NAKANGITI si Ace habang umiinom ng scotch. He could probably feel her sudden interest on the subject. “We could fly tomorrow morning, enjoy the whole weekend swimming, sun bathing, or just walking around. Or…we could just stay inside the hotel and...relax. May infinity pool sa roof deck ng favorite kong hotel. The view is spectacular. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
Wow. Now she’s really interested. Pero hindi niya iyon ipinahalata kay Ace. “Do you always offer Boracay weekends to all the girls you meet?”
“Of course not. I am a very busy person and I don’t spend my weekends with some random girl I meet at the bar. I’m willing to take a couple of days off from my schedule to be with you because...you know, I’ve already told you that I really like you, didn’t I?”
“And you think papayag ako na sumama sa iyo?” Doon natawa si Sahara, na nagpangiti sa binata.
“Of course,” he answered, confidently.
“Bakit parang siguradung-sigurado ka?”
“Because it’s Boracay, Sarah! Any girl would love to go to Boracay – especially with me.”
Pabirong inirapan iyon ni Sahara. “I’m sorry pero hindi ako tulad ng ibang babae,” sabi niya matapos maubos ang Margarita.
“Oh.” Ace looked devastated. Hindi iyong simpleng malungkot lang ang mukha, kundi malungkot na malungkot. Inilapat pa nito ang isang kamao sa tapat ng dibdib nito na animo’y talagang nasaktan roon. “Well, isa lang ang masasabi ko sa boyfriend mo. He’s one damn lucky man.”
Yes, he is, but she blew it. She wanted to make Baste the luckiest man on earth but she guess it’s not going to happen anymore. She was tempted to tell Ace that she’s now a free woman but she didn’t want any trouble – yet. Dahil sigurado siya na hindi na siya titigilan ng binata sa oras na malaman nito na wala na syang nobyo.
“By the way, that boyfriend of yours, where is he? How come he’s not with you tonight?”
“Well...he’s not the outgoing type,” pagsisinungaling niya. Well, totoo naman na hindi pala-labas si Baste. Nga lang, hindi na niya ito kasintahan.
“At okay lang sa kanya na narito ka, nag-iisa? You’re one gorgeous lady, Sarah. I bet I’m not the first one who came on to you tonight and offered you drinks and stuff. Either your boyfriend isn’t aware of the fact that you are indeed beautiful, which I think is very unlikely – unless he’s blind – or he doesn’t really care if you’ll run away with some attractive, rich guy, like me – now that’s his loss. And don’t give me the trust argument because that’s crap. Trusting you is a good thing, but trusting men in general is another story.”
Napailing na lang si Sahara at hindi na nagsalita pa. Sa itsura ni Ace, mukhang hindi naman iyon magpapatalo sa diskusyon. Tumayo na siya at kinuha ang bag sa ibabaw ng counter.
“Hey, hey, going already?”
“It’s late. Sabi mo nga, hindi ako safe sa mga –“ And then something…someone caught her eyes. Mabilis siyang tumalikod at hinila si Ace para ipang-takip sa kanya.
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
“D’yan ka lang,” mahina niyang tanong. Nakayuko siya at sinadyang iladlad ang buhok sa bandang harap para matakpan ang kanyang mukha. Max was just around the corner, drinking alone. It was him, Sahara’s sure of it, though she wasn’t sure how. He’s supposed to be in jail…unless Michaela dropped all the charges and let that criminal roam the streets.
Lumingun-lingon si Ace habang nakaakbay sa kanya. He didn’t ask anymore questions about it. “Let’s get out of here. Come on, I know a safe exit.”
Hinigpitan ni Ace ang pagkakaakbay sa kanya habang lumalakad sila patungo sa loob ng bar. May maliit na eskinita roon na nagsisilbing daanan ng mga supplies ng establisyimento. Nang makalabas sila ay hindi pa rin inalis ng binata ang pagkakaabay sa kanya. Sa halip ay iginiya siya nito patungo sa isang nakaparadang itim na kotse.
She’s not very good at cars but she knows an expensive one when she sees one. Binuksan ni Ace ang pinto ng passenger seat at pinasakay siya nito roon – na hindi naman niya natanggihan dahil natatakot pa rin siya sa posibilidad na baka nasa paligid lang si Max at nakasunod pa rin sa kanila.
“Now, explain that.”
Pareho na silang nakaupo sa loob ng sasakyan, kapwa walang imikan. Wala mang galit sa mukha ni Ace, halatang hindi nito nagustuhan ang nangyari. But how could she explain a problem like Max?
“Stalker mo ba ‘yon? Ex-boyfriend na hindi maka-get over?”
“Long story.” Hindi siya tumingin rito. “Anyway, thank you. Kailangan ko nang umuwi,” sabi niya. Bubuksan na sana niya ang pinto ng kotse nang pigilan siya ni Ace.
“And do you think I’d just let you go alone after what happened back there?”
“Pero kailangan ko nang umuwi.” Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay.
“I’ll take you home then,” matigas nitong sabi. Yumuko ito para kunin ang seatbelt at ito pa mismo ang nagkabit niyon. His hand accidentally touched her hand when he buckled the belt and it lingered there for a while.
She’s supposed to get her hand back but she didn’t. And she’s not supposed to stare at him and let his face so close to hers but she didn’t do anything about it. There was something in his eyes, that she couldn’t deny. May nangyayari nang mga oras na iyon sa pagitan nilang dalawa ni Ace. Ramdam niya iyon pero wala siyang maisip na salita para roon.
~~
IYON ba ang tinatawag na ‘spark’? ‘Chemistry’? ‘Magic’? Pero matagal na panahon na siyang hindi naniniwala sa mga ganoong bagay. Kahit pa nga kay Baste ay hindi siya nakaramdam ng spark-spark na gano’n.
Napalunok si Sahara nang unti-unting lumalapit ang mukha ni Ace sa mukha niya. Sukul na sukol na siya doon sa kanyang kinauupuan kaya hindi niya magawang gumalaw.
“Do you hear that?” mahinang tanong ni Ace. His breath smelled scotch and mint.
“Hear what?”
“That – thump, thump, thump. Ang lakas,” nakangiti nitong sabi. “Sa’yo ba ‘yon?”
Umiling siya. Naiintindihan niya ang ibig nitong sabihin.
Ipinilig nito ang ulo sa kaliwa na para bang napakalalim ng iniisip. Sa sobrang gulat ay hindi na niya nagawang makapalag nang kunin nito ang isa niyang kamay at ilapat sa malapad nitong dibdib. “Thump, thump, thump…mukhang sa akin. I’ve never felt it beat that hard before.”
Binitiwan na ni Ace ang kanyang kamay at umayos na ng upo at naiwan siya roong parang na-estatwa. What did just happen?
“I’ll take you home,” he said, as he started the car’s engine. “Where is home, anyway?”
“C&C Condominiums.”
She wasn’t supposed to say Karen’s condominium address to a complete stranger. But it was too late. And she felt that it was safer than telling him where she currently lives. Hindi nakaligtas sa kanya ang mapanuring mata ng binata nang marinig iyon. C&C Condominiums is known to be home for the rich and the famous and he wasn’t probably expecting her to be that rich and famous.
“A friend of mine lives there. Bibisitahin ko lang,” paglilinaw niya dahil ayaw niyang magbigay ng maling impresyon kay Ace. Not that it mattered.
Muli, tinapunan siya nito ng tingin habang nagmamaneho na para bang nagsasabing – ‘I wasn’t asking’.
It was a thirty-minute drive – a quiet thirty-minute drive. Ace opened the door for her and walked with her.
“Good evening, sir…ma’am.”
Nginitian ni Ace si Mang Justo na parang matagal na niya itong kakilala.
“Sige, dito na lang, salamat uli" Huminto na siya sa may lobby pero hindi tumigil si Ace sa paglalakad kaya napilitan siyang sundan ito hanggang doon hallway patungong elevator. “Ace!”
“I need to make sure that you’re safe,” sabi pa nito matapos pindutin ang buton doon.
“I am safe now, thank you.”
“Kailangang makita kong makapasok ka sa unit ng kaibigan mo nang safe.” Pinauna siya nitong pumasok sa kabubukas pa lamang na pinto at agad rin itong sumunod sa kanya. “Which floor?”
“10th.” When he said something about being persistent, he wasn’t kidding, alright.
“So, you frequent this place?”
Tumango siya. “Bakit?”
“Nothing. I haven’t been here for ages. Kung alam ko lang na dito lang pala kita madalas na makikita, I shouldn’t have moved.”
“Tumira ka rito noon?” Napatingin siya rito. Kinailangan pa niya itong tingalain.
“Right after college. Kalilipat ko lang last year.”
Wow. Now that’s fate…nah, just a coincidence, plain and simple.
10th floor. Sabay silang napatingin sa mga numero sa itaas ng pinto ng elevator, sabay na napangiti at sabay na lumabas mula roon. Ilang pinto pa ang lumipas, ay narating rin nila ang unit ni Karen. Mabuti na lamang at binigyan siya ng spare key ng kaibigan para sa mga ganitong pagkakataon.
“Thank you. I’m safe now. Ito na, papasok na ‘ko,” natatawa niyang sabi habang hawak ang doorknob ng bukas nang pinto ng unit.
“You’re always welcome.”
“Sige, bye.” She was about to get inside when he reached for her hand.
“Wait, Sarah.”
“Bakit?” Nagulat pa siya nang tawagin siya nito sa ibang pangalan. Sarah nga pala ang pakilala niya rito noong una silang nagkakilala.
“Paano ka bukas? I mean, ano’ng balak mo sa stalker mo?”
Is he really concerned about her safety or he’s just being charming? “I’ll be fine,” sabi niya, kahit pa takot na rin siyang lumabas ng bahay dahil kay Max.
“Aren’t you gonna report him to the police?”
“I’ll do it first thing in the morning. Sige, goodbye,” muli niyang paalam. Ace was still holding her hand and it feels like he has no plans of letting it go. “Ace, ‘yung kamay ko.”
He just smiled but didn’t let go. “You still owe me something, Sarah. You owe me your number.”
Oh, that! “Pero-” Siya naman ang napangiti.
“Fine,” sa wakas ay binitiwan rin nito ang kanyang kamay, na pinanghinayangan rin niya pagkatapos. Kinuha nito ang wallet sa bulsa ng pantalon at may kinuha roon. Business card. “Here, I’ll give you my contact number instead. Contact me if you need a knight in shining armor or whenever you feel like it.”
Kinuha niya ang iniabot nito at tiningnan niya iyon. It was different from other business cards that she has seen before. Hindi nakalagay roon ang kumpanyang pinagtatrabahuhan nito, o ang posisyon nito. The fun part – it wasn’t made from paper. The business card was of clear transparent plastic.
Ace. Publisher. Photographer. Genius.
“Oh, the publisher/photographer part is crap. ‘Yung huli lang ang accurate…wait, may dapat pala ‘kong idagdag d’yan – life saver,” pahabol pa nito sabay kindat.
“Sige na, Mr. Genius, good night and good bye. Thank you for being my life saver.”