(19)

787 12 1
                                    

He drives me to work at around 7PM. Buti nalang naging okay yung pakiramdam niya kanina. He promised me naman na uuwi siya nang maaga. Of course for John and para din makapagpahinga siya.

Edward and Melissa decided to live together in one roof kahit wala na 'sila'. Sabi ni Edward there is no way na maisalba pa yung relationship nilang mag-asawa. They are just doing this for John's sake.

Hindi naman siya palakwento. Aloof siya kapag nagtatanong ako about it. Basta ang sabi niya, main reason is that Melissa has been 24-hr hands on mom to John forgetting she has a husband to deal with.

Maybe you knew it. Kulang siya sa sex. At yun malamang ang hindi niya maiwan sa akin. Kaya nga sabi ko, hindi pwedeng appeal lang ang malakas sa akin. Dapat kapag minention ko, sex appeal.

I tried asking him, if that's the case na they separated good naman, why don't we try to be in a relationship? Telling other people na 'kami'? Tutal wala naman na pala silang pag-asa. Bitchesa ka, Armia!

He's a full blooded Chinese and these people value their reputation so much. Ayaw niyang malaman ng family niya. Though matanda na siya to decide for his own, still, he's taking his parents' decision pa din. Dun na ako walang mai-rebutt pa. Tama nga naman.

At kung may natitira ka pang kahihiyan dyan sa katawan mo, no comment. Alam mo na yun, Armia, at malaki ka na para pagsabihan pa.

Buti nalang tonight bumaba yung volume ng calls. Nothing to do sa floor. Kapag avail period (time na wala kaming calls), nagbabasa lang ako ng e-books sa PC ko. Pwede yung mga ganun, basta naka-word or PDF file. Ang bawal lang talaga are cellphones, any forms of gadgets, music and movie files. Bawal din ang games. Pero may ilan-ilang hustler na and kayang mag-rookie kahit bawal. Ang titibay ng loob.

Dati na-try ko na ding mag-rookie ng cellphone sa loob. Inipit ko sa bra ko, sa may bandang kili-kili. Hindi naman tumunog nung ini-scan ako ng guard. Ewan kung bakit. Mukha naman kasing joke time lang yung pang-scan nila. Ginawa ko yun before kasi madalas pa kaming magkatext ni Edward. Hanggang sa bigla na siyang naging super busy, hindi na makausap, hindi na makapagtext, hanggang sa tuluyan na nga siyang hindi nagparamdam noon.

Bigla akong natigil sa pagbabasa nung kinalabit ako ng Team Leader ko.

"Yes, TL?" sabay tanggal sa headset ko.

"May call ka from lobby."

"Huh? Sino daw?"

"I don't know. Looking for you. Mag-log out ka muna sa phone. Baka emergency."

Dali-dali akong lumabas ng floor. Hanggang 5th floor lang naman yung building namin and nasa 4th ako. Yung lobby is nasa 2nd floor lang. Kung emergency man yun, hindi ko na kaya pang maghintay ng elevator. I took the stairs going down instead.

Baka may nangyari kay Edward? Wag naman sana. Pero imposible namang ako ang cocontactin niya in case of emergency.

I checked my watch. It's almost 10PM palang.

2nd floor. When I was walking straight to the lobby I saw the receptionist smiling at me.

Thank heavens, for sure hindi 'to emergency.

"Good morning. (kahit evening) Miss Armia Alfante?"

"Ah yes. What about?"

The lady pointed out the man standing beside me. Hindi ko ata siya napansin kanina. He's a delivery man holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Good evening Ma'am. Delivery po."

"Huh? For me??"

"Yes, Ma'am." He handed me the sheet and asked me to signed his receiving copy. Name ko nga yung naka-register.

While I was signing, "Kanino daw 'to galing, Kuya? Gabi na ah." I handed back to him the sheet.

"Hindi ko po alam, Ma'am eh. Napag-utusan lang po ako sa shop. Yan na nga po yung last deliver ko for the day. Sinulit yung til 10PM na shift ko."

Oo nga naman. Pahirapan daw ba si Kuya?

"Ah osige, Kuya. Thank you ah. Ingat."

I was holding the bouquet on the way back to the floor. It's a dozen of white and pink roses.

I was in the elevator when I saw the note on it. It was hand written.

Have a great shift, beautiful! :)

Napalingon ako sa mga kasama kong nasa elevator. They're looking at me and on the note kaya tinago ko agad. Malay mo kung si Edward yung nagpadala nito tapos alam nila yung penmanship niya, edi nalaman nilang may something kami?

Takte, ang paranoid!

Pero hindi e. Hindi naman ganito yung penmanship ni Edward. Pero pwede namang pinasulat lang niya dun sa nag-arrange ng flowers.

The elevator dings and I went back to the floor. Everyone is teasing me, asking kung kanino galing yung flowers. All I answer is I don't know.

I started looking at the people around me trying to see kung sino sa kanila yung madalas nahuhuli kong nakatingin sa akin and may potential na magpadala ng flowers. Of course sino pa bang makakaalam na nasa office ako ng ganitong oras? Mga officemates ko lang din naman. And si Edward.

Edward na naman. Tsk tsk! May sapak ka na.

Buong shift ata akong naging tampulan ng tukso dahil sa mga bulaklak na yun. Ito ata yung first time na nakatanggap ako ng bouquet. Ah hindi, nagpadeliver pala si daddy ng flowers nung gumraduate ako nung college.

Pero sino nga kayang magpapadala ng mga 'to? Hindi ko mafigure out.

Lost in LoveTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon