Learn to Love Again

Better Together

All trainees were at the Training Room busy working on an exercise. They were given the rest of the afternoon to finish it.

He sat comfortably on his chair while staring at his laptop. In the last 20 minutes, he has been trying really hard to concentrate at the task at hand but has been failing miserably. Something… or rather someone has been occupying his mind since the day before.

He didn’t realize that she would have that much effect on her. The minute she walked in the Training Room yesterday, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing glances at her. It became worse when she walked in front of the room and started talking. He could not remember a single word she said because all he did was stare at her.

He stood up and walked to the other side of the room. He sat next to Gerald and said, “Pare, pwede ba kitang maistorbo?”

“Oo naman Adam,” Gerald replied.

“Ah… kasi… I just have some questions that I hope you will be able to answer.”

“Shoot.”

“Talaga bang close kayo ni Sarah?”

He was taken aback by the question that he didn’t know how to answer it.

“Ah, sorry for the question. I really want to know. Napansin ko rin kasi sa dinner last night na sabay kayong dumating at hinatid mo rin s’ya pauwi. Palagi ba talaga kayong magkasama?”

“Oo pare,” Gerald said matter-of-factly. “Alam mo naman that we used to work in the same department, di ba? Bukod doon, s’ya talaga ang pinaka-unang taong nakilala at naging kaibigan ko dito. Since day one ko dito sa  company ay s’ya na ang kasama ko… her and Jessy. We’ve gotten really close since then. Marami na kaming pinagdaanan.”

“Good. Then you won’t mind helping.”

“Help you with what?”

But before could open his mouth to answer, the trainor spoke to get their attention. Their conversation was cut as Adam had to go back to his seat. Gerald could not shake off the feeling that Adam was going to ask her a favor that would involve getting close to Sarah. He was pissed but felt helpless. How could he stop Adam from doing what he wants when it’s Sarah who’s not ready to tell the world about them? And as if on cue, he felt his phone vibrate. It was a message from her: I love you handsome. Will I see you after work? This made him smile.

Just then the trainor passed by his table and noticed the silly grin he was wearing. “Uy, ang ganda naman ng ngiti natin Gerald. Inspired lang?”

“I am,” was his short answer.

“Well then, good for you.”

He smiled even wider.

The last day of the training arrived. The Human Resources Department has arranged a special dinner for the all trainees together with all the unit heads who served as speakers. At the restaurant Gerald was seated on Sarah’s left while the HR Head was on her right side. Adam was seated right across her. And as usual, the guy did everything for him to get noticed. Gerald, on the other hand, tried his darnest to act normal… to act as if he’s not jealous. Sarah noticed her boyfriend being kinda stiff so she secretly searched for his hand under the table and laced her fingers with his.

He leaned a little towards her and said, “I love you Ma.”

She looked at him with a confused look. She whispered back, “Ma? Bakit Ma?”

“Uy ang magbestfriend may bulungan pa. Share naman to everybody,” the person seating across him said.

“Ah actually, hindi ako ang bestfriend n’ya but my daughter. Silang dalawa ang official bestfriends,” Sarah replied.