Together but Separate

Chapter 26: The Promise

Kate R. Ferragni

Umuwi na kami ni Nicko pagkatapos ng trabaho ko. Buong araw din kaming nasa opisina. I was glad that Nicko was very patient in waiting for me to finish.

Nilingon ko siya sa tabi ko.

"I hope you didn't find this day boring," I said.

From looking outside the window, he diverted his gaze towards me. "Not at all. It was in fact very interesting. I learned a lot about you. Plus, we got to talk a lot."

I smiled at him. Nicko smiled at me also. His smile caused a butterfly feeling in my stomach. He did it again.

"Thank you. I am glad you enjoyed it."

He nodded and looked back to the window. Then after few seconds, he turned to me again. "Who is Kristoff?"

"Ha?" Nabigla ako sa tanong niya. "Si Kris?"

Tumango siya.

"You both seemed to be very close."

Tumango ako. "We've been friends for a long time. Isa siya sa mga tumulong sa akin nung walang-wala ako. Tinulungan niya akong magbenta nung nag-aaral ako as a college student para may pangbayad ako ng tuition fee. He supported my plans nung ready na akong magtayo ng sarili kong negosyo. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sa kanya. So in return, nung ako naman ang nakaahon, I hired him to work in my company as a team leader."

"I see," he nodded. He was looking at me very seriously. "At some point, did you both become more than friends?"

Again, nagulat na naman ako sa tanong niya. I closed my lips kasi nakanganga na pala ako sa gulat. I cleared my throat and answered, "I don't think so."

"You don't think so?" Napataas ang isang kilay niya. "How about you? Did you have some feelings for him?"

Uminit ang pisngi ko sa realization na baka nagseselos si Nicko kaya ganito siya kaserysoso at ganito magtanong. I smiled eventually, knowing he could be jealous.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked.

"Because you sounded like a jealous husband."

"Tsk." He shook his head. "Just please answer my question."

I sighed. Nicko seemed so serious about this topic, so I decided to answer him honestly and straightforwardly. "I admit that I used to have a crush on him. But it was during college days. My crush on him slowly faded since the day he introduced his girlfriend to me. I was so heartbroken that day. When they broke up, I thought I had a chance. But a year later, he introduced another girlfriend. That's when I realized that he only saw me as a friend. I tried to accept that he would never see me as someone special. And one day, I woke up realizing that my feelings for him were nothing beyond friendship."

Nicko looked at me with sympathy. "Did he know about your feelings for him?"

I looked away and shook my head. "I never had a chance to confess it to him. I was scared to tell him because I didn't want our friendship to end."

"Does he have a girlfriend right now?"

"None that I know of," I shrugged.