Patricia''s POV (Date) "1, 2, 3! Smile!"


    Matamis akong ngumiti sa camera habang dinadama ang suot na toga. Today is our graduation pictorial and I feel so happy. I can already feel the juice of my sufferings.


    Nang matapos akong kuhanan ng litrato ay si Jess naman. Saglit akong nag retouch at sinuri ang sarili sa smin. Suot ko ang isang png off shoulder dress. Si Jess at Kelvin ang nag ayos sakin. Kahit ang mga kase ko ay masasaya at magaganda ang ayos. Kukuhanan ulit kami ng litrato para sa creative shot kaya umupo muna ako sa pinakadulong parte ng ssroom para mag hintay.


    Nabasa ko ang isang text messages ni mommy.


    From: Mommy Callum will go to your school to pick you up. Good luck to your pictorial!


    My mood suddenly changed. Kaya ko naman umuwi mag isa! I doubt that Callum wille because of me.


    Hindi ko pa nga p nakakausap si mommy tungkol kay Callum at sa babaeng kasama niya. Last week pa ''yon nangyari pero hindi ko pa nasasabi sa kanya dahil dumoble ang pagiging busy n. Hindi na ako nag reply dahil nag start na ulit ang picture taking. Sigurado naman ako na hindi tutuloy si Callum dahil masyado siyang busy sa trabaho.


    Sa creative shot ay iba-iba ang ginawa namin. Kasama ko rin sa picture si Jess, Kelvin at Tyrone, my friends. Dahil sng naman ang naging kaibigan ko at nakasama ko sa halos ng taon na pag aaral sa iisang school. "Finally!" I said in relief when we finished.


    Nag desisyon kami n Jess na kakain sa isang chinese restaurant kaya nag ayos na kami.


    I entered thefort room to check myself in the mirror when I heard the squealing voices of my ssmates.


    "Oh my god! Patricia, look whose outside!"


    Biang pumasok si Jess sa banyo at agad akong hin pbas. Nagtataka ako dahil namum pa ang pisngi niya na t kinikilig.


    Ang mga kase kong babae ay nagbubulungan at impit na umiirit habang nakadungaw sabas ng bintana ng ssroom. Unti-unti naw ang pagtataka ko at napalitan ng salubong na ky ng makita ko si Callum na nakatayo sabas ng ssroom at may hawak na... bk?


    Tuluyan ng nmon ng mlakas na sigawan ng mga estudyante sa paligid ang pandinig ko ng lumapit sa''kin si Callum. Ibinigay niya ang boquet ng bk. Kinunutan ko siya ng noo dahil sa ginagawa niya. What the hell is the meaning of this? He really came?


    "For you" he said while looking at me straightly. "Let''s go?" he even offered me his arm.


    "What are you doing?" I whispered.


    He just smiled, obviously pretending. "Just go with the flow, woman. They''re watching"


    Tumingin ako sa paligid at haloshat ng mata ay nasa amin. Gusto ko nang magho sa sobrang hiya kaya w akong choice kundi iang ang kamay ko sa braso niya. Nag kunwari akong wng pakim sa paligid pero halos patayin ko na si Callum sa isip ko.


    "Mag date na kayo! Next time nang tayo mag bonding n Kelvin!" pagtataboy ni Jess at ibinigay ang gamit ko.


    Nag pad nang ako sa hawak ni Callum. Kahit sa hallway at sa field ay hinahabol parin kami ng mata ng mga estudyante. I''m sure we''ll be the topic again tomorrow.


    When we arrived at the empty parking lot, I quickly removed my hand that was wrapped around his arm.


    "What are you doing? Are you really annoying me?!" I hit him using my bag with so much irritation. "Or maybe because you like the attention that people give you and you''re happy that I''m the one they mock and hate?!" Umawangbi niya sa sinabi ko at pilit na iniiwasan ang pag hampas ko.


    "What are you saying? It''s my way to show gratitude to my soon to be wife" kampante niyang sabi bago hinawakan ang mga braso ko. "And I don''t do it just to get attention, I did it for you, so somehow people will stop thinking bad things to you by atleast showing that I care about you?"


    "Whatever!" umirap ako atlapit na sa sasakyan ko ng hhin niya ulit ako. "Hey! Don''t touch me!"


    Pilit kong tinatanggal ang kamay niya ngunit mahigpit ''yon. Din niya ako sa harap ng magarang mercedes bench at may isanglaking lumabas doon at binuksan ang pinto ng back seat. Siguro''y driver niya.


    "I had my own car and I can go home alone!" I shouted.


    He''s stronger than me so he just quickly put me inside the car. I had no choice but to shout and stamp my foot in annoyance. If I could only just p him!


    "How dare you do this?! How about my car?" I growl. He sat next to me so I kept my distance from him.


    "You''re so loud" he sighed. "I just follow what your mom said and don''t worry, one of my men will bring your car home"


    Suminghap ako at hindi nang nag salita dahil baka masampal ko na tga siya. And mommy really n this? I will talk to herter!


    Tahimik ako buong biyahe, kahit si Callum. Buong ak ko ay ihahatid niya ako sa bahay namin pero dumiretso ang sasakyan sa isang mamahaling restaurant. "Bakit tayo nandito?!" eksahadera kong tanong.


    Hindi siya nag salita at lumabas ng sasakyan, umikot siya para pag buksan ako ng pinto.


    "We''re going to eat" sagot niya at hin ang kamay ko.


    "Kung gusto mo kumain sana ay ikaw nang!"


    "It''s our date can''t you see.."


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    Lumag ang panga ko. Date? Sino naman ang nag sabi sa kanya na gusto ko makipagdate! I was about to speak when he suddenly pulled me inside the restaurant. I didn''tin anymore, especially when he made me sit to his reserved table. So he''s really ready for it?


    I remained silent as he ordered our food. Gosh, it''s my first time eating here with only one person with me since I don''t go on dates. Good thing that I''m wearing a dress now and not school uniform.


    I turned around and just saw few people. Buti naman dahil baka bukas ay makita ko na naman ang mukha ko sa articles.


    Callum ordered some steaks and drinks. Tahimikng din kaming dwa na kumain. Ayaw ko naman na awayin at komprontahin siya sa harap ng pagkain.


    "Did you like what I ordered?" he suddenly asked and I just nodded.


    We remained silent until we finished eating. Gutom din ako kaya naubos ko ang pagkain, Callum doesn''t seem to care about that.


    Tahimik parin kami hanggang makbas ng restaurant. So, he''s usually this silent all the time?


    "Ihahatid na kita-"


    "I will go straight to thepany" I said.


    "Okay" he shrugged.


    Nakarating kami sapany ng wng usap-usap. Lbas na ko ng sasakyan ng makita konglabas din siya.


    "You don''t have to" natigil siya. "It was okay that you fetch and brought me here. Thanks for the treat"


    Tinalikuran ko siya at pumasok sa building. Ayaw ko na siyang sumama dahil siya ang pag uusapan namin ni mommy.


    Nagt si mommy ng pumasok akosa office niya.


    "Pat? Why are you here? How''s your date with Callum?" nagtatakang tanong niya.


    "So it''s really your n, huh? We just ate. By the way, I have something to tell you, mom"


    "And what is it?"


    Ipinakita ko sa kanya ang nakuha kong litrato ni Callum at ng babae noong nakaraang linggo. Ngayon kong ito masasabi sa kanya.


    Kumunot ang noo ni mommy at mariin na tinitigan ang litrato.


    "I saw him. Is that his girlfriend? Well, if that really is.. I think we need to cancel the wedding? He loves someone else and I don''t want to be an obstacle there" kampante akong ngumiti. "Callum is single and never been attach to any woman"


    Naw ang ngiti ko. "What? Mom, it''s already the evidence! I saw them! The girl even hug him!" giit ko.


    "Maybe his ex? Believe me, he''s not dating someone. You two are getting married so he don''t have a reason to do that" mariin na sabi ni mommy na para bang sigurado tga siya. How she can be so sure about this? What if Callum lied to them?


    "Come on, stop thinking bad about him. He''s nice and the girl he''s with on the picture was Zara Banner"


    "Zara? You knew her, mom?" kumunot ang noo ko. "But wait, is she rted to the Banner Legacy?"


    "Yes, the heirs of Banner Legacy, our rivalpany. I just know her recently because of Mrs. Veronica Vsquez. Zara was once promised to marry Callum but it didn''t happened" Literal na lumag ang panga ko sa narinig, hindi ako makapaniwng napatingin kay mommy.


    "Like me, she also got engaged with Callum?" naguguluhan kong tanong. "But why did they end up like that?"


    "The Vsquez found out that their family was doing illegal things"


    "Oh my gosh.." bulong ko at napatakip sa bibig.


    All this time, the good image of their family had a evil history? H-Howe? Hindi ko m ang bagay na iyon dahil w naman akong nabasang articles tungkol dito.


    "Hindi iyon naisapubliko ayon kay Mrs. Vsquez kaya wng ibang nakakam doon. Zara was inlove with Callum but he doesn''t like her that''s why she still insisting herself to him"


    Callum didn''t like Zara Banner? I didn''t met her personally even once but I already saw her pictures in the magazines and articles because she''s a model. I admit that she''s really pretty but I did not recognize her that time. Gt parin ako sa revtions na ni mommy.


    "I hope it just stays with the two of us. It''s too confidential"


    W sa sariling napatango ako.


    "I think you already enlightened. Wag mo na pag-isipan ng ganoon ang magiging asawa mo. Just go home and rest, I still had work"


    Napatunganga nang ako ng umalis si mommy sa harap ko. W akong choice kundi umalis umuwi sa bahay. Habang nasa biyahe ay lutang parin ang isip ko.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    So...my hopes are gone? Callum didn''t really have a girlfriend? Damn!