Nang mataningan ang buhay ng mag-asawang umampon kay Lily Jane Salvador, nanganganib na itong mapatalsik sa pamilya nila. Para patuloy siyang kupkupin sa pamilya Salvador, isa lang ang hinihingi ng kanyang Lolo: Ang makagawa si LJ ng isang obra maes...
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I met Ali because... he was — maybe you wouldn't believe this with how angelic he is — my stalker.
Not a full-on stalker but I know he takes pictures of me when I am unaware. It went on for months until I caught him.
That time, I was in dire need of someone who could give me reference photos for my dolls. Hindi na kasi ako makahanap sa internet ng specific poses and kapag nagpapa-commission naman ako, hindi ako ma-satisfy sa binibigay nila.
So, given that I have no choice, I thought of using myself as my own model. Pero ang hirap naman humanap ng kukuha sa'kin ng pictures. Ang hirap naman din kung puro salamin lang ako titingin.
I knew he's been on me for weeks before I approached him. He's not really taking creepy photos. 'Yung mga kinukuha niya is mga candid photos. Kapag focus ako sa ginagawa ko, roon siya kukuha ng picture.
So, I took my chance. Nilapitan ko siya. I knew him since he's kinda famous for his face. Lalo na't freshman. So, hindi ko rin inaasahan na ang mukhang anghel na lalaking 'yun ay isa palang stalker.
"Hey there, sweetheart."
I remember tapping his shoulder. He was busy at the time with his camera, looking at photos that happened to be the photos he took of me. He looked at me in surprise, panic and every emotion in between that.
"Do you like taking pictures of me?"
Hindi siya nakapagsalita noon. Tanda ko pa ang pagka-estatwa niya sa bench na inuupuan niya tapos sa likod niya ako lumapit noon. Its like he forgot how to move.
"Can you do a favor for me?" I leaned over his shoulder, talking in a low voice. "As payment for you taking pictures of me for days..." diniinan ko ang mga salita ko, "days, and days."
Hindi na naman siya nakapagsalita pero nagkaroon na siya ng ibang reaksyon. Lumunok siya. Hindi ko alam kung sa kaba 'yun o sa takot.
"It's against the school rules to take pictures of others without permission, right?" I asked at that time. "Actually, against siya even sa batas."
