Part 9

I had my arms full of grocery bags when Kayla opened the door of her condo unit. I invited myself in while she remained at the doorway, frowning.

"What? Can't I visit my former home?"

I placed the bags on the countertop that contained ingredients to cook pasta. I opened the fridge to chill the bottle of sparkling drink I also brought with me.

Sumunod si Kayla sa loob na nakahalukipkip parin ang mga braso. It's not even seven in the evening and she's already in her pajamas and oversize gray sweatshirt, while I was still in my outfit from the studio visit.

Nothing had changed since I moved out of this place. My knack of interior design made the unit showroom worthy but I can't expect Kayla to continue the tradition of remodeling whenever she's bored of how  the place looks. She's just gonna be like 'what's the point of changing things if it can serve the same purpose?' Hello, aesthetic?

Kayla sat back on the sofa while I rummaged her kitchen. To be honest, I was worried about her that's why I'm here. Since meeting with her boyfriend before the jerk head to Baguio for work, she's been really  silent and refusing to talk about it. And she can do it for a long time if  not prevented. If not for my invitations to hang-out or my sudden barge-in like this, she's just gonna stay in the condo for weeks straight without noticing.

I checked the cupboard for additional ingredients I can cook with. But there's nothing in here except for a few condiments and most were already expired.

"Kayla!"

"What?" she muttered from the sofa.

"What have you been eating these past week? You don't even have supplies here."

"Food delivery?" She had the guts to say. "There are instant noodles in there somewhere."

I stretched my hands in frustration. In times like this, I really want her  out of that messy relationship. Not only because I don't like the guy-- hate is an understatement. But more importantly, I don't want to see Kayla like this... forgetting herself.

I washed the ingredients I brought with me on the sink. I already  expected there's barely anything I can cook with but not to this extent. Fortunately, I bought the complete ingredients to the spinach aglio olio with mushroom, including the fresh condiments I can leave in her  condo.

"You're waiting for a chat or something?" I asked.

"Not really."

"You're not good at lying."

It was clear as daylight how she constantly checks her phone on the coffee table while sitting on the sofa, hugging her knees close to her chest.

"It's been three days." She placed her forehead on top of her knees. "Hindi niya parin ako kiko-contact."

The spinach leaves crushed on my hands.

"He's probably busy adjusting," I offered.

I know the bastard was deliberately ignoring Kayla's messages. But I couldn't point it out specially when Kayla's already so down. If only I can set her up on a blind date or something.

I turned off the faucet. Isang bagay ang bigla kong naalala.

Bago ako umalis sa studio kanina, a member of Saint Claire kept pestering me. Jarvis, the drummer, had been asking me for Kayla's number.

I shook my head at the idea. What am I thinking? Nope, not gonna happen. A member of Saint Claire? I'll never let Kayla get involved in this mess.

I busied myself preparing the rest of the ingredients. I had the garlic minced, the mushroom chopped and the spinach washed. The pasta's already in the boiling water and there's enough olive oil. I wanted everything to be organized while cooking.

"Why are you here anyway?" tanong ni Kayla mula sa sofa.

"Wow, it's like you only notice I'm here now that I'm cooking your meal."

She responded to my sarcasm with a frown. "I thought you had this  studio interview?"

"It wasn't an interview," I pointed out. "Just a bit of an observation."

While sauteing the garlic and mushroom, muli siyang nagtanong. "Now that I think about it... weren't you a fan of a local band when I met you  in college?"

I paused from stirring with the wooden spatula. "Am I?" I made my response as nonchalant as possible.

"I don't remember much about it," she muttered as though she was seriously trying to recall things. "Except that you were known to ditch class to attend their gigs."

"I must really be a fan then?" Nag-focus ako sa niluluto ko bago pa ito masunog.

"Who was this band again? Are they still playing music?"

"I have no idea," I lied.

"Weren't you one of the member's girlfriend at some point?"

Kayla was blurting things out without knowing and I had to act like it wasn't affecting me.

"Where the Parmesan cheese again?" I mumbled and acted like I was searching for it.

I didn't want to lie to Kayla but what's in the past shall remains in the past. I will just explain to her later once the entire cover feature was  over.

Because right now, I don't want to face it.

While eating home cooked pasta and drinking sparkling wine, I kept reminding Kayla to stock-up food. Thank goodness the condo was spotless clean because she cleans whenever she procrastinate from writing.

In the middle of our meal, her phone screen lit up from the coffee table. She stood up and grabbed it so swiftly only for her excitement to be crashing down.

"You're right," she mumbled after placing the phone back. "He's too busy for me."

I twirled the pasta strands on my fork and sipped my wine.

Men... you can never rely on them.

--

The last day of the studio visit finally arrived. I woke up feeling extremely queasy and when I stood up from the bed, the entire room swayed before me.

I had to close my eyes and wait for the worst possible feeling to settle before I managed to walk to my drawer and search for my medicines. Of all the days my vertigo decided to act-up, it chose a day where I can't mess up.

I arrived at the studio before lunch. I brought with me one of the company's photographer and his assistant for the mini photoshoot. The members were all present in the studio and Sancho seems to be in a  better mood compared to the last time I saw him. He's back to fooling around with the members.

The photoshoot didn't last long. I assisted them to make sure there's no confidential details captured on camera. After the photoshoot, the members went straight to the live room for the final half of the  recording.

I stayed in the control booth with the others, including the manager and stylist. We were all seated on the couch when the stylist, Ms. Zoey,  turned to me.

"Okay ka lang Ms. Eula? Ilang beses kang nawalan ng balanse kanina sa shoot."

Ngumiti ako. "I'm okay."

I had to lie. The last thing I needed is for the client to feel  uncomfortable by worrying about me. Before I placed my gaze back to the iPad in my hand, I noticed the live room where Sancho was staring  at me.

There was a short break from the recording by afternoon. The members and staff, as well as the producer, went to the lounge area on the same floor to get snacks and drinks.

I remained on the control booth to check on my notes. Pagtayo ko para sumunod sa kanila, the entire room swirled and the floor spun on my  feet.

I tried to hold on a chair for balance when someone grabbed my arm to steady me. I stared at the familiar sun tattoo on the vein covered arm. Sancho was in the room with me.

"Where's your bag?"

Naguluhan ako sa tanong niya. He sat me back on the couch before he roamed his eyes around the room. Nang makita niya ang itim na Prada handbag sa table, kinuha niya ito at binuksan.

"Hey-" What is he doing?

He begun checking the small pockets inside the bag until he pulled out my medicines. I stared at him, surprised that he still knew where I keep them.

Sancho opened the bottled water in his hand saka niya inabot ito kasama ng gamot. "You skipped your meds during lunch because of the photoshoot."

Nakatitig parin sa'kin si Sancho matapos kong inumin ang gamot. "Thanks, Mr. Santana." It was weird to call him in such a formal way when he even knew where I keep my medicines.

"Madalas ka nanaman magpuyat," he told me. "Sleep better."

I watched him step out of the room. He even remembered the triggers  of my condition.

Why are you doing this, Sancho? Why are you messing with my head again?

//