You Made Me Live Again

6- "Make over."

(Haylee)

WE ended up walking inside a night bar, and it’s my very first time na makaapak sa ganitong klaseng lugar. Maingay at nakakahilo ang lights pero walang papantay sa distruksyong nararamdaman ko dahil sa sakit na dinulot ng mga taong pinagkakatiwalaan ko pero sinaksak lang ako patalikod!

“Kahit noon pa ba, alam mo na ang tungkol sa kanila, Leonor?” I asked her.

Kasalukuyan kaming nakaupo sa isang sofa.

Sympathetically, she nodded at me. “Yes. I know they were betraying and cheating on you. Ikaw naman kasi, from the very start, ‘di ba I have warned you? You have to choose carefully who you should be friends with. Kita mo ngayon? Hindi ka kasi nakinig sa akin!”

“Anong kailangan kong gawin, Leonor? What do I need to do para man lang mabawasan o maibsan itong sobra-sobrang sakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon?”

“Gusto mo talagang mabawasan ang sakit at bigat diyan sa kalooban mo?”

I nodded. Oo, gustong-gusto ko! Gustong-gusto kong makalimot o makatakas sa sakit na 'to kahit sandali man lang!

“Then you listen to me from now on, Haylee. Makinig ka sa akin at paniguradong mababawasan ‘yan, makakaganti ka pa.”

Kumunot ang noo ko. “Ganti?”

“Oo. ‘Yang ahas na Jiselle na ‘yan? Ibabalik mo ang sakit na nararamdaman mo sa kanya, doble pa kung tutuusin tapos babawiin mo si Ian kasi sayo naman talaga 'yon, ‘diba?”

I was hesitant with the idea. “Hindi ako gumaganti, at wala sa bokabularyo ko ang gumanti…”

“Tanga!” prangka niyang singhal sa akin. “Ngayon nagtataka ka kung bakit nagagawa kang lokohin at ipagpalit ng sarili mong fiancé sa ahas mong best friend? Dahil hindi ka nag-iisip, Haylee! Hindi ka nag-iisip ng tama!”

Hindi ko na pinatulan. May punto naman siya, eh, kasi kung hindi ako tanga, hindi sana ako maloloko ng apat na taon! Apat na taon, for pete’s sake!

“Alam mo, Haylee my dear, ‘yang mga kagaya mong mahihina ang loob, iyakin, at pinaiiral lagi ang kabaitan ay ang palaging naiiwang talunan sa huli! Gumising ka, Haylee, lumaban ka! Papayag kang basta-basta na lang silang magtagumpay sa p*******t sayo? Papayag kang tapak-tapakan ka nila pagkatapos mo silang pagkatiwalaan ng buong-buo? Ano, gano’n-gano’n na lang ‘yon?! You have to wake up to the reality na hindi porket mabait ka’y magiging mabait na rin ang mga taong nakapaligid sayo, na hindi ka na nila tatraydurin o sasaksakin patalikod!”

I closed my eyes as my tears flowed endlessly. Tama si Leonor. Hindi nga ibig sabihin na mabait ka’y magiging mabait na rin ang mga taong nakapaligid sayo. Ian and Jiselle are the best examples of those kind of people!

“Yang mga pag-iyak-iyak mo na ‘yan? Walang magagawa ‘yang mga ‘yan, Haylee! Kailangan mong lumabas sa comfort zone mo at mamulat sa malupit na mundong ‘to! The world is just so unfair! Walang-wala kang mapapala kung paiiralin mo ‘yang kainosentehan mo! You need to fight back and you need to show them na ikaw si Haylee at hindi ka basta-bastang kalaban! You have to avenge to your friend who deceived you through the years and double the pain she had ever inflicted when she chose to have an affair with your fiancée, and you need to make Ian see what he’d lost too! Na dahil hindi siya nakapaghintay ay pagsisisihan niyang makakaya mong magawa sa iba ang bagay na matagal na niyang hinihingi sayo.”

I looked at Leonor, puzzled.

She continued. “I’m talking about involving Dominic Hererra…”

“Dominic Hererra? Sino siya?”

“Siya lang naman ang tangi, kaisa-isa, at pinakamamahal na kapatid ni Jiselle. Siya ang gagamitin natin to get even to that freakin’ Jiselle. Bale, siya ang gagamitin mo para paselosin si Ian, and then eventually, Ian would be very jealous of him and he would start to seeing your worth plus feeling regretful dahil minsan niyang sinayang ang isang kagaya mo para sa isang basurang katulad ni Jiselle. Get my point?”

Okay, I got her point and it’s kind of interesting… but what I don’t get here is the need to use and involve other people na ‘ni wala namang kaalam-alam at ‘ni wala nga sigurong kapake-pakealam man lang sa nangyayari!

“Hindi ba parang hindi naman tamang manggamit ng ibang taong walang alam para lang makapaghiganti?”

Nabigla ako at bahagyang napaatras nang marahas at mahigpit niya akong hinawakan sa baba. Malupit na pinangangaralan. “Nagpapadaig ka sa konsensya mo? Anong nangyari sayo? ‘Diba niloko at iniputan ka nila sa ulo? Mag-isip-isip ka, Haylee! Oras na para gamitin mo ‘yang utak mo at hindi puro puso ‘yang pinaiiral mo!”

“Aray, Leonor, nasasaktan ako,” daing ko sa higpit ng pagkakahawak ng kamay niya sa panga ko, pakiramdam ko pa nga’y babaon ang kanyang mga daliri sa balat ko.

“Talagang madudurog ka ng pinong-pino kapag hindi mo ako pinakinggan at kapag pinairal mo pa rin ‘yang litseng katangahan diyan sa puso mo!” aniya saka marahas na binitawan ako. “I am going to call Dominic now to set the two of you for a date.”

She was about to call that Dominic when I held her to stop her.

“Haylee-“

“Leonor, please give me time to think first. Aaminin kong tama ka at may mga punto ang mga pangaral mo sa akin pero huwag mo naman sana akong bibiglain. Please give me more time to think a lot, just please.”

“Damn, fine! Here, you can contact me on that number once you’ve decided at kapag umiral-iral na ‘yang utak mo.” She handed me her callin’ card. I kept it inside my bag.

Pagkauwi ay buong gabi kong pinag-isipan ang proposisyon ni Leonor sa akin. “Yang mga pag-iyak-iyak mo na ‘yan? Walang magagawa ‘yang mga ‘yan, Haylee! Kailangan mong lumabas sa comfort zone mo at mamulat sa malupit na mundong ‘to! The world is just so unfair! Walang-wala kang mapapala kung paiiralin mo ‘yang kainosentehan mo! You need to fight back and you need to show them na ikaw si Haylee at hindi ka basta-bastang kalaban! You have to avenge to your friend who deceived you through the years and double the pain she had ever inflicted when she chose to have an affair with your fiancée, and you need to make Ian see what he’d lost too! Na dahil hindi siya nakapaghintay ay pagsisisihan niyang makakaya mong magawa sa iba ang bagay na matagal na niyang hinihingi sayo.”

All of those words I could still hear in my mind, and every time they echoed in my mind, the scene of Ian on bed with Jiselle kept on replaying inside my mind. Pakiramdam ko’y pinagsasakluban ako ng mundo at pinagdudurog at pinagtatapakan ako ng pinong-pino. I cried myself to sleep while holding the sheets so tight that I have to break and crush it para mailabas lahat ng galit at sakit na nararamdaman ko. Ian also kept on contacting and calling me. His texts were full of apologies saying he didn’t mean to hurt me and he has an explanation to all of these shits, that’s why I decided to just turn off my phone and never answer any of his call, I also stopped reading his text messages that’s full of lies and deception. Tama na! Tama na ang sakit at mga kasinungalingan! Tama na ang mga panlolokong naririnig ko sa kanila sa mga nagdaang taong binigay ko ng buong-buo ang tiwala ko sa kanila! Tama na! I've already got enough!

What made me think more of Leonor’s proposition was when the day after that night, ang lakas-lakas ng loob ni Jiselle to send me a picture of her with Ian habang nasa condo ito ng lalaki. Tulog ang lalaki sa kama nito at mukhang bumisita roon si Jiselle. She even added text to the photo she sent me: He’s mine now. No more Haylee, just Jiselle and Ian ;)

At nilagyan pa talaga ng wink na emoji para mang-inggit, mang-asar, magpaselos, at manakit!

“You wanna know how long we’ve been betraying you behind your back? Well, since four years ago, Haylee! Yes, ganoon na katagal!”

I closed my eyes and tried to hold back my tears

Right after my class in the afternoon the next few days, I decided to call Leonor.

“Yes?”

“Leonor…”

Natuwa siya nang mabosesan kaagad ako. “Haylee! Glad you finally called, and let me guess, hindi ka naman tumawag for no purpose, ‘diba?”

“Pupuwede mo ba akong sunduin dito sa school? I have things to talk to you, at nakapagdesisyon na rin ako. Pumapayag na ako sa mga plano mo.”

“Great! Sure, you wait for me there and I’ll immediately get you!”

Hindi nga nagtagal ay sinundo ako ni Leonor. Nagmeryenda kami sa isang restaurant ng ground floor ng isang magarang hotel.

“So, care to tell me what made you agreed?”

“Naisip kong tama ka. Wala akong mapapala kung magiging mahina na lang ako palagi.”

“Good thing at sa wakas ginamit mo din ‘yang utak mo, Haylee! Great, at least, ngayon alam na nating kahit papaano’y may gamit at may kuwenta din naman pala ‘yan pagdating sa mga ganitong bagay.”

I just sighed and continued eating. Bahala na.

“Anyway, ano nga palang isusuot mo sa first date ninyo ng kapatid ni Jiselle? Don’t tell me...” Tiningnan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa nang nakataas ang kilay.

I looked at myself too. Bakit? Wala namang masama sa black slacks at white long sleeves na tinirnuhan ng 2 inches na white block-heel shoes, ‘diba? Siyempre galing ako sa trabaho, and I needed to wear something formal.

“My goodness, girl! You cannot go on a cozy date with a hunk guy as Dominic kung ganyan ka-formal 'yang attire mo! You’ll be on a date, not on a conference meeting! Halika na, I’ll make over you. Pagagandahin kita!”

“Teka, Leonor yung food ko hindi ko pa nauubos—“

Wala na akong nagawa nang tuluyan na niya akong mahila. Dinala niya ako sa isang suite para ayusan at i-make over.

“I’ll unleash that beauty of you na kailanma’y alam kong hindi pa nakikita ng iba sayo!” she said confidently as she was applying on me nude-colored eyeshadows.

Mga ilang minuto rin siguro bago kami natapos kasi pati buhok ko’y ginalaw din niya. Kinulot-kulot niya ito gamit ng electric curler kaya mas lalo tuloy naging maikli tingnan ang buhok ko. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at pinasuot pa ako ng napaka-ikling red tube-styled bodicon dress na masyadong hapit sa katawan ko, and it exposes too much skin from shoulders to legs! May kataasan din ang gold pointed heels na pinasuot niya sa akin pero kaya ko namang dalhin kahit papaano. Itong damit lamang ang masyado akong hindi kumporme.

“Uhm, huwag na lang kaya ‘to, Leonor? Hindi ako kumportable eh. Masyadong hapit saka maiksi,” sabi ko sabay hila pababa sa laylayan ng dress.

She just smiled at me as she shook her head.

Napanguso ako. “Wala na bang iba?”

“Wala na. ‘Yan lang ang dala ko rito, and FYI, I really intended to buy that dress for this purpose, and I guessed, hindi talaga ako nagkamali ng pagpili. Here, look at yourself. Look how sexy and how wonderful you look tonight.”

Pinatayo niya ako sa harapan ng full-length na salamin. I was also so shocked and stunned upon seeing the transformation she made on me. Grabe, ako ba talaga ‘to?! Parang hindi ko na makilala ang sarili ko! Like, I suddenly looked daring and bold and liberated!

“See, Haylee? You look so perfect,” Leonor said while holding my shoulders and grinning on me at the mirror.

“I… I feel like I look like one of those Victoria’s Secret Angels…”

“True,” she nodded as she agreed. “A face with innocence dressed for a sin.”

I was still looking at myself on the mirror when she called someone on her phone.

“Hello, Dom?”

Leonor turned the speaker phone on for me to be able to hear their conversation. This must be the Dominic Hererra she was talking about.

“Leonor? Napatawag ka?”

“Are you free tonight?”

“I am. Why?”

Leonor grinned. “May irereto akong friend sayo for a dinner date.”

“What?” Bahagyang humalakhak ang nasa kabilang linya.

His sexy voice is kinda’ familiar. I think I already heard it somewhere, hindi ko lang matandaan kung kanino at kung kailan ‘yon.

Hindi rin magkamayaw ang pagkakarera ng puso ko. Why do I suddenly feel this way?

“Leonor, alam mo namang wala akong hilig sa mga blind date- blind date na ‘yan, ‘diba? Remember how my co-car racers tried to set me up on blind dates? They didn’t just work out. I always end up disappointing every woman.”

“But trust me, Dom. This time, I am so sure that it’ll work,” Leonor said playfully but surely as she eyed on me again from head to toe. “I am so sure that you’ll like her, ah no, you’ll, actually, love her.”

Dom didn’t answer, he just remained silent.

“Dom, just give it a try, please? My friend just really need a comfort right now especially she found out that her supposed fiancé was cheating on her for her own best friend. How pitiful, right? Kaya sige na please?”

“Leonor, kung comfort naman pala ang hinahanap ng friend mo, edi huwag mo na siyang i-set up for a blind date, ikaw na lang na kaibigan din niya ang mag-comfort sa kanya. Ngayon ka niya mas kailangan.”

“Eh? Dom, parang wala naman tayong pinagsamahan niyan, eh! Please, kaunting favor lang naman itong hinihingi ko sayo. Minsan na nga lang ako manghingi ng pabor sayo bilang kaibigan mo…” Ayan na, idinadaan na ni Leonor sa padrama effect!

“Ikaw talaga, dinadaan mo ako sa mga paganyan mo. Alam na alam mo kasing hindi kita matatanggihan kapag ikaw na nanghihingi ng pabor…” The man from the line almost gave up.

“So, pumapayag ka na?” Halos magningning ang mga mata ni Leonor ngayong umaayon na sa kanyang mga plano ang lahat.

“Ano pa nga bang magagawa ko?”

“Great, Dom! Besides, ngayon lang talaga ‘to so, at least, give it a try. If it won’t work and you wouldn’t like my friend, I am never gonna setting you on a date with her ever again. I promise you that. But I also assure you and I am confident enough na hinding-hindi mo pagsisisihan ang pagpayag mong ito sa favor ko ngayong gabi.”

“Hindi nga masyadong halatang confident ka sa kaibigan mong ‘yan, Leonor,” he humored. “Ano bang oras ngayong gabi saka saan?”

“7 PM, I’ll text you the exact location. She will be waiting for you there…”

Nang matapos ang tawag, muli akong binalingan ni Leonor.

“He will come, Haylee, so better ready yourself when facing the brother of your mortal enemy and do everything to make him head over heels in love with you. This is just the start of everything, and the start of Jiselle losing everything that she has with her right now…”

Seven in the evening finally came, at hindi na halos magkamayaw ang puso ko dahil alam kong ilang sandali ngayon ay makakaharap ko na ang taong lolokohin ko at gagamitin sa paghihiganti kay Jiselle. Ang sarili niyang nag-iisa at pinakamamahal umanong kapatid ayon kay Leonor.

The venue of the romantic date is at the balcony of one of this five star’s exclusive suits. Everything in this area screams romance. The ambiance, the fresh air, the expensive and yummy-looking foods served, and the rose’s petals showered everywhere on this balcony’s floor. Kabadong-kabado ako at hindi ko alam ang tamang iisipin ko, basta kabadong-kabado talaga ako at ‘ni hindi ko alam kung para saan o bakit ako kinakabahan, hindi talaga ako mapakali.

My phone suddenly rang, and I almost jumped when I saw it’s no other than Leonor.

“He- hello?”

“Relax, Haylee. Umpisa palang ng lahat ‘yan. You have to chill, and don’t be so nervous. Besides, hindi naman mangangagat ‘yang kapatid ni Jiselle. And may I remind you, he’s already there on your meeting area.” Hindi ko na namalayan ang pagbaba ni Leonor ng tawag nang marinig ko ang foot steps ng taong kakapasok lang dito sa balcony. Nakatalikod ako sa kanya kaya hindi ko pa siya nakikita pero kabadong-kabado talaga ako na ramdam na ramdam ko na ang kanyang presensya. His foot steps, his manly scent kahit hindi pa tuluyang nakakalapit sa akin, and his obviously distracting presence.

Unti-unti akong humarap sa kanya at literal akong natigilan nang sa wakas ay nasilayan ko ang mukha ng nag-iisa at pinakamamahal na kapatid ni Jiselle. Si Dominic Hererra. This is the man I have once rushed to the hospital!