"Hahaha! Alfred, if you really know me, mas pipiliin ko ang mas makakabuti for me and my family."
My tears kept on falling non-stop. "Alam mo naman na ever since, mamatay ang mga magulang ko, hiniling ko na, one day sa oras na magkaroon ako ng sariling pamilya, sila ang priority ko." I looked at him in the eyes while telling him my thoughts.
"I love you, and I'll always will." Pinilit ko na wag masyado umiyak kasi mas lalo ko lang siya nasasaktan.
"You're a toxic friend, Alfred." Kumunot ang noo niya. "How am I a toxic friend?"
Tuluyan na ako tumahan pero dahil sa pag-iyak ko, mala-bed room voice ang tunog ng aking boses. "You're always flirting with me and always with me, that makes me feel drained." I walked away from him.
"Mahal nga kasi kita." I gazed at him and I wrinkled my face. "Doesn't matter, I have a family now, you need to leave now."
Sinubukan niya ako yakapin pero I walked backward. "Umalis ka na, Alfred."
He put his hands on his pockets and looked at me with indifference in his eyes.
"Sana next time na magpang-abot tayo, hindi ka magsisi na hindi na tayo mag-kaibigan."
He left just like that. I almost ran and stop him. But, I stood firm with my decision.
I want to let my feelings for him fade, I do this for my family and myself.
Later that day, someone planned a party for me. "Who organized these?"
"It was Kuya William, Ate," sabi ni Anelize Hellena, na kapatid ng aking boss.
"Farewell party? Saan ako pupunta?" tanong ko kahit kanino. "Sa amin, Raine," si Kard.
"Ayaw mo na ba dito sa The Kingdom?" Inabot niya sa akin si Kari na kakagising lang from her nap. "Gusto, pero we need to be at our my parents' house kasi gusto ka nila makilala." Tumango ako and gently patted Kari's back. Sa totoo niyan, I am getting nervous.
I'm not really a people person, I just do what my boss tell even if I don't feel doing it.
Noong una kami napunta ni Dimitri dito sa The Kingdom, I was kinda overwhelmed.
It was difficult for me to really earn anyone's trust on me. I didn't really care at first.
Kahit na pinagchichismisan ako ng mga empleyado ng The Kingdom, I just ignore them by listening to my phone's music list.
I downloaded some of my fave songs from youtube.
"Grabe naman itong, babaeng ito, masyado magaling ayaw magpatulong." Rinig kong sabi ng isang housekeeper habang may pinipintahan akong dingding. Noong araw kasi na yun, naisipan ko na pintahan ng cream color ang dingding na sa labas ng kwarto ko. Nagsabi ako syempre kay William kung pwede ko pintahan.
"Alright, I'll let someone paint the walls." Umiling ako and nag-hand gesture na huwag.
I told him that I'm going to be the one who will paint the walls. "Well then, I'll tell my assistant to buy you the materials."
Kaya naman nung araw na yun, kahit gusto ako tulungan ng napapadaan sa hallway na kinatitirikan ng kwarto ko, I shook my head to them. Not because I disapprove their help but otherwise. Yun bang alam kong kaya ko gawin ang isang bagay, ayaw ko na magpatulong. It was a little prideful of me.
Tsaka I searched the internet on how to paint a wall using a roller brush.
Masaya naman na ako gumawa, yun nga lang, the employees, just kept on talking bad behind my back and it already became a nuisance to me.
"Ate, gusto mo ikaw na magpinta?" tanong ko sa isang kanina pa nagbabad talk sa akin.
"Hay naku, kaya mo na yan, hija." I turned my back on her. "Kasi dapat sa iba mo pinapagawa yang ganyan, hindi ka naman hinire ni Sir William para magpinta ah?"
I stopped rolling the paint again. "Ate, yes that is true, but I have a mind on my own, and clearly I told Boss William about me painting this side of the wall, now if you don't mind, please leave me alone with my work, you're being a nuisance to my progress."
I said those words as straight as possible.
"Oh siya, aalis na." Finally!
My relationship only got worse with the employees. They kinda started to provoke me because I don't really talk or make chismis with them. I felt na gusto nila ako makausap but at the same time, they're intimidated by my presence.
"Hay naku, yang si Mistress, sobrang suplada, hindi ka kakausapin hangga't siya mismo ang kikibo."
"Oo nga, tignan mo ang kambal na kapatid ni Sir William, never ko nakikita na kinakausap or kinikibo siya."
"Bakit naman kasi siya hinire ni Sir na maging nanny ng mga bata?"
"Ang alam ko isa siyang inventor."
And their chit chat and gossip about me continued. The way I handle people depends on how I see them.
Since, lumaki ako in a secured and well-protected home, hindi ko talaga alam kung paano mag-interact with others.
Natutunan ko lang makipag-socialize noong highschool with Alfred and Ryn.
My reason was I didn't feel the need to spread my wings of friendship. And I even at some point hated the idea of having many people as friends. So energy draining and really toxic.
I am alright with just a few friends.
"Hello po, I am Raine Quelly Bael, I am originally an inventor for the Von Dutch Corp.
Pasensya na po kung I come off as someone really timid and not really one to initiate a conversation. Gusto ko lang po na malaman niyo na, I'm really trying my best to really come out of my shell, so please po, wait niyo lang ako na magkusa."