin niya na naman. Pinigilan ko ulit siya. "Really, I can manage," ulit ko pa. I still felt guilty for the bruise on his shoulder... Kasalanan ko naman kasi kung bakit siya nasaktan. Actually, it was the girls fault, but I was the one who called Jasper.

Bakit ba ako nakokonsensya? It's his job to protect me. And it's not as if getting hurt's new for him. He's a soldier... I think? Hindi pa ako sigurado talaga kung saan galing si Jasper. Ayaw ibigay ni Mama iyong personal file niya. And it's not exactly like Jasper's the chatty type.

Jasper took a step forward and got the bag from my hand. I pulled away. Kumunot ang noo niya.

"Kaya ko na nga," ulit ko.

"What's your problem?" he asked.

"Bakit ka English speaking?" I asked back. I was so curious! Lahat ba ng sundalo English speaking? And the way words rolled of his tongue, it's like he was born speaking the language.

And when I saw him yesterday, his body looked hard, but his skin looked soft.

Oh, my God, kailangan ko na namang mangumpisal!

"You have a problem with how I speak, Ma'am?" he asked, still holding the bag.

I sighed. "Nothing," I replied and then gave in. Kinuha niya iyong bag mula sa kamay ko at saka naglakad. How could he even walk normally sa laki ng pasa na nasa balikat niya? It already looked horrible last night... Siguro color purple na 'to ngayon.

Biting my lower lip, I thought of a way to help him without him knowing that I took an innocent peep at his window last night. It's not as if I went there with the intention of seeing him naked!

I swear, hindi ko na maalala iyong nakita ko kagabi!

"Can we stop by a pharmacy?" I asked while he was sitting beside me. Hindi talaga siya pumayag na magdrive. I was beginning to think that he'd ask me to raise his salary kung pipilitin ko siyang magdrive, this bratty bodyguard.

Tumango lang si Jasper habang parang puno na nakaupo sa tabi ko. Pagdating namin sa pharmacy, pumasok agad ako—syempre nakasunod siya sa akin. He's like my shadow.

"What's the medicine for body ache?" I whispered. Sumagot iyong babae at saka mabilis na bumili ako ng gamot at saka two bottled of water.

"I need to pee," I told Jasper. He eyed me na parang nabigla siya na sinabi ko na kailangan kong magweewee. "What? I need to pee!"

He didn't question me at saka mabilis na humanap ng CR. He asked me to walk beside him.

"You know I won't get shot here, right?" I asked. There were plenty of people around us. At isa pa, hindi naman ako directly related sa president. He's the husband of my abuela, so he's more like my abuelo consuegro. My mom's just being totally paranoid.

"Can you just please let me do my job... Ma'am?" he asked, obviously starting to get annoyed at me. Well, at least naiinis na siya! May feelings siya! He's not a tin man like I initially predicted!

Pagpasok ko sa CR, I immediately forced myself to stop inhaling. I originally planned to dissolve the medicine in the water and force Jasper to drink it, but I couldn't seriously stand the smell! Mabilis akong lumakad palabas.

"I'm hungry," I told Jasper.

He looked at his watch. "You need to be at—"

"For the love of God, let me eat!" sigaw ko sa kanya kaya nagulat siya. Mabilis siyang naghanap ng pwedeng kainan sa gasoline station. Nang makahanap, I forced him to fall in line.

"No one will kill me here," I said, almost rolling my eyes. Jasper sat in front of me and then called someone. Maya-maya, may dumating na lalaki. "Who are you?" tanong ko.

"Montenegro," he introduced himself.

"And you are?"

"At your service, Ma'am," he said with a small smile.

Napatingin ako kay Jasper na wala na pala sa tabi ko at nakapila na. Worried na mababaril ako tapos biglang iiwan ako sa hindi ko kakilala?!

"What? I've only seen you now!" I told the guy. He smiled at me—okay, he's creepy. Why wasn't he dull like Jasper?

"Distant guard, Ma'am," he said. Napaawang iyong labi ko. I didn't know that my parents were paranoid enough to get me both a bodyguard and distant guards! Sino ba sa tingin nila ako para ganito karami ang kunin nila para alagaan ako?

I was internally preparing a speech pag-uwi ko sa bahay nang maalala ko ang dahilan kung bakit nandito kami. I quickly whipped the medicine and water out at saka dinikdik iyong medicine. Nilagay ko iyon sa tubig at saka inalog.

"What?" I asked Evan when I caught him staring at me. He was about to say something nang bumalik na si Jasper. He was carrying a tray of food. "Did you get food for yourself?" I asked him nang mapansin ko na pagkain ko lang iyong dala niya.

Jasper just shook his head. This dull, dull guy. I'd seriously get a heart attack kapag nakita ko siyang ngumiti.

I pretended to eat food and then drank my bottled water. While I was in the middle of eating, I slid the other bottle towards Jasper.

"Sa 'yo na lang," I told him while casually eating. He nodded, but didn't even touch the bottled water. God! Ano ba ang kailangan kong gawin para inumin niya 'yun?!

I was almost finished with my sandwich pero wala pa ring balak si Jasper na galawin iyong tubig. Was it better if I just tied him down and force the capsule down his throat?

"Can you get my bag sa car?" I asked Jasper. He nodded and obliged.

"Are you trying to drug him?" Evan asked. Seriously?! Bakit English speaking ang mga guards ko?!

"What? Of course not!" I defended myself. I don't even smoke!

"Then... why?" he asked. Obviously, Evan's the chatty type.

I looked at him and knew I could talk to him. I was pretty sure that my parents made them sign a confidentiality agreement.

"Well, yesterday, Jasper kinda broke down a door for me. Then last night, I saw him—accidentally—topless," I told him. I knew I'd never get over the humiliation if Evan knew that I saw everything. "And saw a huge bruise on his back..."

Evan was just nodding. "It's nothing. He's fine, I'm sure."

I sighed. "I know... but I still feel guilty."

"We're hired to protect you," Evan said. "We'd literally take a bullet for you."

But I didn't want anyone to die for me! I didn't feel like I was worth dying for. Kaya nga hindi ako sang-ayon sa idea na magkaroon ng guard, e. I mean, I get it with my brothers. There were some cases wherein girls who admired them became pretty obsessed. A few of my brothers' cars have been keyed dahil lang hindi nila pinapansin iyong mga babae. I mean, if you have a crush on my brothers, you have to know that they're obsessed with basketball. That's like a given.

"Can you please help me get him to drink this?" I asked Evan and he nodded. "Thank you!"

"For head's up, Jasper doesn't drink or eat while he's in duty," Evan said.

"You mean whenever he's following me?" Evan nodded. "That's crazy! Jasper follows me all day!" I said. I wanted to ask Evan, but I felt like he wouldn't tell me more details. It was frustrating. All the confidentiality with these soldiers.

* * *

Hanggang sa makarating kami sa venue, iyong isip ko ay na kay Jasper pa rin. Was I really this thoughtless na hindi ko napansin na hindi kumakain si Jasper tuwing binabantayan niya ako?

When the first set ended, I saw Rafa approaching, but I was in no mood to deflect his advances. Mabilis kong hinanap si Jasper. I saw him standing at the corner, watching me like a hawk.

"I have thirty minutes break," I told him. He nodded. God, he's dull! "Let's eat."

Habang naghahanap kami ng makakainan, I asked him. "When are you not on duty?"

"When I'm asleep."

"Seryosong sagot kasi," I said.

"Don't I sound serious?"

Oh, my God, he's so annoying!

Pagdating namin sa resto, I ordered food good for two people, but Jasper wouldn't touch the food like it's a disease!

"Eat," I told him.

"Later," he replied.

"Please?" I said in my cutest voice.

"No," he replied almost instantly.

I stuffed all the food in my mouth while glaring at him. "Just eat the damned food!" I seethed. Bakit ba hindi siya kumakain?! It felt like I was starving him!

Jasper just creased his forehead and shook his head. "Later," he replied again.

"Bakit ba kasi ayaw mong kumain? Safe naman 'yung food!"

"Why are you so stubborn?" he asked.

My jaw fell. Ako? Ako pa talaga iyong stubborn sa aming dalawa?!

"I just want you to eat!" I told him.

"Later," he replied again. I swear, isang later pa, susuntukin ko na siya!

"Then just drink this water!" I told him and then gave him the water that I had been holding like it's my first-born.

"Later," he replied.

I fisted my hand and then tried to punch his stupid, dull face... but he's quick to evade my punch. He stopped my knuckle using his palm and then gently twisted my arm. Bigla akong napa-lapit sa kanya. Hawak-hawak niya iyong kamay ko habang halos magkadikit na iyong mga mukha namin.

"Brat," he whispered against my face.