His Girl Friday

Chapter 3: Overdrive

CHAPTER 3

"Gusto kong matutong magdrive... Kahit na wala akong kotse." 

- Overdrive by Eraserheads 

Mag-gagabi na nang makabalik kaming dalawa ni Apollo sa Casa Arcangel. Nilibot namin buong maghapon ang Hermosa. Maliit na probinsya lang pala ito at mukhang magkakakilala ang lahat ng locals dito.

Isa lang ang ibig sabihin nun. Mas mabilis kumalat ang tsismis dito.

Hindi kami natapos mag-tour sa buong Hermosa. Pero sabi ni Apollo ay itutuloy na lang namin ito sa ibang araw. Dadalhin niya daw ako sa may  Ciudad de Hidalgo. Doon daw kasi makikita ang municipal hall and other important landmarks ng Hermosa.

"Okay. Here's the thing," sabi ni Apollo matapos niyang patayin ang makina ng kotse.

Napalingon ako sa kanya at bumitaw sa lock ng kotse. "What's up?"

"Soon, you and your mom will both be Arcangels. You need to know some things in order to survive here." 

I just stared at him.

"You must follow these rules."

Napakunot ang noo ko. Rules? Seryoso ba siya? Bibigyan niya ako ng rules to follow? Hindi niya ba ako nakikita o nagbubulag-bulagan siya? Mukha ba akong sumusunod sa rules?

Tingin niya ba I respond well to orders? At sa rules pa niya? 

Ha. That will only happen when hell freezes over.

"You will be respectful to everyone, kahit na sa mga helpers at trabahador ni Dad," he started off.

Hmm... That's fair enough. I'm not a disrespectful person. Pero kapag may ginawang hindi maganda sa akin, all bets are off.

"You will have to wear decent clothes." And he went in for the kill. "Don't wear short shorts, muscle tees and cropped tops."

I rolled my eyes at the misogynistic rule. "How short is short, master?"

Hindi niya ako pinansin at nagpatuloy siyang magsalita.

"You're not allowed to go anywhere without me or any chaperone."

Wow. Didn't know we're back in the Spaniard Colonisation Era at kailangan ko pa ng chaperone. 

"Even sa CR? You have to watch me pee?" I gave him a weird look. "Wow, kinky."

Hindi siya nag-react pero nagpatuloy siya sa stupid rules niya. "Do not ever make a scene with anyone anywhere."

Hmm... So bawal ako mag-react kahit inaaway na ako? "Define 'scene.'"

Hindi niya sinagot ang inquiry ko. Shocker.

"Don't do anything that could tarnish the Arcangel name," he added.

I sighed. Paulit-ulit? "You said that earlier pa. Next."

Umiwas siya nang tingin sa akin at itinuon ang kanyang mga mata sa windshield ng kotse. "You're not allowed to date just any guy. He has to get my approval first."

Hold on. 

Ano daw? Si Mama nga hindi ako pinaghihigpitan pag dating sa pakikipag-date!

"Wow, as far as I know my dad's already dead," I sneered at him. "Don't tell me ikaw ang reincarnation niya?"

He ignored me. Douchebag. "Don't ask Dad to give you everything. He'll give you what he thinks you need."

Napatawa ako sa inis.  "I was waiting for that rule. Akala ko nga uunahin mo 'yan e." He almost looked guilty. "What? I know you think we're gold diggers."