Kagat-kagat ni Karina ang kanyang labi habang nagsa-snack silang tatlo ng mga kaklase niya ngayon.
Mag-aalangan pa sana siya pero, it is now or never. Kaysa naman maging stranger sila sa isa’t isa lalo na at sila lang naman tatlo ang magsasama-sama sa loob ng isang buwan.
“H-Hello, I a-am Karina de Joseph. How about you two?”
Napabuga siya ng hangin nang sa wakas ay nakapagsalita rin siya. Pinagpawisan siya do’n, ah?
Nagkatinginan ang dalawang Taiwanese na kaklase niya saka tumango sa isa’t isa.
“I am Shu-Ching, and this my friend is Su Wei,” nakangiting sagot ng isang kaklase niya.
Tumango-tango si Karina. “Wow, your names really are nice! It is as beasutiful as you both.”
“Geez, don’t mention it. Heheh,” sagot ni Su Wei.
“You know what, this is my first time to ever make friends with foreigners. And I am really glad that you two are nice and approachable. I really hesitated at first.” Pagpapaliwanag ni Karina.
“Oh, so sorry about that, Karina. Sorry for making you feel intimidated.”
Umiling-iling ang dalaga while shaking her arms. “No no no! I’ts nothing. I hope we all will do good in the workshop”
Konting kuwentuhan langang pinagsaluhan nila habang kumakain. It is morning in Brussels.
Ilang sandali pa ay pumasok na si Ms. Bumrit. “Hello, girls! After you eat, please make sure to prepare because in an hour, we will be leaving this hotel and go to the work shop’s venue.” Pagpapalala nito.
“Okay, Ms. Bumrit!”
“No problem, Ms. Bumrit!”
Ngumiti si Ms. Bumrit. ‘Okay, I will be waiting outside, be out after an hour, okay?”
Tango na lang ang naisagot nilang tatlo.
Tumingin si Shu-ching kay Karina. “Hey, girl. You go shower first.” She winked.
“Will that be okay?”
“Of course, you go now, because we are only given one hour.”
Napangiti si Karina. Mababait naman pala itong mga kasama niya. Buti na lang. Grabe, she still can not believe that she is still this lucky after all the bad lucks that happened in her life.
Ramdam na ramdam niya ang lamig nang bumuhos na ang tubig ng shower sa hubad na katawan niya. She then remembered something. Napasabunot na lang siya sa sarili niya. She is thinking of Winston again.
Grrr. Hindi mo ba lulubayan ang isip ko, Winston?
Inis na sabi niya sa kanyang isipan.
She breathed heavily. “Umayos ka Karina. Pull yourself together. Focus. . .focus.” Halos habulin na niya ang hininga niya dahil para siyang hinihingal. Dagdagan pa ng pagbuhos ng shower. Pero kailangan na niyang magmadali. This isn’t really the right time for her drama.
After a couple of minutes ay lumabas na siya ng banyo na bihis na bihis. She wore a quite simple formal dress na kulay navy green. Lalo pang lumabas ang maganda niyang kutis dahil doon..
“Woah, so pretty of you, Karina!”
Nahihiyang napangiti ang dalaga. “Ow,t-thank, Shu-Ching,” sagot niya.
After packing her things, nilabas na niya si Ms. Bumrit na naghihintay sa lounging area. Para naman alam nito na may hinihintay pa sila at hindi ito mabagot kaya sasamahan niya na lang muna ito, wala naman sigurong mawawala.
Nang makita pa lang siya ni Ms. Bumrit ay napangiti agad ito sa kanya. “Gorgeous and stunning as ever, huh?” Puna nito.
Kinikilig tuloy si Karina. Naku, mukhang madalas na siyang napupuri, kabahan na talaga ang mga nang-api at nanakit sa kanya dahil magbabalik siya. . .
“Thank you, Ms. Bumrit. You are beautiful too.”
“Where are we heading next, Ms. Bumrit?” tanong ng dalaga.
“At the event loungue, dear.”
Event Lounge is a venue following the latest trend and it offers its guest a 2500m² of business & event which made it possible to host people of up to 1150 guestst with a very stunning main event room.
It it glad to offer a state-of-the-art audio and video technology. It has also been design with several modern facilities and has been hosting lots and lots of conferences, exhibits, product launch, so therefore is is proven to be higly flexible and is a hundred percent suited for any occasion and event.
Hindi na nagtanong pa ulit si Karina. Baka kasi makulitan na sa kanya si Ms. Bumrit dahil sa kanilang tatlo, mukhang siya lang itong mahilig magtanong.
After a few more minutes ay dumating na rin ang dalawang kaklase niya. Ang gaganda rin lang talaga ng mga ito. Para silang koreana dahil singkit lang din dila.
“Oh my, you both are gorgeous!” Puna ni Karina.
“Thank you, Karina!” sabay pa nilang sagot. Nagkatinginan sila sa isa’t isa saka nagkatawanan.
“So, what are we waiting for? Let’s go! The pannel has been waiting.”
Pagkarinig pa lang ni Karina ng pannel ay halos manginig na ang tuhod niya. This is a work shop pero syempre, pagkatapos na no’n ang contest. Paano kung mahirapan siya? Paano kung hindi niya kayanin?
She shook her head to clear her mind. Hindi, hindi ako dapat ma-discourage.
Pilit na lang niyang pinakalma ang utak niya na aligaga na nga.
Around Brussel lang ang naman ang event longues kaya maiksi lang ang biyahe. Sapat na rin naman ang naging pahinga nila para magkaroon sila ng energy para sa workshop na gaganapin ngayon.
Sa entrance pa lang ay may nakabantay nang lalaki na naksuot ng suit. He is standing straight in the entrance.
“What you university are you from, Ma’am?” tanong nito kay Ms. Bumrit.
“Kaohsiung University in Taiwan, Sir,” she replied politely.
Pagkatapos niyon ay sumenyas na ang lalaki para pumasok na silang apat.
Hoooh! Mas lalong kinabahan si Karina. Napahawak siya sa dibdib niya. Tense na tense na nga siya kahit na sa hotel pa lang sila, lalo pa ngayon na nandito na sila sa venue.
Nilibot niya ang kanyang paningin sa loob ng venue. Grabe, mukhang mamahalin talaga. Venue pa lang, laglag na ang panga mo.
Hinawakan siya sa balikat ni Ms. Bumrit dahil napansin nito na hindi siya makakalma. “Relax, Ms. De Joseph. You look disturbed.”
“I-I am quite tensed, Ms. Bumrit.”
“Just think of this as a workshop. Just do your best. Don’t think of the contest. Anyway, even if you won’t make it to the contest, you guys are still lucky to enter here. It is already a priviledge because here, you will be taught by professional make-up artist who are known world wide.”
E, iyon na nga ang pinangangamba ko, Ms. Bumrit. Mga sikat na mga make-up artist ang magtuturo sa amin sa work shop. Kinakabahan ako na pumalya. Baka ipahiya ko pa ang Kaohsiung!
Nasapok ni Karina ang kanyang noo. Here she is again, she is discouraged again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, seems like we are getting complete any moment from now. May I just recognize our three participating students from Kaohsiung University who just came in.” Anunsyo ng emcee. Napatingin tuloy sa kanila ang mga tao habang papasok sila.
Hala, nakakahiya. May pa ganito pa pala?
“Sit back, and relax because in a few moments, our make-up artists will be here. I suggest you to prepare your things. Go to the vanity area assigned to you and make yourself comfotable.”
“Girls, the vanity area prepared for the Kaohsiung University participants is over there. Please, stay there and prepare your things.”
The vanity area consist of a large mirror, fragrance, clear trays. There are also flowers at the side. A comfortable seat is prepared for each participant. There as such thing as make-up holders and also, a close up mirror na pinalilibutan ng lights.
“Ang ganda,” bulalas ni Karina.
Napaawang na lang ang labi niya nang pagmasdan ito. Nakakaiyak dahil ito na talaga siya. Abot kamay na niya. She is teary-eyed at the moment.