The Boy Next Door (Ikalawang Pinto)

Chapter 39

After that confrontation, or should I say confession, if it can be considered as one, I thought Jaz would forget again about what she said last night.

But this time, she actually remembered.

She kept coming to my office. May dalang iba't ibang pagkain. Halos araw-araw nandito siya.

Nagkukunwari lang akong busy at hindi pinapansin ang mga dala niyang pagkain kahit na sobrang namimiss ko na din ang luto niya. Kapag umaalis na siya, saka ko lang kinakain yung dala niyang lunch or snacks.

Napapailing na lang ang secretary kong si Jamie sa tuwing nakikita niyang saka ko lang kinakain kapag nakaalis na si Jaz.

"Ewan ko sa inyo, sir," kumokomento pa siya.

Ayoko kasing umasa ulit. Ayoko nang umulit don sa panahong sa kanya lang halos umiikot ang mundo ko. Kasi kapag hinayaan ko iyon, at bigla na naman niya akong iwan, hindi ko na alam kung makakabangon pa ba ako.

She's dangerous to me, so I need to keep my distance.

"I want a date," she said that one time she came to my office. "I want you to date me."

Napatingala ako agad sa kaniya pagkarinig ko no'n. And she was smiling so sweetly.

Shit.

I had to secretly bite my lip to keep myself from smiling. To keep the warm feeling growing inside of me from showing.

Parang naging reflex na nang labi kong ngumiti kung ganyan ang mga sinasabi niya.

I've wanted this for so long. To have a date with Jazmine.

But again, I should keep my distance.

"Seems like you have a lot of free time," I answered.

"Mhm. I freed my time for you."

"Well, I don't have time for it. As you can see, I have a lot of paperworks to do."

"May solusyon ako diyan. I called Tita Ruella. I said we're going on a date. Papupuntahin niya daw dito yung pinsan mo para sya na muna magtuloy niyan."

Mom again. I can't believe it.

"It's not just paperworks. I also have to meet up with someone," sabi ko kahit wala naman talaga akong imemeet-up.

"Hindi ba pwedeng mamove?"

"Why would I move it? Just to go on a date? That's unprofessional."

I knew I sounded harsh. But I had to do it. Sinabihan ko din siyang tigilan na ang paghahatid ng pagkain para sa akin. Because aside from wanting to keep distance, I also don't want her to bother cooking for me and even driving here just to give me lunch.

Ilang beses na siyang nakatulog na lang dito kakahintay tas na-late pa siya sa trabaho niya. It's too stressful for her already. Alam kong marami din siyang ginagawa at work. Tapos gigising pa siya nang maaga para magluto?

Nagkataon namang dumating si Wella, right at the moment that I told Jaz to stop bringing food. And Wella, with such a timing, was also bringing food. But I had no idea she was coming, seriously.

I don't know exactly how it appeared to Jazmine. Maybe she was thinking that I wanted her to just go and take the lunch she brought because Wella will be coming, bringing food for me na. Pero hindi ko na masyadong naisip yon since sinabi niyang may lakad din daw siya kaya aalis na siya. I knew it's with that Arlan guy because I heard them talking over the phone.

Hindi ko alam saan sila pupunta. And I did not bother to know.

Wella and I had to attend a
a family gathering pala. Nakalimutan kong ngayong araw pala yon. Her parents are friends with mine so we sometimes go to gatherings together.