Abala sa pagmamaneho ng sasakyan si Troy nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. Rein was at his side. His thoughts were occupied. Pinaplano niya ang unang date niya sa dalaga at excited siya!
He wanted the best for her, he wanted to please her. After a series of thoughts, ipinasya niyang dalhin ito sa Manila Peninsula Hotel, kung saan magka-candle lit dinner sila, well, it was a very late dinner but who cares.
He was not the usual romantic type but he felt like one right now. Alam niya kasing espesyal si Rein. She deserved to be treated like a princess.
Patuloy na tumunog ang cellphone niya at napilitan siyang sagutin iyon.
“Where are you at this point in time, Troy? Mag-uumaga na. Huwag mong kalilimutang may appointment tayo bukas. Nakakahiya kay Pare kapag mukha kang lantang gulay bukas. You need to be in good shape. Umuwi ka na at magpahinga.”
Kaagad na kumulimlim ang anyo ng binata. Well, his father was so like Hitler. He always regarded him as his subordinate, someone who’s under his beck and call.
“Pa…” His forehead crumpled in frustration.
“We have a very important family affair tomorrow, Troy. You just can’t mess it up…”
He cursed in his mind. What his father just said ignited the seed of rebellion in him. Lalo na at katabi niya ngayon ang babaeng pumukaw nang kanyang interes. He would rather spend a memorable moment with her than indulge his father.
Punong-puno na siya sa ama. He knew he was up for another scheme manipulating his life. He was actually planning his demise. Kung kahapon ay hindi niya masyadong dinibdib ang naging pag-uusap nila ng ama, ngayon ay hindi na iyon katanggap-tanggap sa kanya.
Ano ba ang tingin nito sa kanya? Isang teenager? Hell! He was already twenty-eight, for crying out loud!
Actually, hindi naman siya nagkulang sa pagsunod sa mga kagustuhan ng ama niya. He wanted to please him. And for sometime in his life, he had been a ‘yes Pa’ son to him. Katunayan ay marami siyang isinakripisyo para lamang paluguran ang ama. Even his dreams, he set it aside for him.
Pangarap niyang maging musician, maging isang magaling na drummer. Ngunit gusto naman nitong maging isang negosyante siya. He gave up his band, to manage their business. Ginawa niya ang lahat na nais ng ama ngunit kailanman ay hindi ito naging kuntento. Ni hindi man lang ito natuwa sa mga nagawa niya. He always fell short of his expectations. Ngayon niya na-realize na kailanman ay hindi niya mapapantayan ang ekspektasyon sa kanya ng ama.
He wanted him to do things that didn’t match his interest, things against his wishes. Was his father thinking about his happiness too? Mukhang nasanay na yata ito sa pangingialam sa buhay niya. This had to come to an end.
Kaagad na nakagawa siya ng desisyon. He wanted out of his father’s manipulations. Ngayon ay gagawin na niya kung ano ang gusto niya. Marami siyang bagay na gustong patunayan sa ama. He wanted to prove to him that he will succeed in doing things right up his alley. Kaya naman siguro walang nangyayari sa buhay niya sa nagdaang mga taon ay dahil hindi iyon bukal sa kalooban niya. Just as what Richard Carlson said “When you love what you do, it's difficult not to succeed.”
So it was now high time for him to chase his dreams. It was time to do things he was passionate about – and that was to sail in the world of Music. Papasukin niya ang mundo ng musika. Aabutin niya ang mga pangarap niya.
At patutunayan niya sa kanyang ama na kaya niyang maging successful sa pamamagitan ng pagawa ng mga bagay na ikasisiya niya.
Sa loob nang maikling panahon nang magbalik sila sa Pilipinas, naka-organize na siya ng isang banda. Tiyempo namang nawalan ng drummer ang isang papasikat ng banda at masayang tinanggap niya ang offer na maging miyembro niyon. He did it without the knowledge of his father, of course. Kung dati ay medyo hindi siya seryoso sa pagsali sa banda at balak niya nag awing sideline lang niya, ngayon ay buo na ang pasya niya. He will devote his time and energy into the success of the band. Sa ngayon ay nagpapalano nang mag-release ng album ang banda at iyon ang pinaghahandaan nila.
Wala siyang pakialam kung hindi aaprubahan ng ama ang plano niya. Nasa tama na siyang edad upang magpasiya para sa sariling kapakanan.
“Troy…” Inis na pinatay niya ang cellphone. Wala siya sa mood na makipag-argumento sa ama. He was with Rein, and he did not want to spoil the night. Though he had been with a pretty decent number of lovely women but she was quite different among them. She was giving him that sweet yet tough vibe. Hindi ito nagdalawang-isip na makipag argumento sa kanya nang unang mag krus ang mga landas nila.
Hindi niya namalayang itinigil niya ang sasakyan sa isang tabi. His eyes full of contempt.
“May problema ba?” Her soft voice broke the silence inside his Jaguar. It was a soft melody to his ears, like a classic music that soothed his sullen mood.
Napahugot nang malalim na buntong-hininga si Troy. “Yes,” he confessed. He was trying to compose himself yet he could not. Normally, he was the type who would just keep his emotions all to himself. He didn’t like sharing his problems to anybody, even to his friends. He would pretend that everything’s okay even if he was already having a hard time. Kaya nga naman siguro namihasa ang ama sa kanya. Akala siguro nito ay okay lang sa kanya ang pangingialam nito sa buhay niya.
Pero ngayon ay gusto niyang pakawalan ang hinanakit niya sa ama. And he wanted to share his misery with the woman beside him. He didn’t know but she looked approachable and warm. Katunayan ay nag-aalala ito habang nakatingin sa kanya. She looked like she wanted to appease him of his frustrations in life. And that was quite a comfort.
“That’s okay…” She spoke with so much sincerity. “We all have our own problems anyway. And know what… I have a problem too.”
He looked at her. Her eyes flickered as she avoided his stare. Parang bigla itong nahiya sa sinabi. “Really?” For a moment he wanted to forget about his problem and just give her his sympathy. She was a sweet girl and he felt as if she deserved the best in life.
“Alam mo bang naglayas ako sa amin ngayong gabi?” She smiled painfully as she tried to hide her ordeal from him.
Nakita niya ang pait sa magandang mukha nito. She appeared more humane to him at the moment and not just a pretty China doll. Unlike him, Rein was not afraid to show her emotions to anyone. And he was just glad that she shared her problem with him. Suddenly, he wanted to protect her.
“Oh!” He didn’t what was the appropriate word to say. Pero gusto niya itong damayan.
“Hindi ko na kasi kayang tanggapin ang ginagawa sa akin ng mga magulang ko. I’m so sick and tired of their manipulations already.”
Napangiti siya sa narinig. Mukhang pareho yata sila ng problema ng dalaga. “Pareho pala tayo.” Natutuwa naman siya at mayroon pala silang koneksiyon ng dalaga. “Parang gusto ko na nga ring maglayas eh. My father was becoming hard to deal with.”
“Mine too…” her voice cracked as she uttered those words.
Inabot niya ang kamay ng dalaga. He wanted to console her. He hated to see her hurt like this. He can see pain in her eyes. Naiintindihan niya ito. Ganuon din kasi ang kanyang ama. “It’s okay…” Mahinang sambit niya. “At least malaya ka na ngayon. You can now paddle your own canoe. While me? Well, not yet…”
“You know what, you’re spot on there. And I’m so happy about it. I’m now free and independent Yahoo!” She let go of a squeel. Her face brightened. Kung kanina ay malungkot ito, ngayon ay larawan nang kasiyahan ang mukha nito. And she looked so cute as she screamed in excitement with her new found freedom. Bigla ay nainggit siya sa kasiyahan nito.
“Cheers on that!” He joined her on her excitement. “Let’s celebrate your freedom and independence.” He was really enjoying the look of happiness in her face. It was contagious.
“I want to go in a place where I can celebrate this new milestone in my life. Somewhere I can have fun and all that jazz. You know I never had those in my life.” Tila nangangarap na sabi nito.
Napangiti si Troy. Ngayon ay alam na niya kung saan dadalhin ang dalaga. She wanted fun, and that’s what he needed as well.
“Then let’s go and have some fun.” Muli niyang pinaandar ang sasakyan at tinahak ang daan papuntang Makati Avenue. Dadalhin niya ito sa Disco Maxx, ang sikat na club na pag-aari ni Dash, ang gitarista ng bandang kinabibilangan niya, ang ExMUD.
BINABASA MO ANG
Seducing The Wild Heart (Published)
General Fiction(WARNING: RATED SPG. Some contents may not be suitable for minors. Read at your own risk) All she ever wanted is to be a person of her own merits, and enjoy freedom and independence... Twenty-five year old Regine Kuan decided to pursue a new life th...
