TIBC 1 - THE RUGGED KNIGHT

Chapter 1

HINDI pa man nakakapasok sa apartment niya si Ria ay naririnig na niya ang tunog ng landline phone niya. Napakunot noo siya habang ipinapasok ang susi sa key hole ng pinto niya. She had no idea who might be calling her at that time. Dalawang linggo pa lamang siya sa pilipinas at ni wala pa siyang pinagbibigyan ng numero niya. Masyado siyang abala sa paghanap ng apartment na iyon at pag-aasikaso ng mga kailangan niyang papeles para sa magiging bago niyang trabaho roon.

          Lalong lumakas sa pandinig niya ang walang hintong pag-ring ng awditibo nang makapasok siya. Nagmamadaling lumapit siya sa telepono nang bigla siyang matigilan. Wait. There are people who could possibly know her number, even her address if they want to. Bigla parang ayaw na niyang sagutin ang tawag. But it kept on ringing. Sa huli ay napabuntong hiningang inangat na lamang niya iyon.

          “You’re already in the Philippines and you don’t have any plans in informing us? And where did you come from? I’ve been calling for more than an hour already,” mabilis na sabi ng matinis at maawtoridad na boses sa kabilang linya. I knew it.  It was her mother. Hindi nito itinago ang iritasyon at pagkainip sa boses nito.

          Hindi niya naiwasang makaramdam ng pagrerebelde. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin nagbabago ang kanyang ina. She always talks to her as if she’s one of her followers. Huminga siya ng malalim upang pawiin ang nararamdaman. “I went out for a while. Paano niyo nalaman na nandito na ako? Wait, you don’t have to answer that. I can clearly guess how you did it. Pinapasundan niyo pa rin ako hanggang ngayon mama?” aniya sa pilit pinakaswal na tinig.

          Hindi ito nakaimik. Patunay na tama ang hinala niya. Then her mother said in a softer voice. “We’re just worried about you. Kahit noong nasa amerika ka ay bihira ka tumawag sa amin upang mangumusta. Kahit ngayon bang nasa pilipinas ka ay hindi mo man lang maiisipang tumawag? We haven’t seen you in a long time already. And why are you renting an apartment kung pwede ka namang bumalik dito sa bahay? Your room is still as it was before. Hindi na rin dito nakatira ang kuya Raymond mo at si Ramses kaya kami na lang ng papa mo ang nakatira dito,” anitong tinutukoy ang mga kapatid niya.

          She smiled bitterly. There’s no way I will go back on that prison. Matagal na panahon na niyang gustong makatakas sa bahay nila. Kung matatawag mang bahay ang mansiyon ng pamilya nila sa Forbes Park na wala naman siyang ibang nakakasalubong kung hindi katulong at kung minsan ay mga politiko at mga body guards ng mga ito. For her, that place was more like a social function room than a home sa dalas magpaparty ng mga magulang at panganay na kapatid niya. Kahit kailan ay hindi siya naging komportable sa lugar na iyon.

“Thank you for the offer mama but I am fine living my life on my own. Nasanay na ako na mag-isa lang akong namumuhay sa amerika at hindi ko na kayang baguhin ang lifestyle na ito. Although I can’t help but wonder, as far as I know mama, the only concern of our family is its reputation in the society. How come you’re concerned about me now?”

          She heard her inhaled sharply on the other line, as if she said something scandalous. She rolled her eyes. “You really turned into a black sheep Ria Marie. You used to be my most obedient child. Nang dahil lang sa lalaking iyon ay nagkakaganyan ka na? Mas mahalaga pa siya kaysa sa aming mga magulang mo?” tanong nitong may bahid pa ng hinanakit ang tinig. Pero ano bang malay niya kung umaarte lang ito?

          Napahigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa awditibo. Most obedient child? Hah, it was not something anyone could be proud of. Back then she was more of a puppet than obedient. Everything around her then was black and white. She felt as if her life was not hers then. She was just going along to what her parents want her to do because she was raised to do so. It was such a boring and nonsense existence.

          Until one fateful night, she met a rugged knight. He saved her not only from a bunch of men who tried to do something bad to her. He also saved her from her dull and restricted life. He brought colors to her life. For the first time in her life, she really felt how to be happy, how to be free.  He showered her with all the love and attention she never got from her family. He taught her to just do what she wants to do. He taught her to step out of her own boundaries and explore. He made her realize that life is beautiful. Binigyan siya nito ng kakaibang tapang na pinakakailangan niya sa buhay niya. tapang na tumayo sa sarili niyang mga paa. Tapang na magdesisyon para sa sarili niya. Tapang na gawin ang gusto niyang gawin. Tapang na baon niya hanggang sa ngayon.

          But for her parents, he was just an opportunist who wanted to gain something from being with a politician’s and business heiress’ daughter. She gritted her teeth to avoid the fury she suddenly felt. How could her mother say it so casually? After what they did to her? After what they did to him? Just thinking about it makes her heart ache. Pero mukhang hindi nakakaramdam kahit katiting na guilt ang kanyang ina.

Muli ay huminga siya ng malalim. “He’s not the only reason why I want to be free mama. I’ve wanted to do this even before I met him. At hindi siya basta-basta lalaki lang. But even if I tell you that for sure you would not accept it. You didn’t even bother to know who he is then after all. Yet you did terrible things to him. Kayo ni papa,” sabi niyang hindi na itinago ang hinanakit para dito.

          Muli hindi ito umimik. She was not in the mood to talk to her more. Baka kung anu-ano pang masabi niya rito. “Kung wala na kayong sasabihin ay ibababa ko na ang telepono. Don’t worry, bibisitahin ko kayo kapag nakahanap ako ng oras. Good night mama,” malamig na aniya.

 Hindi na niya hinintay na sumagot ito at ibinaba na ang telepono. It took all her willpower upang huwag ibagsak ang telepono. She was her mother afterall. Kahit pa hindi naman ito naging ina sa kanya kahit kailan.

          Kinalma niya ang sarili at nagtungo sa sala. Pabagsak na umupo siya sa sofa. Kahit noon ay nauubos ang enerhiya niya kapag ito at ang papa niya ang kausap niya. Siguro ay dahil noon, kapag ang mga ito ang kausap niya ay alam niyang wala siyang mapapala kahit na igiit niya ang gusto niya. Because in the end ay ang mga ito pa rin ang masusunod. But that was before.

 Bumuntong hininga siya at saglit na pumikit. Bits of memories came in her mind. Umiling siya at muling dumilat. Tumingin siya sa wristwatch niya. It’s already time for the primetime news. She reached for the remote control and opened the television.

          Sa isang iglap ay tumambad sa kanya ang napakaguwapong mukha ng news anchor ng numero unong primetime news sa pilipinas. He has a dark complexion. A very masculine shape of face, perfectly shaped nose paired with thin lips. His eyes were chinky and black as the night. The way he looked on the screen could make any woman squeal with admiration and any enemy shiver with fear.

There was just something about his eyes that could make people feel that way. His eyes reverberates flooding wisdom and personal experience along with a masculine sexiness that is very rare to see on news anchors these days. Yet his eyes also reflect aloofness, ruthlessness, coldness and heartlessness it’s making her chest constrict. Because she knew that that expressions on his eyes are partly her fault.

Ang boses nito ay buong-buo na masarap sa pandinig. His diction is perfect and full of authority and dignity. Na para bang lahat ng sinasabi nito ay batas at puno ng katotohanan. The quality of voice only the best news anchor in the country has.

          But for Ria, it was not only his voice that draws her to him. It was not just because of his gorgeous face or his fame. She was drawn to him because he was Greg Ledesma. The man she loved so much when she was young and loving still. Her own personal knight, her savior, and the man she has been dreaming to see even just for a while for ten years.

Akala niya kahit na makauwi siya ng pilipinas ay mahihirapan siyang masilayan ito. Hindi pala. She just opened her television on her first day in the country to at least break the silence on her apartment when she saw his gorgeous face on television.

          Noong una akala niya namamalikmata lamang siya. Na baka isa lamang aparisyon ang nasa harapan niya sa labis na pangungulila niya rito. Ngunit nang  maramdaman niya ang pamilyar na pagtalon ng puso niya habang nakatitig siya dito at habang naririnig niya ang boses nito ay sigurado siya, he was Greg, her Greg. And he was no longer the ruggedly gorgeous guy on a motorcycle she knew back then. He was now a dignified News Anchor.

Mula noon ay palagi na niyang pinapanood ang news program nito. Sa ganoong paraan man lang ay makita niya ito araw-araw. Alam niya kasi na malabong makita niya ito ng personal. Siguradong hindi nito gugustuhing makita siya.  

          She smiled despite the sadness she suddenly felt nang muling ifocus kay Greg ang camera. She was happy for him. She knew it has always been his dream to be the best male news anchor in the country. Despite his rugged and carefree disposition back on their college years, she believed then that he will be what he wanted to be. At iyon nga, sa kabila ng lahat nang nangyari ay nakamit nito ang pangarap nito. That’s just the kind of man Greg is. He is someone who will do what he wants.

          At sa hindi na niya mabilang na beses sa loob ng mahabang panahon ay muli na namang bumabalik sa isip niya ang mga panahong kasama niya ito. She could still remember the first time she met him as if it was just yesterday. She could still remember the times she was with him, the happiest days of her life.

          Sa loob ng sampung taon ay palagi niyang inaalala ang nakaraan. Hindi siya takot makaalala. Dahil para sa kanya, ang mga alaala niyang kasama si Greg ang tanging nagpapalakas ng loob niya sa mga araw na nag-iisa siya sa ibang bansa. 

          And just like in the movies, flashes of the past came flooding on her mind. And she accepted it wholeheartedly. Kahit sa alaala man lamang ay muli niyang makasama si Greg.