CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

"I told you, it wasn't my intention!" Pamimilit ni Victoria kay Noah habang nakaupo sila sa isang restuarant sa aiport.

Noah just scoffed and continued eating with a little kid about five years old.

"Hindi mo manlang naisip na gisingin ako? Okay sana kung ginising mo ako at iniwan mo pero hindi mo na nga ako ginising, iniwan mo pa ako. Kung hindi lang ako ginising ng flight attendant, hindi ko mamamalayan na nasa France na pala tayo." He complained.

"It's not my fault! I'm used to travelling alone so I forgot na kasama pala kita. Besides, you were with Avamae anyway—wait, where's that bitch?"

The american little girl interferred. "What's a bitch?" She curiously asked.

Victoria immediately explained. "It's a slang word addressed to either a man or a woman. When you say it, it means you're cool."

Nagniningning ang matang tumingin ang bata kay Victoria. "So you're a bitch?"

Victoria smiled sweetly. "You can say that. I'm the queen of the bitches."

Noah rolled his eyes. "Huwag mo ngang turuang maging ikaw ang bata."

Victoria frowned. "She's asking and I just answered. Saan mo ba napulot ang batang iyan at pinapakain mo?"

Noah slightly glanced at the kid. "When Avamae left for a photoshoot here in France, this kid went to me, crying. Hinahanap niya ang lola niya.  Luckily, she has her number on her pouch. Hinihintay lang namin ang lola niya."

"Oh. So her grandma just left her here?" Victoria tsked. "Such a boomer."

Again, the little girl interferred. "What's a boomer?"

"It's a person from an old generation like your grandma." Ani Victoria na akala mo ay magaganda ang tinuturo sa bata.

Napailing-iling nalang si Noah at patuloy na sinusubuan ang bata.

"Huwag ka nang magdagdag ng isa pang Victoria Salvador. Okay na yung ikaw lang. Kawawa ang mundo kung madami na kayo."

Victoria pouted. "Of course no one will be like me. Ako lang 'to. The one and only." She then smiled sweetly.

The little girl spoke, "What language are you speaking? It's not English or French."

"It's Filipino. A language in the Philippines." Sagot ni Noah.

Tumango-tango ang bata saka kinuha ang phone ni Noah na nasa lamesa lang.

"Please smile. I will take a picture of you!" She giggled as she faces the camera to Victoria and Noah.

"Us?" Victoria frowned.

The girl nodded earnestly. "You're like mommy and daddy, right? Married?"

Victoria cringed. "No. We're not like your mommy and daddy. And kindly take a picture of only me." Tinuro niya si Noah. "If he's in the picture, it ruins the quality."

Noah glared at Victoria before facing the little kid. "Come on, take a picture of us, baby." He ordered.

The little girl nodded and took a picture pero nakatigin ito sa rear camera ng phone niya habang ang font camera ay nakaharap sa kanila.

Victoria frowned. "Seriously, does she live in the mountains?"

The little girl furrowed her eyebrows. "The camera is not working!" Reklamo nito.

Natatawang lumapit si Noah sa bata at tinuruan kung paano gamitin ang camera. "Siguro dahil lagi niyang nakakasama ang lola niya?"

Tumingin si Noah kay Victoria. "Let's take a picture again." They both posed for the camera.

Since their photographer is just a five year old kid, of course, the picture taken was blurry and shaky. Pero ayos lang iyon, atleast masaya ang bata.

After taking pictures, kumain sila at makalipas ang ilang minuto, dumating ang lola ng bata na tinawagan ni Noah.

Agad na sumimangot ang bata. "Where have you been, boomer?"

Natulala ang amerikanang lola ng bata. "I'm sorry baby. I've been looking for you. What's a boomer?"

Sumimsim ng tubig ang bata. "It means someone older, bitch."

Noah cringed while Victoria chuckled.

The grandma gasped. "Where did you learn that word? Let's talk later. Anyways," tumingin ito kay Noah, "were you the one who called me? Thank you!"

Noah nodded and smiled. "You're welcome."

Lumingon sa kanila ang bata. "Bye bitches!" She said in an innocent voice.

"Bye!" Ngiting tugon naman ni Victoria na para bang okay lang sa kaniya na iniinsulto siya.

The two then left habang ang lola ay pinapagalitan ang bata na tinatawag itong bitch at boomer.

Naiwan sina Victoria at Noah sa restuarant. "It's shocking you weren't scared—" she stilled when she saw him rapidly breathing heavy.

"So you were scared?" Tanong nito.

"Not really. Ang daming tao lang dito sa airport."

Victoria tsked. "You need to do something about that. You can't be scared of strangers your whole life. Attorney ka pa naman. You're going on trials. Kaya siguro natalo ka sa case mo at nabugbog ka? Masyado kang nadala sa emotions mo."

Natigilan si Noah at nagtatakang tumingin sa asawa. "You knew about that?" Tanong nito.

Victoria nodded. "Yup! You told me, remember? And I asked—no, more like threatened Aeign to tell me what really happened to you."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Bakit tinanong mo pa ako kung anong nangyari sa akin?"

"I wanted to hear from you. Maybe to make you feel better." She stated.

Walang naisagot si Noah kaya tumayo si Victoria at kinuha ang maleta. "The limo is outside the airport waiting for us."

"Limo?! As in a limousine?" His eyes widen in glint.

"Yeah?.." Victoria asked.

"Saan ka nakakuha ng limo?" They comtinued walking towards the exit of the airport.

"Duh, I'm Victoria Salvador. I own three limousines." She boasted.

Noah grimaced. "You're too rich." Puna niya.

As they enter the limousine, Victoria scoffed. "Of course! Ang mga kompanya ang humahabol sa akin. Not the other way around."

"You must be professional at work." Noah stated.

She nodded earnestly. "Of course." She simply answered at tumingin sa bintana habang umaandar ang sasakyan.

They both stayed quiet until they reached their destination. May pagkakataong napapamangha si Noah sa nakikita. It is his first time in a foreign country after all.

Nang makarating sa hotel, Noah grinned as he looked up the building.

This hotel screams wealth. Baka malula siya sa sobrang ganda nito. Paano pa kaya sa loob ng hotel at sa kwarto? They'll be staying on a hotel suite kaya expected na maganda ang tutuluyan nila.

While Noah seemed cheerful and excited, Victoria displayed a serious face na para bang sanay na ito sa nangyayari.

Victoria commanded. "Make sure the suite is clean the whole week. If it's not tidy enough, you'll lose your job." Anang asawa sa room attendant na naka-assign sa kanila.

"Yes, madam." The attendant replied with its hard english accent.

When they entered the suite, nalula lang sa ganda si Noah. It's really beautiful. Walang bahid na dumi a alikabok sa kwarto. The interior blends well to its furniture. Ang ganda sa paningin.

"I feel like I don't want to leave this room. I could stay here the whole week." Sambit ni Noah habang nililibot ang buong suite.

Mayroong isang malaking kama at flag screen tv. Mayroon ding jaccuzzi sa may balcony.

"Is this a small swimming pool?" Manghang tanong ni Noah habang tinuturo ang jaccuzzi.

Victoria grimaced. "That's a jaccuzzi, dumbass." Pagtatama nito.

"Oh." was all Noah could say.

Patuloy sa paglilibot si Noah habang si Victoria ay pagod na umupo sa kama. "I'll just request for another room. You can stay there. Ayokong may katabi sa kama."

"Hindi na. I'll sleep at the couch. Mukha namang komportable matulog doon." Noah replied.

Victoria shrugged. "If you say so."

May kinuha si Victoria na papel mula sa bag nito. "I have the itinerary for the week. I don't do this stuff but since mom asked me to, I did a little travel plan for you."

Noah furrowed his eyebrows. "For me? Hindi ka sasama?"

Victoria shook her head. "I have a different plan for me. Baka hindi mo magustuhan."

"Hey! I don't know anything about France. Paano kung mawala ako?" Noah asked.

Victoria pouted. "But you might not like my travel plan." She doubted.

"Ano ba yun? Tell me baka magustuhan ko." He appealed.

"Well, for the first day, I'll go to Les Quatre Temps, a shopping centre and a few more boutiques. Same goes for the second and third day. For the fourth day, I'll go to Prado beach. Then for the fifth day, I'll go shop for some bags and clothes."

Napangiwi si Noah. "It's all about shopping."

Victoria nodded. "Yup. That's my travel plan. You don't like ba?" Maarte nitong tanong.

Noah sighed in defeat. "Sasamahan kita pero dapat pumunta din tayo sa Eiffel Tower at sa iba pang lugar na gusto ko."

Victoria shrugged. "Okay, if you say so."

Excited na naligo si Noah. If only he's with his parents, tiyak magugustuhan nila rito...

• • •

"I'LL TAKE that and that as well." Mariing utos ni Victoria sa mga sales lady sa mall.

Tinignan ni Noah ang price tag ng mga damit na pinili.

He grimaced when he saw the price. 180 euro for a single dress. It roughly costs 10k in philippine peso.

"What? Why do you look like that?" Victoria asked.

"Bakit? Ano ba itsura ko?" He curiously asked.

"You look ugly. Why don't you also buy some clothes? And fix your hair maybe. Get a haircut or something." She suggested.

"May mga damit ako sa bahay. I can cut my own hair and fix myself. Hindi ko na kailangan gumastos ng malaki para lang magpagwapo."

Victoria was scanning for dresses as she speak. "Yeah, but being beautiful and handsome are very important. If you're beautiful, you're respected. If you're handsome, you get popular."

Natahimik si Noah dahil totoo naman ang sinabi ng asawa. Totoong kapag maganda ka, marami kang kaibigan at rerespetuhin ka. Kapag gwapo ka, sikat ka.

Pero... "Iyan ba ang iniisip mo? Na kapag pangit ka, wala nang gugusto sayo?" Tanong niya.

Victoria looked at him. "Yes. I'm a model. Importante sa akin ang maging maganda. And take note, I'm a Salvador. It's in our blood to be gorgeous since birth." Binigay nito ang napiling damit sa sales lady.

"But are you happy?" He asked.

Naguguluhang tumingin sa kaniya si Victoria. "Of course, I'm happy. I'm always happy. I have everything I need and want. Bakit pa ba ako malulungkot?"

Noah just shrugged. "Tapos ka na ba? Can we go to the Eiffel Tower now?" He impatiently asked.

Agad na nagreklamo si Victoria. "Pero we've been shopping for like, an hour."

"So?"

Nagpapadyak na tumingin sa kaniya ang asawa. "That's too early. Give me three more hours." She bargained.

Napangiwi nalang si Noah dahil sa loob ng tatlong oras na iyon, uupo lang siya at minsa'y tagabuhat ng pinamili ng asawa.

Hanggang sa nakalimang boutique ang asawa, hindi pa rin ito tapos.

"How do I look?"

He looked up and saw his wife wearing a black off shoulder high slit dress. Umikot-ikot pa ito and Noah can't help but gape lin awe when he saw how his wife bring color to such a simple dress.

Kaya naman pala ito ang pinakasikat na model. She's a beauty. Effortlessly beautiful.

"Pretty." Kaswal na sagot ni Noah. He's trying to hide his shyness.

Victoria frowned. "I know that already! Why don't you say something else?"

"What do you want me to say? You look really pretty in that dress." Komento niya.

Victoria tsked before facing the sales lady. "I'll take this one."

"Magkano naman yan?" Tanong ni Noah.

"It's 200 euro." Sagot naman ni Victoria.

Noah frowned. "That's 11k in pesos."

Nagtatakang tumingin sa kaniya ang asawa. "What's wrong with that?" tanong nito.

Noah heaved a deep sigh. "Nothing. Tapos ka na ba magshopping? Pwede na ba tayo pumunta sa Eiffel Tower?"

"Okay, fine. It's almost 8pm. Doon na tayo magdinner." Victoria stated before paying all the dresses she tried on.

At siyempre, siya ang pinagbuhat ng asawa niya ng mahigit isang dosenang paper bags na galing sa mga mamahaling brands.

They drove Victoria's limo to see the Eiffel Tower. Buong biyahe ay naeexcite lang si Noah.

When they arrived, nagmamadaling bumaba si Noah ng limo at tinignan ang napakalaki at napakagandang view ng Eiffel Tower.

"Woah..." sambit niya lalo na nang magbukas ang ilaw sa paligid nito dahil maggagabi na.

"Geez, you're like a kid." Puna ni Victoria habang pinapanood lang siyang nakatulala sa Eiffel Tower.

Noah was taking pictures as he mesmerizes the great view of the tower. Nakikita niya lang ito sa pictures noong college niya. He's trying to save up money for travelling pero dahil sa mga utang nila, hindi siya nakakaipon.

Kaya ngayon, it really is a dream come true.

"It's so pretty..." komento niya habang nakatitig pa rin sa Eiffel Tower.

But Victoria interferred. "Yeah, but I'm prettier."

"Do you want me to take a photo of you two?" A French man asked in his hard english accent.

"Us?" Victoria asked, pointing to herself and to Noah.

The man nodded. "Yes. Aren't you two a couple?"

Victoria smiled sweetly. "No. We aren't."

"Oh. You two look good together. You must visit pont des arts and put locks to indicate your love to each other." He suggested.

Victoria cringed. "I told you, we're not married nor a couple so back off." Mataray nitong sabi sa lalake na mukhang nating naman at nilayuan sila.

She then faced Noah who's still gazing upon the skies and the Eiffel Tower. "Hey, kanina ka pa diyan. Let's have dinner or else iiwanan kita dito." Pananakot ni Victoria.

"It's just so beautiful. I feel like I want to live here for the rest of my life." He answered.

Victoria cringed. "You're so dramatic. I feel like you're gutom na. Kain na tayo."

Noah obliged and followed Victoria to another expensive place. A three star restuarant.

Habang hinihintay ang order nila na sobrang mahal, Noah was looking at the pictures he took. Kapagkuwan ay ngumingiti dahil sa saya.

"You're like a crazy man. Bakit ka tumatawa mag-isa?" Victoria asked.

Umiling si Noah. "I'm just happy."

"Mabuti naman at hindi ka nascared kanina? There were lots of people there." Puna ni Victoria.

Noah shrugged. "Maybe because you're there?"

Victoria frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, siyempre, nandun ka. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko kung wala ka doon. Baka nawala na ako o hindi ako makauwi nito."

Victoria sighed. "So I'm like a tourist guide or something."

Noah nodded. "Something like that."

Tumahimik ang dalawa habang hinihintay ang pagkain at kapagkuwan ay nagsalita si Victoria. "You look ugly. Fix yourself." Komento niya.

Noah frowned. "Am I really that ugly?"

Victoria nodded earnestly. "Yeah. Hindi mo ba alam? You're really ugly."

Sumimangot si Noah. "Sumosobra ka na ah."

Victoria just chuckled at magsasalita sana nang may tumawag sa pangalan niya. "Hey, Noah."

It was Avamae on her silky dress together with a man. Noah doesn't know that man pero mukhang kilala ito ni Victoria dahil nagulat ang mukha nito.

"Damon' anong ginagawa mo rito?" Gulat na tanong ni Victoria nang makalapit ang dalawa.

Damon smiled. "I followed you, of course. Akala ko mag-isa ka lang," Damon glanced at Noah, "may kasama ka pala."

Avamae took a sit beside Noah while Damon sat beside Victoria.

"It's good to see you again, Noah." Ani Avamae na ikinamula ng mukha ni Noah.

"Y-Yeah..." nahihiyang sambit ni Noah.

Sa wakas ay dumating na ang pagkain na inorder at nagorder muli sina Avamae at Damon. Noah thought that his dinner would be peaceful pero mukhang malabo iyon dahil nagbabangayan na naman sina Avamae at Victoria habang si Damon naman ay tumatawa lang at nakikisabay sa dalawa.

All Noah could do was sigh heavily...

It's gonna be a long night after all.