Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I thought placing the letter above a small flame's touch would reveal any hidden message. Mali pala ako. Nasayang lang ang panghihiram ko nitong lighter at ang saglit na pagtakas ko sa trabaho.
Sumandal ako sa pader at napatanaw sa karagatan sa malayo. Inisip kong mabuti ang tanging clue na meron ako. Ang numerong 237 na laging nasa dulo ng kanyang love letter.
What the hell?
Ano ba ang trip nito at bakit kailangan pa akong pahirapan?
If he's trying to ask me out, then better say it in person! Ayoko sa lalaking hanggang matatamis na salita lang ang alam. At higit sa lahat, ayoko ng Ferrero Rocher! Jusko, bibigay-bigay na nga lang ng chocolate, hindi pa magawang ayusin. 'Yung Beng beng lang talaga ang masarap para sa'kin.
Pero teka nga, kung natatanggap ko lang ito tuwing pagpasok ko sa trabaho'y, malaki ang posibilidad na taga-Volinsula Hotel din ito.
Was it Trevor? Iyong kasamahan ko sa front desk na late laging dumating? Na siyang nag-take over muna sa akin?
Hindi, imposible. Sa pagiging late pa lang nito'y halata na ang sagot.
Or Carl? The bellman?
Umiling uli ako. Kilala ko ang kakayahan nito sa pagsusulat. Natitiyak kong kahit ang salitang mi amore na kababasa ko lang sa liham kanina'y hindi nito alam ang kahulugan.
"Kawawa naman 'yang nagbigay ng sulat sa'yo," singit ng isang boses sa aking gilid.
Nanlaki ang mata ko.
Si Philip ito.
Dressed in white coat, and wearing red tinted glasses, he looked astonishing as ever. Kung meron man akong hihilinging nagbigay sa akin ng liham na ito'y si Philip iyon, kahit pa alam kong napaka-imposible dahil sikat siya, artista siya, at ang mga artista'y kadalasang nagkakagusto lang sa kapwa nila artista.
"If you're going to burn that letter, make sure that he won't be able to see it," he said.
"Ah, ito?" tukoy ko sa lighter na hawak ko. "Naku, hindi, balak ko lang alamin kung may hidden message ba rito. Wala naman."
"Hm. Nice move. Hulaan ko, nalaman mo 'yan sa movie ano?"
I nodded, smiling. "Knives Out."
"Right. My favorite."
"And will surely turn into a classic," proud na sabi ko. "Ito 'yung gusto ko sa mga movies eh, 'yung unpredictability, which is also the same thing I love about your work. Nalaman kong hindi ka basta-basta tumatanggap ng project hangga't hindi nila tatanggalin ang mga cliché."
His mouth slowly turned and stared at me with such amusement.
Bahagya akong nahiya sa nasabi ko. Was that too much? Had I scared him off?
"I was right when I made you chose a movie that night," aniya.
Ah. Tinutukoy niya 'yung movie night naming mga employee every Friday.
"What are you talking about? They hated me. Ang boring daw nung pinili ko."
"Ang alin? 'Yung The Shining?" He scoffed. "Ang sabihin mo, ang pangit lang ng taste nila sa horror. Iyon kaya ang favorite ko. There's that one scene that terrified me as a kid. 'Yung babae sa room..."
He was running his fingers at his jaw.
But I was the one who said it first.
"237!"
At pumatlang bigla ang bibig ko sa nasabi kong iyon. It felt like a last piece squeezing, fitting in a jigsaw puzzle.
But it can't be. Si Philip? There's no way!
"Uy, Philip, and'yan ka lang pala?" singit ng isang boses. "Tara na, hinahanap ka na roon sa party."
Napatalikod akong bigla dahil si Chase ito, ang CEO nitong Volinsula. He'd surely fire me if he sees me. Gusto kong buksan ang pinto at pumasok agad sa loob kaso'y nakaharang kasi si Philip.
Philip was about to go but decided to look back. "Ituloy natin itong kwentuhan natin mamaya. Sa kwarto ko." He winked.
Please don't tell me it's what I'm thinking.
But hours came by and I can't get over the possibility that it could be him. It distracted me, it made me want to scream in excitement, yet also, it made me want to be careful. What if I was just fooling myself?
Ni hindi man lang niya sinabi kung anong room at kung anong oras.
Kung tutuusin kaya ko namang alamin kung saang room siya nakamalagi. I have access to their data.
But I guess there's really no need to bother.
When 2:30 PM came, nagpalusot na lang ako kay Trevor na may kailangan muli akong asikasuhin.
I was rubbing my hands as I walked the hallway. My heels thumping in the same rhythm as my heartbeat. When I reached the door, I gulped, and took a deep breath.
Kumatok ako.
As the person inside walked towards the door, I shut my own doubts. Kung hindi siya ito, edi okay, at least tapos na ang pag-aassume ko.
But when the door opened, it was really him.
Philip.
He was smiling. "Hi."
"It was you," sabi ko. Ang puso ko'y nagtatatalon na sa tuwa.
I think he was holding back his laugh. "Pasok ka muna."
When I went in, hindi ko pa rin maitago ang pagtataka ko. "But why send me letters?"
"I was just afraid of scaring you off."
"You would scare me off?"
"Most of the girls I tried dating were scared by my status. Ang ilan pa sa kanila'y galit dahil ako 'yung gumanap na kontrabida ng paboritong artista nila. I just—I don't want the same thing to happen from you."
I still can't believe it. "Was it true? The things you said on those letters?"
"Matagal na akong naghahanap ng babaeng makakaintindi sa akin. 'Yung hindi magkakagusto sa akin dahil lang sa panlabas kong anyo. 'Yung tatratuhin akong tao. At ikaw iyon, Antoinette."
My heart softened.
It was the sweetest thing I heard, sweeter even sa paborito kong Beng beng.
"Ikaw ba? Anong masasabi mo?" tanong niya. "Mahal mo rin ba ako?"
"Sino ba naman ang tangang tatanggi sa'yo?" natatawang sabi ko. "Basta ba hindi mo ako gagamitan ng acting?"
He placed his arms on my back and pulled me closer.
