Chapter 5

Fake Relationship

Kuya Axel already proposed to Ate Eris. At nagkasundo na rin sila na magpakasal na rin agad. Maybe habang hindi pa ganoon ka-busy ngayon si Ate Eris sa work niya. She will be busy soon just like Mommy when she starts working in our law firm.

We actually grew up with busy parents. Since they were lawyers. At naging Judge din si Daddy noon. But I remember back then whenever they have time they still try to spend it with me and my sister. But after Daddy's passing, naging sobrang busy na ni Mommy sa pag-aasikaso ng firm that we couldn't spend some time together anymore. Tapos nagpunta pa si Ate Eris dati abroad to study law. So I was left on my own, and Mommy only check on me through Manang—our most trusted house help.

At kaya naman agad na rin ang naging paghahanda para sa kasal nila ni Kuya Axel at Ate Eris.

I checked my phone and I received a message from Kalyx telling me na susunduin niya raw ako mamaya at samahan ko lang siya.

I remember the talk we had at that time. Wala na rin akong maisip na rason kaya nasabi ko na rin sa kaniya ang tungkol sa amin nina Ethan at Janine.

And maybe it was also because I already got tired of lying. Na ayaw ko na sanang dagdagan pa ang pagsisinungaling ko. I just didn't expect that I would be honest to Kalyx Sevilla.

"I'm sorry..." una kong sinabi sa kaniya.

He remained looking at me. "Why are you apologizing?"

I took a deep breath before I speak again. "Hindi ko talaga sinasadya iyon... Pero nang time na 'yon I was in panic. I was panicking when Ethan confronted me and then I saw you passing by..."

"And then?"

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa.

I sighed. "I told Ethan that I like you, instead..."

And then I looked at him. I watched his reaction. I thought he'd get angry, but instead I saw him smiling like he find it, like he find me amusing...

"Hindi ka nagagalit?" Napatanong ako sa kaniya dala ng pagtataka.

He shook his head while still smiling. "Hindi ba totoo?"

"Ang alin?" I got confused for a bit there.

"That you actually like me?"

My eyes widened a fraction. "What?" Pagkatapos ay umiling-iling ako. "No." iling ko. "Actually, I didn't really know you at first. I just heard my friends talking about you..." Pero natigilan din ako. I can't tell him about my friends...

His face wrinkled a little. "Your friends? What are they talking about me?"

Umiling na ako sa kaniya. Pagkatapos ay mas umiling pa ako. I refuse to say more now.

Ngumisi na lang siya at hindi na rin naman ako pinilit pa na magsalita.

And that how it was. And it was also my idea that we enter into a fake relationship... just for the time being. Hindi ko rin sigurado ang rason ko kung bakit ko ba ginawa iyon. I just thought that Ethan would stop once he sees me with someone else, with Kalyx Sevilla.

"Alright. I agree to your plan, I guess..." He said.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya. Pagkatapos ay tumango ako. "Okay..."

Back in the present, naghanda na rin ako para lumabas ngayon kasama si Kalyx after he messaged me to go out today. Nagpapasama lang naman siya.

I just wore my usual clothes. Put on some light makeup, para naman hindi ako mukhang multo. Because I was told before that I sometimes look like a ghost dahil minsan ay namumutla rin talaga ako sa kaputian. Parang mas gusto ko nga sana na medyo morena rin naman ako just like Kassie's pretty naturally tanned skin. Pero sobrang puti ko lang talaga since I have both mestizo and mestiza parents. Kahit si Ate Eris ay maputi rin.

I got my bag and phone with me and then I was ready to go out.

"Oh, Rina? May lakad ka ngayon? Akala ko ba ay wala kang pasok sa eskwela?" Tinanong ako ni Manang nang makita niya akong bumaba at naabutang paalis ng bahay.

"Ah, opo, Manang. Lalabas lang kasama ang... kaibigan..." sabi ko.

Tiningnan ako ni Manang. "Osige, mag-ingat ka. Ipapaalam ko na rin sa Mommy mo."

Tumango ako. "Opo." Pagkatapos ay nagpaalam na rin akong tutuloy na sa lakad ko ngayon.

Mommy isn't particularly strict. Pero gusto niya lang na alam niya pa rin ang ginagawa namin ni ate. Especially after Daddy's passing, I think she was also pressured in raising us—me and Ate Eris alone. Since wala na si Daddy...

That's why as much as possible ay sumusunod na lang din ako kay Mommy para hindi na rin siya mag-alala pa sa akin...

Ang sabi ni Kalyx ay susunduin niya ako sa amin. Pero hindi ako pumayag at sinabi ko na magkita na lang kami. Dahil baka makita pa siya nina Manang, at ano ang sasabihin ko sa kanila? I don't think it's still necessary to introduce him in our house if this was just a fake relationship, after all.

Naghintay ako sa kaniya sa isang coffee shop. Medyo inagahan ko rin doon kaysa sa napag-usapan naming oras ng pagkikita. Nakapag-order pa nga ako ng drink ko pero ilang sandali lang ay nakita ko na ang sasakyan niya at dumating na rin siya roon para sunduin ako. At napansin ko na maaga rin siya kaysa sa napag-usapan namin.

"Am I late?" He asked me after he got out of his car and he saw me with a frappe on hand.

Umiling naman ako. "No. Actually you're early sa napag-usapan natin na time. Maaga lang din talaga akong pumunta rito, uh, so that I could have this." Bahagya kong inangat at pinakita sa kaniya ang frappe na hawak ko at in-order ko kanina sa loob ng coffee shop.

"Okay. Do you like that?" He asked me about my strawberry chocolate frappe.

Napatango naman ako sa tanong niya. "Uh, yeah... Gusto mo ba? Order muna tayo sa loob." sabi ko.

Umiling naman siya. "No, I'm fine. Let's go?"

Tumango ako sa kaniya at sumunod nang pumasok sa sasakyan niya. At matapos niya rin akong pagbuksan ng pinto. Sinarado niya ang pinto sa tabi ko at umikot na siyang pumasok na rin sa may driver seat. And then he started driving.

And I just thought of asking. "Where are we heading to?" I asked because sabi niya lang sa akin kanina sa message na samahan ko lang daw siya ngayon.

"I'm bored at the condo. I'll just go to the sports club today. Maybe I'll do some baseball batting..." Bumaling siya sa akin saglit habang nagmamaneho. "Are you fond of sports?" He asked me.

Umiling ako bahagya. "I'm not really sure..." I answered. I didn't do sports that often even before. I did swimming back then when I was younger, though. Pero iyon lang 'yon at natigil din since Daddy's passing, kasi siya lang din naman iyong nag-encourage sa akin noon to try swimming...

It's my friend Bianca who's into sports. At kaya nakapunta na rin ako dati pa sa mga sports clubs or centers dahil minsan ay sinasamahan din namin si Bianca na mag-practice.

"Is that it... then, you might just get bored there..." Kalyx said at mukha na siyang nag-iisip ng iba na lang na gagawin ngayon.

Agad ko rin naman siyang inilingan. "It's okay! I also wanna try..." sabi ko na lang.

And I also didn't plan any particular thing to do today, anyways. So I'll just go with him. At sasamhan ko lang din naman talaga siya gaya ng napag-usapan namin. And I already agreed to just be his company today.

"Are you sure?" He asked me.

Tumango naman ako, and I gave him a little reassuring smile. "Yes, it's okay. I'm fine with the sports club."

And then he nodded and we went on.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" He asked me when we arrived at the sports club.

Hindi ko pa alam kung iiling ba ako sa kaniya o tatango na lang. In the end I chose to be honest. "Uh, hindi pa. But I don't usually have breakfast..." I said. Hindi talaga ako madalas na kumain ng breakfast. Maybe after dad left us, hindi na rin kami halos nagsasabay sa pagkain nina Mommy. And it was sad to eat alone.

"Why?" Kalyx asked me.

"Wala lang...uh, wala lang akong ganang kumain kapag maaga pa." I said.

"Really?" Napatingin siya sa wristwatch niya. "It's 10 AM. Let's grab something to eat first." He said.

"Hindi ka pa rin kumain?" I asked. And then I remembered his situation at his place. Hindi rin kaya siya marunong magluto?

Umiling lang siya sa akin at bahagyang ngumiti. Kaya tumango na rin ako sa kaniya at sumamang bumili muna kami ng pagkain. May mga restaurants and cafes din naman doon malapit lang sa sports club.

"It's on me." He said when he saw me and I was about to hand my money to him para bayad ko sa pagkain ko.

Tumingin ako sa kaniya.

"I haven't thanked you yet for taking care of me while I was sick the last time." He smiled.

My lips parted a bit. At hindi ko agad naalis ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Until he went on to pay for our food. At habang naiwan akong nakaupong mag-isa roon habang hinihintay ko siya na makabalik since nagpaalam din siyang mag-washroom muna.

I remember what Bianca said about him. But now I wonder about what my friend said that Kalyx Gavin Sevilla was a bad boy, the bad guy... was really true.

Because as I watched his back now, I realized that he was nothing ever since we started talking to each other but good and nice to me...