Chapter 3

HINDI ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko ng magtama ang mata namin. Bakit siya nandito? I look at them again na papalapit na sa akin. I don't know what to do. But I need to keep my self composed ayaw kong isipin nila na apektado pa rin ako sa nangyari noon, limang taon ng nakalipas. I want them to see that I don't fear them aymore, that I moved on.

Desmond was with Samatha na parang ahas kung makahawak sa braso ni Desmond. Kasama rin niya ang kanyang ina na lumilisik ang mga matang tinitignan ako. I look at them confidently, taas noo ko silang sinalubong. Hindi na ako magpapa apekto sa kanila, I won't let them ruin me again.

"Good Evening, Mrs. Velasquez. Long time no see." sabi ko at nakibeso rito.

"You... What are you doing here?" bulong nito. I just smiled at her brightly.

Halata sa mata nito ang pagkagulat dahil sa inakto ko hindi rin ito nakapagsalita ulit agad. Kaya naman binati ko na rin si Desmond at Samantha. Marahil ay akala nito ay iiwasan ko sila, too bad I'm no the same Yvonne 5 years ago.

"We are here to buy paintings for our house. Right, Babe?" Malanding sabi ni Samantha. She looked at me and smiled widely na para bang proud na proud siya sa sinabi niya. Tsk.

"Have I seen you somewhere?" He said ignoring what Samantha said. Napalingon ako kay Desmond ng bigla itong nagsalita. Really? So this is what he wants? Fine with me. Magsasalita na sana ako ako ng mapansin ko ang reaksion ni Samantha at Mrs. Velasquez, gulat na gulat at natataranta sila sa hindi ko malamang dahilan dahil sa sinabi ni Desmond. Nagkatinginan pa ang mga itona mas lalong ipinagtaka ko.

"Let's go, Son. I saw Mr. Miller." Nagmamadaling sabi ng nanay ni Desmond at hinila ito palayo sa akin. Mukhang ayaw niyang magkausap kami ni Desmond. Bago pa ito tululang lumayo ay tinignan ako nito ng masama.

"Are really this desperate, Yvonne?" mataray na sabi ni Samantha. Na akala ko ay umalis na rin. Tinignan o siya ng masama. How dare she talk to me like that?

"Are you stalking us? After all this years hindi ka pa rin ba naka move-on?" She irritatedly said at dinuro-duro pa ako.

"Excuse me, Ms. Samson but you're getting full of yourself. You're not worth stalking." May pang-iinis na sabi ko.

"I'm the host of this event. Stop assuming things. That's unhealthy." Umiiling-iling na sabi ko. She looked stunned.

"In fact I should be the one asking you that, Are you staliking me, Ms. Samson?" I smirked. Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya, kaya naman napaatras siya. "I think you should be the one to move on." b****o ako sa kanya at iniwan siyang hindi maka pagsalita.

AFTER that encounter, I had to go out to catch my breath. Para bang sa ilang minuto na nakausap ko sila ay hindi ako humihinga. Though I prepared for this to happen but seeing them makes me remember how miserable I was in the past. They make me miserable.

Pero hindi pa rin mawala sa isip ko ang reaksyon ng nanay ni Desmond at Samantha kanina. Bakit pakiramdam ko ay may hindi ako alam?

"Are you okay? He's here, right?" humahangos na sabi ni Nick na halatang nagmadali para mahanap ako. Nick was holding my face with both of his hands. Sa inakto niya pa lang ay may ideya na ako na si Desond ang tinutukoy niya.

"Yes. Siya pa ang may ganang umastang parang wala siyang ginawang mali. What a jerk..." He looked really worried. So, smiled and tapped his hands to assure him that I was fine.

"He talked to you?" Worried na tanong niya sa akin. I simply nodded and tell him about what I saw earlier.

"But I'm so confused why Desmond's mom and Samantha looked scared nung kausapin ako ni Desmond." Nilingon ko si Nick na may gulat din na expressyon. Napakunot ang noo ko, why do they have that same reaction?

"Nick, Are you hiding something from me?" I look at him seriously.

"Wala. Don't think too much. Tara let's go back inside para makauwi na tayo." He simply said, while avoiding my gaze.

Nauna na siyang pumasok sa loob, kaya mas lalo akong nagtaka sa kinikilos nila. Is there something I should know? Is it about me and Desmond? Or it is about Desmond?

HALOS wala ng tao sa venue dahil ubos na rin ang mga painting. Isinawalang bahala ko muna ang nagyari kanina. Dapat maging masaya ako na lahat ng ginawa ng mga bata ay nabili. Kahit na ang ibang pumunta ay ginamit ang event na ito para sa pansarili nilang interest. They attend this kind of event too impress people.

Now, I'm currently staring at the last painting that hasn't been sold. It's the painting I did when my son was born. It's the painting that represents my life before he was born, full of darkness, and the painting that marks the day I was finally able to accept myself and the life ahead of me with my son.

"I want to buy this." Nagulat ako sa pamilyar na boses na nagsalita sa likod ko. I make sure to keep myself compose, and looked straight into his eyes.

"It's not for sale." I said blankly said and stared at the painting again.

"Everything has a price, Ms. Ramirez." Natatwang sabi niya. Making me so irritated.

"Name your price. I can pay." Aba, talangang ang lakas ng loob niya. Hindi pa rin siya nagbabago. Tsk.

"Sorry, but this is not for sale, Mr. Velasquez." Matray kong sabi sa kanya na ikinataas ng noo niya. He laughed na mas lalong ikinainis ko.

Tinignan ko siya ng masama, while he just stood there doing noting but to stare at me. "Why are you acting this way, Desmond?" I shouted. Mabuti na lang ata wala ng ibang tao sa parte na kinaroroonan namin.

"Parang walang nagyari. Not that I care about what we have before. I just can't believe I was with a person like you." I added. "If only I knew, I wouldn't agree to be married to you." I said and walked past him.

"Excuse me, Ms. Ramirez but this is the first time met you." sabi niya habang hawak ang braso ko para mapigilan akong maka alis.

"So this is what you want? Fine." Sabi ko at inalis ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa akin.

"Babe! You're here pala." Napalingon kami kay Samantha na halos patakbong lumapit sa amin. Ang mukha niyang puno ng kaba kanina ay napalitan ng pekeng ngiti ng lingunin ito ni Desmond.

"Oh, Ms. Ramirez. I didn't know you we're there." She said while panting.

"What are you two, talking about." She smiled brightly and looked at Desmond lovingly. Para siyang sawa kung makahawak kay Desmond.

"Nothing important." He answered shortly. Habang ang ataensiyon ay nasa akin.

"Okay!" She said and looked at me and Desmond. Pabalik-balik ang mata niya sa aming dalawa dahil hindi maalis ang tingin ni Desmond sa akin. I rolled my eyes due to annoyance.

"I'm tired, can we go now?" She said kaya naman nakuha niya na ang atensiyon ng fiance niya. Parang kating-kati na itong umalis sa harapan ko, just like earlier. They don't want me talking to him. Par namang gusto ko na kausapin sila. Kung hindi nga lang marami ang binili nilang painting ay pinalas ko na sila kanina pa.

"I miss OUR daughter, let's go home." She said emphasizing "our", napara bang ipinagmamalaki niya na may anak sila.

If you only knew about Yandrich, for sure you'd go insane. I smiled at my thought. But you will never-ever know about him. I'll make sure of that.

"Thank you, Ms. Ramirez. I'm expecting that the paintings we bought, will be sent to the address my fiance gave your staff by tomorrow." I just nodded and walked past them.

"Stay away from my fiance, Yvonne. Don't be a home wrecker. Move on." Pabulong niyang sabi.

"You should tell that to your fiancee, not to me." I said and smiled brightly to irritate her more.