Chapter 13

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"...that's obviously the problem. Call up the programmer tonight and have him fix it. We can't wait 'til morning."

Halos nakaka- twenty minutes na kami sa byahe pero simula ng pumasok ako sa kotse ni Chuck hindi pa niya binababa ang phone. Ay binaba niya na pala - I mean literal na binaba niya at binago niya ang setting to handsfree.

Sino ba kasi ang nagpauso ng 'on call'? Alam kong presidente na siya ng kompanya niya pero hello? Kaya ka nga nagpapasweldo ng mga tao mo, para ikaw ang magmamando sa kanila tapos sila ang gagawa ng trabaho. In this phonecall lang parang walang silbi itong kausap niya at siya pa ang pinag-iisip ng solusyon.

"It's been weeks, man. It should have been discovered already, not a week before we launch the product. What the hell?"

At ayan na, kanina pa galit ang jowa ko, paano kami makakapag usap ng maayos 'di ba? Paano ko sasabihin sa kanya ang mga kababawan ko'ng pag iinarte kung may malaki siyang problema sa opisina.

Napabuntonghininga na lang ako dahil alam kong ang tamang gawin ko dapat ngayon is hindi na dumagdag sa mga problema niya. I'll just distract him and if this will affect his passion - his business then anong klaseng girlfriend ako?

I look at his face and I can see the stress is taking it's toll on him, mukha siyang pagod at mukhang kulang na siya sa tulog. Ako ang sarap sarap ng tulog ko, itong jowa ko parang biglang tumanda dahil sa stress. Pero gwapo pa rin siyempre.

"Just fix it. Keep me posted, I'm available any time."

Andi, hayaan mo na. Kahit na sinabi niyang available siya para maistorbo tonight, okay lang yan. Kailangan mong suportahan ang jowa mo. Huwag ka'ng selfish.

Finally binaba na niya ang phone niya. He sighs.

He says nothing.

At parang may ugat na tumitibok-tibok sa noo ko.

I grit my teeth and look at him.

He's still thinking about work, alam mo yung parang lutang? Gano'n ang itsura niya.

I need to be a good girlfriend so I ask, "Kumain ka na ba?"

He shakes his head, "I forgot to eat."

Hinawakan ko ang braso niya, "Kumain na muna tayo. Masama yan nalilipasan ka ng gutom."

He shakes his head again at nag-iisip siya habang nag-ddrive pero alam kong distracted siya, finally he says, "You know I think I need to go to the office. I need to be there when the programmer arrives..."

Napanganga na lang ako.

He's still driving pero wala sa piling ko ang utak niya, and a girl can only take so much.

"So sinundo mo ako para saan?" I ask, hindi ko na napigilan ang irritation ko - hello? Tao lang.

He looks at me, and I feel like first time niya akong tingnan mula ng sumakay ako dito sa kotse niya. I feel so hurt. Ignored.

He says, "Sh*t."

Then he parks sa isang available spot.

He turns off the engine and puts his head on the steering wheel.

I feel, I don't know, parang disappointed? Sa sarili ko for being selfish and not thinking that this will make things worse. Bakit ba kasi hindi ako makapagpigil eh.

He sits up and faces me, "I know this isn't what tonight should be. I'm just under a lot of stress sa office. You know that, right?"

I look at him and get uncomfortable, I don't know what to say to him now. I feel like anything na sabihin ko will sound selfish and petty. Kumpara naman sa mga pinagdadaanan niya. Ako hindi lang mai-date at mai-text nagkakaganito na. Siya, ang future ng kumpanya niya ang pinakamalaki niyang concern.

My problems seem juvenile compared to his.

Pero hindi ko pa rin mapigilan masaktan, I want to smack him sa mukha niya for not even apologizing, gusto ko siyang kalugin dahil hindi niya manlang tinanong kung ako ba kumain na. Alam ko ang position niya sa kumpanya niya pero alam ko rin naman ang worth ko as a person. And I deserve his time too.

Tumango na lang ako sa sinabi niya, "Of course I know. I think supportive naman akong girlfriend 'di ba?"

He looks at me and smiles, "The best."

Kulang pa rin eh, bakit parang kulang pa rin?

He looks inside the car, "Did you leave it?"

Napalingon rin ako sa loob ng kotse, I check my bag at nasa tabi ko naman, so I ask, "Anong naiwan?"

"The flowers. I sent you flowers this morning sa office mo, I thought you hated me na nga eh because you didn't text me all day", napaisip na lang ako pero wala naman akong nareceive sa office.

Umiling lang ako, "Wala akong nakuha."

He rolls his eyes and gets his phone, "Oh my God, this person is impossible..."

Nakakunot ang noo ko habang pinapanood siyang magpi-pindot sa phone niya, tapos nilagay niya sa pisngi niya ang phone, "Hello? I thought I asked you to send flowers to my girlfriend?"

He what?

"No. She didn't get them. Are you sure you sent it?" he continues.

I'm still confused with what's happening here.

"Well yes, check immediately tomorrow please. Thanks."

He puts down his phone and looks at me. Medyo madilim dito pero siguro hindi niya nakikita ang nagniningas ko'ng ilong at ang usok na lumalabas sa tenga ko.

"My assistant didn't check if nareceive mo ang flowers, I'll make sure you get it tomorrow." He said that, he really said that.

Did I enter a nightmare? Ito ba ang boyfriend ko? Namaligno ba siya?

At dahil hindi na ako makapagpigil, I say, "Next time yung assistant mo na rin ang utusan mo para sunduin ako."

He looks stunned, "What?"

I laugh drily, "You heard me. I don't even know who I'm talking to right now. Saan mo dinala ang boyfriend ko? Ano ka ba twin brother ni Chuck?"

Sa asar ko may mga naka escape na luha and I wipe at it angrily, "Letse. Wala naman dapat iyakan pero naiiyak talaga ako."

I look outside and feel tired bigla so I say, "Pakihatid mo na lang ako. Please."


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Rev. 09/05/2021

Yep, Still Extra! (Kiligserye Book 2)Tahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon