23rd League: Invited
NAKATINGIN LANG si Iris sa kaniyang phone at masayang pinagmamasdan ang mga uploaded photo ni Trixie. The preloved goods she gave her were sold out in an instant. Masaya siya dahil muli ay natulungan niya si Trixie sa problema nito.
Kasama niyang kumakain sa cafeteria si Ryland na kanina pang walang imik. She eyed him, trying to figure out what seemed to be his problem.
"Ryland, are you okay?" tanong niya sa kasama.
"Uhh... Y-Yes, I'm fine," sagot ni Ryland.
"Para kasing ang lalim ng iniisip mo," Iris stated worriedly.
"I'm okay, don't mind me. N-Nagkaroon lang ng minor problem sa company but everything's under control now," he replied, reassuring her with a smile.
"Gano'n ba? Mabuti naman."
"How about you, Iris? Anong pinagkakaabalahan mo these past few days?" tanong ni Ryland.
"Hmm... Wala naman," Iris answered without looking at him.
And once again, Iris lied to his face. Hindi alam ni Iris kung paano sasabihin kay Ryland na tumanggap siya ng isa pang manliligaw. She really wanted to, she just didn't know how to do so. She wanted to keep honest in front of him pero nararamdaman niyang magkakaroon ng gulo once she told him.
Ayaw niyang maging dahilan ng kahit anong hindi pagkakaunawaan. And most of all, she didn't want to lose Ryland. She was more than certain he'd leave her once he found out about Travis.
"How's everything going sa debut mo? Is there anything I can do to help?" tanong ni Ryland.
"No, everything's under control, too. Hands on si Mom sa pag-aayos ng lahat. In fact, one of the exclusive designers from Heather V will be visiting us sa mansion later para asikasuhin na ang lineup ng outfits ko for my debut," sagot ni Iris.
"Really? That's nice to hear. Just tell me if you need any help. A-Ako pa rin naman ang escort mo, 'di ba?" Seryosong tinitigan ni Ryland ang dalaga.
"Yes, Ryland. Why? Are you sure you're okay?" ani Iris. Pansin niya na tila hindi mapalagay ang binata kanina pa.
"I-I'm, okay, yes..." tugon ng binata. Hindi kumbinsido si Iris pero hinayaan na lang niya.
ALEX AND Yuri were scanning the outfit designs that the Heather V designer handed to Iris. Nagpumilit ang mga kaibigan ng dalaga na sumama sa mansion with her when they learned she would be choosing her gowns and dresses.
Elerie was just standing in front of the victory wall where Iris's medals and certificates were hanging. Natulala ang dalaga sa labis na paghanga.
"Guys, I need your opinions but please make sure it'd follow my perspective. I want to keep myself simple yet elegant," Iris told her Alex and Yuri before approaching Elerie.
"My goodness, Iris. I wasn't able to see this the last time we were here. Ang dami mong achievements, I couldn't get any prouder," natutuwang sabi ni Elerie.
"Thanks. Kulang pa nga 'yan. 'Yong iba, nasa room ko," mayabang na wika ni Iris.
"Talaga, kulang pa ang mga 'yan? Nasa room mo ang iba? Alam mo, Iris, bakit 'di ka rin maglagay sa kitchen n'yo para naman wherever you look at, makikita mo ang achievements mo. Mas nakaka-motivate 'yon!" suhestyon ni Elerie.
"Elerie, with that, it's as if you are implying that I should also put some inside the comfort room para meron every corner of this mansion," inis na utas ni Iris sa kaibigan.
"Wow, Iris, ang brilliant mo talaga! Magandang idea nga 'yan!" Elerie said.
"Elerie, would you zip your mouth for a moment? Thanks," nakairap na wika ni Iris bago nilayasan ang kaibigan niya.
"Girls, meryenda muna kayo," masiglang saad ni Mrs. Jang na may dalang iba't ibang flavor ng cakes. Nagkatinginan naman sina Alex at Yuri. "Don't worry, girls, it's low fat. On diet ba kayo?"
"Opo, Tita. Ang bilis ko kasi mag-gain ng weight. Buti nga po si Iris, kahit malakas kumain, she doesn't get fat easily," Yuri said.
"Don't worry about these cakes. Ako rin kasi, I'm on a strict diet but I love sweets so I decided to bake these low fat cakes. Try it," nakangiting wika ni Mrs. Jang.
"Thank you, Tita," anang mga kaibigan ni Iris.
Hindi makapag-concentrate si Iris sa pagpili ng mga susuotin para sa nalalapit niyang debut. Hindi naman dahil sa kasama niya ang mga kaibigan niya, more like she was thinking about the mess she had put herself in.
Travis wasn't giving her an answer yet. She wasn't sure if he would make it to the party. Even so, she already put his name on the list of her eighteen roses for her invitation na ipamimigay na bukas.
Ayaw naman niyang kulitin si Travis tungkol doon dahil hindi niya naman gustong ma-pressure ang binata o pumayag lang just because he was forced to. She wanted him to decide out of his will.
"Iris, question lang," Alex said. Nilingon niya ang kaibigan at nagulat nang makita niyang hawak nito ang listahan ng mga invited sa debut niya. "This Travis on the list. Is he that janitor guy?"
"Why is he invited? Close ba kayo? And to think that he's on the eighteen roses list, you two must be really close friends," tanong ni Yuri.
"W-Well... Uhh... Why not? Yes, friends kami ni Travis. H-He's a good guy," she answered defensively.
"Why didn't we know about this?" Alex asked.
"Well... Ano kasi... He's a cool guy, girls. And besides, hindi na siya janitor. Singer na siya sa Loony Bar," ani Iris.
"Wow! Singer na si Travis sa Loony Bar? Parang noon lang, hirap na hirap akong pakantahin siya kapag nagre-request ako," Elerie blurted.
"Well, good for him. He's not fit to be a janitor. Travis is pretty attractive, to be honest. It's a shame that he was once a janitor," Yuri commented.
"How's that a shame? Would you rather want him to be a thief or snatcher?" taas-kilay na tanong ni Iris.
"She has a point, Yuri. Mas maganda nang mag-janitor si Travis as long as he doesn't harm anyone else," Alex stated.
She couldn't blame her friends for being judgemental because she was no saint to begin with. She used to think and act the same way until Travis came. Gusto man niyang baguhin ang thinking ng mga kaibigan niya, she didn't know how to.
IT WAS a pretty cold night and Iris didn't realize it until she went off her car. She'd been a little checked out lately kaya naman nahirapan siyang makapagpaalam sa mga magulang niya upang lumabas. Hindi na niya naumpisahan ang gig ni Travis.
Pumasok siya ng Loony Bar where she had a hard time finding a seat. Halos lahat ng table ay occupied na maging ang favorite spot niya. She just went straight to the bar and asked for a drink.
Iris noticed Travis was singing indolently. Regardless, the crowd was still bloody loud and cheerful. Was he sick? She got worried about him but she was stuck on her seat. Masyadong matao ang bar at hindi siya makahanap ng magandang puwesto.
She scanned the crowded front seats to where she saw Karen sitting comfortably. Why was she there?
Anong ginagawa ng babaeng 'to dito? It's not her shift tonight. Nananadya talaga ang Karen na 'to. Does she think I'll let her steal Travis from me?
Nakipagsiksikan si Iris sa mga tao. One seat from Karen's table was unoccupied so she decided to sit there. Travis's face brightened up at the sight of her beloved woman. Karen was annoyed by her presence.
"So... You're here," Iris said, smirking.
"Why wouldn't I? Sa 'yo ba ang bar na 'to?" tanong ni Karen.
"Nope," Iris answered.
"Hindi naman pala, eh. Kaya wala kang pakialam kung nandito ako ngayon." Kahit nagpapasaringan ang dalawa ay nanatiling silang nakangiti sa harap ni Travis.
"Do you want me to buy this bar? Baka mawalan ka ng trabaho," nakangising wika ni Iris.
"Yeah right, I almost forgot that you're rich. Kaya akala mo, kaya mong bilhin lahat. Akala mo, kaya mong bilhin si Travis," Karen rebutted.
"What did you say? You honestly think Travis is like an expensive thing to be bought?"
"Exactly my point. He's not a thing. He's a person, kaya 'wag kang umasta diyan na akala mo, donya kang dapat niyang pagsilbihan. I know you're just using him for fun. Gano'n naman kayong mayayaman, 'di ba?"
Nag-init ang ulo ni Iris sa sinabi ni Karen. Ang akala ba ng babaeng katabi niya ay pampalipas oras lang niya si Travis? She couldn't believe her ears.
"I'm not using him! Matalinong tao si Travis. He told me that he likes me. What you said doesn't make any sense just like how pointless your insecure, pathetic, sad life is," sagot ni Iris.
"Anong sinabi mo?" inis na tanong ni Karen.
"Don't make me repeat what I said. Baka umiyak ka pa," ani Iris.
Sakto namang natapos ang pagkanta ni Travis. He was smiling brighter than ever. Iris stood up and looked at Karen.
"Enjoy the rest of the night, Karen," ani Iris bago lumabas ng bar.
She just waited inside her car. Nasaktan siya sa mga sinabi ni Karen sa kaniya. She knew she wasn't using him for fun. Gusto niya ang binata. Why was she affected by what Karen said?
Maybe because of the truth that she couldn't even properly introduce Travis to anyone. Earlier, she told her girl friends that Travis and she were friends. She was scared to let everyone know. She was scared to lose Ryland.
The knock on her car's window made her snap out of her lonely thoughts. Lumabas siya ng kotse at agad naman siyang niyakap ni Travis.
"Akala ko, hindi ka na darating kanina," Travis said, hugging her tightly. She smiled and hugged her back.
"May inasikaso lang ako," she answered. Travis awkwardly took a step backwards when he realized how cheesy he was.
"Masaya ako na magkasundo kayo ni Karen," ani Travis. She just couldn't agree with it, nevertheless, she remained positive towards it. She was thankful Travis was being oblivious. She didn't want him to hear Karen's pointless remarks.
Gusto sanang itanong ni Iris ang tungkol sa pagdalo ni Travis sa kaniyang debut ngunit hindi niya magawa. She couldn't find enough courage to ask him. Bakit ba naduduwag siya?
Naroon na siya sa ayaw niyang ma-pressure ang binata pero bakit tila hindi naman pinag-iisipan ni Travis ang tungkol sa bagay na 'yon? Matagal na rin naman mula nang itanong niya ito sa binata.
Then, an idea suddenly struck her.
"Uhh... Travis, tingin mo, makakasama kaya si Trixie sa debut ko?" she asked. Sa paraang iyon, she didn't directly ask him but he would be reminded for sure. Saglit na natahimik ang binata.
"Tungkol pala diyan..." panimula ni Travis.
"No, don't worry. If hindi ka makakapunta, that's fine. Kahit si Trixie na lang sana," she said. Mas gugustuhin na niyang siya ang magsabi kaysa sa bibig ni Travis manggaling ang rejection.
"Ayos lang sa 'yo? Okay lang na wala ako sa debut mo?" Travis asked.
"I mean... If you're busy or you think you're not gonna be comfortable sa debut ko, ayos lang naman sa 'kin," wika ni Iris.
"Hindi mo sinagot ang tanong ko, ayos lang ba sa 'yo na wala ako ro'n?" tanong ni Travis.
Hindi nakaimik si Iris. Of course, she wanted Travis to be there. Kaya lang ay ayaw niya itong sagutin dahil baka mapilitan lang ito. If he really wanted to, he'd be there.
"Your decision isn't mine, Travis. Do everything as you will," tugon ni Iris.
Ngumuso naman ang binata at tumingin sa kawalan. Iris found him so cute doing that but she didn't say a thing. So that was another side of Travis that she just discovered. He could be boyishly cute sometimes.
"Pupunta 'ko," Travis said, looking back at Iris.
Pigil na pigil na ngumiti ang dalaga dahil sa sobrang tuwang nadarama. She hugged him so tight. Hindi naman nagulat si Travis sa inakto ng dalaga. He just hugged her back and sniffed her strawberry scented hair.
"Thank you, Travis!" masayang utas ng dalaga. Ilang segundo lang ay bigla namang kumunot ang noo nito sabay hinampas sa dibdib si Travis.
"Ouch! Ano na naman?!" singhal ng binata.
"Baka naman napipilitan ka lang?" Iris asked.
"H-Hindi, ha! Bakit mo naman naisip 'yan? Aray ko, grabe ka talaga," ani Travis habang hinihimas ang kaniyang dibdib.
"Okay, I just want to be sure. Sorry," wika ni Iris at hinimas din ang dibdib ni Travis. The guy looked at Iris's hand stroking his chest. "Masakit pa ba?" tanong ni Iris.
"Tyansing ka lang yata, eh," wika ni Travis kaya naman sinabunutan siya ni Iris.
"Buwisit ka talaga! Kahit kailan ka!" singhal ni Iris.
"Aray ko! Joke lang! Aray, tama na, ayoko na! Sorry na!" natatawang sabi ni Travis. Binitiwan naman siya ni Iris.
"Umayos ka nga, Travis Gary Falcon!"
"Grabe, binuo mo talaga, 'no?" nakangising wika ng binata.
Iris got caught in his vivid, emerald eyes again. She wished she met Travis in a different time and place. Everything would've been perfect. Wala sana siyang inaalala ngayon.
Nakatitig lang siya sa binata at ganoon din ito sa kaniya. The next thing she knew, Travis was sent down to the ground. Matulin ang pangyayari. Her eyes immediately shifted to where the punch came from. There, she saw Ryland looking so ferocious. It was like he could kill Travis with just his glare alone.
"I knew it. How dare you, Iris? Paano mo nagawa sa 'kin 'to?" mariing tanong ni Ryland.