The Rivalry (Lost Memories)

Kabanata 5

Ulan

I want to run away. Leave everything behind once more. Forget everything like he did. Maybe that is easy, to forget all the things that hurt you and just be carefree. Act clueless like it is no big deal at all. Pretend that you dont care until you feel you really don't anymore.

"If he really wants to remember you then he should have done it years ago."

That idea makes  me sad every single time when my mind keep on resounding it in. The fact that he never remember just an ounce about me hurt me the most.

I cannot blame him. I cannot blame everyone by not telling me pero wala parin akong kinakausap kahit sino simula kahapon. I am mad not to them but to myself. My stupidity and selfishness self turned into this.

"Bakit hindi ka nagmodelo ija? Bagay na bagay mo sana iyon." Puri ni Mr. Hong the newly promoted finance manager.

Today is the party that was organized by the higher ups for all the newly promoted personnels for this year. Kanina pa ako nakakatanggap ng kaliwa't kanang atensyon from different employees and investors. Siguro dahil ngayon lang nila ako nakita. Lahat naman ng tao dito ay magarbo ang kasuotan. Now, I am wearing a black tight tube dress with a high slit which is from my latest collection.

Maikli lamang ang programa ngunit sa dami ng napromote at isa isa sila tinawag ang nagpatagal dito. The last part would be the introduction of the Anniversary project of the company na hawak ko. Kung hindi lang sa parte ko ay hindi na ako nagpaunlak ng pagpunta kahit pa mga kapatid ko mismo ang may-ari ng kompanya.

I look around. There is a sea of unfamiliar faces until I stopped at a point because I saw him. He is holding his beer while talking to his teammates. Without elaboration, I know he changed. The way he laughed, he talked, he moved... everything about him now is strange for me.

"Thank you for coming.. Goodnight!" The emcee ended the program with that.

The last part was when they introduced us for the project. Umakyat ako kasama ng aking mga kasama at ganoon din sila Andrei. I avoid looking at him at nanatili akong nakatunghay sa harapan kahit wala naman akong nakikita kundi maliliwanag na ilaw at mga taong hindi ko masilayan ang mukha.

Bago pa ako makagalaw at makababa ay nagplay na ang party music. Inanyayahan ang lahat na sumayaw bilang pagtatapos ng programa. Dahil nasa dulo ako, nakita ko kung paano isa-isang nagsibabaan ang team ko at sumayaw sa gitna. Pinanood ko lamang sila. On my periphery, ganun din ang ginawa ng kasama ni Andrei leaving him alone. Since we are both standing from end to end, it made a large space between us.

"Is it okay if I asked you for a dance?" His deep voice is echoing due to our distance.

Hindi siya gumalaw sa kanyang pwesto habang ang tingin na mula sa harapan ay bumaling saakin. Kahit may kalayuan siya, hindi ko maikakaila ang laman ng kanyang titig. It's not friendly or inviting, it is only an act of formality.

"I have no intention to dance." Sagot ko ngunit panigurado kong hindi niya ito narinig dahil sa hina ng pagkakasabi ko.

Kumunot ang kanyang noo dahilan ng pagsasalubong ng kanyang makakapal na kilay. Nilakad niya ng limang hakbang ang espasyo sa aming dalawa ng walang kahirap-hirap. Sa gulat ko ay hindi ako nakagalaw bagkus napakurap lamang.

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" When he already closed the space in between us.

"No." Ngunit ang sagot ko ay nalunod ng naghiwayan ang mga tao sa biglang pagbabago ng kanta. From party rock music into slow dance song.