Our Songs

Chapter 15: Me!

I'd met various clients in Canada when I was still working in my previous company. But I had never been this nervous in a client meeting before. Buti na lang at nandito si Asher. Kung hindi, baka hindi na ako nakapagsalita dahil sa kaba.

"Thank you, Sir Martinez. I'll send an email once the contract is ready for signing," Asher said, wrapping up the meeting.

"I'm looking forward to working with you Engineer." Tumayo si Miguel at nakipagkamay kay Asher. Pagkatapos ay sa akin. "Good to see you again Althea."

"Same here." Am I, really?

Wala ako sa sarili buong meeting. Hindi ko na nga inisip na dapat akong ngumiti dahil client namin ang kausap. I never imagined seeing him again in this kind of situation. Who would have thought that our very first client would be Miguel? Buti na lang talaga at nandito si Asher.

"Akala ko hindi na kita makikita ulit," sabi ni Miguel na nagpakabog ng dibdib ko. Ako ang naghatid sa kanya sa pintuan kaya sigurado akong hindi na ito narinig ni Asher. But I can still feel Asher's eyes behind my back. "I know you're busy but do you have time later? Let's have dinner."

Hindi ko ata mahanap ang boses ko sa sinabi ni Miguel. He felt unfamiliar earlier when we were in the meeting. Dahil siguro ang seryoso niyang tingnan. Pero ngayong ganito siya, na miss ko bigla ang dati.

"Althea?" Tawag niya nang hindi ako sumagot.

"Ah. Sorry, hindi ata ako pwede mamaya. First day ko kasi ngayon sa trabaho, magiging busy ako," pagtanggi ko.

Wala naman kasi akong rason para tanggapin ang imbitasyon niya. At ano namang paguusapan namin? Na masaya na siya sa buhay niya? O baka ikakasal na din siya gaya ni Ella? O baka kasal na talaga siya? Base sa nalaman ko kanina, he's renovating their old house to build a mixed-use building. The first floor would be for his hardware store and the upper floors would be apartment rooms. He's that successful. And successful men like him..

Napatingin ako sa kaliwang kamay niya na nakahawak sa pinto. Wala namang singsing.

Naghintay nga ba talaga siya gaya nung sinulat niya sa note na bigay ni Alexa? Yun ba ang dahilan kung bakit gusto niyang mag dinner kami?

STOP! Althea, ayan ka na naman. Ayan na naman ang mga tanong na hindi mo maitanong? Ano kagaya na naman nung dati?

"But," dugtong ko. I'm not the immature Althea years ago. I've learned my lesson and that is to speak whatever's on my mind. Kasi kung hindi, ako lang din ang malulunod sa sarili kong mga tanong. "I'm free this weekend."

Umaliwalas ang mukha ni Miguel. His smile is making me nostalgic. He didn't change a thing. He's grown taller, much taller than before. He's not as skinny as I remembered him to be, too. But the way he stares and his gentle voice remained the same.

"Great! Can I have your number? I've tried searching you on SNS pero hindi kita makita."

Did I hear him correctly? Hinanap niya ako?

"I didn't make one," sabi ko at binigay na ang number ko sa kanya. "So, I'll see you soon?"

"I'll see you soon. You don't how happy I am to see you again, Althea." His eyes softened. "Alright, aalis na talaga ako. See you this weekend."

Hinatid ko ng tingin si Miguel hanggang mawala na siya sa paningin ko at saka pa ako bumalik sa loob. Nang makabalik ako sa cubicle ko, naabutan ko si Asher na nakaupo sa swivel chair.

"What was that?" tanong niya at tumayo na.

Ako naman ngayon ang umupo. "What?"

"Miguel huh? Is that him?"