Chapter Eight

            “I heard about what Russ did.” ang bungad ng Kuya AJ niya when she visited his office. Busy ito mag-check ng mga documents na naka-pile sa mesa nito. “Nag-enjoy naman ba kayo?”

            “We did.” Inabot niya rito ang isang folder na ipinasuyo ng Papa nila. “Especially ‘yung apat.”

            “How about you?”

            “I did, Kuya, don’t worry.”

            Tuluyang binitawan ng kapatid ang hawak na dokumento at sumandal sa swivel nito bago sinuri ang mukha niya.

            “I’m glad you did. You deserve that break, bunso.”

            “I didn’t even know I needed one until I was already there, Kuya.”

            “Russ actually discussed this with me, although, he’s already bought the tickets and booked you a hotel to stay at.”

            “He did?” gulat na tanong niya sa kapatid. “Wow.”

            “Yes. Though, parang pinapaalam niya lang ang plano because he sounded so determined to send you on a quick break.” Natatawang kwento ni AJ sa kanya. “Like he wasn’t gonna give a damn if I said yes or not.”

            “Come to think of it, Kuya… you’re the only he’s been spending time with all this time.”

            “I know,” AJ chuckled. “Kaya kuha ko na kahit papaano ang ugali ng kapatid nating ‘yun.”

            Out of her six siblings, ang hindi lang talaga close sa kanya― sa kanilang lahat for that matter― ay ang Kuya Russ. Sure, he’s always present on every family events and gatherings there are, but he would usually either hang around talking business with other tycoons or stand around the corner and watch from the sideline.

            Dati pa naman ganyan ang kapatid nila but knowing that he is there and yet he isn’t, it’s frustrating.

            “He just needs a little more time to adjust.”

            “Huh?”

            Her brother smiled, the kind of gentle and yet knowing one. “To people.”

            “What?”

            Pero hindi na siya sinagot ng magaling niyang kapatid. Shaking her head, she bid her goodbye before driving back to her company.

            Her week-worth of vacation was over, yet the feeling it brought her still lingers around her; the feel of sand in between the gaps in her toes, the wind that seemed to had wrapped itself around her, the heat of the sun piercing through her porcelain skin, the feel of water cascading down her smooth skin. She wanted to feel all of it again.

            She owed all of that to her brother. Kung hindi dahil dito, she wouldn’t have felt momentarily free.

            Now, Awa started thinking kung paano siya makakabawi sa kapatid. With only so little knowledge of what her brother likes and doesn’t. hindi niya sigurado kung saan at paano magsisimula.

            “’Wa,” sinalubong siya ng sekretarya pagkalabas niya sa elevator, “Mr. Del Mar called, kinakamusta ang project.”

            She expelled a heavy sigh. “It just started yesterday dahil kahapon lang ‘din humupa ang topak niya, tapos ngayon manghihingi na agad ng progress?”

            Napahilot siya sa noo.

            Sakit talaga sa ulo ang ibang matatandang businessmen na epal at mukhang pera. Ni hindi man lang isipin ang magiging outcome muna ng project, dahil mas inu-unang isipin ang income na pwedeng makuha.

            “What did you tell him then?”

            “That we’re just starting with it.” Sumimangot ito, parang gusto mag-amok ng away sa kanto. “Aba, sinigawan ba naman ako?”

            “He did? Buti hindi mo minura, girl?”

            Mia has a tendency to shot back once na sigawan siya, especially kapag hindi niya naman kilala ‘yung taong sisigawan siya bigla.

            “Kamuntik-muntik na, then I remembered we have a contract with him and I didn’t want to ruin the company’s name just because of my temper.”

            “Well, I wouldn’t have minded if you did.” She winked before pushing her office door open. “I mean, if he wants to do business with me, he needs to be in his best behavior.”

            Mr. Del Mar happened to be one of her groups’ sponsors, only until recently. Dapat sana ay magsisimula ang project ng idol group niya last week, while she was on vacation, kaso ay nag chicken out ata ang matanda dahil ang Kuya Russia niya ang biglang nag-presenta na mag-asikaso sa nasabing project. Kahapon lang ito tumawag to finally do the shoot.

            Kahapon lang din na-deliver ang mga product na ipapa-advertise nito through her idol group, tapos ay late pa dumating sa studio. And the old man has the audacity to even ask for a progress this early.

            Sure, her entire crew is efficient, but they can’t totally complete a project overnight.

            It was a good thing that the time frame of their contract would only last for about a year and a half, baka tumanda siya’ng maaga kung matagal pa at ganito’ng epal ang brand sponsor na nakuha niya.

            This kind of businessman infuriates the hell out of Asia.

            “Had I known what’s he like, I would have declined.” She told Mia. “But Barker spoke highly of him. I think I’ve trusted Barker too much, eh?”

            “Couldn’t blame you, he’s been HD and MT’s brand sponsor since the beginning.”

            “You’re right.” Napabuntong-hininga nalang siya. No point regretting it now, she didn’t want to breach any contracts. “Have you checked on Myra yet?”

            “You wanna go check her out now?”

            Tiningnan niya ang relo’ng pambisig. “Yea, sure, let’s go. Please order food for everyone.”

            “Okay, got it. Una ka nalang sa baba.”

            She went down to the fifth floor of her building, where her studios are.

            Everyone was busy, na hindi siya napansin ng mga ito.

            Good, she though to herself. At least she knows her employees aren’t slacking their asses off when she’s not around.

            She stealthily stood beside the photographer at nakisilip sa mga na-unang kuha’ng pictures na naka-flash sa screen. Mukhang kakatapos lang nito sa first shoot, dahil inaayos na ang set-up into a new one.

            “Transfer this one to a separate folder, up for editing ‘to.”

            “Wow,” singit niya na kinagulat ni Aly at Carl, mga photographers ng kumpanya. Natawa siya sa itsura ng mga ito. “I’m sorry, did I scare you?”

            “Akala ko kung sino na!” nakahawak sa puso’ng ani Aly. “Nakakagulat ka naman kasi, Ms. Awa.”

            “Ang seseryoso niyo kasi.” she gave Aly a playful grin. “How are my babies doing?”

            “Better than I expected.” Pag-amin ni Aly. “Although, sa una talaga medyo naiilang at nahihiya, medyo awkward din sa camera. But after Myra’s impromptu workshop, they warmed up to the shoot.”

            “Impromptu workshop?” she knitted her brows in confusion, although may conclusion nang nabubuo sa isip niya. “Why?”

            “Si Miss Myra po kasi,” Miles, one of the editors, said, “ayun medyo nagalit kasi ang stiff daw nila sa photos, she’d given them a ten-minute refresher course on how to properly project in front of the camera.”

            Ang Myra De Leon na ‘yun talaga!

            That’s why everyone’s calling her a “monster mana,” especially ‘yung mga trainee at rookies ng kumpanya niya. Nasisiraan na ng bait ang babae.

            “She could definitely be a head sometimes.”

            “Sanay na rin naman kami, Miss Awa.” Natatawang sagot ni Carl. “Nagugulat lang talaga ‘yung mga baguhan palang.”

            “Where is she, anyway?”

            Kanina pa siya nandun pero walang Myra De Leon na kung magsalita ay parang nakalunok ng megaphone.

            “Nature break daw po, Miss Awa.”

            “Nature bre―?”

            Oh.

            Oh.

            Right.

            Of course, that’s Myra De Leon. Hindi makapagpigil ng hormones.

            Biglang bumukas ang pinto ng studio, sinundan ng tunog ng takong, naglalakad papalapit sa pwesto nila.

            “Your Majesty, such a surprise!”

            She rolled her eyes before facing her friend. Myra sure is undeniably pretty, hot and oozing with sex appeal; she’s got the curves in all the right places, toned at proportion ang katawan, ‘yun lang ay sumablay ito sa height department, idina-daan nalang sa matataas na takong at attitude.

            She was straightening her blouse when she approached.

            “Rara,” her friend doesn’t want to be called by her full name, thus the nickname, “where’ve you been?”

            “Sa comfort room, masama?”

            She was still busy straightening her blouse, when she noticed something at the tip of her hair. Awa suspiciously eyed the thing, gulat na gulat siya nang mapagtanto kung ano ‘yun. She carefully pointed it and said, “You still have a… leftover there.”

            Myra’s eyes widened in utter surprise, mabilis nitong pinalis ng daliri ang kung anong nasa hibla ng buhok nito’ng tinuro ni Awa. “Shit, that fvcking bastard!” naiinis na bulong nito.

            Napatawa siya sa reaksyon ng kaibigan. Suddenly, Rara’s annoyed face turned into something else, an evil grin on her lips; a sign that she’s up to no good.

            Shit.

            Myra brought her finger to her lips and licked the cvm off of it. Scandalized na napatitig si Awa sa kaibigan as Myra smiled triumphantly at her.

            “That was a delicious leftover, ‘Wa.” Myra bit the tip of her finger. “Mabuti nalang sinabi mio, I didn’t miss a single drop.”

            Coming back to her senses, she forcefully yanked Myra’s finger off her mouth. “Yuck ka, Myra! You’re so gross!”

            “Ano’ng gross naman ‘dun, aber?”

            “Everything!” she retorted.

            “Pa-virgin ang peg, girl?”

            “Gaga, ano sa tingin mo?” nalukot ang mukha niya sa lalim ng simangot niya. “I haven’t even made out with anyone for a long time now, gods!”

            “No shit?”

            “Onga!” she nearly growled. “Pvta naman, Rara, ano’ng akala mo sa’kin, fvck girl?”

            “Bah, malay ko sa’yo kung mahilig ka sa sex.” It was Myra’s turn to roll her eyes at her. “Duh!”

            “Tangi―”

            “Hey, you two, what’s going on?” tanong nang kadarating lang na si Mia. “Why are you so red, Awa?”

            “Tanong mo diyan.” Nginuso niya si Myra nan aka-smirk lang sa kaniya.

            “Ito kasi si Awa, e, parang gaga, virginal. Akala mo naman virgin.”

            “Uh… yes, she actually is.” Mia dead-panned.

            Halos lumuwa ang mata ni Myra dahil sa gulat sa narinig. Hindi alam ni Awa kung matatawa sa itsura ng kaibigan. Myra must’ve thought she wasn’t a virgin anymore, what with all the wild, sex talks she initiated before, she couldn’t really blame her friend for thinking that way; she talked like she’ve been laid for a million times already.

            “Seryoso ka?” tumango sila ni Mia. “What the fvck?” minadilatan siya ng mata ni Myra. “But… all those wild conversations and wild sto― oh my gosh!”

            “Mukha ba’ng nagsi-sex ‘tong gaga’ng ‘to?”

            “Yes!” bulalas ni Myra. Napatawa tuloy ang mga nasa malapit sa kanila. “Kung makapag-kwentuhan sa’tin, akala mo pro, e. Tangna, all this time?”

            Natawa nalang siya sa sinabi ng kaibigan. It was not something she’d actually broadcast, anyway.

            “Miles,” tawag ni Mia sa nakatulalang editor. “Nasa baba na raw ‘yung in-order kung food para inyo, paki-kuha naman. Salamat.”

            “Sige po, Miss M.”

            Bumaling ang atensyon ni Mia sa kanilang dalawa. “Ano nga ulit kasi pinag-uusapan niyo?”

            “I just saw a cvm in her hair, gods, it was so gross looking at her lick it clean.” She shivered. “Eww, yucks!”

            “What?” pa-inosenteng tanong ni Myra when they shot her a disapproving look. “That guy screams sex. Come on, M, back me up here. You love sex just as much as I do.”

            “Take note!” she exclaimed. “Sa comfort room pa, ha?”

            “Seriously, Myra? Dito ka talaga nagkakalat sa opisina?”

            Myra just made a face.

            “But wait, if you were extremely satisfied, why did you look so agitated?”

            Their friend heaved a sigh, laced with (sexual) frustration. “Because…  I was so close but he really had to stop! Imagine? Three more thrusts and I was there, pero may urgent meeting daw, tangina. I gave him a fantastic blowjöb tapos ay hindi niya ako patatapusin?!”

            Mia looked at her sympathetically. “I pity you, girl. You fvcked yourself, then?”

            “Of course not! Badtrip na ako, e. Wala na’ko sa mood.”

            “Eh… sino ba ‘yun?” usisa niya.

            “Sino pa ba? Edi ‘yung nasa finance department.” Malalim ang kunot ng noo ni Myra. “Si Fred. I gotta give it to him, he’s smoking hot.”

            Mia and Awa gasped in collected surprise. They both shouted in chorus, “Freddy the nerd?!”

            Myra nodded smugly. “Magaling sana, e. Binitin lang ako, gago’ng ‘yun.” She dreamily looked up. “But, gosh, Fred licking me there with his glasses on is fvcking hot!”

            “TMI, Rara, ha.” Nandidiring sabi niya. “Respeto sa mga virgin.”

            “Do you want to be non-vigrin?”

            “May term ba’ng ganyan?”

            Myra shrugged. “Dunno. Pero ano nga?”

            “No, thanks. I want my first to be on my wedding night.”

            “Okay, your loss. I knew this gorgeous guy pa naman, kaso I don’t like him, e. Reto ko sana sa’yo.”

            “Alam mo, tunog binubugaw mo ‘tong kaibigan natin.” Pinalo ni Mia ang braso ng kaibigan. “Tigilan mo na nga si Awa.”

            Hindi naman siya na-offend sa sinabi ng kaibigan. Myra’s always been like that, pero hindi rin naman mababa ang tingin niya sa kaibigan just because she doesn’t have sex with a steady partner. She respects her friends’ decisions they made in life.

            But having this kind of conversation with them just made her realize na mataas pala talaga ang standard niya, hindi lang sa buhay kundi pati sa relationship at mga lalaki. However, she doesn’t see anything wrong with having a standard. Masyado nga lang unrealistic na ang kanya. Kaya talaga siguro wala siyang naging boyfriend the last four years.

            She wondered, were her exes kept up with her standards? Napagod kaya sila sa kaartehan niya, kaya hindi nag-workout ang relationship niya? Had she been too much for them? Had she unconsciously put them up in a pedestal they didn’t want to be placed into?

            “Miss Rara,” one of the staff called, pulling her from her dangerous thoughts that her mind trod into, “we’ll continue the shoot in ten.”

            She blinked her thoughts away.

            “Okay.” Nilingon sila ni Myra. “You guys staying?”

            Nagkatinginan sila ni Mia, at panabay na sumagot. “Guess so.”

            “Make yourselves comfortable then.”