Pursuing My Nemesis

Thirty One

Chapter 31

NAPATITIG AKO KAY Freeda.

Holy cow! Bakit hindi ko alam ang tungkol doon?

"Nemmie," rinig ko ang pagtawag ni kuya sa akin pero ni hindi ko siya malingon dahil sa gulat at konsensya na nararamdaman. "Nemesis."

"I... I need to go." I looked at kuya and Freeda before turning my heels around. I heard my brother calling my name pero hindi ko na siya pinansin.

I rushed back to the elevator. Sakto namang bumukas iyon at tumambad sa akin si Channing at Triton na magkasama.

"Nemmie? Where are you going?" tanong sa akin ni Channing.

"I'm sorry." I bit my lower lip and went inside the elevator.

"Sorry for what? Saan ka pupunta? Where's Aniel?" he continued asking.

"You're coming with us tonight, right? We'll be holding a small birthday celebration for Architect Felan," nakangising wika ni Triton.

"Ayos lang naman kung hindi ka makakasama, Nems. Baka may pine-prepare kang surprise para kay Aniel. Hihiramin lang namin siya saglit," dagdag ni Channing.

"Ano'ng binili mong regalo para sa kanya? I promise I won't tell him," pangungulit ni Triton.

I started to feel the sides of eyes watering. Pakiramdam ko rin ay sobrang pula na ng mukha ko dahil sa kahihiyan. Everyone's expecting me to know that today is Aniel's birthday. They even what? Prepared a party for him? Bakit hindi man lang nila ako tinanong nang mas maaga? I should've known about it sooner kung nakausap ko lang ang isa sa kanila.

I couldn't help but to feel ashame. Is this what Aniel was trying to tell me since last week? Why didn't he told me about it? Nahihiya ba siya? What's stopping him from telling me that it's his birthday?

Good thing that the lift was already on our floor. Mabilis akong lumabas at hindi na pinansin pa ang dalawa. I walked straight to Aniel's office and saw him already fixing his things. Nang maramdaman niya ang presensya ko ay napalingon siya sa akin. His eyes widened when he saw me.

"Nemesis?" Binaba niya ang kanyang coat at bahagyang lumapit sa akin. "Why are you here? I thought you're with your brother?"

Kinagat ko ang ibabang labi at marahang umiling. Nagbaba ako ng tingin. "I'm sorry... I didn't know it's your birthday."

I felt him stiffened. Nag-angat ako ng tingin at nakita ko siyang nakatitig sa akin. My cheeks burned. I felt so guilty for not knowing.

Pumasok sa loob sila Channing at Triton. Tumigil sila sa may pintuan nang makita nila ang itsura namin ni Aniel.

"Ah, hintayin ka na lang namin sa baba, Aniel?" tanong ni Channing sabay hablot sa braso ni Triton.

"Why did you come back?" Aniel asked me, not minding the two.

Napalunok ako saka sumagot, "I want to be with you."

Aniel's chest rose. Lumapit ako sa kanya at saka siya niyakap nang mahigpit. I felt him caging me between his arms and pulling me closer to him.

"Happy birthday, Aniel," I whispered.

"Thank you, love," he said and kissed the top of my head.

Bumitaw ako sa pagkakayakap saka hinawakan ang kanyang kamay. "Let's go?"

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "To where?"

Nilingon ko sila Channing. Umiling-iling sila at nag-unahan pang lumabas ng opisina. I chuckled by their reaction. I guess the party was a secret. I wonder kung ilang tao ang in-invite nila na sumama. Siguro kaunti lang kami kasi hindi naman masyadong friendly si Aniel. Baka kapag makita niya ang buong ASDG (which is impossible kasi ilang libo ang nagta-trabaho rito) ay imbes na matuwa siya ay magalit pa siya kila Chan.