#COMM

Chapter 4

"What's with Jasper?" I asked Mom while we were eating breakfast. It's one of the very few times when Jasper's out of my sight. When he's on official duty, he's always around. Come to think of it, I think I never saw him going to the comfort room!

He's seriously getting weirder and weirder!

"What do you mean?" Mom asked.

"I mean, what's with him? Why'd you choose him as my bodyguard?" I asked. I really didn't want to ask Mom anything because I was perfectly aware about how nosy she could get, but it's not like I had a choice! Jasper wouldn't say a word—and even Evan's mum about anything Jasper related. Evan's one talkative guy, but he wouldn't tell me anything about Jasper!

Maybe he's convinced that I was trying to drug Jasper...

"Why not? He's perfect for the job," Mom replied.

"Is he a marine... or navy?" I pried.

Mom eyed me. "Siobhan, what did I say about Jasper?"

"What? I'm just curious!" I defended myself. Why was she always assuming that I was going to jump Jasper's bones? That guy's silent as the lamb! Might as well talk to the wall!

"You better be sure, young lady. It's hard to find someone as qualified as him," she replied before giving me a look that told me that I should really not think about doing anything.

My mom really didn't know me.

She just made me want to do a lot of things.

Right after breakfast, I saw Jasper again.

"Morning," I greeted. He just nodded. Dull boy. "I just received a text. I need to be at Batangas for three days," I informed him. "Pack your clothes."

Tumango siya. I already packed—I mean, I was always packed. I grew up traveling, so I just always had a bag prepared for whenever.

Habang naghihintay, I sat and quietly waited for Jasper. Nakita ko si Evan sa labas, may kasama siyang dalawang lalaki. God, bakit hindi ko agad napansin na maraming strange guys sa bahay namin? Or baka naman nasanay na lang talaga ako na strange guys ang mga kapatid ko kaya hindi ko na talaga napapansin iyong ibang mga tao?

I figured that Jasper would probably need a few minutes to decide kung ano ang dadalhin niya kaya naman lumabas muna ako. Evan was talking to the two guys when I decided to greet them.

"Hi!" I greeted.

Evan and the two guys stood up straight and faced me. I was seriously surrounded by dull guys. Hot—but very dull.

"I just got a call from my manager. I'll be staying at Batangas for three days... so... I think you should pack your bags, too?" sabi ko sa kanila.

"Already finished, Ma'am," Evan replied.

"Talaga?"

He nodded. "Jasper already notified us."

"When?"

"A few minutes ago."

"Paano niya nalaman?"

"Your manager told him."

"What? He has contact with my manager?"

Tumango lang si Evan. Jasper's starting to be really creepy! May mga bagay na alam lang talaga siya!

"Anyway, did you give him the medicine last night?" tanong ko kay Evan. Jasper was a real hard nut to crack! Talagang hindi siya uminom hanggang sa makabalik kami sa bahay.

Evan nodded. "Gave it last night."

Tumango ako. "Why are you English speaking?" I asked him. I was just really curious! It's not everyday that you'd meet an English speaking bodyguard!

Evan just shrugged. He's just as good as Jasper at deflecting questions. Maybe I should start befriending the other guys... they looked easier to manipulate.

Nang makabalik na si Jasper, dumating na rin iyong driver. We rode in the car. Jasper sat beside me when my phone began to vibrate.

Rafael Gozon: good morning! :)

I arched a brow. I really find it weird when guys use emoticons...

Siobhan Margarette Gomez de Liaño: good morning

Reaching for my neck pillow, tumingin muna ako kay Jasper. He looked okay naman na. Maybe the medicine worked for him... pero kahit na kasi. The bruise on his back looked really painful. If he wasn't very stubborn, I'd really drag him to the hospital to have his back checked.

"You want a neck pillow?" I asked him. Umiling siya. "We're going to be traveling for at least two hours," I informed him.

"I know," he replied.

"Why are you so dull?"

"I don't see how it's your business, Ma'am."

I glared at him. Ang attitude talaga!

"I mean, we're going to be together—"

"I'm here to protect you, not to be friends with you, Ma'am."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. It felt like he just dumped me! "Who told you that I want to be friends with you?!"

Jasper shrugged. I wanted to strangle him!

"You're asking personal questions, Ma'am," he replied.

Napaawang ang labi ko. I just asked him if he wanted a neck pillow, asked him if he wanted water, asked him if he was hungry! That's called being human!

"You're so annoying," I told him.

"As long as I can protect you, Ma'am," he just replied.

Bago ko pa man mabuksan iyong pinto ay masipa siya palabas habang umaandar ang sasakyan, I reached for my headphones and turned the music into full blast. I was just gonna pretend that I was alone in this ride.

Rafael Gozon: going to Batangas, too? :)

Siobhan Margarette Gomez de Liaño: yeah how did you know?

Rafael Gozon: recommended you to be my partner for this campaign :)

Napaawang ang labi ko. This was a huge campaign!

Siobhan Margarette Gomez de Liaño: why?

Rafael Gozon: because you deserve it. I know you'll be the perfect model

I bit my lower lip. Hindi ko napigilan na mapa-ngiti. Napa-lingon sa akin si Jasper kaya mabilis ko siya na inirapan.

I continued chatting with Rafa hanggang sa makarating kami sa Batangas.

"Stay here for a five minutes," Jasper said.

"Ha?"

"We'll just check the perimeters."

I rolled my eyes. "We're in a beach, Jasper. You're so paranoid."

"Your parents hired me to be paranoid, Ma'am," he sarcastically said. Lumabas siya pero bago pa man siya makalayo, nakita ko na papalapit si Rafa sa sasakyan. I rolled the windows down.

"Good morning, Maggie," Rafa greeted.

I smiled. "Morning, Rafa," sabi ko. Nakaharang si Jasper sa pagitan namin.

"Makeup's waiting for you," Rafa informed.

"Be there in five," I told him. Hindi ko masabi na paranoid lang talaga ang buong pamilya ko kaya may bodyguards pang nalalaman. It made me feel sad for my cousins in the de Marco side of the clan. They're receiving the full-paranoid security measures.

I looked at Jasper. "Go," I said, shooing him. "I can talk to my friend naman siguro, noh?" I sarcastically asked him. Tinignan ni Jasper si Rafa bago ibinalik ang tingin sa akin. I just glared at him. Akala niya siya lang ang may attitude?

"Be back in five," he informed me before giving Rafa a death glare.

Rafa stood by the car. He leaned his arms by the open windows. "Your family's really worried about you, huh?" he commented.

"Yeah..." I just replied, kinda embarrassed. "Hey, thanks again for recommending me."

Rafa smiled. "No problem. You did all the work, I just put in the words."

Rafa and I continued to talk. He gave me tips on how I'd do the campaign. He's much more experienced that me and I was thankful for all the help. I just really wanted to succeed in this field.

Nang makabalik si Jasper kasama si Evan, bumaba na ako. Sabay kaming naglakad ni Rafa habang naka-sunod sa amin si Jasper.

I did makeup first before I was given the clothes I needed to wear. Huminga ako nang malalim habang naka-tingin sa salamin.

Positive.

My parents would kill me.

And my brothers would burn the magazine.

Paglabas ko ng tent, si Jasper agad ang nakita ko. He didn't even look at my body! He was just looking at my face! Minsan, nakaka-offend din siya.

"Don't tell my mom!" sabi ko habang yakap iyong sarili ko. I immediately accepted this job kahit na alam ko na swimwear iyong imomodel ko. This was a huge opportunity. And it's not like I'd be naked naman... I was sure that I'd be done tastefully.

"I swear, I'll kick you—"

Jasper looked me in the eye. "I'm only interested in your safety and nothing more, Ma'am," sabi niya at saka binalik ang tingin sa paligid.

"Are you gay?" tanong ko sa kanya. I was practically naked, pero ni hindi man lang siya tumingin sa akin!

"You're just not my type, Ma'am," he replied. I heard Evan and the guys chuckling. God, I wanted to kick Jasper in the nuts to prevent him from bringing evil offspring in this world!

Dumiretso akong naglakad hanggang sa makarating ako sa shore. Rafa was already waiting for me. Hindi pa man ako nakakalapit, I already saw him checking me out.

Why couldn't Jasper be a normal guy and check me out, too?!

And why was I so desperate for him to check me out?!

"Wow," Rafa said. "You're really... wow."

I smiled. He was wearing board shorts and his abs were glistening.

"Thanks," I replied.

Nagsimula na ang shooting at ginawa ko lahat ng pinapagawa sa akin ng photographer. In the middle of the shoot, I saw Jasper taking pictures of me.

I smirked. "Kunwari pa," I whispered while I was drying myself. Jasper was standing a few meters from me. "You're still a guy, Jasper, no matter how dull you are."

* * *

When lunch came, kumain na kami. I was already done with all the swimsuit shots, so I was free to eat lightly. Dinala iyong pagkain ko sa tent ko. Kellan and Nico, my other bodyguards, were outside watching the stupid perimeter. Nasa loob ng tent si Evan at Jasper.

"Are you seriously not going to eat?" tanong ko kay Jasper. Umiling siya. "Three days tayo dito. Don't tell me na hindi ka kakain?"

Evan was eating like a happy and normal boy. Why couldn't Jasper be like him? "He'll eat later, Ma'am," Evan interrupted.

"Are you like his spokesperson?" I mocked.

Evan laughed. "Jasper just takes his job seriously. Don't worry about him, he's a big boy."

Sinubukan ko na magpatuloy kumain ng salad ko pero hindi talaga ako mapalagay na hindi kumakain si Jasper. After 10 minutes, nagpalit ng pwesto sina Jasper at Evan kaya si Kellan at Nico naman ang nasa loob.

"Bakit hindi kumakain si Jasper?" agad na tanong ko sa kanila. Mukhang nagulat si Nico. I eyed him. Mukhang siya ang madaling kuhanan ng information.

"Mamaya pa po siya kakain, Ma'am," Nico replied. Oh, my God! May Tagalog speaking guard na ako!

"Why won't he eat with us?"

Nico looked at Kellan. It seemed like they had something to share.

"Confidential po, Ma'am, pasensya na po," magalang na sabi ni Nico. The heck with these soldiers! Masyadong mahirap kausap!

Hanggang sa matapos na ako sa pagkain, hindi talaga natinag si Jasper. I continued with the shoot. Bandang ala-sais na kami natapos.

Jasper Alexander Ybañez

I ate my carrot sticks while searching for anything related to Jasper. He's just too much of a mystery for me and I love mystery! But it felt like I was searching for nothing dahil wala talaga akong makita.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked Addie.

"Sure, I'm bored, why not?" she replied. I really love this girl! She's up for anything!

"Can you do a quick search about Jasper Alexander Ybañez? I tried searching, but I got nothing," I told her. I heard tapping of the keyboard and I knew that Addie's onto it already. She's got access to some sites I didn't want to get myself involved in. She's a de Marco and that alone made her pretty scary for me.

"Oh, interesting," she said. "Looks like this Jasper guy got into a huge incident."

"Send me the link!"

"It's a read only file. I'll take a pic, but the words are too small," she said. "But to summarize, he was in charge with a high-profile job and then somehow got drugged... and a girl was killed."

Agad na napaawang ang labi ko.

"But this file's concealed, so I think that this Jasper guy has some strings to pull. This never went public," Addie said.

Addie continued to brief me about the report, but the only thing I could think was why Jasper was not eating nor drinking anything. I didn't know what to feel...

Was he beating himself up for something that was an accident?

It's not like he wanted that to happen.

Lumabas ako para hanapin si Jasper. I saw Kellan and Evan standing outside my door.

"Where are you going?" Evan asked.

"Jasper," I replied.

"Ma'am—"

"I know about the accident," sabi ko kaya nabigla sila. That was really a big deal, huh? "Look, I'll stay with Jasper so you three can watch us as he eat," sabi ko sa kanila.

"Ma'am—"

"Evan, I know you're paid to protect me and all that stuff, but how will you protect me on an empty stomach?" I reasoned. "And for my own peace of mind, just let me freaking feed Jasper," I said before storming off.

Good thing there were stalls in the beach, so I was able to buy food. Naka-sunod lang sa akin si Evan at Kellan habang namimili ako.

"Do you guys want anything? It's on me," sabi ko sa kanila pero umiling lang sila. "You're both no fun," I said and frowned. If my brothers and cousins were here, they'd surely buy everything para marami akong bayaran.

"What is Jasper's favorite food?" I asked kasi baka meron naman dito. They both shrugged. "Hindi niyo alam? I thought you're friends?"

"We're not girls, Ma'am, we don't ask each other about our favorites," Evan answered, to which Kellan chuckled. Tahimik lang 'tong si Kellan pero ang saya niya tumawa kapag binabara ako ni Jasper at Evan.

When I finished buying, bumalik na kami sa hotel. I went to Jasper's room and I saw him icing his back. Agad siyang napatayo nang bumukas iyong pinto. I saw him reaching for his gun. Ang paranoid!

"Hi!" I greeted with a smile. "I brought you food!"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Later."

I bit my lower lip so hard para lang pigilan iyong sarili ko na sakalin siya dahil sa salitang later na 'yan!

Umupo ako at saka binuksan iyong dala ko. Nakatayo si Evan, Kella, at Nico.

"Eat," I told him.

"Later," he replied.

"Eat," I said, glaring.

"Late—"

I grabbed his face, pinched his cheeks, and pushed the spoonful of rice into his mouth. "Eat, you starving brat!"