Jade's POV
Nagkatinginan kami ni Nate nang makita namin si Althea.
"Ma'am, ako na pong bahala kay Jade. Alam ko narin naman po kasi na kung saan siya nakatira. Nahatid ko na po siya dun kahapon." Nate, bakit mo 'ko nilaglag?!
"Nahatid?" Althea threw me her dagger looks.
"Opo, ma'am. Kaya okay lang po kung ako nalang maghahatid sakanya. Baka po kasi may importante pa kayong lakad." Nate said.
Shit. I'm doomed.
"No, it's fine, mister Zamora. Ako nang bahala kay Jade." First name na! Lagot talaga ako.
"Pero ma--" Althea didn't seem to mind.
"Sumakay ka na, Jade." She seriously looked at me.
I looked back at Nate and gave him an apologetic smile.
"Sige na, Nate. Sasabay nalang ako kay ma'am. Same way rin naman kasi." Sana gumana palusot ko.
"Sure ka? O'sige. Ingat nalang po kayo, ma'am!" He said and Althea just nodded.
Sumakay na ako sa sasakyan niya without even greeting her. Nakastop lang ang sasakyan at walang nagsasalita sa amin.
"Hinatid ka niya sa condo?" She broke the ice.
"Sa harap lang ng condo. Nagmagandang loob lang yung tao. Wag mong lagyan ng malisya." I said.
"Hinatid ka parin niya." She said as she started the engines.
The ride was very queit. Walang nagtangkang magsalita sa aming dalawa. Para kaming sira na pinapakiramdaman ang isa't-isa. One time nahuli niya akong nakatingin sakanya tas ako iiwas tas ganun rin siya sa akin.
"Do you want to stop over a restaurant? We'll buy our food for dinner." She said.
"Sige lang." Tipid kong sagot.
Nagstop kami sa isang restaurant at bumili ng makakain namin. After nun ay dumiretso na kami sa condo niya.
Kumain na kami pero wala pading nagsasalita sa aming dalawa.
"Are you still hanging out with that man?" She questioned.
"We're good friends, Althea. Can you just stop this nonsense?" Humarap ako sa kanya at nakita ko kung gaano kaseryoso yung mukha niya.
We cleaned the dishes at naghilamos na at nagpalit into our night dresses.
We got ready for bed at hanggang ngayon ay hindi parin kami okay ni Lubb. Nakakainis lang kasi feeling ko wala siyang tiwala sa'kin. Ano bang akala niya, I'll cheat on her?
Alam kong nagseselos siya kay Nate but can't she just accept the fact na we're friends? Na we're just good friends?
We decided to go to sleep without talking to each other. Nagmamatigasan parin kami hanggang ngayon.
It's already ten pero ramdam na ramdam ko yung paggalaw ni Althea sa kama namin. Magkatalikod kasi kami at nasa magkabilang dulo kami ng bed. Pwede na nga ata may mahigang isa pa sa pagitan namin kasi sobrang layo namin sa isa't-isa.
Kahit ako ay hindi din makatulog nang maayos dahil sa setup namin. It's really hard to sleep knowing that you're not in good terms with the one you love. Sobrang hirap. Feeling ko mag-isa lang rin ako sa kamang 'to.
"You can hug me if you can't sleep." I said.
Alam naman kasi namin na mas mabilis siyang nakakatulog pag kayakap ako. Para naming teddy bear ang isa't-isa because it's really comforting to hug each other while we're sleeping. And that simple gesture always makes my heart melt.
Sige, magmatigas ka lang dyan. Ewan ko sa'yo.
"I'm fine." She said as she got her pillow at itinakip iyon sa ulo niya.
Fine, if that's what you want, Guevarra.
I turned my back on him and went to sleep.
I woke up past twelve because wala na akong makapa sa gilid. Althea wasn't beside me anymore. I got up and looked for her pero wala siya sa kwarto. Lumabas ako at nakita ko siya sa study room na nakaharap sa laptop niya.
Nagtago ako sa gilid and just stared at her. Mukha siyang problemado at halos wala pang tulog. Napansin ko din na ang lalim ng eyebags niya. Ang taas kasi ng pride, ayan tuloy.
I went to the kitchen para ipagtimpla siya ng milk. I immediately went and entered her office kaya naman nagulat siya.
"Why are you still awake? Go back to sleep. I've still got tons of work to do." She said. Nakasimangot nanaman.
"I can't sleep. I'll just wait for you." Totoo naman eh. I can't sleep when you're not beside me.
Iniabot ko na yung milk na tinimpla ko para sakanya. She looked at me.
"Bati na tayo, lubb. Please?" I said while pouting.
I went near her and gave her a kiss on her cheek.
"Nate's just a friend, lubb. Sila lang kasi ni Andie ang nakakausap ko. Wag ka nang magselos oh." I said.
"Hindi ako nagseselos." She said.
"Talaga? Hindi ka nagseselos? Bakit nanlalaki 'yang mga mata mo?" I teased her.
"Loko ka ha!" She smiled and grabbed me to sit on her lap.
"Lablab, it's not that wala akong tiwala sa'yo. It's them who I don't trust." She said.
"Lubb, wala kang dapat alalahanin, okay? Nate has a girlfriend. Overreacting ka lang talaga." I joked.
"I'm afraid to lose you, Jade. Being with any other boy makes me sad. Feeling ko kasi bigla ka nalang babalik sa pagiging straight tapos babalikan mo si David. That's how paranoid I am. You're like my life support. I just can't function well without you." She said.
"Althea, why are you questioning my love for you? Mahal kita, okay? Diba nga ang sabi mo that's all that matters now? Believe me when I say that I won't leave you. Kasi sa totoo lang feeling ko hindi ko kakayanin." I admitted as I hugged her.
"I missed you so much. Ang hirap. Wag na tayong mag-aaway ulit, okay?" She said while giving me a kiss on my forehead.
"I can't promise that lalo na't marami palang nagkakandarapa sa'yo sa office. Kahit si Andie eh crush ka na ata. Hindi nila alam taken ka na pala! Masasabunutan ko 'yong mga yun eh!" I said.
"Harsh mo naman. Mabait lang talaga sila sa'kin." She answered.
"Crush ka nung mga yun! Ewan ko ba kasi kung bakit ang lakas ng charisma mo." I pouted.
"Jade, dahil dito sa charisma ko kaya mahal mo ako ngayon." She smiled.
"Possessive ako!" I said.
"Ako din naman ah? Lalo na pagdating sa'yo." She said.
"Alam ko na, para makatulog ka, I'll give you a massage." I said as I got up and started doing it. She seemed to calm a little bit kaya naman halatang effective yung massage ko.
"Uhmm uhh Jade." She's moaning.
That was sexy. Shit.
"Alam mo, gawin mo nalang pala 'yang mga reports mo. I'll just wait for you." I said as I stopped. Mahirap na baka kung anu-ano pa pumasok sa isip ko.
It's already two in the morning when she finished all her reports. She's really a hardworking woman, kaya love ko 'to eh.
We both laid on the bed and hugged each other.
"Now, I can definitely sleep." She said.
Finally.
