DROWNED

Chapter Twenty Three

Kiare Cyler's

It's been months since we went into that bar. I don't know what happened to Anari and Elara, no one knows what happened between them but Anari is planning to go back to France because she had to take care of her grandmother. Harmony and Ried's relationship is still unknown while Kyshin and Crest's is a freaking chaos away bati ang mga ferson. While Arc and Khaion already stopped pretending to be lovey-dovey because they already know that there's something between Arc and Iana.

Everything is going well, we're all busy with out own businesses and profession. Nagkikita nalang kami tuwing linggo kung kailan day off naming lahat at madalang pa kaming makumpleto. Athiane and I bought a dog the day after that "bar" shit happened. We named her Mochi, ewan ko ba kay Athiane kung bakit ganon ang pinangalan niya pero oks lang naman kasi cute naman siya at bagay naman sakanya ang Mochi na name.

I'm here in my office at the hospital Athiane and I hardly see each other anymore because I'm so busy. Minsan kapag umuuwi ako ay tulog na siya, minsan naman kapag umuuwi ako ng maaga wala pa siya kaya pagdating niya ako naman ang tulog. Halos hindi na kami nag-uusap dahil sa sobrang hectic ng schedule ko. She still looks so bothered by something but I didn't asked her about it because I trust her, she will never do anything that will hurt me intentionally.

"Dr. Guillermo, someone is waiting for you outside your office." Natigil ako sa kakaisip ng kung ano-ano nang biglang magsalita sa intercom ang sekretarya ko.

"Who is it?" Tanong ko.

"It's Ms. Riverio." Sagot niya kaya agad akong tumayo at inayos ang suot ko bago lumabas.

Naabutan ko si Iana na parang tangang tumitipa sa cellphone niya kaya tumikhim ako para agawin ang atensyon niya kaya agad naman siyang tumingin sa'kin at nginitian ako ng malaki bago patalon na yumakap sa'kin.

"Cy!" Parang batang binilhan ng laruan na sabi niya.

"What are you doing here?" Nagtatakang tanong ko sakanya nang humiwalay siya sa pagkakayakap sa'kin.

"There's something that I'd like to discuss with you, it's about my father who's against my relationship with Cadence." Seryosong sagot niya.

"Let's not talk here, meron akong bakanteng forty-five minutes, tara sa pinakamalapit na café." Pag-aaya ko sakanya na agad niya namang tinanguan.

Nag convoy nalang kami dahil pareho kaming may dalang kotse, napili namin ang library coffee shop ni Ried na tambayan namin dati. Pagdating namin ay agad kaming pumasok sa loob at umupo sa may tagong parte.

"How are you and Athiane?" Tanong ni Iana pakatapos naming mag order.

"We're fine, I guess?" Sagot ko na pinagtaka niya.

"Hindi ka sure?" Tanong niya ulit.

"I'm sure, it's just that she looks so bothered lately at halos hindi na rin kami nag-uusap dahil sa sobrang busy." Kwento ko sakanya.

"Natural lang yan dahil pareho kayong may trabaho." Sabi niya kaya napatango ako.

Maya-maya rin ay dumating na ang order namin habang pinaguusapan namin ang plano niya sa tatay niyang pinaglihi sa sama ng loob.

"Wait, si Athiane ba yon?" Biglang tanong ni Iana habang nakatingin sa likod ko.

I glared at her because she's probably just teasing me. "You're teasing me again."

"I'm not, look." Seryosong sabi niya sabay turo sa likod ko.

Dahan-dahan kong nilingon ang tinuro niya at nakitang nandon nga si Athiane umiinom ng kape mag-isa.