HER POV
Muntik nang mabisto ni Gabriel kung ano man 'yung nasa tenga ko. Mabuti na lang at natakasan ko agad siya kagabi. Though we had a silent dinner, we talked a bit. But I could sense that he's mind was into something.
At sa tingin ko ay alam ko na kung anong bumagabag sa kaniya kagabi.
Saglit kong pinasadahan ng haplos ang recorder na nasa tenga ko. I should get rid of them. Bago pa 'ko mabisto ni Gabriel. Hindi niya 'ko pwedeng mabisto.
No, not yet. Hindi pa tapos ang misyon ko.
Tama naman si Ced eh. Umaayon na lahat sa plano. At ibig sabihin no'n, malapit ko nang magawa lahat ng dapat kong gawin.
Alam kong nababagabag siya dahil sa hikaw ko. 'Yung mga tingin niya kagabi— sa hikaw ko lang naka-tuon, kahit pa ako ang kausap niya. Na para bang sasagutin siya nung mga hikaw ko.
I was scared, I knew it in myself. He has this aura that send shivers in my spine. Pero hindi ako dapat magpakitang natatakot ako sa kaniya. No, never. I must win this mission. I must win this battle.
Hindi ako magpapa-apekto sa kaniya.
Not this time.
Si Helwinn naman ang sasamahan ko ngayong araw pero bago ako pumunta sa kaniya ay sinadya ko muna si Cedrick sa opisina. Si Tita Pres ang bumungad sa'kin at nagulat pa siya kung bakit daw andito ako, she even asked me kung tapos na raw ba 'yung misyon ko but I just said that I'm here for Cedrick to have a talk with him.
Since alam naman daw niyang about work 'yon, ay hindi niya na 'ko kinausap pa nang matagal. Besides, kailangan niya na mag-prepare dahil may mga appointments din siya ngayon.
Wearing my squared-neck tops and gray suit, I entered their department. Si Lanzkeith pa 'yung unang nakakita sa'kin. Muntik ko na siyang hindi makilala dahil nag-iba na 'yung hair-style niya. I must say, mas lalo siyang gumwapo ngayon.
"Hey." He approached me with a smile.
"Hi. I'm here for Cedrick. Can you please tell me where he is?"
"I think he went outside to buy coffee. You can wait him here." He said, flashing me his set of porcelain-like teeth. "By the way, you look good today."
I bit my lip and just gave him half smile. I don't know what to react. I mean, it's not the first time that someone told me that way, but I just didn't know Lanzkeith have that side of him that he wasn't showing off too much.
I sent a message to Cedrick that I'm here to see him, he replied that he's with Ely and they were grabbing some snacks. He even asked me what I want to eat but I told him I'm fine with nothing. Hindi rin naman ako mag-tatagal dito dahil kailangan ko pang puntahan si Helwinn.
Lanzkeith grabbed a chair and sit beside me. He was busy doing something on his iPad. "Hey, can you help me decide between these two?" Pinakita niya sa'kin 'yung ginagawa niyang mga digital arts.
Napa 'wow' naman ako nang makita kung gaano siya kagaling. His arts were beyond perfection. Sobrang ganda ng details, saktong-sakto lahat.
"I like this one." I told him while pointing on the first picture he shown me.
Saglit na kumunot ang noo niya at iniling ang ulo niya. "Hindi ba mas maganda 'to? Mas madami akong in-apply na colors dito."
"Masiyadong masakit sa mata. Mas maganda na nga 'to."
"Pero mas maganda 'to. Mas matagal ko 'to ginawa."
"Itong isa nga. 'Yung una."
"I think the second one—"
BINABASA MO ANG
Fourth of July
General Fiction"If loving you is a crime, then I'll be your primary suspect." - Gabriel Keilev Coronado.
