Dauntless

Chapter 6

"She's calling me," nakatulalang sabi ni Vaugn.

He unbelievingly stared at his phone, staring at Suri's face on his caller ID. I put down the popcorn that I was holding and turned to him.

"Should I answer it?" Tanong niya sa akin.

Umiling ako. "No. Baka isiping atat ka."

"But what if it's important? What if it's an emergency?" He argued.

"I thought that you don't want to look pathetic?"

"Fvck! Bahala na!" He said and answered the call instead.

Bumaba ang magkabila kong balikat. Parang wala lang pala 'yung pinag-usapan namin. Bakit ba kasi baliw na baliw talaga siya kay Suri? I get it. She's beautiful and talented. Pero sinaktan na kasi siya and yet he still chose to understand her and told himself that she still loves him.

At the end of th day, wala pa rin akong magagawa. I don't have the power to tell him the reality. Kasi nandito lang naman kami sa sitwasyon na ito na magpapanggap lang ako bilang nobya niya. Telling him things of what I think is right is not my place.

"Hello?" Sabik niyang sagot. "Yes, honey? What is it?"

Nasapo ko ang aking noo. Tinawag niya pa sa tawagan nila. She will probably think that he's really not over her.

His bright smile turned upside-down just a few seconds later after he answered the call. Kumuha ako ng popcorn at sinubuan 'yung sarili. I saw how his eyes blinked twice, how his shoulders dropped, and how his energy drained.

"Teka--" he said before the caller hung up.

Napatitig siya sa phone niya ng ilang segundo bago inihilamos 'yung kamay niya sa kanyang mukha. Lumapit ako sa kanya.

"Ano daw?" I asked.

"Argh!" He groaned. "It wasn't Suri. It was her manager."

Napakurap ako. Manager niya? Ano kaya 'yung itinawag niya? Vaugn looks so disappointed right now.

"What did she say?" I asked.

"She told me to stay away from Suri. Mapapahamak daw si Suri dahil sa akin. I mean, paano naman siya mapapahamak sa akin. Nagmamahalan lang naman kamjng dalawa!" He replied.

Nagmamahalan? I don't think so, Vaugn. Kung talagang nagmamahalan sila ay edi sana hindi nagloko 'yung babae sa kanya. Obviously he loves her, but the latter? I don't think so. She chose her career over him. Kung mahal man niya edi dapat wala siyang option.

"Nakita ka niya siguro kanina," I said. "You stood out from the crowd kasi matangkad ka."

"You think she really saw me?" His face suddenly lit up.

Napakurap ako. "H-Ha? Ano. Baka lang nakita ka niya."

"You know what? I think so too! Nakita niya ako! She must've told her manager that she saw me. Baka gusto niya akong makita after kanina but her manager refuses to. Maybe she keeps on talking about me kaya tinawagan ako ng manager niya to stay away from her!" Sabik niyang sabi. "See, Kaia? Mahal pa rin ako ni Suri!"

Ngumiti lang ko sa kanya, hindi malaman kung ano 'yung sasabihin. I couldn't say anything. My opinion doesn't matter anyway. Kahit sabihin ko pa na what if hindi ganun ang nangyari, he will still rebutt.

Pinagpatuloy namin 'yung movie pero buong magdamag ay paulit-ulit na sinabi niya na may patunay na siya na mahal pa rin talaga siya ni Suri. I wanted to slap my forehead or shook my head but I can't. Feel ko na wala ako sa lugar para kontrahin kung anuman 'yung nasa isip niya. I can't spoil his happiness.

Matapos 'yung movie ay napagdesisyonan naming matulog na. Nag-away pa kami kung saan kami matutulog. Ang gusto ko kasi ay sa sofa nalang ako at siya sa kama niya. Nahiya naman akong nagkulong sa silid niya. He fought until he gave up when I said na pinag-usapan na namin 'yung tulugan namin. Ang sabi ko kasi na saka nalang ako matutulog sa kama niya kapag komportable na ako. I won at the end.

Kaharap ko 'yung kisame habang humihiga sa sofa. Ang daming nangyari ngayong araw. Hindi din mawala sa isip ko 'yung mangyayari bukas.

My birthday.

Kaarawan ko na bukas at matagal ko nang hindi ito pinagdiwang. It's because I don't have any money to celebrate my birthday. Wala din akong mga kaibigan para i-surpresa lang naman ako. Ericka, my friend who got me in the bar, doesn't even know my birthday.

Alam ko naman na kailangan talagang may celebration for another year in life. Pero kasi para sa akin irrelevant na 'yung gagasto. Tuwing birthday ko ay walang celebration. I would just go to the church and would thank God for another year. Nung buhay pa si Auntie, wala ding celebration pero nilulutuan niya ako ng pancit. Pampahaba daw ng buhay. Gipit din kami kaya 'yun lang ang inihanda.

Thankful pa rin naman ako kahit ganun. Alam ko naman din kasi na mahirap lang kami. I appreciate my Auntie kasi kahit hindi niya ako totoong anak ay naisipan niyang paghandaan ako. Kahit pancit lang.

Bukas, sabi ni Vaugn may pupuntahan kami. He knows Suri's schedules kaya alam niya kung saan si Suri bukas. Sana man lang walang mangyaring masama bukas. Birthday ko pa naman.

The next morning, we woke up early kasi pupunta daw sa isang mamahaling restaurant si Suri. He told me that it would serve as out date for today. He will pay naman daw.

"We need to buy you something to wear," sabi niya.

Kumunot yung noo ko at tinuro 'yung suot. "Isn't this enough?" Turo ko sa simple top and maong pants na suot ko.

Umiling siya. "It looks fine. But for a date in a restaurant, hindi. It's so under-dress."

Dinala niya ako sa isang botique. I am speechless at the place. Kasi 'yung interior pa lang ay yayamanin na. How much more the customers!

"Okay lang sa'yo na ilibre mo ako dito?" I asked Vaugn at my side as I look around.

"Oo naman. I insist," he replied.

Tumango nalang ako. Libre niya naman so bahala na. Lumapit ako sa isang mannequin. Ang ganda ng dress! It's black which is my favorite color. If I would wear that for sure it would hug my body. Tiningnan ko 'yung price tag. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata at halos malalag ang aking mga panga sa presyo.

"Twenty-one thousand pesos?!"

Pangtuition ko na ito kung pinapatuloy ko lang 'yung pag-aaral ko. Gawa ba 'to sa gold? Bakit ang mahal naman?

"You like that?" Vaugn asked behind.

Umiling ako. "H-Hindi. Hanap nalang tayo ng iba."

Lumayo na ako sa mannequin. I might ruin the dress and I have to pay for the dress. Hindi ko pa naman afford.

Lumapit ako sa mga dress na nakalagay sa hanger. For sure hindi masyadong mahal dito. I took a red dress na for me, simple lang 'yung design. I looked at the price tag as mas lalo pa akong nagulat.

"Thirty thousand pesos?!" Pabulong kong sigaw.

"So, is it red?" Tanong ni Vaugn. "I'm sure it would fit perfectly."

Ibinalik ko yung dress at hinarap si Vaugn.

"Vaugn, pwede bang huwag mo nalang akong bilhan dito?" I asked.

Kumunot yung noo niya. "Why not?"

"Ang mamahal kasi. Feel ko hindi deserve ng isang babae tulad ko ang mga ganito. But if you insist of buying me a dress, pwede naman tayo sa ukay-ukay. Maraming mura doon. Mas makakatipid pa tayo," I suggested.

Ngumiti siya at umiling. "Don't say that. Kahit sinong babae ang deserve magsuot ng mamahalin. Sige na. Pumili ka na."

"I can't. It's just too expensive," iling ko.

Hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang balikat. "Fine. I'll choose something for you. Would that be okay?"

Hindi na niya ako hinintay pang makasagot. Tinawag na niya 'yung isang saleslady na agad ding lumapit sa amin.

"Yes sir?" Tanong nung saleslady. She's eyeing Vaugn from head to toe. Tumaas ang kilay ko.

"Can you help me find a dress for her?" Turo niya sa akin.

Lumingon sa akin 'yung babae at tiningnan niya din ako mula ulo hanggang paa. She then turned to Vaugn, smiling.

"What kind of dress, sir?" She asked.

"Not too flashy but at the same time, not too simple either," sagot niya.

"Okay sir. This way ma'am," iginiya ako nung saleslady kaya sumunod na din ako sa kanya.

Pinapasok niya ako sa isang fitting room. Binigyan niya din ako ng limang dress para maasuot. Dali-dali kong hinanap 'yung price tag pero wala. Baba-balikat kong kinuha 'yung isang dress para masuot na. It's orange with a spaghetti strap. Hanggang tuhod yung length. Matapos kong masuot iyon ay lumabas na ako kung saan naghintay si Vaugn.

Sumingkit ang mga mata ni Vaugn nang makita ako. He looked at me from head to toe. I can't bring myself to smile. For sure mahal na naman ito.

"You look pretty but not elegant enough," he said. "Next."

Bumalik ako sa loob ng fitting room para magbihis ng ibang dress. While I was undressing myself, I can't help but to overhear what the salesladies are talking.

"Ang gwapo ni Sir!" Tili nung isa.

"Nung tinawag niya ako girl, para akong hinihele. Sobrang bango pa," sabi nung isa.

"Sobrang bait din. Imagine, binilhan pa niya ng damit 'yung maid niya," someone said.

Napakurap ako. I scoffed. Ano daw?! Maid?! Ako ba 'yung tinutukoy nila?

"Maid ba 'yun? Akala ko girlfriend niya."

"Girlfriend? Nakita mo ba 'yung suot niya kanina? So cheap! Isa pa, sinabihan pa niya si sir sa ukay-ukay nalang daw sila bumili," sabi nung isa.

Wow ha. Ang judgmental naman. Maid pala ha.

Dali-dali kong sinuot yung pinaka-revealing na dress na pinili ng saleslady. It's color black and have a slit on the right thigh. Nang masiguradong ayos na ay lumabas na ako.

"Mi amor," I called Vaugn.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ng mga saleslady. Tumingala si Vaugn sa akin at nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata.

"What do you think?" I asked.

He stood up and was surprised to see me in a dress na super revealing. He blinked twice with a smirk on his lips.

"Mi amor," he chuckled. "Are you trying to seduce me?"

I giggled and looked at the saleslady on the side na nagulat sa narinig. Maid pala ha.

"Why? I like it naman," I said and looked at myself in front of the mirror.

I almost cringed at myself. Talagang nababagay sa akin 'yung dress. It perfectly hugged my body. Kunting make up lang at pangyayamanin na ako. Kaya lang it's not something that I would wear. It's uncomfortable.

"Boys would look at you. Ayoko!" Iling ni Vaugn. "Now, get changed."

I giggled. "Okay. If you say so."

Tumalikod na ako sa kanya para magbihis. Sumunod sa akin 'yung dalawang saleslady na nakayuko na. Bago pa man ako makapasok ay hinarap ko muna sila.

"If you want to talk behind someone's back, pakihinaan, okay?" I told them.

"P-Po?" Tanong nung isa.

"Your top priority is to satisfy your customers, not insulting them. You don't like me talking to your manager, do you?" I threatened them.

"S-Sorry, Ma'am. Hindi na po mauulit," magkasabay nilang sabi.

"As you should."

Tumalikod na ako sa kanila na nakangisi. I may be weak and poor, pero kaya kong depensahan 'yung sarili ko. Hindi ko hahayaang aapakan ako ng mg tao. For I know my rights.