Pursue Her Heart

CHAPTER 4

WALANG KASAMA si Mia sa blind date kaya naman kinulit niya si Audrey. Mabuti na lang at sinamahan naman siya ng kaniyang kaibigan.

Bago sila pumunta sa meet up place, pumunta siya sa penthouse ni Audrey. Nag-ayos sila ng sarili at medyo kinapalan nila ang kanilang makeup.

To look like a simple woman, nagsuot sila Mia at Audrey ng sweater na pinaresan nila ng jeans at sapatos. Sa loob ng suot na sweater, nagsuot sila ng sando.

Pagkatapos nilang mag-ayos, pumunta na sila sa restaurant.

“Sino ba ang ka-date mo?” tanong ni Audrey pagkapasok nila sa loob ng restaurant.

Tinignan naman ni Mia ang mensahe ng ina. Her mother described her blind date with her chat. “Sabi ni Mommy nakasuot siya ng black na damit. All over black.” Aniya saka tumingin sa loob ng restaurant. Ganun rin naman si Audrey.

“Baka siya,” pasimpleng itinuro ni Audrey ang lalaki na naka-all over black.

Napaatras si Mia nang makita ang hitsura ng lalaki. “Hindi ‘yan.” Umiling siya.

“Anong hindi? Nakadamit naman ng itim.” Natawa ng mahina si Audrey.

“Don’t tease me, Audrey.” Ani Mia. Abala siya sa pagtingin ng mga tao sa loob ng restaurant kung saan sila naroroon. Pero ‘tong kasama niya sinapian na naman ng kalokohan.

Kapagkuwan nagtanong si Audrey. “Mia, how about his appearance? Sinabi ba ng mommy mo?”

Tumango si Mia. “1.8 meters tall. Handsome…”

“Tall, dark, and handsome?” Audrey asked.

Mia nodded. It was her mother’s description.

“Is that him?” Sabay turo niya sa lalaki na kapareho sa hitsura na sinabi ni Mia.

Mia looked at the man that Audrey pointed to. Natigilan siya at hindi niya inaasahan na makikita niya si Austin sa loob ng restaurant. Imposibleng ito ang date niya dahil may girlfriend na ito. Napatingin siya sa cellphone niya at nagulat sa pangalang sinabi ng kaniyang ina.

‘Austin Zyair Esquivel, anak. Siya ang blind date mo.’

Gustong matawa ni Mia pero wala siyang panahon. At isa pa ayaw niyang malaman ni Audrey na kilala niya ito. “Tignan natin.” Aniya saka hinila si Audrey. Nilapitan nila ang lalaki. She looked at her phone, reading the description of the man that her mother chatted about.

“Hi, are you Austin Zyair Esquivel?” Mia asked the man. Nagpanggap siyang hindi niya ito kilala. Mukhang hindi naman nagulat si Austin nang makita siya.

Austin was not surprised to see his blind date. Inaasahan na niya ito. Pero bakit parang hindi naman siya nito kilala? There was no expression on her face that he was familiar to her. Or was she acting? Pero naalala niyang hindi pa nila kilala ang pangalan ng isa’t-isa.

“It’s me. You are…”

Mia extended her hand. “Camille Baltazar. Pero Mia na lang.”

Napansin ni Mia ang pagsulyap sa kaniya ni Audrey. Alam kasi ni Audrey na hindi siya nagpapatawag ng nickname niya lalo na sa mga hindi niya kilala.

Nakipagkamay si Austin kay Mia. And when their hands touched, they both felt the sparks that were emitted.

She’s too young. Austin thought. Ano bang pinag-iisip ng nanay niya? Ang bata ng ka-blind date niya pero maganda naman. Pero masaya naman siya na si Mia ang ka-blind date niya. He was already ready to reject if it’s not Mia this time.

“Have a seat, Mia.” Austin gestured with his hand to the seat.

Mia smiled, fake. “Thanks.”

Napatingin naman si Austin sa kasama ni Mia na nakatalikod. “This is…”

“This is Audrey. Kaibigan ko.” Ani Mia saka pinaharap ang kaibigan.

“Audrey?” Gulat na saad ni Austin.

Audrey showed a cheeky smile. “Hi.” Tumingin siya kay Mia. “You two should talk. I’ll wait for you.” Anito saka nagmamadaling umupo sa bakanteng pwesto na malapit kay Mia.

Napailing na lang si Mia. “You know Audrey?” tanong niya kay Austin. Though alam naman na niya na kilala ito ni Austin dahil kaibigan ni Austin ang asawa ni Audrey. Wala lang. Gusto niya lang na may mapag-usapan sila dahil wala naman siyang alam na sasabihin.

Isang kilalang negosyante rin ang asawa ng kaibigan niya. Madalas rin itong lumabas sa mga financial news.

“She’s my friend’s wife, so I know her.”

Napatango na lang si Mia.

Mia and Austin ordered their food.

Habang nag-uusap si Austin at Mia, napansin ng binata ang ngiti ni Mia. Though she was smiling happily, her smile was somewhat fake.

“Who pushed you onto this blind date?” Austin asked.

“My mother,” Mia answered with a fake smile. It’s better to end this. She thought. May girlfriend na si Austin at kahit napilitan lang ang binata, hindi pa rin ito pwede. It’s better na sabihin na nito ang dapat nitong sabihin. Austin was trying to have a conversation with her.

Kapagkuwan napatingin si Mia kay Audrey, kasama na ng kaibigan ang asawa nito. Nag-chat lang sa kaniya ang kaibigan na mauuna na ito.

Austin looked at Emerson. Sumenyas lang naman ito sa kaniya at tinanguan niya ito.

Nang makaalis si Audrey at ang asawa nito, nawala ang ngiti ni Mia sa labi at napalitan ng seryosong anyo ang mukha nito.

Bahagya pang natigilan si Austin nang makitang sumeryoso si Mia. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

Kumunot ang noo ni Mia. Hindi niya alam kung anong iniisip ni Austin. He had clearly a girlfried pero mukhang wala itong balak na magsabi. Fine. Then she will make the first move. Ayaw niyang maging third party sa isang relasyon at wala siyang balak kahit crush pa niya si Austin.

“Hindi ba may girlfriend ka? Break na kayo kaya ka nandito? Ang bilis mo namang maka-move on.” Deretsahang saad ni Mia.

Austin was shocked. “Wait. What? Girlfriend? Sino?” Gulat niyang tanong.

Umirap si Mia. “Sus! Kunwari ka pa. Kayo talagang mga lalaki, ang mga style niyo, bulok na.”

“Ano bang pinagsasabi mo, Mia?” tanong ni Austin. Bahagya pa siyang nainis dahil hindi naman niya alam kung ano ang pinagsasabi ni Mia.

“Still pretending? Nakita kita kasama ang girlfriend mo noong nakaraang araw. Ang sweet niyo nga, eh. Tapos pumunta ka pa sa blind date na ‘to. I know you were force, but I’ve been waiting na sabihin mo. Hindi ko naman ipagpipilitan ang sarili ko.” Litanya ni Mia.

Inaalala naman ni Austin kung sino ang sinasabi ng dalaga. Realization hit him. It was the same as when he had seen Mia, but she ignored him when he called her. “That’s my cousin,” he said.

“Weh?” tumaas ang kilay ni Mia. Hindi siya naniniwala. Sinungaling kaya ang mga lalaki. Mabulaklak ang bibig nila pero sinungaling.

Austin rolled his eyes. “Ayaw mong maniwala? Sige, tatawagan ko.”

“Huwag na.” Pigil ni Mia. “Hindi naman ako interesado.” Aniya. She knew what her mother was planning. Her mother wants her to get married, but no. Ayaw niya. “Let’s just pretend we didn’t meet.” Aniya saka tumayo.

Mabilis na pinigilan ni Austin si Mia sa pamamagitan ng paghawak niya sa kamay nito.

“Wait, Mia.” Austin took a deep breath. “Can we sit down and eat first before you leave?”

Mia sighed. Inagaw niya ang kamay na hawak ni Austin saka umupo.

Nakahinga naman ng maluwang si Austin dahil nakinig sa kaniya ang dalaga.

Uminom ng tubig si Mia. “Let’s be serious. I know you were forced onto this blind date. I am, too,” she confessed. There’s no point in lying. “Our mothers were friends. So, I assumed you knew what they were planning to do.”

Napatango si Austin. “Alam ko kung ano ang plano ni Mommy. She pushes me to a blind date. Sabi niya matanda na raw ako. She wants me to get married. Nag-aalala siya na baka hindi na raw ako makapag-asawa.”

“Bakit naman?”

Austin smiled. “I don’t do dates. I don’t have flings, either. And I never had a girlfriend.”

Mia nodded. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa narinig. Sa hitsura ni Austin, inakala niyang marami na itong naging girlfriend. Hindi ba ganun naman minsan ang mga lalaking may hitsura? They were proud of their looks, and they had forgotten how to be a gentleman.

“How about you?”

“The same,” Mia answered. “I don’t want to get married, and yet my mother was pushing me onto blind dates.”

“You’re still young. Bakit nag-aalala ang nanay mo?” tanong ni Austin.

Nagkibit ng balikat si Mia. There is only one reason, though. She thought. But she didn’t tell Austin about it because it was not necessary.

Nang dumating ang pagkain nila, patuloy lamang sila sa pag-uusap.

“How about we pretend to date?” Austin suggested.

Napaubo si Mia. “Sira ka ba? You’re just giving them false hope.”

“Hear me out.”

Mia nodded.

“My mother was nagging me to get married. It was the same for your mother. How about we pretend to date? And when we really don’t like each other in the future, we’ll split up. We both get benefits,” Austin explained. “Do you agree?”

Napaisip naman si Mia. Austin’s proposal was indeed good. But thinking that they would be split up in the future, she was saddened. Pero dapat inaasahan na niya ‘yon. After all, if she has a relationship in the future, she will not commit to it.

Mia looked at Austin. “How do we pretend?”

Ngumiti si Austin. Uminom siya ng tubig bago nagsalita. “No pressure. Just tell your mother, we have to cultivate feelings first.”

Mia coughed. “Cultivate feelings first?” she asked.

Austin nodded. “Yeah.”

Looks like Mia has no way out. Kung hindi siya papayag na magpanggap kasama si Austin, siguradong iba-blind date na naman siya ng kaniyang ina sa iba? At time like this, Austin was the good choice for her.

“Fine.”

Austin smiled and extended his hand. “Happy cooperation?”

Mia accepted Mia’s hand. “Happy cooperation.”