The Awkward Meet Up: When Ms Sungit Meets Mr Hambog #Wattys2016

Chapter Ten

I stretched my neck and looked from left to right. Again no sign of him! Ano ba yan! I've been in the cafeteria on the second floor and I've been in the cafe on the lobby area  but I still haven't found him. Nasaan na ba ang lalaki na iyon? Baka naman sa labas ng office siya nagpunta!

Dali dali akong nagpunta kay manong Bert.

"Manong. Nakita niyo po ba si Mr Ian?" Hinihingal kong tanong sa kanya.

"Ay yun po ba yung anak ni Mr Mark?" Tanung niya habang binubuksan ang pinto sa exit.

"Opo yun nga po. Alam niyo po ba kung saan nagpunta?"

"Kanina po niyaya ako kumain eh. Siguro po mag mimiryenda."

Pinasalamatan ko siya at lumabas ng building.

Asan yon? Di ko naman inaasahan na sa labas ko siya hahanapin. Kung alam ko lang di na ako nagsayang pa ng panahon.

Kaliwa o kanan? San ba kumain yun? Nasa taas pa ang mga gamit niya kaya sigurado ako na hindi pa siya umuwi.

Saan ba??? Ahh! Baka sa fake restaurant niya! Kahit mainit ay nagpasya ako na magtungo sa restaurant. Pinipigil ko ang inis, pinipigil ko ang aking sarili. Hindi na ako bata na magpapaapekto sa mga taong nanguubos ng aking pasensya. I just need to calm down. Wala na akong balak makipagaway pa dahil sa isang banda ako din ang mahihirapan. Pero hindi rin ibig sabihin ay kukunsintihin ko ang pagiinarte niya.

Pumasok ako agad agad sa restaurant, this time maraming bakanteng mesa, lumibot ako sa loob at sa wakas ay nakita ko din siya! Nakaupo siya sa mesa kung saan kami unang nagkita. Maganda naman talaga ang puwesto na iyon bukod sa nasa sulok na at walang masyadong ksamang table ay tapat na tapat pa ng aircon na talaga namang isang importanteng bagay na sa pilipinas na saksakan na ang init!

Dali dali akong lumapit sa mesa niya. Nagulat siya nang makita niya akong nakatayo sa harapan niya. Nanlaki ang mata nito at kumunot ang nuo. Kung magkaibgan lang kami marahil ay pinagtawanan ko na ang naging reaksyon niya.

Nanatili akong nakatayo at inilabas sa bag ang isang pack ng sticky notes. Hindi ako nagsalita o ngumiti at tinuro lang ang hawak ko sa kanya.

Pinagpirapiraso ko ang mga ito at isa isa kong idinikit sa table niya. Bago ko idikit ay itinatapat ko sa kanya ang bawat papel para talagang makita niya!

Sticky note 1
"Mr"

Sticky note 2
"Ian"

Sticky note 3
"This"

Sticky note 4
"is"

Sticky note 5
"not"

Sticky note 6
"working"

Sticky note 7
"."

I paused and look at him. I pointed at the sticky notes again and started sticking them again.

Sticky note 8
"Can"

Sticky note 9
"we"

Sticky note 10
"please"

Sticky note 11
"fix"

Sticky note 12
"this?"

As soon as I am done sticking the notes a saw him smile. For the first time, I saw him smile a genuine smile. A smile that is not forced, a smile that is not fake, a smile that is not out of respect or obligation.

"The team is having a hard time with this set up." I said calmly. "Can we do something about it??"

He smiled again, stood up and extended his hand. "We obviously started off on the wrong foot"

Without me knowing, I was also smiling at him. I don't know if this will be a start of a friendship but I know this will be the end of a feud.

"Cleary" I plainly said still smiling. "But you started it..."  I can't stop myself from pointing this out.

"Oh really now?... Not from what I remember." And he is back to being arrogant! I rolled my eyes and frowned.

He laughed and extended his hand. "Let's start over, shall we?" He offered a hand shake. "I am Jacob Ian and I do not own this restaurant"

I smiled and shook his hand. "I am Catherine Summer Buentura... And please don't call me Summer."

"Nice to meet you Ms Summer!" He replied enthusiastically. Did I not just asked him not to call me Summer? Well, for some reason I do not like being called Summer, Rick calls me that every time he is being extra sweet. Also, Jay, he calls me in that name whenever he wanted to get my attention.  Jay is the first man I really fell in love with. I was 19 when I met him, I was in college when I accidentally bumped into him. We instantly became friends, he is not cute at all but he's very caring and loving. When I fell for him, I told a close friend in college about it, who eventually told him! And that ended our friendship. He turned all memories into dust, leaving no signs of us! How could someone just throw a friendship like that right? So every time, I hear someone call me that I can't help but be reminded of the 2 guys that really wounded me deeply.

"Please just call me Cath Mr Ian."  I asked him again nicely.

"Bakit maganda naman ah." He laughed hard seeing I was again irritated. "Here is a deal. I will call you Summer and you call me Jacob"

"Will I benefit from that?" I asked him sarcastically.

He sat down and gestured for me to do the same. I sat hesitantly.

He took a sip from his ice cold drink. "Well obviously, there's a reason why you don't like being called Summer, either because it brings back bad memories or that name is reserved for someone special. Ang tanong lang, which is it?"

Eto na naman siya! Feeling kilala niya ako at feeling close na naman. Psychologists ba to o ano? Unti unti na naman akong naiirita at nahalata kong nahahalata niya ito dahil hindi talaga ako sumasagot o ngumiti man lang sa kanya.

"I figured you won't really answer that... Talagang masungit ka no?...It's okay, but I will still call you, Summer. And I have my own reason"

I was really curious. Why push with the name? "Why?"

I asked hoping he will answer the question.

He was suddenly serious. He paused for a few seconds and I waited patiently. "Cath is the name of my ex who broke my heart to be with my best friend. We broke up a few days after my mom died. I know my mom's death is not a secret to you anymore."

I saw the sincerity in his eyes. He was not joking at all. I can see through his eyes that he was really telling the truth. I know that for a guy it's hard to open up, it's hard to tell others details about a heartache. Kaya sige! I will not dig deeper. Siya na ang panalo! Mas masaklap ang dahilan niya kesa sa dahilan ko. Summer na kung Summer!

"Fine! Fine! Fine!... You win" I replied trying to shake off the negative vibes. "I'll call you Mr Jacob. Maiba lang din."

He smiled in relief. "Fine by me Ms Summer"

Sa wakas ay na ayos na ang lahat! I want to actually give this guy a chance to prove his self. I want to know, if I am right about his rascal attitude or if I am wrong about him and just judged him wrong.

"Settled..." It's my turn to offer a hand shake.  "Nice to meet you again Mr Jacob."

"Nice to meet you too again, Ms Summer" He shook my hand as we both stood and head back to the office.