Prologue
2045 Words
"Ma'am, nandito na po ang mga appetizers na pinahanda niyo." My secretary said before leading the way papunta sa buffet table.
I am checking the menu and the food changes in the 'priority' hotel that we provide food service for almost ten years na. It is one of the biggest hotels in the country and it is owned by the family of my ex-boyfriend, Zachario Czavier Donovan.
I must be crazy to even be in a same place where he might suddenly show up. Iniisip ko pa lang ang pangalan niya ay para na akong sasabog sa galit, paano kaya kung makita ko pa siya?
Mas pinili ko nalang na balewalain ang nasa isipan ko. I just need to do my job. That's it. I should not let my personal feelings interfere with my work.
Alam ko naman na wala akong ibang choice kung hindi panatilihin ang magandang transaksyon sa kompanya nila, our company benefits the most sa partnership na ito kaya ayaw nila Daddy na sirain ang business negotiations sa Donovan Hotels.
Kahit pa na nagmakaawa ako noon sa kanila na huwag ako ang magmamanage sa food preparations and planning para sa hotel nila ay hindi nila ako pinagbigyan. They said that I must do it myself. That I am much more capable of handling this. Kaya naman kahit labag sa kalooban ko ay sumunod na lang ako sa gusto nila.
It has been five years simula ng ilipat sa akin ni Daddy ang position niya, and all those years pabalik balik ako sa Donovan Hotels to check personally kung maayos ang service ng food sa kanila.
Five years. I have been coming back and forth to their hotel, but he never showed up. Not even once.
I heard he is out of the country, and that he is engaged to a famous fashion model. It is the same girl he told me not to worry about when we were still together. That was the last news I heard about him. Pinili ko na hindi makibalita o kahit pa maging curious sa kahit anong tungkol sa kanya. I am much better now because of that. Not knowing anything can make me think less.
Good for him. I sarcastically laughed inside my mind. Paano niya nagagawang maging masaya knowing na may nasaktan siya? Nevermind I guess, it's all in the past. I moved on from that, I should stop thinking about it anymore.
"Did you separate the ones that will be served for the customers who have allergies with peanuts and seafood?" I asked my secretary while looking at the food on the table. May mga tao na pumupunta na para kumain, it is already lunch time.
Inihihiwalay namin parati ang mga appetizers na pwedeng kainin ng mga may allergies, we don't want to be sued dahil lang nakakain sila ng food na may allergies sila. We have list of their allergies prior to the information that was provided by the hotel manager. Mostly mga allergic sila sa seafood and peanuts.
We have a lot of dishes on our menu, but I prefer everyone to have a taste of every dish that we have without the fear of allergic reactions. The food still tastes the same. The only difference is the ingredients that were used.
"Yes ma'am, they are all separated na po. On the right side are the normal ones and on the left are for persons with allergic reaction to peanuts and seafood." Paliwanag ng secretary ko at tumango lang ako bilang tugon. Hindi naman sila malilito dahil may sign na nakalagay sa bawat standees doon.
Sinuyod ko muli ng tingin ang mga pagkain na nasa buffet table at nang masigurado ko na ayos na ang lahat ay naghanda na ako para umalis.
"Ah! Ang kati! Does this have peanuts?! Allergic ako sa peanuts!"
Napatigil ako ng makarinig ng sigaw mula sa babaeng customer na ngayon ay kinakamot na ang namumula niyang mga braso.
"Ma'am, may peanuts po talaga iyan dahil nariyan po sa lalagyan na pinagkuhanan niyo. Magkakasama po sila sa corner na iyan." Pagpapaliwanag ng isa sa mga service crew habang tinuturo pa ang lalagyan at standee na may nakasulat na 'huxley appetizers' sa kabila ang 'huxley appetizers without peanuts and seafood'.
Gaano ba siya ka-stupid para hindi mabasa ang nakalagay sa standee? O baka naman hindi lang talaga siya marunong magbasa?
I rolled my eyes before walking towards the lady. I need to take care of this now habang nandito pa ako, ayoko na mag pabalik balik pa.
I made my way in her direction and talked to her politely.
"We sincerely apologize for this incident, let us assist you to the hospital immediately to get you treated. Marisse, call our driver and take her to the hosp-" Naputol ang sinasabi ko nang bigla niya akong sigawan.
"I don't care! I will sue you! Hindi niyo inaayos ang mga pagkain niyo dito!" Sigaw niya habang hinahawak hawakan ang kamay niya na namumula.
"Paano kapag namatay ako dahil sa kapabayaan ninyo?! I will surely sue you and your stupid crew membe-" Pinutol ko din ang sasabihin niya dahil naririndi na ako sa boses niya.
"Edi mamatay ka na." I said in a bored tone.
I heard the people around us gasp, mga nakikinig at nanonood sa nangyayari.
I thought people in this hotel were all busy. I guess I'm wrong. Usually kasi mga businessman, politicians and with high profile persons lang ang pinapapasok dito. I envy them for having plenty of time to mind other people's business.
"Ano?! Ipapakulong talaga kita! You are so rude!" Sabi niya habang namumula na ang mukha sa sobrang galit. Kinuha niya ang phone niya sa bag at agad ko namang hinablot iyon mula sa kanya.
I am starting to lose my thin string of patience to this stupid creature.
"Give it back! Ipapakulong ko kayo! You will pay for this! Look at my arms!" Sabi niya at pinagduldulan sa harapan ko ang mga kamay niya.
Napairap naman ako at nagbuntong hininga bago tuluyang magsalita. Magsasayang na naman ako ng laway para kumausap ng taong walang utak.
"Listen," I faced her. "Kung hindi ka lang tatanga tanga ay hindi 'yan mangyayari sayo, kaya hindi mo kami masisisi." Hinatak ko siya sa harapan ng buffet table at tinulak para makita niya ang mga note na nasa standee. "Tingin ko ay hindi ka naman bulag para hindi makita kung ano ang nakasulat diyan. Gusto mo ba basahin ko pa para sayo?" I said to her while trying to compose myself, nauubusan ako ng pasensya sa hippopotamus na 'to.
"Kahit na mayroong ganiyan hindi niyo maiiwasan na makain ko iyan!" Sabi niya at dinuro duro pa ang mga notes.
"Bobo." I whispered, enough for her to hear it. Nakita ko naman na nanlaki ang mata niya kaya confirmed na narinig niya, napangisi ako at pinigilan ang sarili na matawa.
"Excuse me?! Did you just call me bobo?!" Hysterical na tanong niya.
"Bakit mo sinigaw? Binulong ko na nga lang para hindi nila marinig." Sabi ko at tumingin sa mga tao sa paligid na pinapanood kami. Lahat sila ay nakatingin at parang hinihintay ang sunod na mangyayari.
Don't they have better things to do? Funny, how people like to waste their time watching other people fight over petty things.
I was about to face her again, but someone caught my eyes.
Him. It's him.
He's here.
He is looking at me with those dark blue eyes, no emotion shown on his face.
I could not read any. I used to love those eyes. Now, I just hate them.
Umiwas ako ng tingin ng makitang naglalakad na siya palapit sa amin.
Narinig ko ang bulungan ng mga tao sa paligid. Ngayon lang siguro nila napansin ang may ari ng hotel dahil abala sila sa panonood sa amin. Mga chismosa.
"What happened?" He asked habang nakatingin kay hippopotamus.
Napairap naman ako ng kumapit siya sa braso ni 'Mr. Donovan' at tinuro ako.
"Ask her and her lousy management!" Sigaw niya habang parang bata na nakanguso sa harapan ni Mr. Donovan.
Kumunot ang noo ko at pinagkrus ang mga kamay ko sa dibdib ko. Sa akin na ngayon nakatingin si Mr. Donovan pero pinili ko na lang na kay hippopotamus tumingin kahit ang pangit niyang tignan kaysa makipagtitigan sa ex-boyfriend ko.
"It was clearly your fault for not reading the notes on the standees. I even offered na dalhin ka sa hospital but you wanted to sue us for something that we are not responsible with." I said continuously.
"Is that true?" Mr. Donovan asked hippopotamus pero sa akin pa rin nakatingin.
Tumingin ako sa kanya at tinaasan siya ng kilay. He smiled and looked away kaya napaiwas din ako ng tingin.
What the f*ck is that.
"It is their fault naman kasi-" She dramatically said blaming us again kaya I cut her off.
"No, you are at fault. Let's just go to the hospital to get you treated. Pero I think mabubuhay ka pa naman, nakakasigaw at nakakalandi ka pa kahit mukha ka ng tomato." I said and motioned Marisse to come para madala na siya sa hospital.
Nakita ko naman ang pagpapanic niya sa sinabi ko kaya napabitaw siya kay Mr. Donovan at hinawakan ang mukha niyang pulang pula na.
"My secretary will take you to the hospital." I said before turning my back at them, not minding to say goodbye.
I looked around, "Tapos na ang show, makakaalis na kayo. Remember to look at the standees para hindi kayo matulad sa kanya. If you are illiterate, just ask one of the crew to read for you or assist you. Thank you." I said and started to walk away but stopped when someone called me.
"Amethyst." He called my name. It's been years since I heard him say my name, the last one wasn't a good memory.
I want to continue walking but I have to be professional lalo na at nasa workplace ako. I trained and waited for this moment.
This one moment that I will look at him and not feel anything, nothing but my shattered heart. I can't fool myself. It's been years. I thought okay na ako. Pero ngayong nandito siya sa harapan ko, alam ko na masakit pa rin. I can still feel the pain like it just happened yesterday.
I faced him and plastered a fake smile on my face. "Yes, Mr. Donovan?"
He stared at me for a second and said, "It's nice to see you again." He said while a small smile was on his face.
I smiled again at him. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Zachario Czavier Donovan. I am Amethyst Rose Huxley, the CEO of Huxley Restaurant." I said while offering my hand for a handshake.
I saw the confusion covering his eyes. I smiled bitterly. Did he already forget what he said to me years ago?
"Why are you acting like we just met for the first time?" He said looking at my hand, not accepting it so I just held my bag.
"You asked me to forget everything about you seven years ago, and I did, perfectly. You know how foolish I was back then." I said and stepped backward. I can't spend another minute in the same place with him.
"If you may excuse me, I have to go." I turned my back on him and started to walk away.
"I did not mean it." He said it loud enough for me to hear it.
Hindi ako lumingon, diretso lang ako sa paglalakad katulad ng hindi niya paglingon sa akin habang umiiyak ako noong gabi na mas pinili niya na saktan ako kaysa manatili sa tabi ko.
I needed you that time, Zac. You could have lied to me. I don't care if you mean it or not, you could have said that you wanted to stay, but you didn't.
You promised that you would never hurt me and I believed you.
You promised that you would never leave me, but you let me beg just to make you stay, but in the end, you still left.
I do not know what went wrong. All I know is that I loved you.
Was loving you supposed to hurt this much?
When will my love be ever enough?
- Writer
