Chapter 15

I have never worked so hard in my entire life.

"Baka naman ma overworked ka niyan?" Aya asked me while she was comfortably lying on my couch. Tsk. Pasalamat siya rest day niya ngayon. If I hadn't known better, iisipin kong buhay reyna si Aya. But since she works for my mother, I'm sure her work's hell, as well. Duh. She work's for my Mom. Do I need to expound?

Tahimik lang ako sa ginagawa kong pagmmeasure. Nandito ako sa old condo unit ko. It's mine to use naman. Regalo ni Dad sa akin 'to, e. I've checked with the management and I found out na hindi na pala nakatira si Drake dito so... safe zone here!

I glanced at the list pinned on my cupboard. Ang haba, a!

"Saw Kent yesterday," panimula ko kay Aya. They look silly naman kasi! Obvious na obvious na sila talaga dapat pero nagpapaka immature at ayaw mag usap! Nakakabaliw sila!

She shrugged. "Tapos?"

I sighed an exasperated sigh. "Come on, Aya. Ano nga? He told me he's been pursuing you again pero you always turn him down. Nasa witchy stage ka na naman ba?"

Because of my 'witchy' comment, I received a glare from her. "Naman, Alys! Don't you know better? Di ba nga kaya kayo nagbreak ni Drake ay dahil sa... well, hindi ko talaga alam kung bakit pero di naman kita kinukulit, di ba? Extend the same courtesy to me?" she said then batted her eyelash. Pasalamat ka ang cute mo, Aya!

"Fine, no more intruding. But please talk to him? He likes you big time. And he's good for you..." I said. 

Kent's the best guy for Aya, I'll bet my life on it. Sure, Sheen's great as well pero hindi naman kasi yung greatness ng isang tao ang measurement kung compatible ba sila sa'yo, di ba? You should be with someone not because he's good but because you become good when you're with him. 

We continued talk while I was baking. Ayoko kasi sa shop magbake kasi may chance na puntahan ako ni Drake dun, and I won't risk it. Besides, kumppleto naman sa gamit dito, e. And namiss kong kausap yung best friend ko!

"I saw Tripp yesterday!" sabi bigla ni Aya. Nagulat naman ako dun! "Grabe, Alys. I knew he looked good but damn, ang gwapo ni Tripp ngayon lalo!"

And there... natawa na ako talaga! Never ko pang nakitang mag express ng admiration 'tong babaeng 'to. She works in the field of fashion, di ba? Sure as hell madaming nakakatrabahong model 'to (one of the reasons bakit lagi silang nag aaway ni Kent dati) pero not once siyang nagsqueal na parang teenager! Hahaha. Ang gwapo talaga ng Marco ko.

"So, crush mo na ngayon?" I said and then wiggled my eyebrow. "Come on, Aya. I won't bite. Sanay na akong madaming admirer yung panget na yun."

I remember dati kahit sa New York pa lang, ang daming nagpapapansin dun. Niloloko nga namin siya ni Tofer dati, United Nations ang fans club niya. May European, may American, pero mostly Asian. Iba e... Ibang level kagwapuhan ni panget! Di ko kaya minsan.

Aya laughed. "Fine, fine, he's my crush. Kaya bang pigilan? That boy looks freakishly good!"

We continued to gossip about Tripp. Ang sama kong girlfriend, chinichismis ko si Tripp. Lol. Fun times with Besh. Namiss ko talaga 'to!

Siguro mga three hours kaming nag uusap while I bake some goodies. Nagtext kasi si Cristine, and she told me to meet her sa resto somewhere. She recommended me sa Mom niyang may  party na ioorganize and kailangan kong magdala ng taste test somewhat. Pumayag naman ako since ayokong maging bum, no. Besides, work naman 'to. 

Hinatid ako ni Aya sa destination ko. Papasundo na lang ako kay Tripp mamaya kasi di ko dala yung car ko.

Pumasok ako sa loob and tinulungan naman ako nung bell boy na dalin yung mga dala ko. Nagpareserve naman ng VIP room si Cristine and nauna ako dun. She sent me a text saying na she'll be late pero sandali lang naman.

While I was waiting, tinawagan ko muna si Marco.

("Tatawag sana ako, e. San ka nga, panget?")

I told him na nasa resto nga ako and other stuff. Hindi ko pa din naoopen yung topic kay Drake kasi... wala lang, ayoko. Soon siguro, but definitely not now.

("Panget...") he said and his voice trailled off.

"Hmm?"

("...may reunion kami this weekend. But if you don't want to come, okay lang naman.")

Natigilan ako. Sheez. The last time na nakita ako ng Palma clan, si Drake ang boyfriend ko. Now, after four years, pupunta naman ako as Tripp's girlfriend. Really, Alys? Playgirl much?

But I have to harden my resolve: I'm Tripp's. 

I smiled lovingly at the thought. "No, pupunta ako. Bakit ayaw mo akong papuntahin? Nahihiya ka ba sa akin??" I faked a gasp.

Tripp laughed. Heaven talaga ang tawa nito! When he chuckles, he looks super adorable! Lalo na pag lumalabas yung dimples niya pati ewan ko, when he sticks his tongue out, it's super cute!

("Baliw. Di ah. Mahal na mahal kaya kita. Sobra pa nga, di ba? Sige na nga, magttrabaho na ako, Panget. Sunduin kita mamaya, ha?")

"Sige, Marco. Bye. I love you, too."

We ended the call then naghintay naman ako kay Cristine. Wonder what's taking her so long? Buti na lang at madami akong free time kundi baka umalis na din ako after 15 mins. I'm not the waiting type of person na kasi. Ang daming pwedeng gawin kaysa maghintay, di ba? So why waste time?

"I'm sorry," Cristine said after niyang pumasok. She was holding her bag and breathing heavily. Saan ba nanggaling 'to? She looks... disarrayed? "I had to attend a last minute announced meeting. Sorry talaga, Alys," she said. I nodded since mukhang sincere naman siya.

She plopped down on the chair. I gave her time to breathe. 

"Well, anyways, did you bring the goodies?" she asked, I nodded. "Can I like you know, drive you there na lang? My Mom can't make it, e."

I smiled and stood up. "Sure," I said.

She helped me with the basket. Nandun kami sa front ng hotel, waiting for her car na kinuha nung valet attendant. "By the way, Alys. If you're to be married, how do you want your gown to look like?"

"Ha?" 

Ngumiti siya sa akin. She really looks good. "How do you envision your gown?" she asked with that pretty smile. If Drake has this kind of fiancee, bakit ba niya ako hinahabol pa? I mean, look at Cristine! She's beautiful, she isn't a b-itch, she's not whiny like Shaira, and she's nice! Plus point pa yung botong boto sa kanya si Tito Steve and Ethos!

I described my dream wedding gown. It's every girl's dream to get married naman so describing my dream gown is so easy... it has to be beautiful. Yung may long trail... I don't know, I fell in love with Bella Swan's wedding gown. That kind of gown. It's so pretty!

She shook her head as if tinatandaan niya yung sinabi ko. Weird, ha. May wedding gown na siya, di ba? I saw her at my mother's last time and she was nothing but breath-taking!

"E where do you wanna get married?"

I shrugged. "Anywhere would do as long as I'm with the person I love pero sana beach wedding."

She squealed! She looks cute! "Di ba?! I kept on telling Drake about beach wedding, e! Sabi niya rough daw ang sand sa paa and all other sort of excuse. Ang daming arte nung lalaking yun!" she admonished.

Natawa naman ako. She looks like a kid na naagawan ng candy!

"A wedding is a bride's affair. If you want a beach wedding, have a beach wedding," sabi ko kay Cristine.

She smiled at me. "So, beach wedding?"

I nodded.

Just then, dumating na yung car niya. Pumasok na kami sa loob. Her car smells like vanilla. 

"Hello?" she said nung sinagot niya yung phone niya. "Yeah, she's with me," she said. Sino ba ang kausap niya? 

"Huh? Pupunta ka sa bahay namin? Why! No! Ano ba, Drake!"

Sht. You really can't leave me alone, huh?

Cristine was having a misfit then tumigil siya. "You'll take Ethos with you? Fine. Thank Ethos! Tsk. Abnormal autistic guy!" then she ended the line.

She faced me and smiled. "Drake's gonna be there, as well. It's okay naman, di ba? I mean, he said that you were high school classmates?"

I gave her a nod. Yeah. High school classmates... and many other things.

--

"Hi, Mommy!" Cristine said.

Binaba ng Mom niya yung magazine and scolded her. "Stop running, young lady!" Huminto naman si Cristine and she pouted. "Is she Alys?" 

Nagnod si Cristine and introduced me. Her Mom looked at me in a very... degrading manner.

"Alys Perez, Madam," I said.

She nodded and motioned me to sit down. She interviewed me and asked for my credentials. Job interview ba 'to? Hindi ba titikman niya yung dala ko and then we'll sign the deal?

"Impressive," she commented. "My daughter finished her undergrad at St. Claire's and her MBA at Harvard," sabi niya. Okay? 

Nginitian ko na lang siya as respect. I'm not competing with Cristine but why do I think that she's competing with me? I mean, yung Mom ni Cristine. Weird weird.

After a few minutes, the inevitable happened. Dumating si Drake.

Tumayo si Mrs. Stinson and welcomed Drake with open arms. She's really fond of him, e?

"Drake!" she said and hugged him.

Cristine leaned in and whispered. "May crush yata si Mommy kay Drake. I think she hates me for marrying him," she said. Natawa naman ako! She's so funny! No wonder papakasalan siya ni Drake, ngayon ko lang nakikita.

Napatingin sa amin si Drake. Nagsmile ako sa kanya, trying to be civil and everything.

"Cristine!!" Ethos said and then she hugged Cristine.

"Hi, baby boy! Missed Cristine?" sabi niya. Nagnod naman si Ethos and kissed her on the cheek. "How about your Ninang Alys? Kiss her, baby," she nudged Ethos.

Ethos only half willingly kiss me. He really dislikes me.

I got a cookie from the basket and gave Ethos. "You want?"

He shook his head. "No."

Okay, Alys. He's just a kid, okay? Wag personalin. Pinsan ni Tripp yan.

Umalis yung Mom ni Cristine for a while since may conference call bigla sa study. Naiwan kaming apat dito.

"Drake, I told you. Beach wedding. Alys said she likes beach wedding din!" she said. Ako pa ginawa niyang reason, ha!

"Okay," sabi ni Drake. Yun na yun? Wala nang rough sa paa ang sand?

Cristine clapped her hands. "Yehey! And about the wedding dress, Palma, I'll change it, ha?" she said and then winked at him.

Drake nodded. Ang lakas naman ni Cristine dito. She asks and Drake gives in. 

Cristine hummed and then picked Ethos up. "I have many lollipops in my room. Wanna come, baby?" And Ethos... he ran towards her room. Nakakainggit naman si Cristine. I wanna be close to Ethos.

Okay. Kaming dalawa na lang dito!

"I'm done. Alis na ako," I said. Iiwan ko na lang yung goodies dito. Drake held my arms bago ako makaalis. "What?" I tried not to glare at him.

"Are you going to the reunion?"

I nodded. "Tripp invited me."

"Don't go," sabi niya. "Alys, please don't go."

Huminga ako ng malalim. "Bakit na naman, Drake? Give me one good reason."

Binitiwan niya yung braso ko and looked at the me. "Because... because I want to introduce you as my wife... someday. Please don't confuse my family by being Tripp's girlfriend and my future wife. Do them a favor, Alys."