By the way, I am your Sexy Boss.

Chapter 10: A Reunion with the Heartbreaker

Chapter 10: A Reunion with the Heartbreaker

Maverick Maximillio looked at me with cluelessness lying on his expression and eyes. Halatang hindi niya ako mamukhaan. Siguro dahil ibang iba na ang aking itsura hindi tulad ng dati na sobrang taba ko, marami rin kasi akong pimples dati sa mukha. I guess that is due to puberty, pero ngayon ay sobrang kinis na ang aking itsura.

“Do not tell me you also forget the face and name of the people you break?”

“I am sorry, but are you one of the girls that I played with before? Sorry, I mean, I was a child... Immature. I know it is not an excuse, but still, I sincerely apologize if you were one of those girls and I also apologize if I hurt you before, though I do not exactly remember you.” Tinitigan niya ako at bahagyang tila inaalala niya kung sino ako, but he was still oblivious.

Maybe I should take advantage of this fact that he still has no idea about who I am, I smirked secretly with that idea in mind. He toyed me before, I guess there is nothing wrong with toying with him a little as well, right?

“It is alright, it is in the past. Hindi rin naman ako ang tipo ng babae na nagtatanim ng sama ng loob,” but I never forget. Secretly, I thought of that. Habang inaalala ko kung paano niya ako sinaktan at pinaglaruan ay tila tumitigas lalo ang aking puso. It takes a lot of self-control to remain calm at times like this. Hindi ko talaga ine-expect din na magkikita agad kami ni Maverick saktong pagbalik ko galing sa Hawaii. And he is walking around my home as if he did not do anything wrong to the child of the house. Looking at him, wala akong ibang maramdaman kundi ang hatred. Hindi ko maikakaila na mas lalo siyang naging matipuno at gwapo, ngunit alam ko ang ugali at baho ng lalakeng ito. He only wants you because you are beautiful outside. All that matters for him is looks. This is something I learned the hard way, but I guess most people are like this.

This is normal human nature, kaya naman lahat ng unconventionally beautiful have a life that is better because they are not discriminated for their looks. Rather, they are adored. Otherwise, you will be loathed, become a laughing stock, and treated unfairly. People only want what’s beautiful... I do not know if I am lucky to be heartbroken to the point that I decided to change myself, but I have to thank Maverick because at least, even though he was a jerk, he contributed a little to my development and growth.

“So, tell me, what’s your name?” Maverick asked.

“Kares,” I smiled. I did not lie though, hindi rin karaniwang alam ng mga tao rito ang pangalawang pangalan ko, ang alam lang nila ay ako si Keana.

“Alright, it is my first time hearing that name, are you sure you have the right guy? I mean, I do not even remember you, but I have a very sharp memory.” Aniya. Pagkatapos ay tinanggal niya ang butones ng kaniyang long sleeve, three buttons up, somehow revealing his ripped muscles and body. He must have been consistently working out. He has a model’s body—and I guess I can also say the same with his face, he was a moreno—a perfect embodiment of what we always call as tall, dark and handsome, and I guess he was 6’0, since I was 5’9 and we were closer a little bit when it comes to height.

“You are Maverick Maximillio, right?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

That made him frown, “yes, indeed...”

“Then I have the right guy.” I chuckled, “do not worry, hindi ako nagtatanim ng sama ng loob. I can assure you on that.” Pagkatapos ay napagpasyaan kong maglakad palapit sa kaniya, kasabay nito ay biglang bumukas ang lahat ng streetlamps nang tuluyan sa malawak na hardin ng aming bakuran, revealing all the flowers at their full bloom, and the other greeneries around.

“Really? I am glad then, ayaw kong may taong may galit sa akin, at alam kong hindi naging maganda ang aking nakaraan, marami akong mga katarantaduhang ginawa sa buhay, at marami akong nasaktan dahil sa aking ginawa,” bumuntong-hininga si Maverick. Ako naman ay tahimik lang na nakatitig sa kaniya at sa kaniyang ekspresyon, nakapansin ako ng lungkot, at hindi ko matukoy kung bakit.

“You regret, then?”

Tumango siya.

Pero nasa bandang huli lagi ang pagsisisi, kahit pa man pagsisihan niya lahat ng kasalanan niya, hindi maikakaila na marami siyang taong nasaktan, at kasama na ako roon.

“I do... I honestly do.” He sighed once more, tila pasan niya ang buong mundo. Malungkot ang kaniyang ekspresyon ngayon, “that is also why I am here... I do not know how to face the center of the homecoming party right now, you know Keana? The girl who just got back from Hawaii, before she left, I broke her heart... Hindi ko alam kung may mukha pa ba akong maipapakita sa kaniya matapos ang aking ginawa. I was a jerk, I know, but I also want to tell her at the same time that I want to apologize, and that even if she does not forgive me, I still am sorry.”

Hindi niya alam nasa harap na pala niya mismo ang babaeng tinutukoy niya. Sa mga sandaling ito, ang aking isip at puso ay tila naglalaban na. He really looked remorseful.

No. Hindi ako magpapadala. Siguro ay kadramahan na naman niya lang ito, what if he is just acting like this in order to win me over? For me to finally change how I look at him? I mean, kahit man na wala siyang ideya na ako pala si Keana, paano kung alam niyang ako talaga? Deep in my mind, naguguluhan na rin ako sa kung ano ang gusto kong palabasin. What if nakikisakay lang siya sa trip ko na hindi ako si Keana? Though hindi naman talaga ako nagsinungaling.

“What made you change your mind? I mean, you had a bad reputation before, lahat ay alam at kilala ka bilang heartbreaker, bad boy, player, and all sort of stuff.” I chuckled.

“My mom died a few years ago,” malungkot ngayon ang tono ng boses ni Maverick, dahil dito ay natigilan ako, hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin o mararamdaman ko ngayon sa mga sandaling ito, tahimik lang ako habang hinihintay ang kaniyang sunod na mga sasabihin, “she talked to me before she passed away.”

“If you do not find it too invasive, why is it that your mom passed away?”

“She was diagnosed with leukemia, stage 4. It was already too late to save her by the time we found out, sa mga sandaling iyon nga ay tila malulugi na ang negosyo namin dahil para sa medication and chemotherapy ni Mama, but I did my best para iangat muli ang aming negosyo, kaya ito na rin ang naging number 1 souvenir and delicacies shop dito sa Ilocos, I must thank my mom, siya nagmulat sa akin para magbago, inisip ko na kung ano mararamdaman ng ibang tao, hindi na ako selfish at hindi na lang self-interest ko ang aking kinokonsidera... I also stopped playing with the heart of girls for fun, and all stuff like that.” He faked a smile at me. “Her last words before she passed away constantly rings in my mind—she told me na alam niya ang aking ginagawa, at hindi niya kayang pumanaw na iniisip na nasa maling landas ang aking tinatahak. She wanted to make sure before she passes away, nasa tamang daan at landas ako, and I guess I did not fail her and her loving memory.”

He must really love his mom. I can understand him on that part, mas close kami ni Mom kaysa kay Dad, siguro dahil halos parehas kami ng prinsipyo at pananaw sa buhay ni Mom, while Dad is quite sexist, though it is slowly changing. I needed to prove myself pa na kaya kong ihandle ang aming negosyo para matulungan si Kuya Kael. I do not want my brother to shoulder all of the responsibilities by himself. He has sacrificed so much already for the family, he cannot even be with the guy he loves because my family is homophobic, and they might disown him if they find out about it, or force him to straighten up. Pero hindi naman niya kasalanan kung bakla siya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang laki ng lang ng galit ng ibang mga tao sa mga kasama sa LGBTQIA+ Community. Love is love and love always wins, this is what I always think.

Fuck all the homophobic in the world.

Anyway, like I said, I was doing all of these for my Kuya Kael. He was always there for me too, lalo noong grade school ako at palagi akong binu-bully. Si Kuya Kael kasi ay siga rin noong bata pa lang kami, kaya maraming natatakot sa kaniya. Basagulero ito noon, kaya hindi mo aakalain na bakla pala talaga siya.

He came out to me when he graduated from high school, and ever since that, we became closer. Sa akin lang kasi siya nagiging totoo sa kaniyang sarili, isang bagay na hindi niya magawa sa aming pamilya dahil alam kong magagalit ang mga ito sa kaniya kapag malaman nila ang kaniyang kasarian.

“Ito ang isang bagay na kinakabahala namin dahil nasa lahi na rin kasi ni Mama ang leukemia,” bumalik ako sa riyalidad nang magsalita muli si Maverick matapos ang ilang sandali, “that is why my Dad is always consistently telling me, na kung magkapasa ako sa katawan or whatever it is, if I feel unwell, or something out of the blue, sabihan ko agad siya so we can have me checked.”

I nodded. That’s tough, but I guess I always heard it too, na namamana talaga ang cancer at nasa lahi. A part of me hoped he won’t inherit that too, hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero tila nanlambot ang aking puso kay Maverick at tila nagbago ang aking tingin sa kaniya.

What if he really is a changed man?

Biglang tumunog ang phone ko mula sa aking pouch na hawak matapos ang ilang sandali, I opened and grabbed my phone, and saw Kuya Kael who was calling me on Messenger.

“Yes, Kuya?” Maingay ang background niya, alam kong nasa harap siya ngayon ng bahay sa mga sandaling ito kung saan nagaganap ang homecoming party para sa akin.

“Where are you? Hinahanap ka ni Lolo.”

“I am at the backyard, gusto ko muna magpahangin. Bakit daw?” Tanong ko.

“May ipapakilala raw siya,” I rolled my eyes when Kuya Kael said that, ramdam ko rin ang inis sa tono ni Kuya Kael ngayon sa mga sandaling ito dahil sa mga pakulo ng aming lolo.

“Alright, I am coming back.” Tumingin ako kay Maverick matapos ang ilang sandali, binalik ko ang aking phone sa pouch at saka ako pumeke ng ngiti sa kaniya. “Tinatawag na pala nila ako sa party, you should also come soon... Also, I hope you find the courage to face the girl you are currently avoiding right now,” who happens to be me.

“Yes, nice to meet you, Kares.” Maverick smiled at me.

I turned my back from him and walked away. Iniwan ko na siyang mag-isa sa aming backyard at bumalik sa party. Nang makita ako nina Lolo at Dad ay agad na umaliwalas ang kanilang mga mukha.

“Where were you?” Dad asked. “Dumating na ang iba pang mga bisita. Ipapakilala ka namin.” Aniya.

Ako naman ay hindi na sumagot at tahimik lang na sumunod sa kanila, maraming mga lalake at mga bachelor ang pinakilala sa akin, most come from prestigious families as well. I had a blank expression on my face, I was uninterested with all the people who were introducing themselves as well.

“You should smile, Keana.” Bulong sa akin ni Kuya Kael. Siya ay nasa likod ko na, “parang may lamay ka ngayon.”

“I am not in the mood. Hindi ko gusto itong ginagawa nina Lolo.” I sighed.

“Well, it is alright.” Kuya Kael laughed, “just try not to look too intimidating. A lot of guys right now seem to have the first impression na ikaw ay maldita.”

“That’s the point.” I sneered.

I looked around, and saw Maverick joining the party as well, he looked at me after with wide-eyes, as if he finally had an idea who I was.

I smirked at him.

Nice to meet you again, Maverick.