Blood and Honor (Voiceless Series #1)

Seventeen

Sultana

Naninibago. Tuliro. Kabado.

Iyang tatlo ang nararamdaman ko simula nang tumawag kagabi si Sage at magpahanggang ngayon. Naninibago dahil biglang tumawag ito at naglakas-loob lumagpas sa kadalasang limitasyon ng aming usapan. What has gotten into him?

Tuliro dahil hindi raw siya nagpapaalam ligawan ako pero gusto raw niyang malaman ko na aagawin niya ako sa mga dahilan ko at pagtulak ko sa kaniya palayo? Ano bang ibig sabihin niya doon?

Pero sa tatlo, lubos ang kabang nararamdaman ko. He mentioned that he wanted to be in my life and that pulls the possibility of him entering my private life. And that is a big NO.

He can't cross the line. He might found out about Harley. Kaya labis ang kaba ko hanggang ngayon. Parang ayaw ko na ngang pumasok sa opisina at magpakita kay Sage.

I went inside the building in silence.

Buti na lamang wala pang masyadong tao dahil masyadong maaga rin ako pumasok.

Hindi na kasi ako nakatulog kagabi kakaisip sa mga posibleng mangyari. With Harley at stake, I really can't calm down.

I arrived at my cubicle and a foreign object was placed on top of my table. It was outstanding among my things. With its fresh pink softness and light green stalk, I picked up the Tulips from my table to see and feel their beauty up close.

Tied to its stalk is a photograph of me photocopying some papers. I flipped the photo and a written note stumbled into my sight.

To my Saint,

The flower is beautiful, isn't it? But my camera has found a beauty that cannot be compared to any pretty things in the world.
Tana, ang ganda mo palagi...

Agad namula ang aking mukha sa nabasa. I carefully took the photograph and put it inside my wallet. On the other hand, I put let the flower exhibit its beauty by placing it on my penholder.

Tumingin ako sa bulaklak na natanggap at napangiti. Hindi naman sigurong masamang tumanggap ng bulaklak ang isang tulad ko.

Nagsimula na akong asikasuhin ang mga papel na dapat ayusin ng biglang may tumikhim sa aking gilid.

"AY MISS HART!" Sigaw ko dahil sa gulad.

Agad naman akong napayakap sa mga papel na hawak at inis na lumingon sa gumulat sa akin.

But I immediately bowed my head when I saw that it was Sage who startled me.

"Good morning sir!" I greeted him without looking at him.

"Raise your head Tana, baka magalit yung mga abs ko na tinitignan mo, biglang maghubad," sabi nito ba agad ikinapula ng mukha ko.

"Hindi po ako sir nakatingin sa abs mo," giit ko naman.

He chuckled and it was so sexy like jazz. He glanced at the flower on my pencil holder and smiled.

"Glad you like it," he said and winked.

And just before I could speak, he added one more thing.

"Tana, I mean it. Ang ganda mo palagi," he said and went inside his office.

I gasped in shock at tulalang nakatitig lamang sa pintuan ng opisina ni Sage. Mas lalo pang kumabog ang puso ko ng muli itong bumukas at tumambad ang gwapong mukha ng lalaki na may mga ngiti sa labi.

He smiled genuinely at me. "And I don't accept no as a response, Tana. Please set me a lunch date with you for the whole year," he said.

Magrereklamo sana ako ng bigla niyang isinara ang pinto. I sighed. Ano ba kasi ang mayroon sa hipon na kinain niya kagabi upang magkaganito siya.