THE LOVER : Lucius Marco

[Treinta Y Siete] TENSION

"Akala ko nagmalik-mata lang ako. Pero ikaw pala talaga 'yon, nak!" nagagalak na sabi ni Julianna at saka tumawa nang matapos itong nagsalita.

Emmanuela laughed softly as she slides her feet in her white sandals while listening to her mother enthusiastically telling her own daughter how glad she is upon seeing her as a cover of a magazine.

"Did you read my own content in the magazine?" Emmanuela asked. There was a brief moment of silence then she heard a loud gasp on the other end of the line.

"AAAAACCKKK—!" Bahagyang inilayo ni Emmanuela ang cellphone niya sa tenga niya nang narinig niyang malakas na umaagik-ik ang sariling ina. 'Di naman niya mapigilang matawa.

"Ma naman!" she giggled.

"Oh em gee, akala ko cover kalang, anak!" tumaas na naman ang boses ni Julianna at bakas doon ang kasiyahan. 'Di naman mapigilan ni Emmanuela ang mapangiti dahil sa inaasal ng mama niya ngayon.

"I'm so proud of you, anak."

Emmanuela blinks. Somehow, her world stopped turning and her heart starts to beat fast. Her lips curved from a small smile to a large grin on her face. Those words somehow gave Emmanuela's heart a warm hug. It feels so good hearing it from her mother with her voice lacing in pure happiness.

"Time comes and you will achieve greater things than that. I can't wait to see that."

A tear fell from her eye. She can't explain how it feels like a lovely abode those words are. Simula nung bata pa siya, 'di niya masyadong nasasabihan ang mama niya sa kung ano na ang nangyayari sa kanya sa school kasi mas pinagtuunan ng pansin ni Julianna ang pag-iisip kung may iba ba ang asawa niya o wala. Bukod doon ay busy din siya sa trabaho noon. Lumala ito nang malaman niyang may iba talaga ang asawa niya at hindi niya nakayang harapin ang katotohanan na 'yon. It lead her to depression.

"Thanks, Ma.." Emmanuela bit her lowerlip after she muttered those words, supressing herself to make a sound as few tears starting to fall.

"After your schedule for today, makakadaan ka ba sa bahay? Let's make cupcakes." Malumanay na giit ni Julianna. Napatango naman ni Emmanuela kahit alam niyang 'di siya makikita ng mama niya.

"I'll be there, Ma." She said with a smile.

Each day that past, everything went well.  Emmanuela successfully did the photoshoot, she got positive feedbacks from executives, managers, staffs and most importantly, the netizens. What's intriguing is that the netizens wants to see more of Emmanuela's content and if she would lie— she'd say that she wouldn't want that. Ito pala feeling ng pagiging artista. She doesn't like attention that much but with the attention that she's getting with her first big step in the industry, she's already loving it.

After the call, Emmanuela slides her phone back to her sling bag. Umuwi saglit si Emmanuela para pakainin si Buttercup at saka magshower sa sarili niyang CR. Napatingin siya sa wristwatch niya at napatanto na 'di pa siya late sa filming ng advertisement niya ngayon pero nung pauwi palang siya ay naghihintay na sa kanya si Kirsten sa kompanya. Kahit pa sinabi nito na take your time, nagmamadali pa din ito kasi hinatid siya ng sariling service na para sa kanya lamang. As she looks herself in the mirror and dusts off some part of her mini skirt, she flinched when she heard Buttercup barked constantly.

While still subtly fixing herself, Emmanuela made her way downstairs, and Buttercup's barking slowly faded.

"Buttercu—?" she stopped her tracks just infront of the stairs when she saw Lucius gently petting Buttercup with his one knee kneeling on the floor. The little shi tzu wags his tail with his tongue out as if Lucius was someone he already knew.