Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 24

DIRETSONG dumapo ang mga mata ko kay Arsen nang bumukas ang pinto ng unit at pumasok siya sa loob. Napatingin ako sa orasan na nakasabit sa dingding. 4:30 PM. Ang sabi nga naman niya'y hapon siya makakauwi galing sa meeting, pero sana ay sinagot niya man lang kahit isa sa mga tawag ko.

Agad siyang lumapit sa akin at blangko ko lang siyang tiningnan. He was about to crouch to kiss me when I stood up and walked passed him.

I walked towards the kitchen and pulled out a pitcher of water from the refrigerator. I could feel him watching my every move.

"Why weren't you answering my calls?" tanong ko habang nagsasalin ng tubig sa baso.

He sighed before he walked near my direction.

"Ga, I was in the meeting all day. What do you expect?"

Nagtagis ang bagang ko at padabog na naibaba ang pitsel. Hindi ko naiwasang magtaas ng kilay nang mag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya.

"Couldn't you excuse yourself for a while, then?"

Napakamot siya sa kaniyang kilay at tamad akong tinitigan.

"I can't just easily do that, Jaeda. Hindi naman ako boss do'n. I was facing clients and big people in the industry--"

"I don't fucking care!" my anger and frustrations couldn't be tamed anymore that I had no choice but to explode it. 

Kanina pa ako nagtitimpi rito. Actually, noon pa! Every time na lang na kailangang-kailangan ko siya, palagi siyang wala at hindi mahagilap! What's worse was he knew that I was calling him, but he was always choosing to ignore my calls as if he didn't care about me.

Girlfriend niya 'ko, for God's sake! Hindi ba ako importante sa kaniya? Wala ba siyang pakialam sa akin? Kahit paulit-ulit niyang naririnig 'yong pag-vibrate o pag-ring ng cellphone niya gawa ng tawag ko, wala pa rin siyang pakialam!

Nakakasawa na! I felt so fed up with this already! I was so tired being ignored by him! I did not deserve it!

He looked at me in both shock and confusion. He was probably confused why I was this mad. Papaanong hindi ako magagalit? Nahipuan na nga ako 'tapos iyong taong inaasahan kong magiging karamay ko ay tila walang pakialam sa akin!

"So kahit pala kapag nasusunog na rito o naghihingalo na ako, kahit ilang beses kitang i-call to ask for help, never mo pa ring sasagutin, is that it? What, meeting is life?" I sarcastically asked. "Dahil lang you're in the middle of a meeting e ii-ignore mo na lang ang calls ko? Hahayaan mo 'kong mamatay na lang dito, gano'n ba?"

His confused and shock expression suddenly got coated with anger and disbelief. He heaved a heavy sigh as he irritatedly combed his hair using his fingers.

"Bakit na naman ba? Ano--ano bang nangyari habang wala ako? Is this about your dad again?" may inis sa kaniyang tono. "Kasi, Ga, importante 'yong meeting na 'yon. Kung hindi naman importante 'yong sasabihin mo, bakit ko pa sasagu--"

"You're getting more of an asshole each passing day, Arsen, do you know that?!" hindi ko na napigilang bitiwan ang mga salitang 'yon.

Punong-puno na ako! Sumosobra na siya at sobrang sakit na ng naidudulot niya sa 'kin!

"Ano bang problema mo?" kunot noong tanong niya at hindi na naitago pa ang inis sa mukha.

"Do you know what just happened to me earlier?"

Raging madness started to flow over my body as I remembered how I get disrespected by that pervert! Until now, I still felt his disgusting touch. My emotions got triggered once again. I started shaking a little as my hands balled into fist. Tears immediately pooled in my eyes. My breathing became harsh and shaky.