Fake Smile [UNEDITED]

Kabanata 3

Kabanata 3

"Where you doing fine? How was it? Hindi man lang ba siya nanghinala sa paglapit mo sa kanya?" Raby bombarded me with question as I entered in the SSG office.

Pagod akong napaupo sa mahabang couch at sumandal. I even shut my eyes to close and take a deep breath. Nang imulat ko ang mata ko ay umayos ako ng upo sa couch at napagtantong nakatingin silang lahat sa akin.

A sigh again. A really deep one this time. "He's friendly and he talk to much. It was easy to approach him and I can say, uhm.. Zeigen is a good guy."

"Wow. First name basis." Hanna said bago bumalik sa pagsuri sa kanyang mukha gamit ang hawak niyang salamin.

"That's good. Mapapadali lang ang pag-iimbisitiga mo sa kanya. You were doing a good job, Tine."

Intead to smile on what Raby said, I just sigh and rest my head sa sandalan ng couch.

"I think it's not."

"What do you mean?"

I stared blackly at the ceiling bago umayos ng upo dahil sa tanong ni Mary.

"Yes, he's easy to approach and he talks to much but I don't think I can get what we really need in that easy. He like asking me. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako magsisimula.." napanguso ako at napadausdos ng upo sa couch kapagkuwan ay umayos din.

"You're not like that before." Mary was suspiciously eyeing me. "how many times did you investigate, Christine? How come that you don't like what you were doing right now? Bakit may pakiramdam akong hindi mo gustong imbistigahan ang lalaking yun?"

"Maybe she's attracted to him?" Lahat kami ay napalingon kay Hanna. She ceased her forehead bago nagkibit balikat. "nagsasabi lang naman ako kung ano yung iniisip ko."

Napailing na napabuntong hininga kaming lahat sa sinabi niya. But wait, what she said was not true. Yes, I admit that Zeigen is a handsome guy. Even though he works for being a Janitor, he still looks neatly at para bang wala siyang trabaho. But that's it. Wala ng iba. Hindi ako attracted sa kanya.

We've been talking since earlier at masasabi kong madaldal nga siyang lalaki kahit malamig ang kanyang tingin sa akin. I saw some strange emotion on his eyes kanina but it immediately replace by a cold one.

It was easy talking to him. Hindi kami nauubusan ng topic kanina dahil palagi niya akong napapasagot sa lahat ng kanyang tanong. Parang baliktad?

It must be me who's asking him but he's the one who's asking me everytime. I just can't utter a single words. Kasi, naiilang ako? I don't know. Maybe because I don't know him too well.

Nagpaalam lang ako sa kanya para umalis at para narin hindi siya maistorbo. But my time was not waste. Kasi nag-enjoy din akong kausap siya at hindi ko alam kung bakit komportable akong kausapin siya kahit kakilala palang namin.

"Focus, Tine." Raby seriously said dahilan para mawala ako sa malalim na pag-iisip. "priority the safety before the feelings."

Napangiwi ako sa huli niyang sinabi. "What are you talking about? Wag nga kayong maniwala diyan kay Hanna." The latter just rolled her eyes to me. "I'm doing my job here, guys. He's on my hands."

"I'm just making sure." Inayos pa niya ang kanyang glasses. "always think that your doing this for the safety of the students. For the sake of them. Gawin mo ang lahat tungkol sa kanya."

"Why are you doubting him by the way?" I ask out of no where. Kahit alam ko kung ano ang tanong ko ay hindi ko parin binawi dahil gusto ko talagang itanong yun.

Nagkatinginan silang apat at napatigil pa si Hanna sa kanyang ginagawa. Napatikhim si Raby at kinuha ang kanyang glasses. Because of what she did, I know she's damn serious.