To Never End

Chapter 20: How?

Mia's POV

"Indeed, he didn't let go of my hand." I sighed.

Tere raised her brows and clap sarcastically.

"Wow! Daig nyo pa ang koreanovela" she said smirking.

I'm here now with Tere somewhere in BGC. I immediately texted her. I want to talk to someone. Dahil gulong gulo na ako. Hinatid ako ni Gabriel sa bahay like he insisted.

At tinulugan ko sya. Walang  lingong lumabas ako sa sasakyan pagkarating namin. Kahit thank you ay hindi ko na ginawa. Natatakot kasi akong baka halikan nya ako. Baka bumigay ako.

"Tere, ano ba? I need an advice. Ano bang gagawin ko kay Gabriel?" napapagod na sabi ko.

Yeah. I'm so exhausted. Napapagod ako sa drama namin ni Gabriel. How awful.

"Friend, look. First of all, why are you acting like this? I mean. Gaga ka ba? Sinaktan ka nung taong yun. Halos hindi ka na makagulapay noon. Siguro naman hindi ko na kailangan pang i-enumerate pa diba? Tapos ganyan ka ngayon. Konting ligaw lang kuno, bigay ka kaagad?"mahabang litanya niya sabay irap.

"Kaya nga frustrated ako?! Ano ba? I know I shouldn't feel this way. I know I should totally shut him off. But goddammit I can't" I blurted out. This has been the most frustrating thing I've ever experienced in my existence. Ok na ako eh. Ugh.

Napayukyok na lang ako sa kinauupuan ko. Mabuti na lang nandito kami sa labas ng Starbucks. We can talk aloud without people minding us.

Nanatili kaming tahimik. Kahit sya ay walang masabi.

"Gusto mo ng seryosong advice, girl?" she asked. Tumango naman ako.

"Wag. Hangga't kaya mo pa, layuan mo na. Tama na ang pagpapakatanga Mia. Marami nang nagsuffer at maraming nawala sayo simula nang minahal mo yang hunghang na yan." bumuntong hininga sya at sumisim ng kape. "Pero mukhang too late na, girl. You're swept off again." she smirked.

I knotted my brows. "Of course not!" tanggi ko. "Sweep off ka dyan. No way. It's just that naliligalig ako sa kanya. At iniisip ko si Marco. Pero hindi ako fall na fall sa kanya." litanya ko pa.

Humagalpak sya ng tawa.

"Sige Mia, panindigan mo yang kagagahan mo. Tsk tsk tsk. Tatanggi pa. It's all over your face. And your eyes don't know how to lie. Naku!" She rolled her eyes on me.

Hindi na ako umimik. Kasi baka maging defensive pa ako. Ang hirap pala sobrang hirap.

........

Kinabukasan, lugmok akong pumasok sa opisina. Gabriel's words keep lingering on my mind.

Kasi mahal kita

Bakit ngayon lang Gabriel? Bakit? And even if it's true na talagang mahal mo kami ni Marco, I'm so damaged to take you back. You have no idea what I've been through.

"Ma'am Diane, ok ka lang po?"

Napapitlag ako sa tapik ni Erika sakin.

Damn. I'm in a meeting nga pala with my assistant.

"Sorry, I spaced out. Pardon?"

Nangiti si Erika. She patiently discussed my schedule for the day.

"The most urgent is with the procurement department heads. Kasi the deadline of the revision ng procurement policy is on next month na po. Ihahabol natin sa quarterly executive meeting with CFA." Aniya.

Tumango tango ako.

"Ok. I'll make time. Tell the managers and supervisors to organize a workshop. I'll personally supervise the policy revision process. "