A E L I A
"Miss Rosenheim! To the office, now!"
I reluctantly marched off from my seat to follow Professor Kingsley's words. Bakit niya ako pinapuntang office? Wala naman akong nagawang masama ah?
"Goodluck, girl."
I heard one of my blockmates whispered
Paglabas ko ng room ay naramdaman kong nakasunod sa akin sina Professor Kingsley at Mr. Smith, our professor in politics.
I continued walking without taking a glance at them. I'm still wondering why they want me at the office. Mainit pa rin ba ulo ni ma'am sa akin?
"Someone wants to meet you and I guess he have something important to discuss with you. His university just called me a while ago habang nag-uusap kami ni Prof. Kingsley," nakangiting turan sa akin ni Mr. Smith bago binuksan ang pinto.
Someone wants to meet me? Who? Is he worth my time? Geez.
The moment I entered the room, my system immediately froze when I saw a familiar face sitting at the sofa; staring out of nowhere as if he's been waiting there for like an hour.
"Gael?"
Hindi ko na napigilang ang sarili ko na magsalita. What is he doing here? Taga-ibang university naman ito siya ah!
"Aelia?!" he exclaimed the moment our eyes met.
"Magkakilala kayo?" Professor Kingsley butted in the moment she saw my reaction yet neither of us dared to answer her.
The room was filled with silence. Nagkakatinginan na rin ang dalawang professors dahil sa amin ni Gael.
It's been years since we last saw each other. Graduation day pa namin iyon! Sobrang unexpected na our paths will cross with each other once again.
"Ehem."
Mr. Smith faked a cough to get our attention. Sabay-sabay kaming napalingon sa kaniya.
"Uh... Mr. Caddington, here's one of our university's Dean's Lister and top performing student. You can interview her for your research and documentary project," sabi ni Mr. Smith which made my jaw drop.
Bakit ako?!
"Wala na po bang ibang choice, sir?" he asked which made me scoff in disbelief.
"Excuse me?" My eyebrows raised as I looked at him. Parang siya pa ang lugi sa akin ha! Nakaka-offend.
"Unfortunately Mr. Caddington, she's the only student available in the course that you prefer for your research. Besides, she's one of the best so you don't need to worry," Mr. Smith assured him kaya naman tumango na lang siya rito.
Even though hindi pa pinapaliwanag sa akin kung ano ang gagawin, parang gusto ko na mag-backout. Ayokong kasama si Gael— especially that he reminds me of those days where I was at my darkest days; he's there the moment I started to loathe my own pen.
"May classes ka pa mamaya, Miss Rosenheim?" Tanong bigla ni Mr. Smith sa akin. Umiling naman ako bilang tugon. Last subject ko na kasi for today si Professor Kingsley and then the rest, pahinga na tapos bukas naman ulit.
"Okay, I'll leave you two here na lang. Mr. Caddington, ikaw na bahala magpaliwanag kay Miss Rosenheim ng mga gagawin ah? Professor Kingsley and I have some business to attend to," pagpapaalam ni Mr. Smith at lumabas kasama si Professor Kingsley. Kami na lang tuloy ni Gael ang naiwan dito sa loob ng office ni ma'am.
The room was covered with an awkward silence. No one dared to talk. He just remained silent while scanning some papers on the table. Umupo naman ako sa upuang nasa harap niya so that he can discuss whatever he needs to discuss.
I rolled my eyes when I noticed na wala siyang balak kausapin ako. Sinasayang niya lang ang oras ko!
"The clock is ticking," I uttered which caught his attention. He glared as his gaze landed on me. Sinamaan ko rin siya ng tingin, aba! Siya na nga ang may kailangan, siya pa ang galit!
Gael and I were never in good terms talaga ever since. Nagkapagtapos na lang kami ng highschool, halatang malaki pa rin ang galit ni Gael sa akin at hindi ko alam kung ano ba dahilan niya para umakto nang ganoon. But I have a little guess about it...
Maybe, he's insecure towards me kasi he can't beat me mapa-academics man, debates, and so on. He badly wanted to graduate as the batch valedictorian noong Senior High School, pero poor him, I already secured that spot since our Junior High School days.
We're like mortal enemies, to be honest.
"Tagal," bulong ko sa sarili habang pinapanood si Gael gawin ang trabaho niya.
"Can you please wait a little?" He said which somehow made my blood boil.
"Wow ha," I sarcastically replied. Siya naman ang umirap sa akin bago niya ituon muli ang atensyon sa mga papel na hawak niya.
"Why am I here?" I asked him kahit na alam kong busy siya at nagfofocus.
"Later," he shortly responded kaya tumayo ako. I know na he's busy pero naiinis na talaga ako, may mga gagawin din naman ako pero I'm here in front of them willing to hear him with an unwilling heart.
Ang tagal niya! niya akong tinignan lalo na noong ngumiti ako sa kaniya nang pagkalapad-lapad.
Nang-aasar ba siya?
"Upo ka muna riyan, Aelia. Hintayin muna natin siya bago ko ipaliwanag sayo kung bakit nandito kami," he said which made me raise an eyebrow.
Excuse me?
Nagsasayang lang siya ng oras! Kung siya, may vacant time pa para sa mga ganito, puwes ako, wala!
I heaved a sigh before getting his attention.
"My time is precious. If you're just going to waste it, then I won't let you. Bye," I said. Naalarma naman siya dahil doon kaya agad niyang binaba ang mga papel na hawak niya.
"Wait!"
Umiling na lang ako sa kaniya at nagdire-diretso palabas ng opisina.
The moment I opened the door, someone familiar walked in front of me.
Sinundan ko iyon ng tingin and unfortunately, nakatalikod siya sa akin at mukhang may kausap.
Sino kaya iyon?
"Sabing saglit lang eh," ani Gael na kalalabas pa lang siguro ng office. Inirapan ko na lang siya.
Sinasayang niya oras ko, sobra! Sa halip na magagawa ko na ang mga bagay na gagawin ko sana ngayong breaktime, nandito ako ngayon sa office, stucked kasama si Gael na taga-ibang university.
Babarahin ko na sana di Gael nang biglang may humintong lalaki sa harap namin. Parang nablanko ako nung nakita ko kung sino iyon.
Now I know why he looks familiar.
Ang malas naman, bakit silang dalawa ang nandito ngayon sa University?
"Kenzo."
***
BINABASA MO ANG
Quill (✔)
General Fiction(RAW / UNEDITED : COMPLETED) Being a well-known writer is what they are born for, yet there are dark secrets that hinder something. As Aelia Rosenheim makes her name in the writing industry, Charlotte Millers starts to meet her tragic downfall as s...
