Accidentally in Love

Chapter 4

February 15, 2017, Manila

Wait. What? Tama ba yung pagkakarinig ko? Did Sir Mark really just ask me out for lunch?

No. Wait.

Let me clear my thoughts. Hindi dapat ako magpaapekto with something as small as this. Baka naman thankful lang talaga siya sa pagiging delivery girl ko kahapon? Saka dyahe naman talaga yung pinagawa niya sa akin. Paano naman ako makakahanap ng boyfriend kung aakalain ng iba na may jowa na ako dahil sa pagbitbit ko ng flowers kahapon , 'di ba?

Right. Walang other meaning for this. I shouldn't give another meaning to this. This was just a thanksgiving lunch. Nothing more. Nothing less. Tama na ang kamalasang hatid ng isang katulad ni Sir Mark. We shall not fall for his trap anymore!

"Uhh, Sir. Hindi naman na po kailangan. Like what you've said, on the way naman po talaga yung bahay ni Althea sa amin. It's no big deal," sagot ko kay Sir Mark, trying to make my voice sound as natural as possible.

Sir Mark looked at me like he couldn't believe what I just said. I wanted to go and tell him na mas hindi kapani-paniwala yung gusto niyang mangyari ngayon, but I chose to keep my mouth shut. Ano nga ba'ng mapapala ko kung makikipagtalo pa ako sa kanya, 'di ba?

"I insist. I know what I asked was uncomfortable for you. I really should have delivered it myself but I just can't bear seeing Althea cry because of that. I mean, I've been doing that every year ever since my brother died so I should have gotten used to it. I did that before to lift her spirits up but everytime I give her something on Valentine's day, she just keeps on crying, telling me that he misses my brother every single day," dere-deretso niyang kuwento sa akin. Okay? Hindi man lang ako nasabihan na may ganitong back story pala yung kalokohan ni Sir Mark. Akala ko naman kasi ka-LQ niya lang si Althea right now kaya ayaw niyang magpakita sa tao at ako na ang nautusan niya kahapon.

Hay, ewan! Should I just agree to go with him for lunch na lang ba para mabawasan man lang yung guilt na nararamdaman ko ngayon?

But nah. What if gawa-gawa lang niya yung kwento niya ngayon? What if he was really a player pretending to be the boy next door type of guy that you would like to introduce to your family? What if pinagtitripan niya lang ulit ako ngayon?

Ay, leche.

Sobrang dami ng what ifs na tumatakbo sa utak ko. I wanted to weigh the pros and cons of this situation kaso sisimulan ko pa lang sana, bigla namang kumulo yung tiyan ko.

Shocks. Bakit ngayon pa?

"I guess you really have to go out for lunch now. Let's go?" Sir Mark asked while trying his best not to laugh dahil sa nangyari sa akin. I mentally slapped myself dahil doon. Of all times na pwedeng magreklamo yung mga alaga ko sa tiyan, bakit ngayon pa kung kailan gusto kong umiwas kay Sir Mark?

Since wala na rin naman akong choice dahil sa lakas ng pagkalam ng sikmura ko at dahil sayang din naman ang libreng pagkain, I decided to join Sir Mark for lunch. Minsan lang din namang mag-offer ng libre 'tong si Sir Mark so might as well grab the chance, 'di ba? Saka baka first and last time na rin naman 'to. Ayaw ko na rin namang magkaroon pa ng issue kasama siya.

The walk towards to elevator was eerily silent. Well, I was thankful na wala kaming nakakasalubong na employees since less issue nga 'yon for us pero ewan ko ba. Naloloka na talaga ako. To make things worse, kaming dalawa lang din ang sakay ng elevator. I was silently praying na huwag sanang masira yung elevator at baka ma-stuck pa kami rito. I don't think I could handle being stuck with him in this tiny space--or any other space for that matter--so when the elevator landed at the ground floor, I sighed in relief.