Giving In

Chapter 1

               Mari was cramming so much work in so little given time. Mukhang mag-oovertime na naman siya kahit kasisimula pa lang niya sa kumpanya. It's her second week at the office. She was secretary to the admin manager in a local property development company. May pagkaperfectionist kasi boss niya, distant relative pa ng may-ari. Sobrang talino kasi, and since Mari came from a well known university, mataas expectations sa kanya kahit fresh grad siya.

"Ma'am Claire, nasaan si Tita Eve?" natigilan si Mari nang marinig niya ang boses. It can't be. She prayed on the spot even though she wasn't that religious. Oh God, nagkakamali lang sana siya, dasal niya. Mari would've given anything not to hear that voice again. Ibebenta niya kaluluwa niya para lang di marinig ang boses na yun. She was that desperate.

Mari glanced at the woman beside her. Napatigil ito sa pagtype sa computer nito para harapin ang nagtanong. "May meeting yata sa labas Sir Liam, di ako sure," sagot ni Ma'am Claire sa lalaki. Bumaling naman ito sa kanya. "Mari, alam mo ba saan si Ma'am Eve at kung anong oras ito dadating?" tanong nito sa kanya. "Oo nga pala, si Sir Liam. Anak ni VMDV," pakilala ni Ma'am Claire sa kanya. She could've done without the introduction. Kasi kilala na niya ito at kung pwede lang, ayaw niyang lingunin ito.

She may not want to see him, but she was no coward. Haharapin niya si Liam. What did she have to hide? Nginitian niya ito. "May meeting po si Ma'am Eve sa Business Council. Siya po pinadala ng Daddy niyo para irepresent siya. Mamaya pa po siyang ala una makakabalik. Bakit po?" Mari's tone was so respectful, it was bordering on sarcastic. Her smile was so fake, halos mapunit na mukha niya. But she will never acknowledge that she once knew him. To her, William Kristoff dela Vega did not exist to her before this day.

Napansin ni Liam ang diin sa mga sinabi ni Mari. She wasn't happy about seeing him again and it was obvious. Ang rami niyang gustong itanong pero alam niyang di ito ang tamang oras. Having to work for his family's business was something she probably didn't even know. Nasa project site siya most of the time kaya ngayon lang sila nagkita. "Ahhh. Ganun ba? May kailangan kasi ako papirmahan sa kanya. Nasaan ba si Dad?" tanong pa rin niya.

Tinaasan siya ni Mari ng kilay. He admits it was something that he missed about her. She never made him feel that he was superior to her. Para kay Mari, magkapantay lang sila. "Pwede niyo pong iwan sa akin Sir, kung gusto niyo. Pero pwede po kayong bumalik mamayang alas tres kung gusto niyo. Di ko po alam saan Daddy niyo. Baka po alam ng sekretarya niya."

Si Claire na bumalik na sa pagtatype sana ay natigilan. Kapansin pansin na kasi ang tension sa pagitan ni Liam at Mari. But it was Liam who conceded. "Okay. Iwan ko na lang sayo. Pakibalik na lang sa akin bago mag ala singko kung napirmahan na ni Tita Eve."

Tumango lang si Mari at tinanggap ang inabot na papel ni Liam. Agad rin siyang tumalikod at binalik ang atensyon sa computer niya. Mari could hear Liam walking away. She wanted to talk to him. But she wanted even more to slap him across the face. "Diba same school kayo ni Sir Liam? Di rin nagkakalayo edad niyo. Magkakilala ba kayo?" usisa ni Claire. Claire was only seven years older than Mari. May asawa na ito at anak pero napapakisamahan naman niya si Mari. They could even be considered friends. Kaya may lakas na ito ng loob magtanong.

"Hindi," tanggi ni Mari. She tried hard not to make it obvious she was lying. She wasn't aware that Liam's table was just in front of her. May mababang divider lang na naghihiwalay sa kanila. Kung tatayo siya, makikita na niya si Liam. "Pero kilala siya sa university. Sikat yan sila magkakaibigan eh. Alam mo na, mga anak mayaman."

Liam heard every word. And he wondered why it hurt to know she denied knowing him personally. They were never just schoolmates. They were more than that for fuck's sake. They were lovers. They were friends. Anong nangyari? Ba't tinanggi ni Mari? Wala lang ba asa kanya ang nakaraan nila? Pwede naman nitong sabihin naging magkaibigan sila.

God damn it! Ba't ba siya apektado? Ano ngayon kung itinanggi ni Mari nakaraan nila? Liam wondered why he was bothered. Why he was hurt. Wala siya dapat pakialam. Mari was nothing but a woman he had sex with whenever he was in the mood. They weren't in a relationship. Oo at nabuntis niya to pero mukhang di naman totoo. They never talked to again matapos nitong sabihin sa kanya na buntis siya. If she was really pregnant, dapat nakipag-usap to sa kanya. But he never heard again from her. Kahit isang text, walang natanggap si Liam. Kaya hinayaan na lang nito.

Liam kept himself busy while waiting for the files he needed from Mari's boss. Napansin ni Liam ang pagdating ng Tita Eve niya pero hinayaan niya lang. Di siya lumapit para si Mari talaga ang magbigay ng mga papeles sa kanya. They need to talk. One way or another, they were going to talk.

It was around four in the afternoon already nang makita ni Liam na papalapit sa kanya si Mari. Her face was so devoid of emotion, Liam doubted if she was still human. Walang bakas ng kahit anong emosyon kay Mari but she was a nervous wreck inside. It took all of her willpower not to show emotion. She'd rather go through giving birth again than have to walk towards Liam.

"Heto na po ang pinapipirmahan niyo na mga papeles kay Ma'am Eve, Sir." Naririndi na si Liam sa kakatawag sa kanya ni Mari ng "Sir" at sa kakagamit nito ng "po" pagkinakausap siya. She didn't used to be this aware in their different places in life.

Nang iabot ni Mari sa kanya ang mga papel ay nakipagtitigan muna si Liam sa kanya. "Kamusta ka na? Tagal nating di nagkita ah. I haven't seen you around campus kahit nandun ako almost every day para asikasuhin requirements ko. "

Mari didn't expect him to ask that. He was probably just curious. He probably didn't care. There was a difference between curiosity and concern. "Okay lang po Sir." Mari wanted to accompany that answer with a roll of her eyes but she was trying hard not to be petty. Mapaghahalataan lang siya kung susupladahan niya pa si Liam.

Tumango si Liam pero di pa rin niya iniwas ang titig niya. "Mari about the last time we talked, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what? For the way you ignored me when I told you I was pregnant? Maybe you should be sorry for accusing me of being a social climber and gold digger. And for saying you don't want me to be the mother of your children. Never ko naman sinabi ikaw ang gustong kong maging ama ng magiging anak ko." Those were the words Mari was dying to say. Yun dapat sasabihin niya, kung sobrang honest lang siya. She had to bite her tongue for a while to stop the words from getting out. "Wala na po yun Sir. Things worked out anyway. May kailangan pa po kayo Sir?" nakangiting tanong ni Mari. Umiling na lang si Liam.

They were far from being over. They were not done. And they will never be done until Liam gets the answers to questions that has been in his mind ever since she basically disappeared from his life.