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"Grabe Kate, di ba sobrang aga naman natin?"

Hikab ni baklita habang nasa byahe kami papuntang agency.

"Baka mamaya nagmumuta pa lang yung mga mag-eevaluate kay Alex."

"Wag kang magulo. Pakana mo to kaya wag kang maarte." Irap ko. Nginiwian nya lang ako at pumikit para umidlip. 6:00 pa lang kasi nagkita na kami ni baklita sa Starbucks, para 6:30 ay nasa agency na kami. Unang una, para iwas sa mga mata ng ibang models and staff, at pangalawa, dahil may project presentation ako mamaya sa 8 a.m class ko kung saan hindi ako pwede mag absent. Nag-aaral pa rin naman ako, no.

As soon as we arrived the agency, nakita namin si Alex na naghihintay na sa entrance, dressed in blue jeans and a simple white tee.

"Wow, you look good Alex!" Bati agad ni baklita, at nag-beso beso pa sa kanya. "Kahit siguro basahan lang suot mo, gwapo ka pa din."

"Thank you. Tama ka nga, magaling mag advice si Miss Kate." Alex smiled as he turned to me. I just shrugged. Ako kasi ang nagsabi sakanya to dress plainly. Ganun naman kasi talaga pag mag aapply ka as a model: they should see you in your simplest state in order to picture what they can work you with. Like an empty canvass.

"Follow me," I said then entered the glass doors. As usual, nandoon na yung snobber na receptionist.

"We have an appointment with Madame Vera Luise by 6:30 am. He's with us." I explained simply, motioning at Alex. Alex flashed a nervous smile, at tinitigan muna kami ng receptionist ng ilang segundo. I lifted a brow, and only then did she speak again.

"Madame Vera just came in 10 minutes ago. She said she'll just be in her office."

Buti naman. Akala ko eeksena pa sya e, makakarinig sana sya ng mga bagay na hindi nya ikakatuwa.

"Ok, thank you miss." Si Alex na ang nagsabi kasi tumuloy lang ako maglakad papuntang elevator. Sumunod naman na yung dalawa. I pressed third floor and closed the doors.

"Nakakatakot naman yung receptionist nyo..." sabi ni Alex.

"Nakakatakot lahat ng tao dito." I replied, na sya namang ikina-kaba lalo ni Alex.

Saglit lang din kaming nakarating sa third floor, and the elevator doors opened with a soft *ding*. We stepped out into the carpeted hallway na mukhang hotel style, the only difference is instead of just rooms, offices of the higher officials of the agency ang matatagpuan dito.

We continued walking until we reached a door with a metal plate carved with "Madame Vera." I knocked once and entered.

Bumungad sa amin ang isang medium sized room, with a mahogany desk by the glass windows, a storage room on one corner, and two glass stalls on the left side.

"It's been a while, Kate." Madame Vera's voice echoed around the room, and I found her arranging some clothed mannequins in one section of her office. Though already in her 40's, she still looked quite young, and was still the same elegant yet slightly intimidating woman I encountered three years ago.

"Yes, it's been a while, Madame." I approached her and did a "hovering" beso-beso. Yun yung nagbeso-beso kayo bilang respeto pero hindi nagdidikit ang pisngi dahil ayaw nyong madikitan ng foreign substance ang mukha nyo.

At FYI, kay Madame Vera lang ako pumapayag makipag beso or hug. Malaki kasi ang utang na loob ko sa kanya dahil sya ang nag scout sa'kin para makapasok dito sa agency. Most of the things I learned about the modeling industry, I learned from her, and at some point, I actually admired her so much that I wanted to be like her. She was just so calm, firm, and sophisticated. She also stood as a mother figure for me ever since when... well... saka na natin pag-usapan yon. Masyadong madrama.

Bottomline is, kung hindi dahil sa kanya, wala ako sa pwesto ko ngayon.

"So you said you wanted me to meet someone?" She said as she glanced behind me.

"Yes. Alex, meet Madame Vera Luise, my former talent manager, and now the creative director of the agency and owner of the jewelry brand ilLuise. And Madame Vera, meet Alexander Calma, an aspiring model."

"Nice to meet you, Madame." Alex stepped forward and shook her hand. Madame just nodded. "If it's okay to ask, Madame, are you Italian?"

"Mio marito. I married an Italian."

"Lo vedo. Complimenti, signora." He smiled.

"Oh, tu parli italiano?" She said, looking partly surprised and impressed. Kami naman ni baklita, nakatingin lang sa kanila kasi wala kaming maintindihan sa usapan nila. I already knew Alex was partly Italian, but I didn't really expect him to be that fluent with the language considering that he lived in Philippines all his life.

"Mia madre è italiana. She married a Filipino." Sagot naman ni Alex.

"Oh, lo vedo, lo vedo. Tua madre prendersi cura di voi." She lightly laughed and patted his cheek, turning to me. "I like this guy already. I think we'll get along well."

Napangiti naman ako sa sinabi nya. So far so good.

"How about him?" Sabi ni Madame Vera habang nakatingin kay baklita.

"Oh, don't mind him. He's just--"

"Shane Hermosa, Madame. Kate's friend. Half pinoy half pinay. Nice to meet you po." Mabilis nyang sinabi, at nakipag shake hands kay Madame. Tumingin sakin si Madame, nagtataka.

"You have a friend?" Alam nya kasi na imposible sa akin magkaroon ng kaibigan.

"It's a long story." Sabi ko na lang, and gave baklita a sideward glare. He just shrugged at me. Di ko na lang sya pinansin at lumapit kay Alex para sa kanya matuon ang pansin.

"Anyway Madame, I brought Alex to you because I want you to be the one to evaluate him."

"Why not let him take the usual process?" Sabi nya habang naglalakad papunta sa desk nya.

"The agency is busy preparing for the event. If he takes the usual process, it will take him too long."

"So?"

"He wants to join the event." Napatigil sya para tumingin sa'kin.

"Kate, you know the event is exclusively for old models only, right?"

"Exactly. Which is why I brought him to you. I know you have a keen eye for potential, and I believe he deserves a shot in that event."

Tumigil sya saglit para kilatisin si Alex. Na parang ine-X ray vision para alamin ang buong pagkatao nya gamit lang ang isang tingin. Then she looked back at me.

"Let's see him walk."

I nodded then motioned at Alex to take position. Tumango din naman sya at mabilis na tumayo para pumwesto sa kabilang dulo ng room. As he paused for a moment to prepare, lahat ng mata namin nasa kanya. Madame Vera motioned for him to start, and he did.

Sa totoo lang, I didn't expect him to do that well, pero nang makita ko syang lumakad, hirap na akong maniwala na wala syang experience sa modelling or whatsoever. He had the posture and the aura. For a rookie, he was doing very well. Paano pa kapag naturuan na sya? Halos ma-imagine ko na syang naglalakad sa actual catwalk at sandamakmak na magazines na magkakandarapang kunin sya.

"WOW! Grabe Alex pak na pak!" Compliment ni baklita pagkatapos maglakad ni Alex. Alex just smiled shyly at bumalik sa kinauupuan nya. We turned our attention back to Madame Vera na parang kinikilatis pa rin si Alex hanggang ngayon. I lifted a brow.

"So...?"

"He still has a lot to learn." Sagot nya. Napayuko na lang si Alex but as for me, I was still confident. That may have sounded like a refusal but knowing her too well already, and I know that she saw something in him.

"Yes, at ganun din ako noong una mo akong nakita. I was absolutely clueless, but you took me in, knowing I could become something great. And Alex,"

Tumingin ako kay Alex na nakatingin lang sa amin, nag-aabang ng kapalaran nya.

"Alex has passion more than anybody else. He deserves a shot in the event, Madame Vera. He really does."

Nagkalumbaba si Madame Vera para mag-isip, pero this time, ako naman ang kinikilatis nya.

"And I've never seen you this passionate before, Kate." Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Why do you believe so much in him?"

"Once you get to know him, you'll know exactly why. But for now, I would like to know what your answer would be."

There was a deafening silence as we just exchanged looks. Madame Vera's gaze shifted between Alex, me, then back to Alex, and she seemed to be having a hard time deciding. She was our only hope to get Alex in, but I've already done what I can. Desisyon nya na lang ang kulang.

Nabasag ang katahimikan nang magsalita si Madame Vera.

"Well, hindi pa naman nag start ang go-sees. He can still be included as a rookie."

I let out a small sigh of relief, while Alex broke out into a huge grin.

"Thank you Madame! I really appreciate it po! Thank you so much po! Thank you! Thank you!"

Pinipilit ni Alex magmukhang kalmado, kahit na halatang gusto nya nang tumalon sa sobrang saya. I glanced at baklita, at nag two thumbs up sya sakin habang nakangiti. I heard Madame Vera chuckle, then lifted a hand as she turned serious. Napatigil naman sa pagkasat si Alex.

"But," she stressed. "All I will do is process your documents and portfolio. Kate, you will be the one to teach him the things he should know."

I nodded. She returned her gaze to Alex.

"From then on, you are already a rookie model, so you have to act like one. And you are not to speak a word to other models about this, comprendere?"

Alex smiled and nodded.

"Sì."

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[A/N]: I google translate nyo na lang yung mga sinabi nila. Kung meron man pong nakakapagsalita talaga dito ng Italian, baka barok barok yan, sa google translate lang din po kasi ako umasa 😂.