#MultiverseInterludeChapter02

"Sino na naman ba ang kikitain ko ngayon?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang komportableng umiinom ng latte na inorder niya sa Starbucks para sa 'kin, nakaupo sa passenger seat ng sasakyan habang siya naman ay nagmamaneho.

"Aika Severa, Ciara's half-sister." Natigilan ako sa pag inom ng kape at nakangising tinignan siya. 

"Don't fucking say that to me, Aly. I know that evil face," mahina akong natawa at binaba ng venti latte sa cup holder.

"Masyadong big news kapag pinakalat ko ang ginawa niya kay Chloe, why not we exposed the both of them if they don't shut the fuck up? Diba may cheating rumors dati yang si Aika about stealing her sister's boyfriend?" I saw how her faced redened and even more frustrated.

Dapat lang ay panindigan mo ang kagagohang ginagawa mo sa 'kin. Pala desisyon ka kasi.

"Bahala ka sa buhay mo, basta mag bayad ka." She rolled her eyes and parked the car at Casa de Proscenium, Tagaytay building.

***

"I'm Aika Severa, nice to meet you Alyona Miroslava de Perio." 

"It's not nice meeting you, Ms. Aika Severa." Mataray kong sabi sa kanya at bumuntong hininga umupo sa couch.

"I know you would say that... likewise?" A smirk formed on her face and chuckled when she caught me staring. "Alam kong nandito ka para mang-bribe na i-take down ko ang news and articles under my company, I apologized in advance ma'am because I cannot do that easily."

"Do you really expect me to say that?" Mahina akong natawa at nag flip ng hair ko bago nag salita ulit. 

"Were you fond of accepting bribes? Kasi the way how you speak those words in front of me sounds like sanay kang mag decline ng bribes sa mga sikat na taong gusto mong magiba ang karera,"

"It is and you're not wrong," ngumisi ako at lumapad ang pekeng ngiti ko sa mukha habang nakatingin sa kanya.

"You're not denying it, why?" I asked.

"You know how cruel our world is, you should have known that whether you plagiarized the work or not... dapat handa ka sa bagay na 'to Alyona. Your case is no joke to be honest, may ebidensya ang V&Y law firm. Aren't you feel guilty of it that the fact na nag suicide yung author na ninakawan mo kuno because the lack of atensyon."

"I am not biased here you know? You're good at writing at maganda rin ang mga nobela mo pero justice is a must, and I'm sorry I can't take it down. My article wasn't about ruining your reputation and career, it's about JUSTICE." Ngumiti siya at tsaka tumayo, she was about to walk away pero nag salita ako.

"Sandali," tumayo ako at naglakad papunta sa kanyang harapan at ngumisi. "Diba kilala mo siya?" Referring to that author that it was me.

"Yes," then she left me speechless.

kumalawa ako ng isang malalim na hininga, may nakita akong flower vase at at tinapon iyon sa window glass dahil sa galit at frustasyon ko. Maya-maya ay narinig kong may kumatok sa pintuan at lumitaw ang kaibigan kong tila kinabahan siyang kasuapin ako.

"The last one is way worse than her Alyona, he's unbeatable. Hindi tayo makaka-lusot sa kanya." I drew out a deep sigh and brushed my hair—wiping my face with both of my palms before I could even talk to her. "What are we going to do with him?"

"Confess," I sighed and leaned my head on the couch's board. "Magmumukha lang akong tanga sa paningin ng mga tao kapag umamin ako," then I close my eyes.

"If you don't confess then date him instead," my eyes widen and a smirk formed on my face the same as hers that immediately disappeared when the phone rang.

"Ah, this is Alyona de Perio's secretary Mr. Martinez—Whar? Bakit?—I can't do that sir—fine gove me the location and were good, make sure to keep your promises, Mr. Martinez." Iyon lang ang narinig ko sa kanya habang may kinakausap sa telepono.

Kumunot naman ang noo ko ng makatingin siya sa 'kin na parang ayaw niya na sa mundo at sa trabaho niya. Kayla was just working for me because she needed allowance after what happened to her, her family dumped her and left with no inheritance from the de Plaza. 

As a loving best friend I never hesitated to hire her, and almost gave her everything from my own success.  I'm such a nice friend, isn't it?

"Spill it," tumayo ako at nakangising nilapitan siya. "Babble it out Yohanna Kayla," mataray ko na tanong sa kanya.

Pakiramdam ko tuloy ay may tinatago siyang hindi ko alam, minsan marami na siyang kailangang sabihin sa 'kin na feel ko hindi ko maaring malaman iyon.

"The reporter wants you to discuss things at his place..." she nervously said. "Where to? At sandali bakit parang kinakabahan ka?" hindi ko na mapigilang hindi mag tanong sa kanya dahil ayokong isipin iyon hanggang bukas.

"Hindi ah, I'm just tired and I haven't drunk my medicine yet..." I lightly shocked my head and asked. "So, saan 'nga kami magkikita dahil sa totoo lang inaantok na ako Kayla....

"Casa de Proscenium," my jaw clenched at the same time I felt my knees trembling in pain and losing their force.

***

I shrugged and calmed myself. I don't even know why I'm getting nervous, maybe because of the place where the journalist and I will be meeting each other.

Hindi ko pa naman siya kilala at wala 'nga akong malay kung sino man siya, pero may kutob akong kilala ko siya hindi ko 'nga lang alam dahil wala akong alam sabi eh.

Kanina pa ako nababaliw sa loob ng silid ko; pa ulit-ulit na pagala-gala sa bawat sulok, nag iisip sa mga posibilidad na maaring mapag-usapan naming dalawa.

The hell do I care, right? I was supposed to talk to him the same way I talk to the others who nearly ruined my career.

Hindi naman ako kinabahan 'nung kinausap ko ang magkapatid ah? Bakit tila kinabahan na naman ako eh medyo nawala-wala na iyon kanina.

This pisses me off really bad.

Sinabunutan ko ang sarili at hinubad ang damit at ka-agad sinuot ang napili kong damit galing sa closet. A plain black mid skirt and a blue blouse sleeve— paired with a black blazer and wearing my stiletto heels.

Hindi ko alam bakit ako nag ayos ng ganito ka galante. Hindi naman ako madalas nag aayos kapag walang interview, hindi 'nga rin ako nag aayos ng mukha pero ngayon nag ayos.

Nakakabaliw pala talaga kapag kinakabahan ka.

Well, kinabahan 'nga ba talaga ako o sadyang kinumbinsi ko lang talaga ang sarili ko na hindi ko siya kilala?

Damn it.

I rolled my eyes at the mirror while looking at myself irritatedly and finally got out of my room. Agad naman bumungad sa 'kin ang kaibigan kong ngayon ay nakatingin sa 'kin na para bang hinuhusgahan ang buong pagktao ko.

"We went to a club earlier na wala kang ayos, but this time you did— eh dito lang naman kayo magkikita ni Avo." Naparolyo siya sa kanyang mata at natawa.

But then she stopped and cleared her throat.

Ngayon lang nag sink in sa utak ko ang sinabi niyang pangalan.

Avo.

The man that I loved the most that I am scared to lose, but it's already too late because I had already lost him.

Umiling ako at hindi pinansin ang pangalang nabangit niya dahil baka nagkamali lang ako ng pandinig, o baka naman ay ibang tao iyong tinutukoy niyang Avo rin ang pangalan.

"Hindi ka ba magpapahatid?" biglaang tanong niya sa 'kin, ngumisi ako at sumagot.

"I can manage, just give the cash and we're good at this problem." She nodded and got up from the chair where she was seating and got the cheque from her wallet and put it in a red mail.

"Thank you," I said and left our unit.

Habang naglalakad sa hallway ay mas ramdam ko na ngayon ang kaba dahil sa lakas ng kalabog sa dibdib ko na parang naghihiyawang kasiyahan at kalungkutan. I can feel my skin numb and the hair on it were awakened, my legs were shaking too.

I walked slowly thinking it would lessen my anxiety, but in the end, I ended up getting more nervous than I was, moments earlier; so I walked faster na lang until I arrived at the hall.

I wasn't informed that there will be an event here even though I'm part of this residency. People were all busy talking to each other, obviously their topics are all about business. Lahat sila may hawak na wine glass, at napansin ko na ang lahat na nandirito ay kilala ko at kilalang-kilala ako.

A wine server approached me and offered a drink, agad ko namang kinuha iyon at walang prenong nilunok ang buong laman ng wine glass. Hindi katagalan ay nakapangalawa na ako sa kanya na pinanlakihan niya ng mata, nagtaas ako ng kilay at umiling naman iyong server at nilagpasan ako.

I continued walking and roamed my eyes all over the hall, thinking that I might find the person I'll be meeting tonight. But the moment I stumbled on my heels, I saw him and that makes my soul void through my veins.

He saved me from falling on the floor; getting deja vu from the dead and buried past.

I stared at his gray eyes and never left them. I observed if I were seeing this right because if it's real... I'll rewind back the dead and buried past on my end.

His eyes... his hair... his scent... things I remembered of how I loved this man.

He offered his hand, obviously for a handshake but I was taken aback when he spoke.

"Ten cuidado mi amor," I gulped and accepted his hand.

Mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mata nang makaramdam ako ng kuryente sa oras na tinangap ko ang kamay niya. It spreaded easily all over my body, making my head ache like it was striken by a thunder.

AVRLBNZ