Stuck With The Billionaire

Chapter Thirty Three

Chapter Thirty Three

Pasta

Few weeks passed after Jerome and I decided to patch things up and start again as friends. At nakakatawa dahil parang walang nangyari, parang walang aminan at dramahan na naganap. Parang ibinaon lang namin sa limot ang mga iyon, and I'm thankful for that.

We still talk comfortably to each other, using first name basis, then we sometimes eat lunch together, lalo na kapag may meeting or natripan lang namin. And sometimes dinner too. I accompany him wherever he goes, work wise. We hang out at the nearby coffee shop, just talking, It's like we're Jerome and Winiata way back Cebu, no awkwardness whatsoever. Just plain friends.

That seem imposible though, na wala kaming ilangan sa isa't isa, after I told him I like him and I was rejected. Well, I got over it faster that expected. Siguro dahil tinanggap ko na iyon at itinatak ko na sa aking isipan na hanggang magkaibigan lang kami at may mahal siyang iba. It's hard at first but I got by. And now I'm close to getting over him completely.

I admit, mayroon pa rin akong kaunting nararamdaman para kay Jerome. But it's lesser and controlable that before. Tumatalon pa rin ang puso ko dahil sa kanya paminsan-minsan, pero hanggang doon na lang.

"Sa wakas," nag-inat si Jerome tsaka sumandal sa upuan sa harap ng aking desk "This day's done."

"Seven meetings straight? Not good." sumalampak ako sa sarili kong upuan at sumandal din "Kung bakit ba kasi biglaang walang pasok bukas."

"Beats me." he crossed his arms. "Let's have coffee."

Hm, coffee. Sounds good. Sinulyapan ko ang orasan, alas kwatro pa lang pala. "Okay. Tapusin ko lang ito."

Ipinagpatuloy ko na ang paga-arrange ng files habang natutulog yata si Sir Jerome sa upuan. Naka-pikit siya habang naka-halukipkip at naka-sandal sa upuan. Sino ba namang hindi mapapagod ng sunod sunod na meetings sa loob ng limang oras? Mabuti na lang at iyong isa ay lunch meeting kaya kahit paano ay naka-kain kaming dalawa.

It's a holiday tomorrow, special non-working. Biglaan ang pag-announce nito noong isang araw kaya naman karamihan ng meetings ni Jerome bukas, Friday, ay inilipat ngayon dahil urgent ang mga iyon.

Narinig ko ang paggalaw ni Jerome kaya nag-angat ako ng tingin. He fished his hand in his coat pocket and retrieved his phone. May pinindot siya roon tsaka nilagay sa kanyang tenga

"Hey," ngumiti si Jerome at umupo ng ayos.

Tumikhim ako tsaka umiling. It's his girlfriend, I'm sure. Dahil kung hindi at isa iyon sa kanyang mga collegues, malamang ay hindi ganyan ang kanyang bungad. Hindi siya ngingiti na parang isang tuta.

"Yeah, I can.. Now?.. Alright, I'm on my way." Ibinaba niya ang phone at lalong ngumiti, tila hindi pa nakaka-move on sa pag-uusap nila.

Bumaling sa akin si Jerome at umangat ang dalawa niyang kilay, napansin niya sigurong naka-titig ako sa kanya "What?"

"Wala," tinawanan ko siya "Sige na, umalis ka na. Next time na tayo magkape."

He gasped "Oh, crap!" bahagya niyang ginulo ang kanyang buhok "Sorry, Winiata! It slipped my mind- Sorry!"

"Ayos lang. No big deal," winagayway ko ang kamay ko sa kanya. "Kailangan mo na siyang puntahan, you said you're on your way. Masamang pinag-aantay ang babae, alam mo."

He gave me an apologetic smile "Thanks, Winiata. You're really the best." Mabalis siyang tumayo at inayos ang kanyang neck tie "You don't have to finish those, you can go home. Oh, and turn off my laptop, please? Just leave it there. See you on Monday!"