Dauntless

Chapter 3

"Should we take a photo?" Tanong niya sa akin.

As our first date, we went to a café. Sabi niya kasi aesthetic yung place. It's a perfect place to have a date. Kung sino man ang makakakita sa amin ay paniguradong masasabi nila na nagde-date kami. That's actually our goal. Pero ang pag-uusapan namin ay tungkol sa contract. Yes! We need a contract para walang lalabag sa usapan.

"Sure!" I agreed.

Iniharap niya sa amin yung front cam ng phone niya and took a snap.

"Para saan 'yung photo?" I asked.

"Ipo-post ko. I'm gonna write a caption like, 'thank you my love'. Something like that," sagot niya.

"Huwag muna," I stopped him. "Both of you just broke up. Baka masabi niyang pinagseselos natin siya."

"Isn't that what we are after?" Kunot-noo niyang tanong. "Hindi ba't pagseselosin naman natin siya?"

Umiling ako. "Yun nga yung gagawin natin. But let's not make it too obvious. You're not gonna let her think that you are going that low, right? Dapat lowkey lang."

He nodded. "You got a point. Baka sabihin pa niyang I'm so desperate to have her back. I don't want to look pathetic."

I nodded back. "Exactly! Nakakaturn-off kaya 'yun."

"So, ano na ang gagawin ko? I want her to know that I'm entertaining someone. How will I do that?" Tanong niya.

"Hmm," inilagay ko yung hintuturo ko sa labi. "Pwede mo namang i-post. But don't put up some cheesy words. Lagyan mo lang ng words like a 'friend' or 'company'. She would be surprise that you're with someone that she's not familiar with."

"Mai-intriga siya!" He exclaimed. "That's brilliant!"

He typed something on his phone screen at pinabayaan ko lang siya. I took a bite from the mocha cake that Vaugn ordered for me.

"Should I tag you?" Tanong niya sa akin.

Umiling ako. "Let's be mysterious para mas lalo pa siyang maintriga. You can take stolen shots of me. Ano?"

"Game!" He excitedly exclaimed.

Napailing nalang ako. He's really hyper when we do these kind of things. Basta related lang sa oplan niyang pagselosin si Suri. He's always excited.

Iniharap na niya sa akin 'yung camera ng phone niya. Ako naman ay nagpanggap na hindi alam na kinunan pala niya ako. After he took some few shots ay pinapili pa niya ako bago niya in-upload sa social media.

"Posted!" He exclaimed. "Sana makita nga niya."

"Makikita niya 'yan," positibo kong sabi.

"I hope so." Binaba niya yung phone niya at naglabas ng papel at ballpen. Binigyan niya ako ng isang papel at ballpen. Kunot-noo ko siyang tiningnan.

"Para saan 'to?" I asked.

"We both need to write our conditions for the contract. Gusto ko kasi na may nakalagay ka din kondisyon keysa naman sarili ko lang 'yung iniisip," Sabi niya.

I nodded. "Okay."

"First, I want you to stay in my condo," He started.

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "You mean, sa condo mo na ako titira?"

He nodded. "Oo. Parang business lang naman 'yung set-up natin. Ako yung magiging boss ko and you'll be my employee. I'll pay you for your services. Saka mas gusto kong magkasama lang tayo para madali lang kitang matawagan."

"So basically, we will be sleeping under the same roof?" Tanong ko.

"Oo," he nodded. "I mean hindi naman bago. We already spent the night together."

"Sa iisang kama?" I trailed off.

He paused and blinked twice. "No! Hindi sa iisang kama this time!"

Napahinga ako nang maluwag. Mabuti naman.

"I'll be sleeping in the couch tapos ikaw sa bed," dagdag niya.

Umiling ako. "Hindi. Ako dapat sa couch. Condo mo 'yun at nakakahiya na ako pa 'yung matutulog sa bed mo."

"No. I can't let a girl sleep on the couch. Ako na talaga."

"I insist, Vaugn. Ako na talaga sa couch," Pagpupumilit ko.

He sighed. "Talagang mapilit ka no?"

I nodded. "Yup!"

"Fine," tango niya. "But when we start to get comfortable, we can take turns in taking the bed, okay?"

"Okay!"

He then writes it down on the paper in front of him. Mukhang seryosong usapan na talaga ito. Maybe I should also think about condition.

"Ikaw? Ano 'yung condition mo?" Tanong niya sa akin.

"How about staying away from people with different s*x?" I asked.

"Kasi?"

"Kung magjowa tayo or let's say 'getting to know each other', hindi ba dapat lumalayo tayo sa ibang tao to avoid misunderstanding. Alam mo naman mga tao ngayon, maissue," I said. "Sasabihin nila na magjowa tayo or mag-MU tapos may ibang ini-entertain. Kapag nakarating kay Suri 'yan ay fail na tayo."

He nodded. "Good point."

Yumuko ulit siya para isulat 'yung sinabi ko.

Ayoko ng gulo. Usually kapag ganito na nami-misunderstand ako ng mga tao, ako palagi 'yung kawawa. They invalidate my feelings kasi wala akong narating sa buhay. Sobrang baba ng tingin nila sa akin.

Si Vaugn kasi mayaman. If ever people would find me with another man while still pretending to be his girlfriend, they would probably misunderstand that I cheated or that I'm a gold digger. Ilang beses na din kasi akong sinabihan ng ganyan kaya wala akong mga kaibigan.

If ever people would find Vaugn with another woman, sasabihin naman nila na deserve ko. I could hear some words that goes like, "Buti nalang at natauhan na si Vaugn."

Pinangunahan ko na. Alam na alam ko naman 'yung sasabihin nila. Harsh words are not new to me. Lahat ng masasamang salita ay nasabi na siguro sa akin. That's why I don't want to be in any misunderstandings.

"If ever may isang lalabag, she or he has to pay," Sabi ni Vaugn

"Pay? Pero wala akong pera," I said.

"Kaya huwag kang lumabag. It"s a simple as that!" He snapped.

"If ever I accidently broke one rule— hindi ko sinabing lalabag ako ah! Ano lang. If ever lang," I paused. "Would I really pay cash?"

"Hmm," Inilagay niya 'yung hintuturo niya sa ibaba ng labi. "Considering your status right now, pwede mong bayaran through service or whatever you can offer."

"Okay. Basta whatever. Got it," I nodded.

Matipid siyang ngumiti saka binalik sa papel 'yung tingin.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"I volunteer in cleaning the condo," Tinaas ko ang aking kamay.

Umiling siya. "No. Kada weekend ay may papasok na cleaning lady so don't worry. I got that covered."

"I insist. May trabaho ka tapos ayoko naman tutunganga lang ako. Kaya sige na. Para hindi ako ma-bored," I insisted.

Napangisi siya at umiling. "Okay okay. Ikaw na ang maglilinis."

"Hindi lang maglilinis!" I added. "Ako na din ang magluluto para naman kapani-paniwala 'yung role ko. Okay ba?"

He nodded. "As you wish."

Napangiti ako. Para sa akin sobra-sobra na din kasi 'yung ini-offer ni Vaugn. Sa condo na niya ako tutuloy. I don't have to worry about rent na sobra kong pinoproblema noon. Plus, he will pay me for pretending to be his lover. Bonus na 'yung everyday kong kinakain dun sa condo niya. Para na nga niya akong in-adopt.

"Fifth," sabi niya at itinaas 'yung limang daliri niya. "We should call ourselves with our endearment."

"Ano 'yung endearment natin?" I asked.

"How about 'love'? It's sweet naman," he suggested.

"It's overused. Siguro 50-60% ng magjowa ay 'yan yung tawagan," iling ko.

"Oh, so want us to be unique?" Tumaas-baba 'yung kilay niya.

"Naman!"

"Okay. So what do you suggest?" He asked.

"Your surname is nice," I added.

"Amor?" He chuckled. "You just translated 'love' to Greek."

"But it's unique! I mean, I'm sure hindi lang tayo ang gagamit sa endearment na 'yan pero seldom lang naman, diba?" I asked.

"True," He nodded. "Mi amor?"

I smiled. "Mi amor."

"Then it's fixed! You can call me by my name kapag tayo lang. But it would be nice to call ourselves with our enderament like all the time para naman hindi tayo ma-o-awkward in public. Would that be okay?" Tanong niya.

"Walang issue sa akin 'yan."

"Good! Now for our last rule. No feelings attached," He said seriously.

It's initiative. Kapag business ay business lang. Gaya ng sabi ni Vaugn, para lang kaming employer-employee relationship sa set up na ito. Kahit pa sobrang sweet na namin, dapat no feelings attached talaga.

"Agree," I nodded. "Our feelings would get in our way."

"Aside from that, hindi natin kakalimutan kung bakit natin sinimulan ang set up na ito. The main objective is to make Suri jealous. So there is no reason for me to fall for you, and for you to fall for me. Vice versa," Paliwanag niya.

"You're too out of my league," I chuckled. "Don't worry about that. Wala din akong planong pumasok sa area na 'yan. Love."

"Good! Wala naman pala tayong problema sa last rule," He said.

Yumuko ulit siya sa papel at isinulat 'yung pangalan niya. After that ay inilagay na din niya yung lagda niya. He then passed me the paper.

"Lagyan mo din ng pirma mo," he said.

Gaya ng sabi niya ay nilagay ko na nga yung pirma ko. Ginaya ko din 'yung ginawa niyang isulat 'yung pangalan ko.

"Hindi ba't ang impormal naman nito as a contract?" I asked after I handed him the paper and his pen.

"Draft pa naman 'to. I will let you sign the encoded version," He said.

"Ahh! Sila na ba talaga?!" Nagulat kaming dalawa nang may biglang tumili mula sa kabilang mesa. Napalingon kami dito.

"Ano ba 'yan?" Tanong nung babae na kasama nung tumili.

"Si Suri at si Andrew. Sila na ba talaga? Hindi ito joke?!" Sabik niyang sabi.

"Ang late mo sa balita! Last week pa lumabas 'yung article tungkol d'yan," iling nung isang babae.

"Busy ako sa acads kaya hindi ako nakapag-open sa socmed over the weekend no? Ito naman. Pasenya na. Outdated lola mo," nguso niya. "Pero grabe no? Hindi ako makapaniwala! Noong una ko silang nakita sa TV, ang sabi ko sa sarili na may chemistry sila. Tapos nalaman ko nalang na sila na pala. Nakakakilig!"

"Sinasabi mo pa! Hindi pa nga ako naka-recover! Akalain mo 'yun? Poging artista at magandang model. Perfect combination!" sagot nung isa.

Napailing nalang ako. People would hype up about other people's life 'e hindi naman sila kilala sa mga taong iniidolo nila.

Binalik ko yung tingin ko kay Vaugn ngunit nakayuko na siya habang yung mga mata niya ay naluluha. Teka. Si Suri pala 'yung pinag-usapan nila!

"Vaugn," I called him.

"Hmm?" He responded at dali-daling pinahid yung luha niya. "Yes?" Tumingala siya sa akin. He tried to smile but I can still see sadness on his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked

Tumango siya. "Yes! I'm fine," He smiled assurely.

I know he's not. People are happy about the relationship of his ex and her new boyfriend. Mahal niya pa rin 'yung babae and hearing people happy about the news would hurt a lot. Kanina lang ngumingiti pa siya. But just a mere mention of her name, umiiba 'yung aura niya.

"Next time you hear it, cover your ears," I said.

"Ha?"

"Takpan mo kako 'yung tenga mo. Para kahit papaano ay hindi mo marinig, hmm?" I said.

He nodded. "Thanks, mi amor."