PARADISE OF THE DEVIL (GONCALVES 1)

Chapter 6

Jair found his way to apologize... let's say he upgraded it, like trying new things... like how we created something unique and fresh. I was not saying he was creative; it was just out of his stupidity and pretentious self.

He was vocal but at the same time not. I got confused about him most of the time. I admitted I wanted to figure him out, figure out what he was thinking, his ways, and what absorbed him. I wanted to understand him. I wanted him to say something truthful, behind all those flattering words. I wanted him to express his real feelings, behind all his acts. I don't understand what made it hard for him to be genuine.

I saw the gap between us. His life was so different from mine and I wanted to counter that difference. We've known each other for a long time, but still, I felt like he was a stranger to me. Honestly, I didn't feel comfortable with him most of the time. If he could just act like Savin when he was with me then maybe he could be one of my close friends now.

While I was sitting at the table in the pantry, I received a message from Savin. His last message to me was when I was at the conference. I must thank him again for that opportunity.

Savin's message was, 'Are you at home?'

So, I replied, 'Still at work. Thank you again for the tix! I had fun and learned a lot.'

Pagkasend ko ng message ay sya namang pagpasok nina Jair kasama si Clover dito sa pantry. Inilapag ko ang smartphone sa lamesa para ipagpatuloy ang paghahanda ng pagkain dahil bumalik na sila. Jair was so friendly for his fuckboy profile, good for him. He was close to Clover, to Ms. Frida and even to my two bestfriends.

"Let's eat," aya ko sa kanilang dalawa sabay upo.

Hindi ko na kailangang tapunan ng tingin pa si Jair na umupo nalang sa tabi ko. Sanay na naman si Clover sa amin ni Jair kaya hindi na nya pinansin at nagsimulang magkuha ng pagkain. She really liked when Jair came here and brought some food, Jair was definitely on her good side.

"I will leave for Dubai next week. Are you free this weekend?" biglang tanong ni Jair.

"I think I will work," sagot ko kahit sigurado naman akong hindi ako papasok ng trabaho dahil plano kong umuwi ng Baguio at bisitahin ang pamilya ko. "May tatapusin akong order kaya hindi mo ako pwedeng madisturbo kagaya ngayon," dagdag ko.

Alam ni Clover na kapag nag-oovertime ako ay hindi na ako pumapasok ng weekend dahil sinisiguro kong natatapos ang lahat ng tasks ko pero hindi na sya nagbigay ng reaksyon o komento.

Jair was rich. He didn't have to work that hard like me to earn money. Money moved for them, whether they just fooled around or just slept, their money grew. And I worked for them, people worked for them. It was the difference, and he didn't know that. He thought that we all had the time for them, but he was wrong.

Magsasalita na sana ulit si Jair pero hindi na natuloy dahil biglang nagring ang phone ko na nasa tabi. Pareho kaming napabaling ni Jair doon at nakita si Savin na tumatawag.

Dinampot ko ito at sinagot. "Savin."

"Nasa labas ako ng studio. Kanina pa ako kumakatok. Nakaalis ka na ba?"

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" napatayong tanong ko. Hindi ko na pinansin ang tingin ni Jair at Clover sa akin at dumeretso palabas ng pantry. Nagtaka ako kung bakit kailangan nya pang dumaan dito. May kailangan ba sya? I knew that he was a busy man.

"I feel like I have the right to know about all the details that happened today at the conference," he said in a bright tone.

"Oh," I realized. "Just wait a sec," paalam ko atsaka ibinaba ang tawag. Ngumiti ako kay Savin nang binuksan ko ang pinto.