Chapter 7— Shrimp

"Ayusin mo 'yang necktie mo, Eric. Nakakairita sa paningin ko."

Diko kasi gusto ang pagkakaayos ng necktie niya. Call me names, pero ganito na ako e. Perfectionist. Ayaw ko ng mga bagay na hindi naayos na maayos.

May photoshoot ako ngayon. Promoting their beauty products. Though this product was well known around the country, especially abroad, entire Asia. But, the founder of this cosmetics is very practical. She always wanted to be on top.

She wants her products to be the highest sales of the year. She doesn't like it when her sales go down. In short, she's desperate. Mabuti nalang at gusto ko na low-key nalang muna ang beauty products. But soon, I'll move it up. To the higher level. I'll let it pass for now. Someday, my cosmetics will be on top. Kidding aside, but maybe someday I can make it.

"Why?" Eric asked.

"I hate it. Fix it, baka maging dahilan lang 'yang necktie mo para diko i pursue ang shoot na 'to." I answered him with rolling eyes.

"Ow! Being perfectionist is not easy, isn't?"

"Yeah. So fix that before..." I thrill.

"Before..?" mocking me, smirking.

"Before I'll pulled out this shoot."

"Whatever." is he's answer then fix his necktie.

Ayaw ko kasi ang pagkakaayos non kasi parang binuhol- buhol lang.

"Kyle! Get ready. We will start within 3 minutes." My manager, Elaj, informed me. Then I stood up, but it was a wrong move dahil natapilo ako. Buti nalang nandito pa si Eric sa tabi ko at nahawakan niya agad ang waist ko to support me.

"Tsk. Be careful, Kyle."

"Thanks. Hear that sarcasm, please." I sarcastically said as I rolled my eyes. I didn't wait for his response because I firmly walked, chin up, to the shooting area.

"Eric and Kyle! Come here!" The director called us. We walked towards him but he just point the photographer. Then the photographer signal us to set our position. Regret was eating me when I saw his face.

I was about to walk back but it was too late. He already saw me.

I saw a glimpse of happiness in his eyes but it suddenly faded, maybe because he noticed that I stared at him. He just divert his gaze away.

"Mr. Castromayor, nice to see you again." I firmly said, not minding the presence of Eric, who stand beside me.

"Nice to see you again, Ms. Slep-" I suddenly punched his broad shoulder dahil tatawagin niya sana ako sa endearment niya sakin, which is sleepyhead.

He just chuckled a little. I smacked his arms again because he just laughed at it. I rolled my eyes before gazing away.

"Sideline?" I asked at him. He just nod at me.

"Magkakakilala kayo?" Halos sabay na tanong ng mga staffs na nakapalibot sa'min. I turned my gaze to them, seeing their staring at us na puno ng pagtataka.

"A little." Tipid na sagot ni Xander.

"Okay, since you and Kyle, known each other na. Eric, let me introduce to you our photographer for this shoot. Mr. Castromayor, this is Eric. And Eric, meet Mr. Castromayor." The director. Eric just nodded his head, Xander did the same as well.

"Let's get ready." Xander. " The time is running, and I have duty after this."

It seems like everyone notice that we're not comfortable to it. So, they just divert the topic to our ongoing shoot. We, Eric and I, position our post. Xander commanded us to close a little to each other, so we did.

"Eric, put your hand on her shoulder, and you Kyle, face at the back then tilted your head a bit, after that put your hand on his waist, not breaking your eye to eye contact." Xander commanded again. " You Eric, place the product to her shoulder and you Kyle, you'll tilted your head right?" He asked while looking at me so I just nodded. "So, you're going to hold the liptint product on your other hand, pointed it to your lips, like this." He then show to me the right position.

So we did it, again, again, again, and again. So many posing to do. Pose here, post there. Face here, face there.

Since I'm a model, I'm getting used to it. Dahil sideline ko lang naman ang modeling, well not literally, I just accept it when I have nothing to do. Sinasanay ko naman ang sarili ko pero minsanan lang ay sumasakit na agad ang katawan ko. I badly want to sleep right now. As in now.

The shooting went well. Even us, Ms. Glenny and I, had a picture together. Siyempre, kasali ang products.

"Lunch with me?" I get back to my sense when Xander invited me.

"Where?"

"Brilliant Restaurant." He plainly said, waiting for my response.

Well, I never had a chance to eat to that fancy restaurant because, as you can see, I'm very busy.

Without hesitation I nodded at him, saying "Sure." I said, smiling.

Why smiling? Because now, I had a chance to eat to that fancy restaurant. Not because I cannot afford it, but because my I'm very engage to my work.

We did bid our goodbyes to everyone first especially to Ms. Glenny who's now smiling like an idiot. I just rolled my eyes to her and she just laughed at it.

Nag convoy nalang kami dahil dala namin ang mga sasakyan namin.

Pagpasok namin sa Brilliant Restaurant ay agad na nagsilingunan ang mga kumakain. Without minding them, we walk to our table then settle our self first, then order something for lunch.

While eating, I noticed that he's kinda quiet. As my eyes landed on his plate, I saw shrimp on the side of his plate. Maybe his side dishes.

My favourite! I screamed in my mind.

"What?" Napansin niya siguro na nakatitig ako sa plato niya kaya tiningnan niya 'yon. Balik-tanaw ulit sakin, tapos na plato na naman. "You want this?" While picking the shrimp on his plate.

'Bat diko 'to nakita kanina?

"Yes. Actually, it's my favourite." Naglalaway na paliwanag ko habang nakatitig padin sa hipon.

Without uttering a word, he put all his shrimp to my plate. O-okay?

"Sa'yo na. Diko din naman ganon kagusto 'yan." I just nodded then continue eating again.

__

"Gosh is that Kyle Elijah?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

"O to the M to the G! She's so pretty in personal talaga!!"

"Indeed. She's more like a Goddess."

"Did you know that guy?"

"No. But he seems familiar to me."

We noticed that their are a group of ladies on our side. Screaming at the top of their lungs. Kaya napalingon na 'din sa'min ang ibang mga tao do'n.

Nanlaki ang mga mata namin as the scene sink in our mind. Pero di namin pinahalata, we acted normal like nothing happens.

"Hi, Ms. Kyle! Can I take a selfie with you?" the girl with a wide smile in her face asked me.

"Sure. But can I ask you a favour?"

"Yes! Yes po! What is it po?"

"Umhmm... would you upload this one?"

"Yes po. But If your not comfortable with it, I'll just post next week or maybe next month. HAHAAHA!"

"No. That's not what I mean. What I mean is, baka pwedeng I tag mo'ko? Para may memories din ako sa'yo. Is it okay?" Biglang nanlaki ang mga mata niya and without hesitation she nodded her head a million times. We, then take a selfie.

The girl took a pictured of us. The girl, me, and Xander. Napilitan lang naman siya kasi pinandilatan ko siya and to my surprise dali-dali siyang sumunod.

Nagpatuloy na kami sa pagkain pagkatapos nang tagpong 'yon. Natandaan kong may duty pa pala siya na hospital kaya pinadali ko na ang pagkain niya. Pagkatapos, ay nagpaalam na siya sa'kin na tinanguan ko lang. He enter his car and drove it to the hospital.

Ewan ko ba, sa maliit na panahon na magkakilala kami ay may kung anong umasa sa'kin na gusto niya ako. The way he tease me. The way he stared at me. The way he care for me.

Bahala na.!