Once There Was A Twist

MCG 25

CHAPTER 25: A DAY OF SUFFERING

I WAS on my way to the office now. Matapos ang nangyari kahapon ay parang nawalan na ako ng ganang pumasok pero wala pa akong malilipatan. Isa pa, mahirap maghanap ng trabaho lalo na at may pinapagawa akong bahay. Kailangan ko ng pera kasi wala naman akong maasahan bukod sa sarili ko.

Medyo natuwa  ako nang konti kaninang umaga dahil naabutan na naman ako ng parehong taxi na sinakyan ko kahapon.

Pagkarating ko doon ay nakita ko kaagad si Fretz sa may labasan. I asked him to come because I want to talk to him about something. Sabi niya, sa cafe malapit sa opisina namin na lang kami magkita. The exact place where Vaughnn and I talked the first time he went to our office.

May dala pa siyang bulaklak. The very same flower he sent without a name before. Tahimik kaming pumasok sa cafe at alam kong napapansin niya iyon.

"Okey ka lang ba? Matamlay ka yata," tanong niya. He was really so gentle, a very nice man. I couldn't ask for more.

"Fretz, I. . . I want to tell you something," panimula ko. I'm not sure about what I'm feeling but I'd rather not give him false hope. That's why I've made a decision.

"What is it?" he asked. He smiled at me as an assurance that he will be fine. That gave me strength to speak.

"I think, you should stop courting me," I said. My tear suddenly fell when I saw a glimmer of pain passing through his eyes.

"I respect your decision, Han. But I just can't stop liking you. I know it will take time to move on pero sana, hayaan mo muna  ako," he replied softly. Mas lalo tuloy akong naluha dahil doon. Hindi man lang siya nagtanong kung bakit. Indeed, he had a good heart, too understanding, even in pain.

"Please don't cry. It's okey," he said. Halo-halong emosyon ang nararamdaman ko. He gave me the flowers which I hesitated to accept but he insisted. Nasasaktan siya,nakikita at nararamdaman ko 'yon. It hurts me even more to think that I am the reason.

"Han, tahan na. It was just how the world is. We can't have anything we want. 'Wag mo na akong alalahanin, it's just a heartache. Hindi naman iyon nakakamatay," saad niya. Ngumiti pa siya pero hindi iyon umabot sa mga mata niya.

Pinunasan ko ang mga luha ko. "I. . . I'll understand if you would never want to see me for now. But please forgive me." My voice was low as if I have no strength left within me. Lalo lang din akong nanghihina kapag naiisip ko ang problema sa opisina. I will get blamed. Very soon.

"Oh no, I will still be a friend of yours. It's not your fault," he replied. Why was he so kind to me? Do I even deserve this?

"I think you must have liked this flower so much. Jimma told me that it was the first flower someone ever sent to you at your office."

I stared at him, addled by his sentence. Kung hindi sa kanya, kanino pala nanggaling ang mga bulaklak na 'yon?

"They say Red Tulip is an expression of first love."

And with that statement, one man came into my mind. And I had all the answers I'm looking for.

HINDI KO alam kung paano ako nakarating sa opisina. All I know was---I'm inside an elevator.

Alright, here goes nothing again.

The worst part was, Jimma wasn't even here. Nakakapanibago. It seems like I'm looking for some comfort that would make me feel better.

Pakiramdam ko, sasabog na ako. And the doubts was even stronger.

I breath a couple of times, convinced myself that everything is gonna be alright. Pero mapagbiro talaga ang panahon, kasabay ng paglabas ko ay ang pagdaan ni Vaughnn, katabi si Vie, ang CEO at si Drea. Kitang-kita ko ang ngisi sa mukha ng huli habang naglalakad. Vaughnn was looking at me dimly and that Vie woman was smiling.