NEW STORY

•SHUTTER•

I was busy preparing for my first day at the office when the doorbell suddenly rang.

"Sandali lang!" I shouted loudly and hopefully, it can get through the doors as I struggle to make myself presentable as fast as I can.

I brushed my hair and when slightly tapped my cheeks to have some blush. Masiyado akong mukhang namumutla lalo na pagkatapos maligo.

Tinakbo ko ang distansya ng pintuan sa akin.

Muli kong tinampal ang pisngi ko bago binuksan ang pinto.

"D-Dad." I gasped when I saw my Dad in front of me after I opened the door.

He looked so furious. Mukhang galit na galit siya sa akin. Well, it's not the first time I saw him fuming mad at me that's why I didn't take his expression seriously.

"You're working for Stewart Greenfields huh,

Xylia?" he sarcastically said.

"Dad, we already talked about this." I lazily said as I turned my back at him.

Pumasok naman si Daddy sa loob ng aking unit at sinarado ang pintuan. It's better to argue privately, right?

"And I thought that it's already clear to you na ikaw ang magmamana ng kompanya natin." sabi niya.

"Dad, you told me to work and so I did!" katwiran ko. "And besides, I don't have any plans in handling your company yet, Dad. I still want to explore before tying myself to hell."

Dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko. Kahit na alam kong pagsasabihan pa ako ni Daddy ay pinaandar ko na ang blower pala mabilis mapatuyo ang buhok ko.

"Who will handle it then?" he asked me, loudly so that I can hear him.

"Of course, Tiffany!" walang pagdadalawang isip na sagot. "She's a perfect example of a daughter you want, right? She has a hell of greatness, sweetness and every positiveness in the world that I don't have."

I stared at myself in the mirror while I'm styling my hair, using my brush and drying it at the same time.

"Sumusobra ka na, Xylia." dumin ang boses ni Daddy.

Kung galit siya kanina ay paniguradong mas galit siya ngayon dahil dinamay ko ang perpekto niyang anak-anakan.

"Yun naman po ang totoo, 'Ddy." git ko at pinatay na ang blower. "I'm just telling the truth." dagdag ko pa salka kinuha ang primer.

I put some of the primer at the side of my hand before dotting it on to my face evenly. I massaged my face to scatter the primer afterwards.

"kaw ang nag-isang anak ko, Xylia. You are the only rightful heir of the company." he told me.

Nilagyan ko naman ng foundation ang buong mukha ko at ngumuso ako bago nag-apply ng kaonting cheek tint para medyo mamula ang aking pisngi. Kapag naparami ang lagay ko ay daig ko pa ang sinampal.

"In less than two weeks, ikakasal na kayo ni Madeline, Dad. Magiging anak niyo na rin po si Tiffany." sabi ko. "Siya nalang po ang gawin niyong tagapagmana niyo. She's way too great than me."

"That's different, Xy." he said. "You are my real daughter. Anak ka namin ng Mommy mo!"

Napatigil naman ako sa paglalagay ng lipstick sa aking labi at saka siya hinarap.

"Wow, Daddy!" I sarcastically exclaimed, I almost clapped my hand. "Should I cry and be happy because of that fact?"

"Xylia, don't test my patience." he warned me.

"'Ngayon na kailangan ako ng kompanya niyo, saka niyo sasabihin sa akin na ako ang tunay na anak niyo?" hindi ko maiwasan ang pagkaramdam ng hinanakit sa kaniya. "For these past years ever since you met that Madeline, you've been very vocal how great her daughter is and how much you wished that she is your real daughter. Mas tinuturing mo pa nga silang pamilya kaysa sa akin eh. Samantalang sampid lang naman sila sa pamilya natin."

Nakita kong napataas ang kamay ni daddy na handa ng lumapat sa aking pisngi. I just looked at him and waiting for his hand to slap me. It'll be easier for me then to cut every connection that I have with him.

Huminga si Daddy ng malalim. Kita ko ang pagpipigil niya habang binababa niya ang kaniyang kamay.

"Wag na wag mong pagsasalitaan ang

Mommy Madeline mo ng ganiyan at ang kapatid mo." he ordered, trying to calm himself.

"Mommy Madeline?" ngumisi ako at tinaas ang aking kilay. "Sa pagkakaalam ko ay isa lang ang mommy ko at wala na siya ngayon. Ang alam ko rin ay nag-isang anak lang ako ng mommy't daddy ko. I'm not informed na may kapatid pala ako."

"Sumosobra na ang ugali mo!" he started to raise his voice. "Tingin mo ba ay nagugustuhan ng mommy mo ang ugaling pinapakita mo sa akin ngayon?"

Padabog ko namang tumayo upang tapatan ang kaniyang nagliliyab na galit. Kung galit siya ay mas galit ako.

"Tingin niyo rin ba ay nagugustuhan ni mommy ang pagpapakasal niyo sa iba? Ang paglayo ng loob niyo sa sarili niyong anak para lang punan ang kakulangan na nararamdaman ng anak ng babae mo?" hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko sa pagsumbat.

How dare he use Mom just to tame me. Pagkatapos niyang talikuran ang

pagmamahal niya kay Mommy para lang mag mahal ng iba.

He always tell me that he still loves my mother. Pero paano niya nagawang magmahal ng iba kung mahal niya pa rin si Mommy? Even if she's already dead, if he really loves her, he'll remain faithful! They even fucking swore and made their vows in front of God when they got married na hanggang kamatayan. Nasaan na 'yon ngayon?

"Kung ayaw mong magkasakitan pa tayo lalo, just leave." sabi ko nalang at muling umupo saka humarap sa salamin para ipagpatuloy ang ginagawa ko. "And lock the door when you do so."

Ring ko naman ang bayolenteng paghinga ng malalim ni Daddy.

"We're not done yet, Xylia. Babalikan kita. sabi niya bago lumabas ng aking kwarto upang maiwan na ako.

Inabala ko ang sarili ko sa pag-aayos ng sarili ko para makalimutan ang sagutan namin ni

Daddy.

Dad and I always fight, but the fight we had earlier is a very severe one. Tuwing nadadamay ang si Mommy sa sagutan namin ay nagagalit ako. Wala siyang karapatan na isali si Mommy sa usapan. She's already resting in peace and we're still bothering her with an endless fights.

When I got satisfied with my look, bumaba na ako ng unit ko para makapasok na sa trabaho bago pa ako ma-late.

"Hello?" sagot ko nang biglang tumawag si

Deia habang nagd-drive ako.

"Sunduin mo ako mamaya sa work ah?" she said

"Mga 6PM ang out ko. Sa condo mo ako kakain ng dinner. I miss your food."

"Oo na." I said. "Hintayin mo lang ako kapag nauna kang mag-out at wala pa ako."

"Sure! I'll be also inviting Selena about our dinner." sabi niya. "Thank you, Xy. Bye!"

I parked my car at the company's basement which is also the parking lot. Tinakbo ko naman ang elevator doon na papasara na.

Instead of pressing the button, I just sacrificed my arm and my hand which was holding my phone. Muntik ko pa itong mabitawan. Mabuti nalang at malakas ang sensor ng elevator kaya agad itong bumukas bago pa ako maipit ng tuluyan.

Napahinga ako ng maluwag at napangiti ng wala sa sarili nang bumukas ito.

"Yes!" I exclaimed in relief.

looked straight at the elevator. Muntik na akong masamid kahit na wala naman akong kinakain o ininom nang makita ko kung sino ang sakay nito.

Brendt's playfully smiling at me. His eyebrows were raised while he's holding his phone na nakatapat sa kaniyang tenga.

"I'll just call you later." sabi naman niya at binaba ang kaniyang cellphone habang diretso pa ring nakatingin sa akin.

"G-Good morning, Sir!" nauutal kong pagbati dahil sa kahihiyan.

Muntik nang sumara ulit ang elevator pero agad na umaksyon si Brendt at hinarang ang sarili niya. Sumandal siya sa gilid ng pintuan ng elevator bago niya nilahad ang kamay niya.

"Go inside already." natatawa niyang sabi sa akin.

Tumango-tango naman ako at nahihiyang pumasok sa loob ng elevator. Siniksik ko ang sarili ko sa kabilang dulo kahit na kaming dalawa lang naman ang nasa loob nito.

Sa kabilang dulo ako ng elevator pumuwesto sa sobrang kahihiyan na nararamdaman ko. Nag-ala model pa ako sa pagsusuklay ng buhok ko patalikod. Mukha akong haggard, jusko! Bakit ko ba kasi hinabol pa yung elevator eh meron pa namang isa pang elevator?

Kinagat ko nalang ang labi ko sa sobrang kahihiyan na nararamdaman at mahigpit na hinawakan ang cellphone ko.

I will never do that again. Next time, I will gracefully let the elevator go up and just wait for it come back down.

"It seems like you're a type of person who can't let go of her phone." bigla niyang sabi at nahuli ko siyang nakatingin sa kamay ko.

"Uhm-"

"But you still didn't bother to text me, Cinderella?" he added before I even got a chance to defend myself that I'm not addicted to use cellphones.

"What?" I asked even though I heard what he said clearly.

He chuckled and bit his lower lip, trying to stop himself from laughing. Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa pinaghalong kaba at kuryosidad.

"Uhm... I'm not usually into texting.

Nagkataon lang na hawak ko ang phone ko." I just reasoned out and slyly smiled.

"Well... just kiddind. You don't have to explain or feel nervous." he laughed. "I just remembered that I gave you my number but you're still not texting me. And... I just want to be friends with my new employee."

"Ah... Ganon ba?" ion nalang nasabi ko saka nag-iwas ng tingin.

What now, Xylia?This is your chance to flirt with him but you're blowing it away by your fucked up and nonsense answers.

"But can I get your number too?" he suddenly asked at muli akong napatingin sa kaniya.

"Para fair tayo. You have my number and I'll have your number. We're even."

Hindi pa ako nakakasagot ay inilahad niya na ang kaniyang mamahaling cellphone sa aking harapan.

"Just save your number here." utos niya.

Tumango naman ako at bahagyang nakayuko nang kinuha ang kaniyang cellphone. I bit my lower lip as I typed my number on his phone and saved it as 'Ms. Saavedra' to make it very formal.

"Done." anunsyo ko at maingat na binalik na ang kaniyang cellphone.

He looked at his phone, trying to confirm if I really saved my number. His eyebrows suddenly shot up.

"Bakit Ms. Saavedra?" tinagilid niya ang kaniyang ulo habang pinagmamasdan ang aking nakarehistrong numero at pangalan sa kaniyang cellphone.

Napanguso nalang ako at hindi sumagot saka pinaglaruan nalang ang hawak kong cellphone.

"Xylia." tawag naman niya ulit sa akin at nag-angat ako ng tingin.

I was shocked when I saw his phone directed on me. The next thing I heard was a shutter from his phone's camera.

He took a photo of me!

"Pretty." he commented while smiling and he pressed some keys on his phone.

Tumunog naman ang elevator at nakita kong nasa tamang palapag na ako ng aking opisina. Meryl natagalan pa ako sa pagkilos upang makalabas sa sobrang gulat sa biglang pagkuha sa akin ng litrato ni Brendt.

Mabuti nalang at pindot niya ang open button kaya hindi ito sumara hanggang sa makalabas ako.

"I'll be waiting for your portfolio later.

Ipapatawag kita." he told me when I stepped outside of the elevator. "Have a good day at work, Cinderella."

Napapikit naman ako ng mariin. Damn! He could just ask me and I'm willing to smile. Ano kaya ang itsura ko sa picture na kinuha niya?