The Man I Chose To Let Go (Under Editing)

Chapter 19: Choice

Napangiti si Amanda nang makita ang bulaklak na nakapatong sa mesa niya. Halata iyon dahil isang bouquet ito na nakalagay sa basket.

Tinignan niya ang note na nakalagay doon.

Hope that this would make you smile.
See you soon!

"Grabe, ang haba ng hair!" Napatingin siya kay Samuel na nakiki-chika na pala sa tabi niya, "Ganda yarn?"

"Loko!" Pinalo niya ito sa braso at tinalikuran ito. These fresh roses are really beautiful. Maganda ang buka ng bawat petals. Halatang fresh at mamahalin.

In fairness naman kay Fred. Hindi pa man nila napagusapan ang tungkol sa halik, pero todo effort naman ito ngayon. Well, action speaks louder than words, right? Noong isang araw, chocolate tapos sumunod naman ay fruit basket. Ngayon naman bulaklak.

He's kind of old-fashioned. Nanliligaw na ba ito?

Pfft. Dadaan pa ba sila doon?

She opened her messenger and sent him a message. Hindi lang ito nagrereply pa sa kanya. Ang alam niya ay paguusapan daw ni Fred at Carmen ang tungkol sa Sining. Since, nobody between them wants to take over but their Dad didn't want to give it up.

They can buy it from Camilla, but that will be a different story. Hindi maglalabas si Sir Rico ng pera para sa bagay na ang asawa naman nito ang nagpakahirap.

"So, any plans after Sining?" Tanong ni Vicky sa kanya. Sabay silang naglunch, she was updating her about her civil wedding. "Makaka-attend ka pa sa kasal ko, ha?"

"Oo naman, next month pa naman iyon, hindi ba? Same month kayo ni Samuel. Mauuna lang siya ng isang linggo."

Tumango ito, "Huwag ka rin mawala sa celebration ko sa Batangas, ha? Wala naman akong maid of honor o bridesmaid. Ikaw lang talaga ang kaibigan ko dito."

Puro kasi nasa Batangas ang mga kaibigan nito. Kaya magkakaroon ito ng handaan doon, "Oo naman, ikaw pa."

"Kailan mo ba plano pumunta ng Switzerland?"

"Pwede naman na. Inaayos ko na lang iyong ibang kailangan, once I got my visa pwede na akong mag-book ng ticket."

Tumango ito, "This is it na pala talaga." She smiled, "Ano pa lang sabi ni Sir Eric sa pagalis mo?"

Hindi pa nito alam na magreresign na rin si Fred. Ipapakilala pa lang kasi ang bagong acting President once he got back from Sydney.

"Hindi naman siya nagalit. He was actually surprised why I stayed."

"Gosh, hindi pa ba obvious?" Umirap ito, "Alam mo, kung ako sa 'yo. I'll make a move. Ang dense kasi!"

She chuckled, hindi nito alam na ginawa na niya. But, she won't tell her yet. Hindi pa naman malinaw sa kanya kung ano silang dalawa. But, either way. She didn't regret anything.

Natapos ang araw at kailangan na naman niyang umuwi. Going home was actually hard for her lalo na wala siyang magulang na madadatnan.

Dumadalas pa ang pakiramdam na parang mababaliw siya sa mga naaninag o nakikita. She wanted to believe that something must have happen with her brain after the accident kaya nagkakaroon siya ng ganitong visions.

Until now.

As she walked on the floor of her unit. Pakiramdam ni Amanda ay may matang nakatitig sa kanya.

It was only 8 PM but it feels like midnight dahil ang tahimik at tanging tunog lang ng takong niya ang naririnig niya.

She stopped. Just to look around.

Walang tao at kung mayroon man ay maririnig iyon agad. Then she walked again.

Napatigil si Amanda nang makitang bukas ang pinto ng unit. It wasn't that evident until she hold the knob and confirmed that it wasn't locked.

Someone is or was inside.

She didn't move again. Sinubukan niyang lumunok pero parang may nakaharang sa lalamunan niya.

So, she stepped back. But as soon as she did, bumukas ang pinto at agad siyang napatakbo.

"Tulong!" She screamed and tried to knock at other doors while running towards for the elevator. This could send signal to the intruder to go away, but no one is responding.

She couldn't look at her back.

Nagpatuloy siya sa elevator, and when it opened she crashed into a familiar pair of arms.

"Amanda?" It's Fred, "Hey, what happened to you?"

"Fred?" Hindi pa siya makapaniwala na nandito ito. "Fred!"

"Hey,"

"Someone... Some...someone.." Turo niya kung saan, "There's someone..." Bumuhos ang luha ni Amanda sa takot.

Fred caged her inside his arms. Ang kaninang takot, ngayon mas lumabas. Hindi na siya nito dinala sa unit bagkus bumaba sila para ireport iyon sa security.

"Sir, sira po ang CCTV ng floor." Iyon ang sinabi ng head security, "But according to our supporting footages, may isang tao po na lumabas ng fire exit. Ito siya,"

Hindi niya iyon nakikita. She was sitting on the sofa while Fred was looking at the monitor. He was calm yet she can feel his tension.

Ang mahalaga, tama siya. Hindi siya baliw. All this time, her gut feeling was right.

"Update me regarding this," Utos ni Fred, "This is very unusual. Walang sira sa unit. The door wasn't forced, so there must be someone in here who has the a spare card key."

"We'll have this investigated, Sir. Your statement will also help up, Ma'am."

"Huwag na muna ngayon. She needs to rest." Tumango naman ang security at nagpaalam na.

Fred sighed and crouched in front of her, "Hey," He held her hand. Doon niya lang napagtanto na nanginginig pala siya, "Let's go..."

"Ayokong bumalik doon..."

Tumango ito, "Where do you wanna go?"

"S-Sa bahay na lang.. Gusto kong umuwi sa bahay namin..."

"Wala pa bang umuupa doon?"

Umiling siya, "Wala pa."

"I'm sorry, Aims. I convinced you to move here since the security is more tight but this has happened."

Umiling siya, "A-Akala ko baliw ako..." She murmured.

"What?"

Inangat niya ang tingin, "Akala ko guni-guni ko lang... I was feeling that someone is looking at me... Was stalking me... Akala ko..." Napasabunot siya sa ulo.

"Aims," Marahang inalis iyon ni Fred, "What are you talking about?"

"Someone was following me, Fred. After umalis nila Mama at Papa, pakiramdam ko kahit anong galaw ko may nakabantay sa akin..."

"What?" Nagiba ang ekspresyon ng mata nito, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wasn't sure..."

Napapikit ito at sandaling natahimik. Mas lalo yata itong nagalit dahil sa sinabi niya.

But he stood up and offered his hand, "You're staying with me."

"Ha?"

"Mamili ka, are you going to stay with me or I'll be staying with you?" He said.