AJ PATRICIO, HIS STUNNER

Chapter 9

For an uncertain day he called an unlucky day, he has to be in this tallest building among the building in line in this area of the town. He was happy when the day started, unfortunately, he has to meet the man — the protagonist of the story of life he was making. Although, he could not be here. Pero mas pinili n'yang pumunta dito dahil wala lang.

Gusto n'ya lang makita ang galit na mukha ng kaniyang ama na noon pa n'ya ginagalit. Hindi pa s'ya kontento sa mga nangyayari dito at ang ginawa n'ya last week sa interview sa kaniya ng isang magazine company, na kahapon pala ang released ay parang nakagawa yata ng mabuti para sa kaniya.

Napatigil s'ya sa paglalakad nang akmang papasok s'ya sa elevator nang mag-play bigla ang malaking monitor na narito sa lobby ng building na ito. Seryoso s'yang napatingin sa kung sino ang babaeng nasa loob nito. Kahit kailan ay hindi pa nakuha ng isang babae ang atensyon n'ya ng ganito pero kakaiba ang babae na ito.

She was the most beautiful woman he have seen in his entire life. Kumurap lamang s'ya nang mawala ang mukha ng babae sa monitor, napatingin s'ya sa elevator nang tumunog ito at doon n'ya pa lang napagtanto ang pagbukas nito. Ilang pagbaba na kaya ng elevator ang hindi n'ya napansin? Agad s'yang naglakad papasok at napalunok.

Umigting ang kaniyang panga sa isiping sa unang pagkakataon ay napatigil s'ya dahil sa mukha ng babae na nasa monitor. A celebrity girl? Gulo lang ang dala n'yan sa buhay ng kahit na sino dahil lahat ng lenses at mga mata ng camera ay nakasunod dito.

Agad s'yang naglakad palabas ng elevator nang tumunog at nakita n'ya ang floor number na kumikislap sa kulay pula nitong sulat. He smirked when he stepped his feet out of the elevator thinking that he is going to be seeing his father, the man in his dreams. He was vulgar and bold when he said all over the interview how he cutted his relationship with his father because of some reason that happened way back that even the decades would pass, he'll never forget.

Kahit na mag-away ang lupa at langit, hinding-hindi n'ya mkakalimutan ang bagay na iyon. That would always his Ace against the people that once ruined his life forever. Hindi ito ang unang beses na pinatawag s'ya ng ama dito sa opisina nito kaya dire-diretso ang kaniyang paglalakad papunta sa kung nasaan ang opisina ng matandang Guevara.

Pansin na pansin n'ya kung paano tumama sa kaniya ang paningin ng mga empleyadong nadadaanan n'ya, pero hindi n'ya ang mga ito binigyan ng pansin. The face of that certain woman keeps on coming back in his head. That face was different, she was fierce and bold. She was looking like someone who don't fight nonsense reasoning and all. She'll probably be a good player. Unfortunately, she happened to be a celebrity whom he never like to be with.

Because even the fact that journalists are into him because of achievements made way back abroad, he never like the flashes of the camera, if only it wasn't his intention of ruining the credibility of the root of his surname, he will never give a damn to the journalists that wanted to show him over the magazines. Ayaw n'ya lang kapag ito ay ipapalabas sa national TV. Magazines are enough with him.

"I am a busy person, Mr. Guevara, do you need anything serious from me?"

Iyan ang unang litanya na lumabas sa bibig n'ya nang itulak n'ya pabukas ang pinto ng opisina ng matandang Guevara nang hindi bumabati dito. He just don't think he need to give this old man a greeting. Nanlaki ang mga mata nito sa gulat dahil sa walang pagkatok n'yang pagpasok dito pero kalaunan ay nanlisik sa galit ang paningin nito sa kaniya na para bang gusto na s'yang ilibing nang buhay mismo sa kinatatayuan niya.

Agad itong tumayo mula sa pagkaka-upo sa kaniyang swivel chair at galit na galit na naglakad papalapit sa kaniya saka pinalipad nito ang kamao sa mukha n'ya. "You are a son of a b*tch!" sigaw nito nang tamaan ang mukha n'ya.

Inasahan n'ya iyon sa pagtayo palang nito pero hinayaan n'ya itong tamaan ang mukha n'ya. He did much more of this and that's enough. This time, this old man was facing a sh*t against him and that he gave him a headache. Hopefully a heart attack that he couldn't handle.

Nang makabawi ay naka-smirk s'yng humarap sa galit na galit na ama. "Really?" he mocked. "What I did was just a piece of cake for you, old man. I never did anything against your precious name so far and that was a surprise for you. Aren't you flattered that once in your life, I did something for you? That's what you want me do, right? To do something for my surname?"

Dahil sa sinabi n'yang iyon ay mas nanlisik sa galit at poot ang mga mata ng matanda. Ganyan nga, magalit ka tanda dahil kulang pa ang lahat nang iyan bilang kabayaran sa kasalanan mo, he thought over his mind.

"No wonder why even the first glance where you were born, I never felt anything right for you. I disagree with you having my surname," matigas na sambit ng matanda habang bakas na bakas ang galit at disgusto nito sa kaniya. Wala s'yang pakialam.

"Me having your name will be a nightmare to you, that's a promise," aniya nang may ngiting naglalaro sa mga labi. Seryoso n'yang tiningnan ang ama at sa mga mata n'ya, makikita ang pait ng kaniyang dinanas mula sa mga kamay nito. "Decades ago, I promised to make your life a living hell, old man, but you didn't believe me because I was nobody. You even just laugh at me now that you know yourself I was capable of doing my promise you are angry, just wait for it because I will be the happiest son in earth seeing his man crawling in the ground asking a help for his life and to live."