Taking Chances

5. I don't have a future figured out

“Lesson number two… Walking.”

Ngiting-ngiti si Kristine habang nakatingin siya kay Fatima. Natitig lang ito sa kanya na para bang iniisip kung nagbibiro siya o hindi. Unfortunately, she was pretty damn serious about teaching her how to walk properly.

“Eleven months pa lang ako, marunong na akong maglakad. No thank you.” Aktong tatalikod si Fatima nang hatakin niya muli ito.

“Where do you think you’re going?” She asked. “You have to walk!”

“I already know how to!”

“In five inches heels!” Sigaw niya. Humarap si Fatima sa kanya.

“You have got to be kidding me!” Umiling siya at saka muling hinatak si Fatima. She took out the five inches high heels she bought for her that one time they went to Manila. She also bought her girly girl clothes pero matigas pa rin ang ulo nito dahil iyong pants at mga oversized shirts pa rin nito ang sinusuot nito. Okay lang naman iyon sa kanya, dinadahan-dahan niya si Fatima.

“Wear this.” Sabi niya. Naiinis man ay sumunod naman ito sa kanya. Sa maikling panahon na nakasama niya ito, she realized na hindi naman pala talag brat si Fatima, she’s a good kid at sa tingin niya Doña Isabelle was just exaggerating when she said that Fatima was a trouble maker.

She waited patiently for her para masuot ang heels na iyon. Fatima is very tall at mas lalo pa siyang tumangkad dahil sa heels na suot nito.
“Now you have to walk.”

“If I die, please tell Kuya to take care of Panama,” sabi pa nito. Natawa siya.

“Lalakad ka lang hindi ka mamamatay.” Nakangiting sabi niya.

“Ikaw muna!” Giit pa nito.

“Fine. Magsimula tayo dito papunta sa front door. When you walk, you have to walk like you own the floor.”

Sinimulan niyang maglakad. She had done this a hundred times before, she actually miss modeling. Pagkatapos niya dito kay Fatima, she will go back to Rami and ask for a modeling job, hindi na nga lang siguro sa UAE dahil ayaw na niyang makita pa muli si Jake.

Speaking of Jake, ni hindi na nga niya ito naiisip noong nakaraan. Kung sabagay, paano niya ba ba ito maiisip, kung palaging ibang tao naman ang laman ng isip niya? She was always thinking about Pablo. Nitong mga nakaraang lingo ay hindi niya ito napagkikita, sabi ni Fatima, nasa kabilang bayan daw si Pablo and he might stay there for a week or two kasama ang ilang mga katiwala nito dahil sa negosyo.

And she actually misses him.

Nami-miss niya iyong bigla na lang siyang hahatakin nito para halikan. Bigla siyang napangiti, she misses his kisses, she even miss his sexy voice.

“See, easy lang diba?” Nang balingan niya si Fatima ay wala na ito doon. All that was left of her was the pair of shoes na pinasuot niya dito kanina. “Ugh! Katigas talaga ng ulo!”
Pinulot niya ang sapatos ni Fatima at saka binitbit iyon. Pagharap niya nakita niya si Doña Isabelle na nakatingin sa kanya.

“Hello…” She greeted her. Nakataas ang kilay na nilapitan siya nito.

“Alam mo ba ang ibig sabihin ng flavor of the month?” She asked her. Kumunot ang noo niya.

“What?” Naguguluhang tanong niya dito, ano ang gusto nitong palabasin?

“Poor, Kristine…”Napapalatak na sabi nito. “Be careful, honey, the moment Pablo gets what he wants from you, he is so gonna dump you like a diaper with poo.” Doña Isabelle smiled at her, pagkatapos noon ay umalis na ito. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sinasabi nito. Was she trying to tell her to stay away from Pablo or was she giving her a warning?