NOT really her ex-husband. They only became live-in partners . . . if that's what you call living in a house with the three of them—Meika, Resty, and his mother. Meika was never married to Resty Fondejar. They planned to, but it was never executed . . . Hindi na naman niya iyon nilinaw pa kay Istela. Sakto kasing pinatay na ng driver ang makina ng sasakyan. Sakto ring nilingon sila ni Rommel, binigyan ng tingin na humuhudyat na pagbubuksan sila nito ng pinto bago bumaba ng kotse para gawin iyon.

Also, even if Istela had been her manager for eight years, Meika was always careful. Pili-pili lang ang ikinukuwento niya rito na may kinalaman sa kanyang dating buhay. Malaki ang tiwala niya sa babae lalo na at napatunayan naman nito na talagang maaasahan ito. But, she still didn't have the courage to tell anyone about her past.

Ang alam lang ni Istela ay dati siyang may asawa. Iniwan niya ang kanyang pabayang asawa labintatlong taon na ang nakalilipas at nagpunta sa Amerika. Nang sabihin niya rito na 'pabaya' ang dati niyang asawa, tila may namuo nang sariling konklusiyon sa isip ni Istela. Hindi na kasi siya nito inusisa pa. Kaya naman, limitado magpahanggang ngayon ang nalalaman nito tungkol kay Resty.

Istela got out of the car and she followed. Meika made sure she was already wearing her face mask to help conceal her face. Alam niya kasi na kahit hindi pa siya nagkakaroon ng concert sa Pilipinas ay sikat na rin siya at ang mga kanta niya rito. She let down her long, black hair, and dressed up pretty simply too—just a pair of ripped jeans and a white fitting shirt with sleeves that also hugged her arms.

Rommel opened the door for them.

Nanatiling nakapako si Meika sa kanyang kinatatayuan habang si Istela naman ay nagpatiunang pumasok sa loob. Nakasunod sa kanyang manager ang bell boy na may dalang cart na puno ng kanilang mga bagahe. Sumunod sa dalawa si Rommel.

Meika took a peek of the room first. She finally sighed in relief upon having a glimpse of how unfamiliar it looked. Totoo nga ang sinabi ni Istela na upgraded na ang mga silid ng hotel. Ibang-iba na maging ang color motif ng mga bed sheet at pillow cases.

Ibang-iba na sa hitsura ng mga silid sa hotel na ito na ginamit nila noon ni Resty . . .

As she stepped inside the room, everbody moved around urgently but with care. Istela was busy instructing the bell boy where to put each bags. Si Rommel naman ay sinisipat ang seguridad ng silid bilang personal bodyguard niya. When everything was cleared, the bell boy already left.

Istela closed the door behind her then stood close to her back. "What do ya think, Meika?"

Inilibot niya ang tingin sa malaking silid. It was the biggest room in the hotel, the room where Resty could not even take her in the past because it was damn expensive. Siya lang pala ang makapagdadala sa sarili niya rito.

The grand executive suite was divided into four parts. Right in front of her was a modestly sized entertainment area with peach-colored leather sofa set and a small glass table. It has a wide window that when you set aside the cream-colored curtains, a panoramic view of the city will be unveiled. The walls were painted in light beige and a big decorative plant stood at one of the corners of the area. Kahati ng entertainment area ang maliit na kitchen area. It was so small it only occupied one wall of the room but not as small as a mini bar. Nasa iisang counter na ang lahat—sink and faucet, isang makinis na 2-stove induction cooktops, maliit na espasyo para sa preparasyon ng pagkain, at mini fridge na nakapatong sa dulo nito. Katabi ng mini fridge ang isang hot and cold water dispenser. Katapat nito ang isang four-seater dining table. The rest were a master bedroom, a guest room with two beds, and a bathroom.

Meika cocked her head to the side and shrugged. "It's fine."

Pagkatapos ay dumeretso na siya sa master's bedroom. She found her bag and pulled out some fresh clothes and her travel pouch for her toiletries. She took a long, warm bath. Sumunod sa paggamit ng banyo si Istela.

Habang mag-isa sa master's bedroom, nag-dryer si Meika ng buhok. Then, she slipped into her matching pair of pink silk pajamas. She opened the window and looked at the darkness of the night that shadowed the city. She saw the twinkling lights from its buildings and cars that still made their way through the dark and shone. Then, her eyes went up to the sky. It was starless and dark but almost reflected the glare of the city lights like a black glass.

"Meika?"

She remained still knowing that it was Istela on the door.

"Do you need anything? Food? Drinks?"

She took in a deep breath. "Kape siguro. Para makatulog ako."

It must sound weird, but coffee puts her into a good sleep. Lalo na kapag ganitong may jet lag pa siya at naninibago sa time zone sa Pilipinas. Coffee just gives her that kick of energy, and when that energy is gone, down she goes . . . like a roller coaster that brings her up, then plummets down the rail until it stops.

Unfortunately, Meika had her coffee but she still could not sleep.

Bumangon siya mula sa higaan, umupo sa gilid nito at pinagmasdan si Istela. Alas-kuwatro na ng madaling araw at masarap na ang tulog nito.Habang siya naman ay ilang oras nang naka-headphones at nakikinig sa music mula sa kanyang smart phone, pero wala pa rin.

Another idea came to mind.

Meika got dressed into a gray sweatshirt and jogging pants. She ponytailed her hair and still wore her face mask to avoid being recognized. She put on her pink Crocs and left the suite. Tinahak niya ang carpeted floor ng pasilyo habang suot uli ang headphones at hinahanap ang playlist niya ng mga upbeat songs sa smart phone. She put it on shuffle and once she was out of the building, Meika began jogging.

She jogged slow at first, until moments later, her feet were timing with the beat and rhythm. A few minutes more and she was already mumbling the lyrics while jogging. A little later she was already singing it while running around the parking area. Ganito raw kasi ang ginagawa ni Beyoncé na vocal training. Kumakanta habang tumatakbo o nagdya-jogging. She jogged as if she was chasing the breaking sun. And when its warm glow touched her face, she stopped and panted. Then, she took in deep breaths to catch her breath.

Meika felt so tired now. Medyo sinisi pa niya ang sarili dahil nakalimutan niyang mag-stretching bago mag-jogging. She scanned through her playlist and picked the one with mellow song song in it. Para pagkabalik niya ng suite ay relaxed na ang kanyang katawan.

Nang marating ang loob ng hotel building, tumugtog ang Can't Let Go ni Mariah Carey. Kunot-noo na inilabas niya ang smart phone mula sa bulsa. She turned it on and scanned her list of songs. She definitely loves Mariah Carey, but she cannot carry a Carey in the morning. Especially if it's a break-up song.

Dahil tutok ang kanyang mga mata sa screen, nagulat siya nang makarinig ng mabibigat na yabag. Gulat na napamulat siya at awtomatikong sumiksik sa gilid ng pader. As she lifted her eyes, she saw who was charging toward her direction.

Resty Fondejar . . .

His eyes are brown, but from their distance, they looked like intense black pools. His brows furrowed as if in concentration. His jaws were tense. His lips . . . firm.

He wore an unbuttoned gray suit blazer. Gray slacks. No neckties. The white shirt under the blazer was already unbuttoned halfway. He was not alone. Behind him was a woman with big waves of bouncy hair dyed in the lightest of browns. She wore a sexy red halter neck dress. She has that slim figure and big boobs. Resty pulled her by the hand while she almost stumbled, trying to keep up with him.

For a moment, everything stopped for her. What she was seeing was like a tsunami. She knew that it was a disaster coming toward her, but she still could not look away. Neither run. She remained where she stood. Ni hindi niya maunawaan kung paano siya nakatagal sa kinatatayuan kung ganitong nanginginig ang buo niyang katawan.

Nangangatog ang kanyang mga tuhod.

Humihilab ang bawat himaymay niya.

Bumibigat ang kanyang kalooban.

Tumatahip ang kanyang dibdib.

She hoped for something that would free her found being bounded here. Something that would snap her out of the spell that froze her. Maybe just a glance. A nod.

A sign of recognition.

But what brought her back to her senses was that woman's nervous chuckle. It resounded in the hallway. "Come on, Resty, slow down!"

Her eyes narrowed. You should be really nervous. Once he gets pumped, he'll never slow down. Lulumpuhin ka niyan—

Namilog ang kanyang mga mata. Maging siya ay nagulat sa sariling naging takbo ng pag-iisip. Gusto niyang tampalin ang sarili!

Nanatili naman sa harap ang tingin ni Resty. Ni isang segundo ay hindi siya nito tinapunan ng tingin. He just shrugged his shoulders a bit, as if he was struggling with pulling that woman before they completely walked past her.

Meika rolled her eyes. Nakapag-hotel na sila, ah? Saan pa nila balak pumunta? Madaling-madali ang makating— Her thoughts were interrupted by an internal groan. Nauulinigan niya kasi ang panunudyo ni Mariah Carey na hindi pa maka-let go kahit anong subok ang gawin. Ibinalik niya agad ang tingin sa screen and naghanap ng bagong kanta.

She picked a random song, so as not to hear that sad song anymore.

***

ISTELA was getting worried. Ilang oras na kasing nakatayo sa tapat ng bintana si Meika.

Hawak nito ang smart phone pero walang suot na headphones. Ayaw nito magpaistorbo kaya alam na agad ng manager na nagko-compose ng lyrics sa Notes app nito ang dalaga.

Naging abala saglit si Istela sa hotel phone. She just called the room service and requested for their lunch to be brought to their suite. Pagkatapos niyon, kinausap ito ni Rommel nang masinsinan sa guest room. Ini-report lang naman nito na lumabas si Meika ng suite nang walang paalam. Hindi nag-alala ang manager dahil ayon sa bodyguard ay nag-jogging lang naman ito at vocal exercise.

Pagkatapos, nadatnan ni Istela si Meika na nakatulala na lang sa panoramic view sa labas ng bintana. She tied her blonde hair up into a bun, straightened the hem of her plain black shirt with 'money-ger' printed across the chest part of the shirt in lowercase letters, and wiped her hands on the sides of her denim shorts.

Sumimple ito ng lapit sa likuran ni Meika. Her neck craned, peeking at the smart phone on her hand. Then, she glanced at her face—the face of a woman lost in a trance. Wala sa panoramic view ng siyudad ang diwa nito kahit sa una ay aakalaing pinagmamasdan iyon ni Meika. What alarmed Istela was when Meika sniffed. Then, she remembered that when Meika was holding back something, like emotions, she would be stiff and immobile. Tumulo na ang luha nito kaya inagaw na ni Istela ang smart phone at binasa ang nakatipa roon.

"Istela!" tila makaawa ni Meika sa nanginginig na boses. "Akin na 'yan!"

Hindi ito nakinig sa alaga. Sa halip, nilayuan pa ito ni Istela para mabasa nang maayos ang nasa screen. "Can you do a Carey? Go down and we'll see," she mumbed. "Will it be real high or quite low? It depends which way you'll lick me—" Pinamulahan agad ng mukha si Istela. Marahas na umikot ito para harapin si Meika. "Ano'ng nakakaiyak dito, Meika!? What the fuck—"

Gigil na hinablot nito ang smart phone. "Bakit ba kasi nanghahablot ka ng phone!"

"Are you writing about your ex-husband? Dahil lang nandito tayo sa hotel kung saan—" Lalong nanlaki ang mga mata nito. Labis ang pagka-eskandalo sa mukha ni Istela. "Oh, no. No, you don't! Stop it! You are not going to release that song! Have some dignity! When he hears this, he'll know it's about him!"

"I did not say I'll sing this!" patay ni Meika sa smart phone at ibinulsa na ito. "And since when did I release a song written like that?"

Inihilig ni Istela ang ulo. "If I only knew that you will still be affected by a lot of the memories you've made here in the Philippines, we should have gone to Japan instead."

"What affected? Hindi na, uy!"

"Yeah, sure. You're not affected anymore. That's why your eyes are rimming with tears," Istela provokingly lunged her face forward, as if pointing her chin at Meika's teary eyes.

"I'm just teary . . ." Medyo nahirapan siyang humagilap ng sasabihin sa Ingles. ". . . because I'm angry!"

"Angry?" hindi makapaniwalang ngisi ng manager at ini-ekis ang mga braso nito.

"Oo! Dahil naroon ako pero hindi niya ako nakilala!" Meika scoffed. Napailing pa at napamayweng. "The nerve! Ang kapal ng mukha! How dare he ignore my presence?" Itinuro nito ang sarili. "The Jen Duh! He just ignored the—"

"Ahuh. Is that the only reason?" Mukhang mataray na si Istela pero may pang-aasar sa mga mata nito. She slightly leaned back, while her arms were still crossed.

"Of course! Na-hurt niya ang pride ko!" panlalaki ni Meika ng mga mata rito.

"What got hurt? Your pride? Pride mo lang?" nagpipigil itong mapangisi.

"E, kasi, Resty. One. Meika. Zero!"

Kumunot ang noo ni Istela pero hindi pa rin nagbabago ang tila naaaliw na ekspresyon sa mukha nito.

"He just showed up sa akin, na naka-move on na siya! Na may ibang babae na siyang inaano! E, ako dapat itong may sweet revenge sa aming dalawa! Ako dapat ang makaganti!" Meika curled back her lips to hold back a sob. Unfortunately, her eyes could not do the same anymore. Her warm tears began sliding down her cheeks. "Nakakainis!"

"Yeah, right. You're naiinis. So you are writing a song about getting fucked—"

"Istela," biglang tawag ni Rommel.

Tila binuhusan ng malamig na tubig ang manager.

"Istela, tawag ka ni Rommel," usig dito ni Meika na nagpupunas ng mga luha bago tumalikod at tinungo ang master's bedroom.

Napailing si Istela at naiinis na hinarap si Rommel.

"What is it, Rommel?" pamaywang ng babae.

Rommel's face remained emotionless. "I have already checked the perimeter. I just got off of my phone too. Caloy—" tukoy nito sa driver nila, "—said he's done checking the routes we are going to take for your trip later."

"Okay. After lunch, keep an eye on Meika." She might do something crazy. Like jog again to cross paths with whoever her ex-husband is. "Me and Caloy are going to Marikina."

Rommel nodded and headed to the guest room.

Doon pinakawalan ni Istela ang pinipigilan na hininga. Inalalanito ang mga naka-schedule na gagawin sa araw na ito bago umupo sa sofa, katabing phone. Manonood muna ito ng TV habang hinihintay ang pagdating ng tanghaliannila