A Promise on the Sand (Isla de Negros Series #2)

Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37
Coffee

Ayla sighed as she put the box of pizza on her study table. She pulled her chair and sat. Napasimangot siya nang maalala ang mga nangyari kanina habang nakatingin lang doon.

No, we're not dating. And please don't tell anyone you saw us here.

Naramdaman niyang nangilid ang kanyang mga luha sa kanyang mga mata. Agad niyang pinunasan 'yon. She slowly opened the box and ate just a piece from it. Suddenly, she started to sob while chewing it.

Her favorite never tasted that bitter. It was never hard to chew. She'd always loved eating it. But it seemed like it was so hard to even swallow.

"Ano, Ayla? Suko ka na ba?" she mumbled between her full mouth, sniffing.

"Parang gano'n lang, iyak ka na agad?"

Tila bata na pinunasan niya ang mga mata gamit ang likod ng kanyang mga kamay. Sariwa pa rin sa kanya ang mga salitang binitawan nito kanina lalo na ang paraan nito ng pakikitungo sa kanya. Kahit apat na taon na ang nakalilipas, tila hindi pa rin siya sanay. She was used to his sweetness, gentleness, and the way he looked at her. Pero ngayon kahit isa sa mga 'yon ay hindi man lang niya maramdaman mula rito.

She shook her head. She shouldn't be giving up now. Ngayon pang nasimulan niya na ito, wala nang sukuan pa. Dapat tuloy-tuloy na ito. No matter how hard would it be for her, she would still go for it.

Aminado siyang tila pinaparusahan lamang niya ang sarili kapag patuloy niya pa rin itong gagawin. She was aware of that. Pero hindi siya susuko. At iisipin na lamang niyang dapat lang din naman sa kanya 'yon. Sa lahat ba naman ng mga nagawa niya kay Sancho at sa anak niya, wala pa ang lahat ng pasakit na pinagdaanan niya sa mga pinagdaanan ng mga ito. If this was the only way to pay for her mistakes, she would still probably do it.

She set aside the box of pizza and got her laptop and searched for something. May naisip na agad siyang sunod sa kanyang plano.

Don't give up, Ayla. Wala nang sukuan 'to.

She stayed up all night trying to learn how to bake a perfect cake. She'd been through trial and error for several times. She was already frustrated, and it was already half past three in the morning.

"Ma'am? Bakit gising pa po kayo?"

Napaigtad naman siya nang magsalita ang isa nilang katulong.

"May ginagawa lang," aniya at pinagpatuloy ang paghahalo ng mga sangkap doon sa malaking mangkok. She checked her laptop, making sure if what she was doing was right.

"'Di ba nasubukan niyo na 'yan dati, ma'am?" sabi nito at nagsimula nang maghanda ng lulutuin para sa almusal.

"Yeah. I really suck at this."

The maid giggled. "Pero ang bilis niyo pong sumuko no'n. Kagagawa niyo pa lang, ayaw niyo na. Pero ngayon, ano'ng oras na, o. Gising pa po kayo at hula ko po, nakailang ulit na kayo. May pagbibigyan ba kayo, ma'am?"

Bahagya siyang natigilan at tiningnan ito. "Actually, meron."

Napangiti ito. "Si ma'am talaga. Ganyan talaga po ang nagagawa kapag in love."

Mahina siyang natawa dahil bahagya na rin siyang inaantok.

"Paano mo nasabing in love ako?" she asked and raised a brow. She started to make the frosting.

"Iba po talaga awra niyo ngayon. Pansin ko lang po."

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "You think so?"