He Broke Me First

Chapter 32

Walang imik akong lumabas ng elevator kasama sila Ella pagkatapos naming kumain sa baba.

"Sino naman kaya yon?" Hindi matigil si Yelyn sa kakatanong kung sinong tinutukoy ni Joaquin kanina.

Nagrereklamo pa siya kung bakit daw biglang may tumawag kay Joaquin. Hindi na kasi yon nakasabay saming kumain at umalis agad. Mukhang importante ang tawag kanina.

I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Who knows?"

Hindi ko din alam kung sino yon kaya wala akong maisasagot sa kanya. Isa pa, wala naman akong pakialam.

"Sayang. I-cross out mo na, girl. Ayaw ata sa bagets non," tumatawang sabi ni Yelyn kay Ella.

I only shook my head, not really wanting to join their conversation. Hinawi ko pa ang buhok ko habang naglalakad kami pabalik sa opisina.

I held my head as soon as I went to my cubicle. Sumasakit ang ulo ko. Parang lalagnatin pa ata ako. I sighed as I grabbed a bottled water in my table.

Naghanap ako ng biogesic sa drawer ng desk ko pero wala naman akong nakita. Hindi tuloy ako makapag-type ng maayos. Gusto ko na lang munang dumukmo at matulog pero hindi naman pwede yon.

Pahinga lang siguro ang kailangan nito para hindi na tumuloy. I blew an air to make me feel a little lighter so I could focus on my work already. I was feeling sick but I still managed to edit some files before printing it.

"Epekto ng always present sa OT yan!"  Tinuro ako ni Jhannus.

Sinupalpal ko lang ang mukha niya. Mas sumasakit ang ulo ko sa boses niya. I opened my car's door and rested my head on the steering wheel for minutes. Sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. Ang init na din ng leeg ko noong kinapa ko.

Nagpakawala muna ako ng buntong hininga bago sinindihan ang makina ng kotse ko para umalis na. I want to sleep already. All I was thinking was my soft bed. Gustong-gusto ko nang balutin ang sarili ko sa kumot.

"The heck," I whispered frustratedly when I felt something wrong in my car.

I put my tounge inside my cheek while I was massaging my temple. Lalagnatin na nga nasiraan pa.

I pulled the car on the side of the road before stepping outside to check what's wrong with it. I licked my head out of frustration nang makitang na-flat ang dalawang gulong non.

Bad-trip naman. Tumingin ako sa daan para tignan kung may malapit na talyer pero puro mabibilis na nagdadaanang sasakyan lang ang nakikita ko.

Buti na lang may ilaw sa nahintuan ko. Because if there's no light here, I would really leave my car without hesitating. Nakakatakot kaya. Who knows if what you might encounter while being alone here, right?

I shook my head when memories of some of the horror movies I watched played in my head. I also thought of some news about rape. Oh my gosh, you're torturing yourself, Kiela. Stupid.

I hugged myself out of nervousness. Nakakagigil, hindi na dapat ako nag-isip. Mabilis ko tuloy kinuha ang phone ko at sinimulang mag-book ng grab.

I quickly clenched my chest when I suddenly heard a beep. Tinignan ko agad kung sino yon. Mabilis kong sinamaan ng tingin si Joaquin pagkababa ng bintana ng kotse niya.

He raised his brows. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, leaning his elbow in the window.

Saglit kong tinapunan ng tingin ang kotse ko bago ulit bumaling sa kanya. Napabuntong hininga ako. "Flat tires."

Bumaba siya ng sasakyan niya. He squatted a bit, checking my car. Joaquin nodded after standing up.

"I'll just take you home," he offered. "Tumawag ka na lang ng mekaniko para maayos to."