Chasing You (On Hold)

Chapter 3

"Thank you for trusting our services Ms. Sarmiente and Mr. Dela Paz." Nakangiting sabi ko sa kanilang dalawa pagkatapos ng halos dalawang oras naming pag-uusap. Nakipag-kamayan rin ako sa kanilang tatlo.

"No, thank you. And please, call me Seah, and also call him Hugo." Napangiti nalang ako at tumango.

"Then call me Isla."

"Hmm, wala bang may nagtatawag sayo by your second name? I mean, no offense. Ang ganda kasi ng second name mo. People like me usually don't like being called by our second names." Sabi pa ni Seah.

"Only my close friends and family call me by my second name. Nickname ko rin kasi ito mula nung bata pa ako." Pagkatapos kong magsalita ay iginiya ko na silang tatlo sa pintuan ng office ko.

"Oh! I'm sorry, nagtatanong lang naman ako. But you have a wonderful name though, some people adore it as much as I do." Nakangising sabi niya. I didn't know what that meant but I gave her a smile.

"We'll see you later? May lakad pa kasi kaming tatlo. Bye Isla!" Nagmamadaling sabi ni Seah.

"Sige, I'll be there. See you!" Paalam ko at lumabas naman silang tatlo. Napasalampak agad ako sa swivel chair ko at itinapos ang pagfafinilize ng mga arrangement sa kasal nila Seah.

When I finished doing everything, napatingin naman ako sa relo ko. It was already 6:00 PM at doon ko natanto na ang tagal ko na palang nagtatrabaho. Nagligpit na ako at bumaba na para makapag-uwi.

"How was your first day in the office anak?" Tanong ni dad nang makapasok na ako sa bahay. He looked like he just got home as well.

"Hey dad, it was good. The meeting with the clients went really well." He kissed my forehead bago niya tanggalin ng tuluyan ang tie niya. Mom is currently in the kitchen getting dinner ready.

"Wow! Sabi na nga ba, you're already doing great as the VP! Nakakaexcite tuloy ang pagretiro ko." Sabi ni dad at tumawa.

"Dad naman! I have a lot to learn, tsaka h'wag ka ngang magbiro diyan daddy. Hindi ko pa kaya ang malaking responsibilidad na iyan. I still need more time, and experience to take over your position." Ngumiti lang si dad at ginulo ang buhok ko, nagpaalam muna siya na pumunta kay mom kaya umakyat na din ako sa kwarto ko to get ready.

I wore a faded high-waisted jeans paired with a white tank top and sleeveless cardigan that ran down until my thighs. Pinaresan ko ito ng black and white converses at isinukbit ko na ang gray kong sling bag.

I ate my dinner at nagpaalam na kela mom to go out. I might sleep in my condo tonight, since gabihin na ako kapag sa amin ako uuwi.

And, yes. I have my own condo unit, binilhan ako ni dad nung nakagraduate ako sa Juilliard. Though I didn't really need one, hindi na ako nakipagtalunan pa sa tatay ko.

When I arrived at Retro Vibe ay ipinarking ko muna ang sasakyan ko at pagkatapos non ay pumasok na ako. My eyes roamed around and when I saw Seah, ay naglakad ako papunta sa table nila.

My legs were quivering as it made it's way to their table. Kinakabahan ako! I don't know why, and how.

"Isla!" Masayang sambit ni Seah nung makita niya ako. Pairs of eyes immediately went to me, and I felt a bit awkward. Aba, sino bang hindi ma-aawkward? When you're a random person walking into the room filled with people who've probably known each other since they were five!

"Uh, hi! To all of you who don't know me, I'm Isla Gabrielle. Just call me Isla." Nakangiting sabi ko at iginiya ako ni Seah para maupo.

"Omg! Ikaw yung nagbabanda dito right?" Biglang sabi nung isang babae na nasa tabi ni Seah.. she's the twin sister of Kade! She has a very intimidating face, pero hindi ko inaasahang ganito ang magiging reaksyon niya pag may nakita siyang salot sa kanilang barkada.

Nang matanto niya na hindi ako makasagot ay humalakhak siya.

"I'm sorry, ako nga pala si Kahlia Daine Madrigal. I'm Kade's twin sister." Pagpapakilala niya. Gosh! Even her name sounds as graceful and intimidating as her. I mentally shook my head and smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you!" Nakangiting sabi ko at ngumiti naman siya sa akin.

"By the way, may gusto ka bang oorderin? We can order it for you." Sabi ni Hugo. Umiling nalang ako at hindi naman siya umangal pa.

"Uhm, so.. if you don't mind. Sino ang mas matandang kambal sa inyo?" Tanong ko, Kahlia sipped on her iced tea before she averted her gaze to me.

"Kade. He's a day older than me." Simpleng sabi niya. A day? Like, paano yun?

"I know, I know. People get confused a lot when I say he's a day older. He was born at 11 PM and I was born an hour after him. So technically, he's a day older." Kaswal na sabi niya na para bang nababasa ang isip ko.

"You?" Tanong pa niya. I creased my forehead and gave her a quizzical look.

"I mean, what about you? Your family? Background?"

"Oh! That, I'm an only child. Graduate ako from Juilliard." Nakita kong napabaling sa akin ang iba nilang kaibigan.

"Really?! Wow, that's impressive. Seah here, is a graduate from NYU! Masters in Journalism!" Nanlaki naman ang mata ko sa kay Seah. NYU is a tough school to get into! Isa din ito sa mga options ko noon pero hindi ko pinursue kasi ang hirap makapasok sa university na iyon.

Nginitian lang ako ni Seah at tumango, confirming that she really is from there. Pasimple siyang inakbayan ni Hugo and she didn't seem to mind him at all. Pag-ibig nga naman.

Iniwas ko nalang ang tingin ko sa kanila at bumaling kay Kahlia. She was casually talking to the man sitting beside her, sino nga yan? Hindi ko nga din kilala, our eyes went to Seah when she stood up and was about to say something.

"Nga pala Isla! Hindi ka pa namin napakilala sa iba. This here is Xavier Atienza, just call him Zave. Si Kade, kilala mo naman iyan." Binigyan siya ng masamang tingin ni Kade pero binalewala lang niya ito.

"Here is Silvester. Call him Silver, at maya-maya pa raw dadating ang balikbayan na kaibigan nila Hugo. As you see, dalawa lang kami ni Kahlia ang babae rito. Pero hindi ka naman namin pinipilit na sumama sa barkada. Kapag kailangan mo ng tulong andito lang kami." I was stunned. I.. I've never really had a certain friend group other than my band. Pero yung constant besties thing? Nope. Never.

I'm never good at keeping best-friendship. In fact I'm really bad at them.

"So you brought me here to recruit me to your barkada?" I didn't mean it to sound bad, pero hindi naman ako magtitiwala agad sa mga taong kakakilala ko lang.

"Nope. We brought you here kasi pag-usapan natin ang kasal ko. But seems like you found company kaya ang pag-uusap dapat natin ay hindi na natuloy." I felt guilty after she said that. She's a good journalist, and the thing about Seah is, magaling siyang mang-hotseat at mag-roast ng mga tao.

"Uhm, sorry. I didn't mean to say it that way." Pagpaumanhin ko, tumango naman siya.

"But Isla. Hindi ka naman namin pinipilit na maging kasama sa barkada, duh! Importante ang tiwala sa magkakaibigan. At kung hindi mo pa kayang maibigay iyon, we don't really mind. Basta kapag kailangan mo kami, were here to help. Kaibigan man ang turi mo sa amin o hindi." Sabi ni Kahlia, at natahimik ako doon.

I will give these guys a shot, hindi man ako kasama sa barkada nila.. ang bait pa rin nila sa akin. But, who knows? Maybe one day, one day..