YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART
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"Can I have this dance.?"
There she saw a guy standing behind her, wearing a black suit with a Phantom mask.
Tinignan lang ni Julie ang nakalahad na kamay ng binata, nagdadalawang isip sya kung tatanggapin niya ang alok nitong sayaw.
"so can I have this dance.?" tanong ulit ng binata.
Tatanggi na sana si Julie pero pinilit siya ng mga kasama.
"cige na Juls" nakangiting sabi ni Tina.
"pagbigyan mo na, kanina pa nakalahad kamay niya oh" dugtong naman ni Olivia.
Napatingin uli 0t si Julie sa lalaki.
"Please.!" nakangiting sabi ng binata, showing his loop sided dimple.
Julie was shock seeing does dimples.
"Oh My Gad!" sabi ni Julie sabay yakap sa binata.
"Den, I can’t believe you’re hee" anya niya habang nakayakap parin kay Alden.
"I miss you" sabi ni Alden habang pinakawalan sa yakap si Julie
"Ahem, ahem" papansin ni Jane na tila ba parang kinalimutan na sila ng kaibigan.
"hmm guyz meet Alden, his a friend from San Francisco, Den this are my Friends" isa-isang pinakilala ni Julie ang mga ito.
"nice to meet you guyz, so Juls lets dance" alok ulit ni Alden and this time ay hindi na siya tinanggihan ni Julie.
They went into the dance floor and dance.
"how did you know it was me.?" tanong ni Alden when they started to slow dance.
"well… You have this cute dimples-" nakangiting sabi ni Julie sabay pisil sa nakalabas na pisngi ng binata "-that i’ll never forget … So, how about you.? How did you knew it was me.?"
"I just know" simpling sagot ni Alden that made Julie smile.
"by the way, what are you doing here.?" tanong ni Julie.
"remember when i told you that I’m planning to put up another branch? I think, here is my best option and it’s a perfect time to visit my family as well… I also miss you"
Julie just nodmand smile and they dance to the music silently.
Ng matapos na ang kanta, they both stop.
"have you seen Maqui? Did you know that Nate is also here?" sunod-sunod na tanong ni Juie.
"now that you mention that, I’ll go to them and say hi, would you like to come?" alok ni Alden.
Sandaling napa-isip si Julie bago sumagot.
"i’ll just go back to my group, i don’t want to attract any attention"
Julie doesn’t like the idea coming up to Maqui and Nate, alamg niya kasi that her dad is also around, she don’t want people to keep staring at her even though she’s wearing a mask.
"okay then, I’ll be back" paalam ni Alden saka iniwan si Julie sa dance floor.
Instead of going back to her friends, Julie walks out the hall, she need a fresh air, so she just walk and walk until she found a perfect spot.
When Elmo told Niño that he wantd to have fun, his lying coz the truth is he wantd to get away, seeing the entourage and the whole party remind him again of Julie, this is her real world. Minsan iniisip niya kung ano ba ang magiging buhay niya kung nandito lang si Julie, kung ano ba ang pakiramdam kung nandito lang sa tabi niya ngayon ang babaeng pinakamamahal niya. Hindi siya sana miserabli ngayon.
He would give everything for this to happen.
Napailing nalang ito at natawa sa sarili, maybe his drunk, 8 glass 8f whiskey is too much for him tonight, that is why his here alone on a veranda for fresh air.
He never intended to attend thus party when Niño told him about the pass that Maggie gave. Attending this party, seeing Maqui again and all the people connected to Julie is like stabbing his own heart over and over again. Dapat niya masanay na siya because his gonna seel all of this over again since he wanted the JAPS for the good og their own company.
He took a deep breath, close his eyes and enjoy the fresh air.
Moment lat he felt that someone stood beside him, just meter away but his too drunk to care.
"too noisy or too crowded?" tanong sa kanya.
The voice caught his attention, that was the voice that his been longing to hear, naramdaman niya ang mabilis na pagtibok ng puso niya pero bago siya lumingon ay kinalma niya muna ang sarili.
Huminga muna ito ng malalim at dahan-dahang tumingin sa katabi.
A girl stood there wearing a simple white dress with a white mask, she gave him a smile when their eyes met through their mask and that makes him freeze.
Napalunok ito at agad binawi ang tingin.
First was the voice and now the smile.
"No Elmo, No.! You’re just drunk. It’s impossible" sabi nito sa sarili.
Then there was a long silent between them, she was enjoying the air and the silence while Elmo is still convincing himself that this is just an illusion made by the 8 glass of whiskey he just take and his desperation to see her again.
He just shook his head and smile.
He cleared his throat before answering. ”both… How about you? What brings you here?”
"both" simpling sagot ng babae saka ngumiti ulit dahilan para mapangiti rin si Elmo.
"I’m Elmo by the way" pakilala ni Elmo, properly facing the girl offering hin hand "and you are?"
She was about to take his hand when-
"there you are" that makes them look at their side.
"I’ve been looking for you" sabi ni Alden sabay lapit sa dalaga.
"it’s time for the big announcement, you don’t want to miss it, don’t you?" nakangiting sabi ni Alden while protectively wrapping his one arm on Julie’s waist and giving Elmo a meaningful look.
Tumango lang si Julie saka ngumiti kay Elmo bilang paalam.
Isang malungkot na ngiti naman ang sinagot ni Elmo at pinagmasdan ang pag-alis ng dalaga.
"nice mask" sarkastikong ngiti ni Alden sa kanya saka sinundan si Julie, dun niys lang napansin na parihas ang maskarang suot nila, then he took his mask off at tinignan ito. Nakita niya ang pagpatak ng kanyang luha sa maskara kaya natawa ito sa sarili.
"now your little dream is over" sabi niya sa sarili saka pinunasan ng luha at dahan-dahang binitawan ang maskara.
"I was gone for only a few minutes and you already found another phantom" biro ni Alden ng makapasok na sila ng hall.
Natawa nalang si Julie “I needed a fresh air then I found him there”
Maqui was busy entertaining guest, masaya itong nakipagkwentohan at tawanan, when they have enough of her attention she said her goodbye and move to the next set of guest.
Nagulat ito ng paglingon niya ay isang lalaking nakangiti at nakasuot ng itim na maskara ang tumambad sa kanya. Kunot nuong pinagmasdan niya ang lalaki then he gave her a smile.
"now you know me, but Niño will do" nakangiting sabi ni Niño. "can I have this dance?" lahad ng kamay nito.
Tumaas lang ang kilay ni Maqui saka tumalikod at naglakad.
Si Niño naman ay tahimik lang na nakabuntot sa likod ng dalaga.
Inis na napalingon si Maqui. “what do you want Niño? “
"the dance" sagot ng binata at naglahad ulit ng kamay.
Napatingin si Maqui sa kamay ni Niño saka nilibot ang paningin.
There she saw Nate, too busy talikng with some of the executives. She wanted Nate to be her first dance ton4 but it seems that she’s not on his priority list at kahit labag man sa loob niya ay tinanggap nito ang alok ni Niño.
Napangiti si Niño when Maqui gave in, he guide her to the dance floor and begin their slow dance. Tahimik lang sila sa umpisa hanggang magsalita si Maqui.
"tell me what do you want Niño? " derichong tanong nito.
"I think you know why I’m here Ms. Frencheska Farr"
"Now that you mention that, i was thinking on how did you get in here? This is a exclusive party and for invited guest only"
"I have my ways" nakangiting sagot ng binata.
"so you wanted to talk about the business deal?"
"actually yes, but that was before we dance… but now why don’t we drop the business talk and enjoy the dance"
Hindi pa natatapos ang kanta but the music was cut off and the chairman was standing on the stage clearing his throat over the microphone.
"Good evening everyone" panimula nito and everybody stop to listen.
"50 years, wow!" he continue "JAPS has been here for 50 years now and we own it all to everyone of you, the people who’d been supporting us from the start until now… and i would like to proposed a toss to all of us, to our partners, to all of our executives and shareholders and to all our employees. . . Thank you you" sabi ng chairman sabay taas ng hawak nitong wine glass at yun din ang ginawa ng halos lahat.
Nakangiti naman si Maqui habang nakikinig, nasa dance floor parin siya katabi si Niño na tahimik lang na nakasulyap sa kanya.
While Julie raise her lemonade juice at nakipag toss sa hawak na wine ni Alden, nakabalik na sila sa table kasama ang mga kaibigan.
Si Elmo naman at naka sandal lang sa pader ng hall entrance at tahimik na nakikinig, wala na siyang suot na maskara at nilibot niya rin ang paningin, nagbabakasakali na makita ang babaeng kausap niya kanina.
Alam niya sa sarili na imposibling si Julie yun pero hindi niya maipaliwanag ang naramdaman niya kanina. Napabuntong hininga nalang ito ng hindi manahap ang babae at inisip na epekto lang ng alcohol ang mga naramdaman niya kanina.
"50 years ago" dugtong ng chairman "my father started this company sa San Jose Corporation and handed it ot me on its silver year an I change its name as JAPS Corp. and for the people asking why JAPS? I named it after my daughter" nakangiting pahayag ng chairman "and for my princess, I know that you’re out there. You are my everything and I love you"
Halos maluha naman si Julie sa sinabi ng ama but Alden held her hand and smile habang si Elmo naman ay nakayuko lang.
"she is also my everything" he told himself.
"now on its Golden year, it’s time for me to hand the company to someone who desrves it… Ladies and gentlemen, I proudly announce OUR NEW CHAIRMAN, MS. FRENCHESKA SAN JOSE FARR" lahat ng tao ay nagpalakpakan.
"What!" napalakas na sabi ni Olivia, Jane at Tina na dahilan para mapunta sa kanila ang atensyon ng karamihan.
"oy pinagtitinginan tayo" saway ng mga lalaki kasamahan.
Binalingan naman ng mga kagrupo si Julie at isang ngiti lang ang sinagot nito sa kanila.
Natawa nalang si Alden at Patrick sa naging reaksyon nila.
While Maqui was just froze on her spot, may ilaw na nakatutok sa kanyan at halos lahat sa paligid niya at pumapalakpak maliban lang kay Niño na nasa bati niya at halatang nagulat din.
The next thing she knew ay nasa harap na niya si Nate at nakalahad ang kamay nito para alalayan siya papuntang stage. She met her dad half way at sinalubong siya ng yakap.
"congratulation" bulong sa kanya ng ama.
Ngiti lang ang sinagot nito at dumericho na ng stage at isang yakap din ang sinalubong sa kanya ng chairman.
"she doesn’t want it Maq and I believe that you deserve it more than anyone here"
Napangiti si Maqui. “salamat”
"congratulation" bati sa kanya ng dating chairman then he step aside giving Maqui the whole stage.
Nasa harap na siya ng microphone and people are waiting for her to give a speech pero hindi parin ito nagsalita. Ilamg beses rin siyang napabuntong hininga sabay tingin sa mga tao.
"wow!" panimula ni Maqui, hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin. She didn’t expect this.
"wow! I really didn’t expect this, chairman… Tito, para pinagkaisahan niyo ako ha" biro ni Maqui sabay tawa.
"I haven’t prepared a speech for this, hindi ko talaga alam… But i want to thank you for entrusting the company to me, I won’t let you down" and she face the crowd
"I hope you’re not disappointed guyz" she joke earning the crowd to laugh.
"but all I wanted to say is we should work hand n hand because the future of our company is in our hands, we are all in this together" nagpalakpakan ang mga tao sa sinabi nito and when the noise died down she spoke again.
"and to my cousin-" tigil ni Maqui and search the crowd.
The was Elmo’s que to walk away, he doesn’t want to hear any of this. It was like hearing Maqui’s eulogy for Julie on her burial at yun ang hindi niya kaya. Nagmadali nalan itong tumalikod, leaving Niño behind and drove away.
"I know that you’re out there" Maqui continue "caz this is for you" then she ended her speech make Julie smile.