Embers of Love (Isla de Vista Series #5)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Bad Move

Hindi ko inaasahan na may mas ika-lamig pa pala ng kwarto ko, may ika-tahimik ng paligid, at may ika-wasak pa ng puso.

Since that night, I haven't seen him. I felt like crying everytime I looked at the bunker. Every night, I waited for it to light up but it didn't happen. Every day, I waited for a yellow Ferrari pulling over in our yard but it didn't happen.

Zeke... left.

"Cresia, this is my son, Keith." one of Mom's friends introduced the boy beside her. "Come on, anak. Sit beside her."

Mom proudly smiled at us. Seeing that she was just chuckling, smiling and not intervening in the introduction, it means she liked the guy.

"Hi," nakangiting bati ni Keith Rodriguez. "Nice to meet you, Cresia."

Tipid aking tumango sa kanya. He blushed a bit and cleared his throat. He wore a black button up shirt that made me remember the last look I saw on Engineer Zechariah.

"Introduce yourself more, hijo." nakangiting singit ni Mom. "My daughter is very quiet and only speaks when asked."

"Uhm, yeah. I'm a CPA and I work for our Law Firm but before that I volunteered in the government." aniya.

"Wow, that is so cool." puri ni Mom. "You are a distant relative of the Rodriguez family, right? Stefan and Frederick?"

Humalakhak si Mrs. Rosa Rodriguez. "Yes. They are my husband's fourth degree cousins? Somewhere like that."

"But business still runs in the blood, Rosa." halakhak ni Mom.

Mas lalong humalakhak ito sa papuri. "Oh, of course! Stefan's daughter, Stella, married into the Figueroa Family. What a lucky girl."

"I heard they are childhood sweethearts."

"They were. Such a cute young love."

A combination of laughter and gossip makes time run faster. Pagkatapos ng lunch na iyon, kasama ko pa rin si Mom patungo sa facial treatment niya at ng iba pa niyang kaibigan.

She encompasses a wide circle of friends, but I doubt she has ever regarded any of them to be real friends. She did not believe in friendship. Lagi niyang sinasabi sa akin na wala kang ibang masasandalan kundi sarili mo lang kaya dapat hindi ka umaasa sa mga kaibigan. You treat them well if you could benefit from it. And if not, cut them off.

"Go home first, Cresia." bilin ni Mom.

Tumango ako at sumakay na sa sasakyan. We passed by the hotel restaurant where Engineer Zechariah and I had our last dinner together. Actually, it was the first time he formally invited me to dinner. It's been two weeks since then and I heard nothing from him.

"Good morning, Miss Cresia!"

"Hello, Ma'am! Mas lalo ka pong gumaganda!"

I bowed a bit to the workers.

"Ma'am?"

Bumaling ako sa tumawag sa akin. It was the worker they called Bot. The most funny one in the group. Nakangiting lumapit siya sa akin.

"Kailan po babalik si Engineer?"

Umawang ang aking labi. They should have had more answers about that and not me. But instead, he is asking me in a serious manner.

"I have no clue where he went." mababa kong tugon.

Kita sa mukha niya na nagulat sa tugon ko at madramang kumurap kurap. "Talaga po? Hanep naman itong si bossing, e!"