Chapter 3 Aiah

AIAH KEPT HERSELF BUSY. She does not want to see Ethan today, not even his shadow. If she will be given a chance, she wishes to have him invisible whenever he is around. It may sound rude of her but it is her rule to abide. Iniiwasan niya ring biglaang ma-fall sa binata.

It is not that she had fun then she ran. Talagang hindi lang sila puwede ni Ethan. Sa mundong ginagalawan niya ngayon, delikado. Hindi puwedeng magpadalos-dalos ng desisyon.

Nagtungo siya sa opisina ni Anne upang ibigay ang mga file na hinihingi ng dalaga. Being the current head of the Acumen Cluster, it is her responsibility to disseminate the information among her members. Their cluster is also tasked to analyze data for their operations, which she definitely did in those files.

Dahan-dahan niyang ibinukas ang pintuang salamin at agad na bumungad sa kaniya ang simangot na mukha ng dalaga.

“Anne, here are the files,” ani Aiah matapos ilapag sa harap na mesa ang mga papeles. Mataman niyang tinignan ang tutok na tutok sa laptop niya na si Anne.

“Anne, are you ok?” she sincerely asked.

Tiningala siya ng dalaga na tila ba gulat na gulat na nakita ito. Tila ba nakakita ito ng multo.

“A-Aiah,” nauutal nitong sabi.

Bakas sa mukha nito ang kakaibang kaba habang nagtititigan nang mata sa mata. Aiah had a strange feeling that Anne has kept a secret from her. Malakas ang pakiramdam niya sa mga taong nagtatago ng sikreto lalo pa kung nakikita niya ang mga mata nito. She could not point it out even more. Mas magaling siyang magsinungaling kahit kanino.

“Ayos ka lang ba?” Aiah asked. Anne’s actions are somewhat suspicious for her. Being an intelligent agent, she knows when a person is trembling because of the chaotic effect of keeping a secret.

Dahan-dahang tumango naman si Anne at nagwika, “Ayos naman ako.” Napangiti siya ng alanganin. “Ikaw? Kumusta ka kagabi?”

Biglang nag-iba ang timpla ng mukha ni Aiah. Nahigitan niya ang kabang nararamdaman ni Anne. If ever she will know about what happened last night, maybe she will hate her. Zach Ethaniel Montellano is the widower of the late Eniessia Moriah Oliveria, Anne’s best friend. He must be untouchable, indeed. Truly hands off to the widower slash current bachelor slash single dad to Uno.

“A-ayos naman.”

Nanginginig ang kalooban niya habang hinihintay ang susunod na sasabihin ni Anne. They are equally good in terms of meticulously observing people’s reactions especially whether they are lying or not. Acumen din si Anne, what could be more surprising than that?

“Balita ko magkasama kayo ni Ethan kagabi.”

That statement shook her in an instant. She cannot believe that their little ways last night would be a big scene.

“H-ha? H-hindi naman–“ depensa niya.

“Sus, Aiah, huwag mo nang ikaila.” She smirked. “Balitang-balita kaya kagabi na magkasama kayong umalis ni Ethan sa party. Kung hindi ko pa nalaman kay Ez, itatago mo pa talaga.”

She was nailed on her position, not because of the fact that Anne knows about her being with Ethan but the fact that she mentioned that name. “E-Ez?”

Agad na binalikan ni Anne ang mga sinabi at inisip ang bawat salitang namutawi sa kaniyang bibig. Napapikit-pikit siya at natiim ang bagang, napalunok at muling nagsalita, “Oo. Iyong kapatid mo. Ez, Ezekiel Mendoza.”

Saglit na kinabahan si Aiah sa di malamang dahilan. Tila ba may nagsasabi sa kaniyang dapat siyang kabahan sa mga nangyayari ngayon. Everything just creeps her out to the point that she thinks that what she sees are just a part of a dream.

“May mali ba akong nasabi?” Natawa na lang si Anne sa gulat na reaksyong ng kaibigan. “Naku, Aiah, huwag mong takasan ang tanong ko kanina. Kumusta ka kagabi?”

Napalunok na lang si Aiah at sinubukang sagutin ang tanong sa pinakaligtas na paraan. “We are fine, nothing special.”

If nothing special means being with Zach Ethaniel on a sweet romantic night, it is truly nothing special. Nagsiping lang naman sila kagabi. Walang kaso.

“Pero alam mo, Aiah, ok ‘yan.”

She chinked her eyes and started to estimate if Anne is speaking ironically or explicitly.

“I mean,” Anne continued, “–ayos ‘yan para sa inyong dalawa.”

She dropped her jaw. “A-ayos? W-what do you mean by ‘ayos’?”

Kung pagiging ayos ang pag-uusapan, labas diyan ang nararamdaman ni Aiah. Her feelings are chaotic after all. She confuses herself so much in a sense that she insists that her feelings are intolerable yet she keeps on tolerating it–ironic sense of free falling in love with a parachute of walls built around her heart.

“I mean, ayos ‘yan para maka-move on na rin si Ethan, almost three years after Enie’s death,” she said as she wiggled her brows.

Tila ba napakagaan at napakasimple lang nang sabihin ni Anne ang mga katagang iyon. Thinking that Eniessia is her best friend since then, it sounds so rude to talk about her like that. Subalit kung susuriin, may punto naman talaga ang sinabi niya.

“Don’t get me wrong, Aiah. Tignan mo, almost two years na nang makabalik ka. Kagabi ka lang namin nabigyan ng tamang welcome party sa AL pero tanggap na tanggap ka na ng buong pamilya. They treat you as if you are Enie.”

Enie again.

Sometimes, Aiah wishes to separate her name from Enie. They are often associated with each other because of the fact that she imitated her back then.

What if people love her just because she is nearly a spitting image of her best friend? What if Ethan wants her because she looks like his late wife? What if she gets everything that she has today JUST BECAUSE she is a resemblance of Enie?

Palagi niya iyong iniisip. But the mere fact that Enie is dead, maybe she can change their minds, removing her from her friend’s shadow.

“Aiah, you are single. Ethan is single with a child. You are fine with Uno. You are fine with Ms. Jed. You are fine with everyone. You imitate Enie so why not be in that character for a lifetime?”

Tila ba isang yurak iyon sa pagkatao ni Aiah. She is going to play a role to be accepted by people around her. Kay Anne na nagmula. It sounds so unfair on her part yet advantageous if further analyzed. Kung pagbabasehan ang kabutihan, masamang gawin iyon subalit kung praktikalidad, iyon ang pinakamainam gawin.

“Alam mo, Anne, tigilan muna natin ito. Magtrabaho na lang tayo.”

Bagaman sinabihan niya si Anne, hindi pa rin niya mapigilang isipin ang mga napag-usapan nila. She just cannot run away from the fact that Enie existed in their worlds and she is just her carbon copy. Hindi pa rin siya ang original.

She took the elevator to reach the top floor of Alpha Lohikal Building with the burden of that thinking. Another chaotic argument runs in her brain.

While pondering, she also reflected herself for the past two years after she woke up from a long sleep. Hindi man niya naaalala, nararamdaman niya ang pagmamahal niya sa ginagawa niya ngayon. She is half an agent and half businesswoman just like Enie.

Everything in her seems to be like Enie. Enie. Enie. Enie. Patay na ang kaibigan niya subalit napakalaki ng alaalang iniwan nito sa kanila. More than the memories she had with them, her unique character, skills, and socialization truly marked in everyone’s mind and heart.

Bakas na bakas sa kanila ang pagkalungkot nang gunitain nila ang ikalawang taon ng pagkamatay ni Enie. Aiah was there but she never felt the same sympathy. Hindi niya nasaksihan ang mismong pangyayari sapagkat nakaratay siya noon sa Isla de Esperanza, parehong lugar kung saan nawalan ng saya ang puso ng mga nagmamahal kay Enie.

Sa kaparehong araw at oras, biglang naghingalo si Aiah hanggang sa pagkakataong muntikan na nilang tanggalin ang life support ng dalaga. Matapos ang ilang minuto, bumungad sa kanila ang dilat na mga mata nito, gaya ng kwento nila sa kaniya.

She was unaware of everything until the day when she started to speak the name, ‘Uno.’ Tanging gulat ang bumakas sa mga mukha ng nakapaligid sa kanila hanggang sa matauhan silang nakakapagsalita na si Aiah.

Sabi ng doktor, maaaring dulot ito ng halos isang taong araw-araw na pagdadala nila kay Uno, anak ni Enie at Ethan, sa mga panahong tanging pagpikit at pagdilat lang ang alam niyang isagot.

Napamahal na sa kaniya ang bata na itinuturing nilang therapy ng dalaga. Nagpapasalamat siya dahil nakabalik siya sa mundo niya sa pamamagitan ng bata subalit may panghihinayang na hindi na niya muling nakausap pa ang matalik na kaibigan. Pero gaya ng naramdaman niya simula nang magising, may kaunti sa kaniyang puso na nagsasabing huwag siyang malungkot.

Her heart tells her that someday, they will be reminded to move on and eventually move forward from Enie’s death.

She reached the front of Enie's office where she is supposed to house. With her laptop on hand, itinulak niya ang glass door ng opisina at dahan-dahang tinahak ang daan papasok, as chill as she is after she composed herself.

"Hey, Agape."

The laptop almost slipped off her hand when she heard his voice, so loud and surrounding the whole office. She remembered how he talked to her last night. He was so convincing and powerful.

Matapos ang nangyari, nagawa pa talaga niyang makipag-usap dito. Sayang lang at na-bad trip siya matapos ang mga nangyari. Napaaga na rin ang kaniyang pag-uwi.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she secured her laptop on her table. "Sinong nagpapasok sayo rito?" mataray niya pang sabi.

She is the usual Zendaiah Liezandra Mendoza who never wants to look pathetic. Hindi siya natitinag at hindi siya nagpapatalo, parang si Eniessia.

"Well, di naman siguro masamang bisitahin ang opisina ng asawa ko, 'di ba?"

Biglaang kumulo ang dugo ni Aiah dahil sa mga sinabi ni Ethan. Sumasakit talaga ang ulo niya sa mga katulad nitong taong 'to. Napakakulit at hindi mapirmi sa katotohanan.

"Let me remind you that this office is now mine at hindi na kay Eniessia," pagbibigay-diin ni Aiah.

Tinaasan niya na rin ng kilay si Ethan na pirming nakaupo at chill lang para magpakita ng kahit kaunting tapang. Hindi sa sinisindak niya ito pero kailangan niya na talagang umalis palabas sa kwartong iyon. Aiah is slowly threatened by his ways. It is undeniably bothering the serenity of her heart minutes ago.

"Then be mine too para wala na tayong problema," he said with a playful smirk.

Hindi niya alam kung anong sinasabi ni Ethan basta ang alam niya, magulo silang nag-uusap.

"Be yours? What is your logic, dude?" she said, annoyed. "If you have nothing good to say, better get out now. May aasikasuhin pa ako." She even pointed the glass door to teach him the direction.

Ginantihan lang siya nito ng tawa at nakakalokong ngisi. Kung sinuman sa mundong ito ang hindi mababaliw sa ginagawa niya, pakisabi na, now na, ipapatapon ko kung saang lupalop man iyan ng mundo.

"You have nothing difficult and complicated to do, Agape. You just have to go with me and Uno on a vacation."

She smiled a bit. Her heart melts because of Elio Zacharias. He is the first child of Enie and Ethan. She feels like Montellano's child is somehow hers. She is uncertain with the reason but she feels something light when it comes to that kid.

"Nahihibang ka na ba?" She quickly changed mood.

He is really ‘someone’ for her. Hindi niya alam kung bakit pero iyon ang nararamdaman niya sa tuwing magkasama sila. Walang pagkakataong hindi niya naramdaman ang pagka-espesyal ng binata kahit pa sa panahong naiinis siya rito.

"Of course, I am not," natatawa niyang sabi. "Maliban na lang kung may guwapong nahihibang, ako nga iyon."

She really hates his smile, the chink on his eyes when he laughs, and his seducing red lips. She is, indeed, drooling over someone's husband–a widower to be exact.

"Tigilan mo nga ako, Ethan. Please keep that mouth shut kung ayaw mong bangasan ko yan nang ‘di oras." She really do not care about him actually.

"Whoa." Ethan reacted with his stubborn handsomeness. "That is my Agape, feisty as always."

There came annoyance on her face. Ayaw na ayaw niyang tinatawag siya nitong ‘Agape’ lalo pa at naaalala niya si Enie–erase–It confuses her. Gusto niyang naririnig ang salitang iyon mula kay Ethan pero ayaw niyang tinatawag siyang ganoon.

"Agape your face!" She exclaimed but deep inside, she wants to be acknowledged with a call sign.

She saw Ethan stood up, fixing his tuxedo. Papalapit siya nang papalapit kay Aiah na may nanlilisik na mga mata. She begged to disagree that he is scary because he is not. His blue eyes were on fire, telling that he loves the woman in front of him.

"Tell me, Zendaiah Liezandra Mendoza, what does it take for me to get into your heart, huh?" His voice roared inside the room. So weird but it sounds as if he is the king of the jungle, the lion who waits for his lioness.

He held her close, his thumb playing her lips. Nakatitig si Aiah sa mga mata niyang nangungusap at naghihintay ng sagot.

Her lips parted. "P-pag-isipan ko?"

Unexpectedly, she answered his question with a stuttering 'Pag-isipan ko'. Napatigil si Ethan sa paglapit sa kanya dahil nasira na rin ang moment nila.

"What 'pag-isipan ko'?" nagtatakang tanong ng binata. He may be handsome but sometimes, he is stupid in nature.

"Pag-isipan ko iyong sinabi mong samahan ko kayo ni Uno," paglilinaw niya.

He just smirked in happiness. It seems weird but that is how he expresses his feelings. He sealed her lips with a quick kiss, leaving her numb, cold and eyes wide open.

"W-WHAAAT?" WALANG IBANG NASABI si Aiah maliban sa pagkagulat.

Then that one made him smirk even more. Hindi man niya aminin, mukhang kinikilig siya sa reaksyon ng dalaga. Ngayon niya na lang ulit hiniling na makita ang maganda at mapupungay nitong mga mata matapos ang ilang taon nitong pagkawala.

He knew that she is back. He knew that Eniessia is back. Muli niyang hinigit si Aiah at hinalikan ito ng walang pag-aalinlangan. Dahan-dahan na lamang napapikit ang dalaga habang dinadama ang pinagsasaluhan nila dalawa.

Hindi iyon naging isyu kay Ethan. He slowly thought of giving up his heart to Aiah. Ulit-ulit niya mang maniwalang ito ang asawa niya, may iba pa rin sa dalaga na nagpapaiba ng tibok ng kaniyang puso. Wala na siyang nararamdamang kahit ano kay Aiah maliban sa pagpaparaya at pagtanggap.

As soon as they parted, she said, "Love me for who I am."

Napaawang ang kaniyang bibig. He did not get what she is saying o inuulit sa isip kung tama ba ang narinig niya mula rito.

"You asked me how you can get into my heart, right?" Aiah said once more.

BAKIT KAY ETHAN, napakadaling bumigay ni Aiah? Isang palaisipan ang bumabagabag sa mismong utak ng dalaga. She easily gave into him despite the fact that he thinks that she is his wife who passed away almost three years ago.

Aiah is definitely in trouble but still, he is someone for her. Optimistically, she just thinks that she is doing this for Uno, Montellano’s child. Of course, she wants to give back to the child since he is the reason why she woke up from comatose.