Winter Heat

Chapter 23 - Good night

Chapter 23 - Good night

I turned the doorknob to the management office and pushed the door using my foot as both my hands were busy carrying the tray of my food for that night. Brian's confused eyes followed me as I casually walked towards his desk. I placed the tray on the top of it and pulled one of the chairs in front of him. "Dito ako magdi-dinner."

"O...kay?"

Umupo ako nang maayos at ramdam kong nasa akin pa rin nakatutok ang mga mata ni Brian. Huminga ako nang malalim at hindi na muna ginalaw ang pagkain ko. Tumingin ako sa kaniya. "Heat introduced me to Flame as his girlfriend."

"What—"

"Don't speak," mabilis kong sabi habang nakataas ang mga palad para patahimikin siya. "I just need to tell someone."

Brian's head tilted a bit as his eyes squinted on me. He looked like he couldn't believe if the situation we were in was real. "And you're telling me because?"

"Because Precious is on the other side of the planet," I said and his brows finally went up.

"So I'm the second opt—"

"At kuya kita, 'di ba?"

Brian stilled. He must've never thought of hearing that from me. His slightly widened eyes stared at me as his right hand slowly closed the laptop in front of him. The corner of his lips rose up. "Yeah." He rested both his elbows on top of the desk and leaned forward, closer to me. "Kuya's listening."

I looked down and took another deep breath. "He's been living the past year thinking we're in a relationship..." I shared. Seconds later and I really heard nothing from him so I looked up again. "Say something!"

"You told me not to—"

"Stop!" pigil ko ulit sa kaniya. Napangiwi siya at halatang hindi na alam ang gagawin sa 'kin kaya napabuntong-hininga nanaman ako. "I-I'm sorry, I really don't know how to—"

"Breathe, Winter," he calmly said as he pushed his back on his seat, as if giving me more space. "Calm down. Let it sink in first."

I know Brian was trying to comfort me—and maybe in another situation that would work—but, that time, the more I process things, the more I wanted to cry.

"Heat has been labelling his self mine all this time..." Almost no voice came out of my trembling lips. I felt so guilty.

"Winter."

"I was really really relieved when I heard it, Brian."

His brows furrowed by my choice of words. "Was?"

"Because now that I think about it..." Napasuklay pa ang mga daliri ko sa buhok ko bago ako nakapagpatuloy sa sasabihin. "He must've been expecting me at that time. I wasn't there, Brian—"

"Winter, come on. You're overthinking it." Brian immediately stood up and walked towards me. He lifted the other chair beside me and made it face my direction before he sat on it. "Look at it this way—this is what you've been wishing for. And Heat wants the same. Because he likes you still."

I gave him a tired expression. "I'm sorry but—"

"Winter. You're not gonna push Heat away," Brian said in an authoritative voice while giving me a serious look. When I think about it now, the jerk really knows me. He knew that even in a situation like that, Winter Elison was programmed to obey any command. It had to sound like an order for me to listen. "You deserve to be happy. You both do."