“SAHARA.”
Agad siyang tumalikod nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses na iyon at halos mapatalon nang makita kung sino ang dumating.
Ngumiti si Ace. “So, Sahara pala ang totoo mong pangalan.”
“S-sorry,” nahihiya niyang sagot. “Magkatunog naman, diba?”
“Oh well, Sahara suits you better.” Natawa si Ace, na ikinagaan ng loob niya.
Tumabi ito sa kanya. Kapwa na sila nakatayo doon sa baranda ng rooftop, kapwa umiinom ng red wine, kapwa nakatingin sa malawak na madilim na kalangitan.
“I went to unit 1027 just the other day and I never expected na ‘yung kaibigan mo pala na nakatira roon at si Kaye, I mean, Karen, ay iisa.”
“Bakit ka pumunta do’n?”
“To look for you. I just want to know if you’re all right…your stalker, remember?”
“I’m all right, Ace.” Hindi niya napigilang mapangiti. “Nai-report ko na siya sa police.”
“Good.”
“’Yun lang ang dahilan kung bakit ka nagpunta sa 1027?”
Umiling ito. “Hindi mo na ‘ko tinawagan, eh.”
Paano naman niya ito tatawagan, eh wala naman siyang dahilan? Lalo pa ngayon na nalaman niyang girlfriend nito ang best friend niya at hindi naman magandang tingnan na makipagtawagan pa siya sa binata. She’s trying to be a good girl and befriending Ace won’t be helping at all.
“So, bakit nga ba hindi mo na ‘ko tinawagan? I was really hoping you’d call. I won’t believe you if you’d say that you don’t like me…because we both know you do.”
“Because you already have a girlfriend,” simple niyang sagot. Lasing na ba ito at kung anu-ano ang pinagsasasabi?
“Why complicate things, huh, Sahara? It’s just a phone call. It’s not as if we’re gonna elope and leave everything behind…w-well…if you want to run away with me…we can talk about it.”
“See? It’s not just going to be a simple phone call, Ace. And you know it.”
Nakita niya itong ngumisi. “So that means, you like me, too, right?”
“That means we shouldn’t be calling each other,” mariin niyang sabi, para kumbinsihin rin ang sarili. “Best friend ko si Karen. At sobrang dami niyang naitulong sa akin…malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanya kaya hindi ko siya kayang saktan.”
“Pero hindi ko naman talaga siya girlfriend…we’re just…”
“Just what?”Tiningnan niya ito ng masama.
“I don’t know, really. We’re just…”
Bed buddies. That’s what he wanted to say, but just couldn’t say it. “She loves you, Ace. Balak ka na nga niyang ipakilala sa Papa niya, eh.”
“What?” gulat nitong tanong.
Ah, hindi na dapat niya nasabi ang tungkol doon. “Point is, seryoso siya sa relationship n’yo. At ngayon ko lang siya nakitang magmahal ng ganyan sa isang lalaki. I should know. Matagal ko na siyang kilala.”
“But I don’t love her.”
Napailing na lang siya. “Hay, mga lalaki nga naman. Makikipag-flirt sa mga babae hanggang sa makuha ang kiliti, at kapag nakuha na, sasabihing…I don’t love her.”
“You’re really cute, do you know that?” Sa halip na ma-offend ay natawa si Ace dahil sa paraan ng pagsasalita niya.
“I know.” Inilapag na ni Sahara ang dalang baso ng wine sa mesa sa tabi nila.
“By the way, narito na rin lang tayo, I need to talk to you about something really important. I want to make you an offer.” Ace has that serious look on his face. “Our magazine is searching for a model for the December issue and –“
Hindi pa man tapos si Ace magsalita ay umiling na si Sahara. “I’m sorry, Ace. I can’t. Ang dami namang ibang models diyan, ‘yung mas maganda, mas sikat kaysa sa akin. Bakit naman ako pa?”
“Because we need a fresh face. Please, Sahara. Name your price.”
She wanted to but she shouldn’t. Muli siyang umiling. Alam niyang mali ang makipagmabutihan ay Ace dahil kay Karen. Ni hindi nga niya dapat ito kinakausap. Ayaw niya ng gulo, at ayaw niyang masira ang pagkakaibigan nila ni Karen nang dahil lamang sa isang lalaki.
“Dahil ba kay…Karen?” pagkadaka’y tanong nito.
Nang tumango si Sahara ay nakita niya na napabuntung-hininga si Ace. Malamang, alam na nito ang ibig sabihin noon.
“It’s just a photo shoot, Sahara.”
“No, it’s not going to be just a photo shoot and you know it,” sabi niya. “Bakit hindi na lang si Karen ang gawin mong model? Maganda rin siya, sexy…”
“I’ve actually thought of that pero…I really want you.”
Hindi sigurado si Sahara pero parang kakaiba ang dating sa kanya ng huling sinabi ni Ace.
“If you’re too worried about Karen, I’ll talk to her. I’m sure she’ll understand that it’s just work.”
Siguro. Trabaho lang naman iyon. And she’s always dreamed of being a covergirl. Tumango siya at ngumiti at agad na lumiwanag ang mukha ni Ace dahil doon.
“I’ll be counting on that,” masaya nitong sabi.
~~
KAREN looked at Ace looking at Sahara, who’s now talking with another man. Naroon pa rin sila sa rooftop, pero kaunti na lamang ang mga tao. It was almost one in the morning. The refreshments were still flowing, the music, still playing. Pero silang dalawa ni Ace, tahimik na lang na nakaupo sa pandalawahang mesa, malapit sa kinauupuan ni Sahara.
“Honey, problem?” tanong niya kay Ace. He’s been quiet for quite a while at sa tingin niya ay may malalim itong iniisip. “Are you tired, honey?” Niyakap niya ito mula sa likuran.
“Yeah, a bit.”
“Gusto mo nang magpahinga? P’wede na tayong pumasok sa loob if you want.”
“No, I’m fine.”
But he doesn’t look like it. “Do you like her?” diretso niyang tanong. “Kanina mo pa siya tinitingnan eh.” Kanina pa niya napapansin ang pasimpleng tingin na ibinabato ni Ace kay Sahara. At kanina, naabutan niyang seryosong magkausap ang mga ito, na para bang matagal nang magkakilala. She didn’t want to think that he’s got hots for her but it’s too obvious not to.
“I…think we’ve met at The Lounge before.” Napatingin si Ace sa kanya, at muli, kay Sahara.
But Sahara hasn’t mentioned anything about it. Dati naman, kaunting kibot, naka-report agad sa kanya – iyon pa kayang kasing-guwapo ni Ace ang ma-meet nito sa The Lounge? And as far as she can remember, nabanggit niya ang tungkol kay ‘hottie boyfie’ noon pa man kay Sahara.
“Do you like her?” muli niyang tanong. “Because just so you know, if she’s going to choose between you and me, I’m pretty sure that she’s gonna choose our friendship over you. And she’s got a boyfriend already so you’re just going to waste your time with her, honey.”
Ace just looked at her. Alam niyang nakuha niya ang atensiyon nito.
“Honey, you know I like you, right? I mean…I really, really like you.” Hinawakan ni Karen ang pisngi nito at pilit niya iyong pinaharap sa kanya. “And you do, like me, too, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I don’t.”
“Aww, you are so sweet…and because of that, I have a surprise for you,” sabi niya sabay hilig sa malapad nitong dibdib. “Papa’s coming home from L.A. one of these days. Let’s have dinner at his manor.”
Kumunot ang noo ni Ace, tanda ng pag-aalangan nito.
“Hey, don’t worry. Mabait si Papa, medyo strikto nga lang at serious, but nothing to worry about. Basta para sa akin, gagawin no’n lahat. Kapag mahal ko, mahal niya rin.”
“Don’t you think it’s too early for me to meet your father?”
Umiling-iling siya. “I’m telling you, not too early.” Because her Dad has been bugging her to have a serious relationship. He’s already 70 and he said that he wanted a grandson. Bilang nag-iisang anak, siya lang may kakayahan na ibigay iyon sa ama. “Now, it’s time to claim my birthday present.” Tumayo siya, hinawakan sa kamay ang binata at hinila iyon para mapatayo rin ito.
“Birthday present?”
“Yeah…you.”