"You want me to clear your schedule this weekend?"
I turned my swivel chair to face Helen.
"Yes."
Tinitigan niya ako, may pagkalito ang hitsura niya.
"Why?" matagal bago niya naiusal 'yon.
Lumapit naman ako sa laptop at sumagot sa iilang e-mails.
"I...have an important personal appointment," sagot ko.
"You do your salon and spa appointments on Sundays," agap niya.
Minsan ko siyang sinulyapan.
"I'm not going to salon."
"Then where?"
Tumigil ako sa pagtitipa at sinulyapan siya. She gave me a serious look. Her lips were pressed in a thin line.
"Do I really have to tell you that? It's a non-business matter, Helen. So, you really don't have to be involved with it."
Hindi nagbago ang titig niya sa akin.
"Why can't you tell me, then?"
Napalingon ako sa lamig ng boses niya. I know that she's always been like that, but now she sounds different. There's something with her tone.
"Tell you what? My personal appointments?" mariing sambit ko sa mga huling salita.
Hindi agad siya nagsalita. Nakipagsukatan muna siya ng titig sa akin.
"You tell me your personal appointments, Miss Ma'am. Be it salon and spa appointments, shopping, dinner with your father, or even your smallest "me times". I knew all of them. You tell me everything. So that just in case something happens in your business, I know where you are and what you're doing."
Bumuntong hininga ako.
"It's not necessary now. You can contact me anytime," I simply said.
Bakit niya ba ginagawang big deal 'to ngayon? I know that I tell her everything but it's not really necessary now.
"Why don't you just tell me?" halata ang kawalan ng pasensya sa boses niya.
Napahilot na ako sa ulo at seryoso siyang tinignan.
"I said it's not really necessary. You don't have to know," pamamrangka ko.
She stiffened. Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata niya at saka napakurap kurap.
"I mean, there are things that you don't have to know. It's not that important. It's...just small things that don't really matter," pagbawi ko.
Mula sa gulat na ekspresyon niya ay bigla itong lumamig.
"Are you hiding something from me?"
Ako naman ang natigilan sa tanong niya. Somehow, guilt dripped on me. Wala siyang alam sa nangyayari sa amin ni Gunther. I don't want to tell her yet.
"What would I hide?" Iniwasan ko ang titig niya at saka minanipula ang laptop. "Don't make it a big deal, Helen. I just want to have my time. Alone."
Isang mahabang buntong hininga ang pinakawalan niya matapos ang mahabang katahimikan.
"I gave a second chance to cupid! But now I'm left here feeling stupid! Oh, the way he makes me feel that love isn't real... Cupid is so dumb!"🎶
"I look for his arrows everyday... I guess he got lost or flew away. Waiting around is a waste. Been counting the days since November. Is loving as good as they say?"🎶
BINABASA MO ANG
Termination of Desire
RomanceWhen it comes to her overweight figure, Frances Dominique Villarosa has never felt confident. She was never popular at her school and was frequently the target of bullying. She had lost all faith in love up until she meets Gunther Frawley Esquivel...
