Kanina pa ako nagtitimpi sa babaeng 'to.

Ever since she stepped into the palace, (mga 20 minutes ago siguro) akala mo pagmamay-ari niya na. Pati girlfriend ko inaangkin ampota. Get your own tayo dito, pinaghirapan kong makuha 'yan.

"Would you accompany me to the restroom, Madame President?" She said to Leni, beaming sweetly.

Tigil mo 'yan sumosobra ka na.

Habang palapit ako, nabangga ko 'yung isa sa mga malalaking vase na malapit sa pinto. Muntik na malaglag kaya napatili ako nang slight. Buti na lang hindi nabasag.

"Uy, hala, Sen. Risa." Leni went over to me to ask if I was alright. Napangiti ako internally. Syempre bawal ipakita na natuwa akong nilapitan ako ng girlfriend ko imbis na sagutin yung invite ng visitor na 'yun.

"Okay lang ako, Presi. Don't worry."

Presi lang tawag ko sa kanya ngayon, daming tao eh baka mabuking kami. Leni had a slight glint in her eyes. For sure, mamaya aasarin ako nito. Kitang-kita niya na nagseselos ako.

She looked at the visitor and said, "My apologies, Ms. Thompson. I'll have to check if Senator Hontiveros is alright. Please let my staff accompany you instead."

Very good, Maria Leonor. Tama behavior ka today kaya may prize ka later.

Lumabas na si Ms. Thompson sa room tapos bumulong si Leni sa tabi ko, "Wag ka naman masyadong pahalata, Ga. Sa'yo lang naman ako."

"Ang pangit niya kasi."

"Ang bad mo! Visitor natin siya so be nice, okay? Para sa akin?" She pouted and gave me a pleading look.

"Sige na nga. Pero babawi ka sa'kin later."

She laughed and agreed, squeezing my arm lightly. Kapag talaga events na ganito and maraming pwedeng makapansin ng dynamic naming dalawa, the smallest gestures mean so much to me. Ang reassuring at ang calming na nirerecognize niya 'yung presence ko despite not interacting with me the same way that she would behind closed doors.

Bumalik na sa room si Ms. Thompson. Hindi ko alam kung anong first name niya kasi hindi pa naman siya nagpapakilala nang maayos sa amin. Ay...I think Leni already mentioned pero hindi ko lang maalala. Or siguro pinili ko lang na hindi alalahanin? Either way, hindi ko alam.

"Let me introduce our visitor for today, Ms. Arabella Thompson." Leni announced to the room. Ah, Arabella pala.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen! I'm Arabella Thompson, the representative of the US Embassy. Your president can call me Bella but the rest, Arabella will do." Everybody laughed. Except ako.

Our president can call you Bella ka pa dyan ha. Bella-ng na ang mga araw mo, tignan mo.

"Kalma, Risa. Baka umusok tenga mo nyan." Trillanes spoke from beside me. Tinignan ko lang siya nang masama.

"Namumula ka na, 'te. Chel ka lang." Sabat ni Chel. Kinurot ko 'yung braso niya.

Tangina netong mga 'to. Pagtripan ba naman ako. Mas malala pa pang-aasar nila kaysa sa staff ko eh. Pinagtatawanan nila ako kaya I rolled my eyes at them and focused at Leni again. She was looking at us curiously tapos bigla siyang nagpigil ng tawa.

Tumalikod ako at nakitang tinuturo ako nila Chel, Trillanes, at Teddy habang nagmamouth ng 'selosa'. Pinagtatapik ko silang lahat para tumigil. Nakasimangot at namumula na akong humarap ulit kay Leni.

I heard Leila whisper to the boys behind me, "Shet masaya 'to. May popcorn ka dyan?"

Do I deserve this type of friends? Lord, ito ba ang kapalit ng pagkakaroon ng isang Leni sa buhay ko?

-------------

The day went by at mas lalo lang akong nairita. Si Arabellang mula sa US ang dahilan ng pagkainis ko. She was cracking jokes at my girlfriend na halatang hindi naman nakakatawa because Leni laughed politely instead of her usual hearty laugh.

At one point, she even put her hand on top of Leni's habang kumakain kami sa dining hall ng palace. Sa tapat ko pa talaga niya naisipang gawin 'yun. Agad-agad naman inalis ni Leni 'yung kamay niya and pretended to wipe her mouth kahit wala namang dumi do'n. Bait talaga hihi.

Napapansin ko ring bulong siya nang bulong kay Leni kaya I interrupted, "Care to share, Ms. Arabella?"

I heard Leila snicker beside me. Nagpigil naman ng tawa sa kabilang gilid ko sina Chel. Kahit si Kiko na katabi ni Arabella on the other side was stifling a laugh.

"Oh, I was just telling President Leni about the accommodations they have reserved for me."

"Is that so? Did you find it to your liking?"

Napapailing na 'yung mga katabi ko, pati si Leni and Kiko sa tapat namin. I felt a shoe bump my shin and I smiled kasi alam kong si Leni 'yun. Mamaya ka na, Pangga, chel ka lang dyan.

"Yes. I was actually inviting Ms. Leni to join me there later."

Teddy almost spat out his drink after hearing that kaya napatingin silang lahat sa kanya. Trillanes immediately patted his back para matigil siya sa kakaubo. Si Leila naman hindi na tinuloy 'yung pagsubo niya sa kinakain niya.

"Sadly, she can't."

"Why is that? Does she have other engagements?"

I felt Leni bump my shin with her shoe again. Hindi naman malakas pero I winced kasi nabigla ako. I met her eyes in warning as if to tell her to stop.

"Yes, with me..."

Chel tapped my shoulder and Leila clasped my wrist. "And with the other senators, we have important matters to discuss," I continued.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my girlfriend, Chel, Leila, Teddy, Kiko, and Trillanes breathe a sigh of relief. Parang mga ewan 'to, mukha bang ilalagay ko sa panganib 'yung relationship namin dahil lang sa selos?

Actually muntik na. Buti na lang napigilan ko. Sasabihin ko sanang magdedate kami ni Leni eh. Thank you sa guardian angel ko.

"That's unfortunate then." Arabella replied.

I hummed in agreement and we went back to our meals.

-------------

We were back in the room where Arabella was introduced to us, katatapos lang ng briefing and meeting namin about the state of our fellow Filipinos in the US. Marami-raming trabaho ang aasikasuhin namin after today.

I was huddled with Tropang Angat when Leni joined us. "Kumusta kayo?" She asked.

"Okay lang, Presi. Happy pill namin 'tong si Risa. Kanina pa banat nang banat ng joke eh."

"Hmm, gano'n ba. Share niyo sa'kin 'yan mamaya ha."

I nodded and gave her a grin. Tinaasan ako ng kilay ng gaga. Wala akong binabalak hmp.

The rest of the people in the room left. Naiwan na lang ako, si Leni, Kiko, Chel, Leila, Teddy, Trillanes, Arabella and her companions, and Leni and I's staff.

Lumapit si Arabella sa'min at nagpaalam na aalis na raw siya. As she should. Kanina pa sana kaloka.

Akma siyang magbebeso kay Leni when I pulled my girlfriend to the side and said, "Nice meeting you, Ms. Arabella."

"N-nice meeting you too, Senator Hontiveros."

Sakto tinawag na siya ng iba niyang kasama kaya hindi na siya makalapit pa kay Leni. I signaled to my staff na lumabas na kami ng room para makauwi na.

"Excuse me, coming through." I said so they'll make way for us on the way out. Knowing na nakatingin sa amin si Arabella, I placed my hand on Leni's lower back and once we got through the crowd, I pulled her closer to me by the waist.

Binulungan ko siya habang naglalakad kami papunta sa parking lot, "You're mine, and mine only."