CHAPTER SIX
Zachary
"KUYA ZACH, how are you? Mom can't sleep of thinking about you because she miss you that much, kailan ka kasi uuwi?" tanong ng kapatid ko sa linya, I miss my mum too however how much I want go back, mauudlot parin dahil sa isang pagkakamali na nagawa ko.
"Hindi ko pa sigurado na makakauwi ako, my teammates won on championship game, we have plans for sure but maybe I could visit mum if I am prepared to go back." sagot ko sa linya, lumapit ako sa railing ng terrace at tinanaw ang tanawin.
"Yeah sure, Kuya. Mum really miss you and don't you worry I'll take care of Mum as always, promise me you'll visit here and have time with us. I missed you so much bruv." I smiled as I feel the fresh air from the terrace, this morning is such a good vibe.
"Bye Kuya."
"Bye, i'll take your promise."
Ibinaba ko na ang tawag at saka bumalik sa sala, kailan kaya ako makakauwi sa Brighton. Kinuha ko ang newspaper sa ibabaw ng lamesa para magbasa ng balita.
All the pages are sort of Hollywood stuff and some business problem, I always often see this company who lost the CEO's Daughter. Nang mabagot ako ay napagisipan kong dumiretso sa kusina at tinignan ang oven katabi ng mga cabinet.
Maybe i'll should make some cookies for Lara, I never cooked something sweet for someone. This is rare and I don't know why I persuade myself in unknown reason.
Lara Point of View
KANINA pa ako nagmamakaawang kunin ang kontrata ni Clarisse, pinapanood ko lamang ang sikat daw na model at minsan naman ay palaging nasa billboard habang siya ay inaayusan ng ilang mga crew.
Nakatuon parin ang aking braso sakanya habang hawak ang kontrata, ngunit tinitignan lamang ako nito taas hanggang pababa.
I felt she's kind of weird, even her crew are glaring at me badly.
Sa sandaling iyon ay biglang tumunog ang cellphone ko at kaagad na ibinaba ang kontrata, napatingin uli ako sa model at ngumiti lamang ito, God I distract her.
Kaagad na akong umalis sa harap niya at pumunta sa tahimik na sulok ng salon, when I open my phone I was flabbergasted when I saw the name of the contact and it was Zach.
Ano na naman ba ang problema nito?
Napahawak ako bigla sa labi nang maalala ang mangyari, I hope it was my dream. I shouldn't think about that, that won't do any good for me.
Nagdalawang-isip muna ako bago ko sinagot ang tawag at pinakalma ang sarili, "Hi, Lara." he greet on the call, why the freak his voice are gracious.
"Hi Zach, ba't napatawag ka?" tanong ko at narinig ko ang pagtikhim nito, sandali pa ay sumagot na ito.
"I made some cookies, gusto ko sana ipatikim sayo. But your not here in your condo." napalunok ako sa sinabi niya at napakamot ng ulo.
"Hindi na Zach, Salamat na lang. Wala ako ngayon sa condo dahil may pinapagawa sakin si Clarisse, salamat na lang Zach—natigilan ako nang sumabay siya sa pagsalita, my heartbeat stop at that moment.
"No, no, no. Please take this Lara, I felt bad if I just throw this you know." Nakaramdam ako ng pananakit ng tiyan at narinig kong kumalam ito, nakalimutan ko palang mag-umagahan para maabutan lang ang model na ito.
Will I take this, or magpapalipas lang ako ng gutom? Hindi ko alam kung kailan din kukunin ang kontrata at maabutan na ako ng tanghali ay hindi pa sapat ang pagmamakaawa ko para tanggapin ang kontrata ni Clarisse.
"Zach, uhm. Sure, gutom na pala ako nakalimutan kong mag-umagahan. Send ko sayo kung saang salon at baka mahirapan kang hanapin yon, hihintayin ko yan." kaagad niyang ibinaba ang tawag at napakunot ako dahil masyado siyang nagmadali na putulin kaagad ang linya, why so rush he didn't even said a bid of goodbye on call or even respond.
Somewhat I feel embarass at his instance action.
ILANG minuto ata ang paghihintay ko at mukhang aalis na ang model dahil matatapos na itong ayusin ng mga crew.
Sa wakas ay narinig ko na ang kotse ni Zach sa labas kaya kaagad akong kumaripas na salubungin siya. But why did I remember what sound of his car, yeah I often hear it.
Zach came inside the salon wearing a different style of outfit, mukhang nag-ayos pa siya para sa cookies. Or maybe he have errands to run.
"Thanks Zach." inabot niya sakin ang box ng cookies at may dala pa siyang cup ng coffee napangiti ako ng ibigay niya, ngunit saglit pa ay naramdaman kong may humablot sa kontrata at napansin ang model na hawak na ito.
"Thanks for waiting, let's talk about this contract in private now." kaagad nang umalis ang model at muli akong napatingin kay Zach.
"Thankyou Zach for this, just wait me here." tumango lang siya at kumaway. Kaagad ko nang sinundan ang model at idinala ako nito sa bakanteng kwarto ng salon.
"What contract is this? And where it is from?" malamig na utal ng model at napayuko lang ako para magbigay respeto.
"A contract for promoting my friend products which is her clothing line named Clarisse. And we chose you to be our sponsorship candidate to advertise the product. We're just new and we're selling some affordable products. You can read the contract miss." I said in obligate way and the model just smile in quick.
"I will read this, but do you think I will take this contract just that easily?" napalunok ako ng dalawang beses at tinignan muli ang model. Nanunukso ang aura nito at matalim ang mga titig nito.
"Is that your boyfriend?" turo niya kay Zach, my eyes widened and I immediately shook my head.
"Hindi po, he's just my friend. Malabo pong maging kami." napangiti ng malapad ang model, at tinignan ako taas hanggang baba.
"I figured it out, I thought he's your boyfriend and he has no taste." napalunok uli ako sa sinabi niya at kaagad na tinapik ang balikat ko, did she mock me?
"Kidding, but I have a simple favor exchange for accepting this contract." tumaas ang dalawa kong kilay, akala ko talaga tinanggap niya na ano pa bang pabor? At Idinaan niya pa sa panunukso.
"Ano po ba yun, Miss?" tanong ko sakanya at kaagad na tumingin ito kay Zach.
"Force him to date me, I will settle the dating place and here's my number. Just contact me if he already wants to date me, if you haven't still force him at the remaining days of this contract. I won't come." kaagad na itong umalis sa harapan ko at hindi mawari ang tibok ng puso ko sa pabor niya.
What did I just heard? I'll force Zach to date her, hell no.
I am still shocked in disbelief and looked at her number confusely, I am screwed. Clarisse trust me for this, but forcing her to get the contract was not the only problem.
Mas nadagdagan pa ang trabaho ko, what should I do? Hindi ko kayang gawin ito kay Zach, he had enough even giving me this cookies is out of his compensate.
I don't want to grow intentions to Zach.
I am walking in uncertain way towards Zach, I felt my energy lose back and I couldn't tell what in the world is going on.
"Lara, are you okay?" Zach stood up and immediately tapped my shoulders, kaagad akong natauhan at pinakalma ang sarili.
I sighed audibly and smiled shortly.
"Yeah, the model just accept the contract." I said and Zach smiled widely.
"Are you free today? I mean, babalik ka pa ba sa clothing line ng kaibigan mo?" He asked and I nod in respond.
"I'm not free today and I have still a lot of work to do, maybe you have Zach. You can go i'm surely fine and thankyou for the cookies." sabi ko at aakamang uunahan na siya nang hawakan niya ng mahigpit ang braso ko.
"Sasama na ako, gusto kong puntahan ang pinagtatrabahuan mo. I can wait." napalunok ako sa sinabi niya at pinilit na inalis ang kanyang palad sa braso ko, lumayo ako ng ilang distansya sakanya.
"Wag na Zach, mahaba-haba pa ang oras ng trabaho ko at saka wala naman maganda sa clothing shop ng kaibigan ko. Maybe you can go home and let's meet next time?" mapait siyang ngumiti at hinawakan muli ang braso ko.
"It's fine, I already said that I can wait so yeah, I want to see her clothing line plus bibili na din ako ng damit kung may nagustuhan ako." utal niya at parang mawawalan ako ng enerhiya sa sinabi niya, I am so bothered. What should I supposed to do just to bring him back to his own.
Tumango na lamang ako at bumalik sa kotse, tumungo narin siya sa kanyang kotse at kinawayan niya muna ako sa salamin.
He will follow me, I guess I can't lost him.
WE ARRIVED at Clarisse clothing line and I couldn't relax myself in fear, I know my crew will make a fuss between me and Zach. They will laughed again and about my physical appearance, siguro pagmamalaitin lang nila ako dahil nagdala ako sa magpapabusog ng kanilang mga mata.
I stepped out in my car when I parked it in the garage and saw Zach leaving on his vehicle, inayos nito ang suot na damit at hindi ako makapaniwalang nagdala pa ito ng shades.
"Zach, here." ngumiti si Zach at dumiretso na kami papasok.
I saw first Clarisse who's busy drafting some new design dress, scrambled papers are scattered on the floor and my crew are busy designing the dress for weddings.
Kaagad akong tumungo kay Clarisse at saka ibinigay ang malupit na tango, "I freaking did it."
"Oh, your here Lara. Tama nga ako na ipagkatiwala ko 'to sayo, and I guess my hope gives me not less." Napatigil siya nang mapansin niya si Zach na pumipili na ng damit sa rack.
"Who's that guy?" Clarisse asked and her jaw almost dropped.
"Yeah, si Zach. Kasama ko siya." utal ko at humarap sakin si Clarisse sabay hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat ko.
"You nailed it Lara, I'm so proud that you even find the right man to advertise our product. I have new design clothes for men and that will suit to that guy." napalunok ako sa sinabi niya at tumingin kay Zach, God help me not this time.
Naabala ko na si Zach, I will force him to date the model and now Clarisse wants him to be the male model of his product.
What should I do?
"Clarisse, uhm, He can't— Clarisse covered my mouth by her hand and walked towards to Zach as it release. Napakamot ako ng ulo at hindi makapaniwala sa ginawa ni Clarisse.
She instantly caressed Zachary's shoulders, down to his toes and even his face.
"What a perfect figurine." she said and I was running of panic. Kaagad akong tumayo at pumunta kay Clarisse, pilyong ngumiti ako sakanya kasabay ng pagngiti ng tuwid kay Zach na ngayon ay nagtataka sa kilos ni Clarisse.
"Hi handsome, I'm Clarisse owner of this clothing line that will soon held as the Best Clothing Shop Worldwide. May I ask your name, your contact, your information and lastly can you be the male model of my clothing line?" Kaagad kong tinignan si Zach at mapait na ngumiti.
"Wag, wag, wag Zach! Wag kang sasang-ayon, parang awa mo na." bulong ko at tumingin muli sakin si Zach na mukhang nagdadalawang-isip base sa hitsura nito.
"Zach, wag please." I begged, while showing the glint of pleading of my eyes.
But in the blink of moment, Zach nod and gave an assured smile on Clarisse.
"Offcourse, Yes I can. Miss Clarisse."