Before Reality Knocks (DLC Series #1)

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

One year later

"Blair, na saan ka?" tanong ni Brant mula sa kabilang linya.

"Work," sagot ko. I was multitasking. Sa kaliwa ko ay naroroon ang aking laptop kung saan nagcocompose ako ng mensahe para sa isang kliyente, sa kanan naman ay naroroon ang mga papeles na kailaingan kong i-review bago primahan. Idagdag mo pa 'tong si Brant na bigla nalang tumawag. "Why? May kailangan ka?"

"We agreed on having lunch today. Nakalimutan mo na ba?"

Napasulyap ako sa orasan. "I didn't forget," sagot ko na hindi parin inaalis ang tingin sa mga ginagawa. "I will just wrap this up tapos susunod ako d'yan."

"Sige."

"Sino-sino na ang nand'yan?"

"Kami palang ni Scar. Si Asteria papunta na," aniya. "Have you already called Faustian?"

"Oo," I answered. "Malapit na daw siya."

Pag-dating ko sa restaurant, naabutan ko silang lahat doon. Faustian stood up and pulled a chair for me. Umupo narin siya sa tabi ko.

"Himala at naka-attend ka ngayon, Faust." Komento ni Scarlet. "Ka-eenroll mo pa lang, 'di ba?"

Faustian nodded. Bakas ang pagod sa kanyang mukha ngunit nagawa niya paring magpakita ng isang ngiti. "Yes. First semester of my second year in law school."

"Isang taon ka palang nag-susuffer. May tatlong taon pa," sabi ko. "Sure mo ayaw mong mag-backout?"

"Ay concerned," pang-aasar ni Brant.

"Malamang, gung-gong." Pang-lalait ko rito. "Kaibigan 'yan eh."

After what happened during Giselle's birthday party, the four of us became good friends. Once a month ay nagkikita kami para mag-lunch together. Kung hindi gaano ka-busy ay more than once pa.

With regard to the kiss Faustian and I shared... it really did answer my question.

It proved that I no longer have feelings for him.

There were no sparks―no anything.

Matapos ang pangyayaring iyon, hindi na namin iyon pinag-usapan muli. It was as if it never happened.

"Kaibigan lang? Aray oh." Muling pang-aasar ni Brant. "Faustian, payag ka doon?"

Natawa lang si Faustian bago inabot ang isang baso ng tubig at ininom iyon.

Sabay namang napatikhim sina Asteria at Scarlet.

"Yuck, may ubo," I joked.

"Yuck, dense." Scarlet shot back.

Our conversation was cut short when the waitress came and asked for our orders. 

In the midst of eating, I had to excuse myself to take an important business call. Lumabas muna ako ng restaurant para kausapin ang secretary ko.

"I really don't care," wika ko. "If ayaw ng client, tell him to find a different company. Hindi naman siya kawalan."

"But Ma'am Blair―"

"Ilang beses na ba siya nagpapalit-palit ng request dahil lang biglang umiba ang isip niya? We already wasted a lot of resources because of his indecisiveness. Kliyente siya but we don't tolerate that kind of behavior here."

"May contract po tayo with him..." aniya sa kabilang linya, boses ay punong-puno ng pag-aalinlangan.

"As I said, I don't care," I said, firmly. "Just pay him the damages for breach of contract. I don't care how much it costs. Just get him out of our list of clients."