Love Rematch

Chapter 9: Brace Yourself.

Love Rematch

© Nipster Anne

 Chapter 9: Brace Yourself.

            "Ikaw?" tanong ni Gary bago tuluyang napangiti. Sa sobrang dami ng kanyang nararamdaman ay hindi na niya napigilang yakapin ang kasayaw. Ang taong nagligtas sa kanya sa dapat ay pagkalunod sa labis na kahihihiyan sa naturang sitwasyon.

            "O, Pare! Ganito mo ba 'ko sobrang na-miss?" tanong nito at mahinang humalakhak habang nagsasayaw sila.

            Sobrang higpit ng kapit ni Gary. She was lost for words and still stunned for what had happened for the past two minutes. Halos nakalimutan na niya na nasa isang malaking party sila at napapalibutan ng napakaraming tao. She was literally shaking at nararamdaman iyon ng kanyang kasayaw. For the nth time, si Rick Alfred na naman ang nasa tabi niya.

            She tilted his head up and faced him. "Pare, thank you..." she started mumbling, but on the back of her mind. She was still searching for the right words to weave a sentence. "I- I thought—"

            "Ssshh." Rick hushed her. "Tama na muna ang drama, Pare. Let's just enjoy the party a'ryt?" He flashed his megawatt smile.

            She nodded.

            When she was about to check on the gang, that's the time she'd noticed that all eyes were darting in their direction. No, scratch that, all eyes were darting on both of them.

            Hindi pa man niya nasasatinig ang tanong kung bakit nakatingin ang lahat sa kanila, isang sopistikadang babae— na bagama't nasa edad singkwenta na ay kababakasan pa rin ng karikitan, mula sa suot nito, tindig, hanggang sa mukha— ang lumapit sa kanila. Mukhang pamilyar ito kay Gary.

            "Hi, son!" Humalik ito sa pisngi ni Rick at ganun din si Rick dito.

            Namilog ang mga mata ni Gary. Kaya pala pamilyar ito dahil ito ang babaeng nagsasalita kanina sa stage. The one who declared the party officially open. Ang COO ng RD Group of companies. Pero, teka, son? Does it mean—?

            "Hi! Mom," ani Rick.

            Ngumiti lang ang ginang saka tiningnan ang anak with that 'sino siya' look painted in her intrigued face. Ang hindi alam ni Gary, halos lahat ng nasa ballroom na 'yon ay naiintriga kung sino ang isinayaw ng anak ng COO.

            Rick smiled sheepishly. "Mom, this is Gary. Pare, my Mom."

            Napansin ni Gary na nanlaki ang mata ng ginang sa narinig. Dahil ba iyon sa 'Pare' o may ibig sabihin ang reaksiyon nito? She even saw the woman mouthed 'Oww' while nodding her head and smiling mischievously.

            Gary swallowed the lump in her throat. Nabibigla siya sa mga nangyayari. "Hello po Ma'am," she greeted and extended her right arm, "Paula Margarette po, Gary for short."

            Then suddenly, there was a collective gasp from the crowd. The woman didn't reach for her extended hand but pulled her for a quick hug and kissed the both side of her cheeks, instead.

            Maski si Rick ay nagulat sa mommy niya. Sa mundo ng mga elite, kilalang mabait ang ginang. Pero limited to families and close friends lang ang halik nito. Kaya para ibeso nito ang kakikilala pa lang tulad ni Gary, it really means something.

            "Finally, I got to meet the girl who turned my son—"

            "Mom!" Rick snapped out, as though just by calling her attention is a warning itself.