Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 31

#CTG31 Chapter 31

"I told you, you don't need to do this," sabi ko sa kanya habang ipinapatong niya sa lamesa ko iyong maliit na thermal bag. It's been the 5th day of this so called set-up—o kung anuman ito. Every morning, Iñigo would come to my unit and bring me food for breakfast and lunch. And then come dinner, pumupunta siya dito sa unit para magsaing. So fucking weird of him... yet it's... cute. He's really like a puppy.

"Part of the contract," he said, smiling. Back to sunshine boy.

Lumapit ako at sinilip kung ano iyong pagkain na dinala niya. I frowned when I saw what it was. "Mukha ba akong garden? Bakit puro damo 'to?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Spinach 'yan. Good for iron deficiency daw," he said, closing the container once again. "May orange din d'yan sa loob para sa vitamins."

I rolled my eyes. It's like Iñigo turned into my mom.

"Ubusin mo, okay? Hirap kaya iluto niyan."

"Sino ba nagsabing magluto ka? Fastfood lang okay na ako."

"Fastfood my ass," he replied. "Our contract clearly states that I'm in-charge of your food, Viste, so you'll eat whatever I feed you."

Iñigo was holding a banana and if this happened back then during our I'll-pull-you-in-the-abandoned-auditorium-and-we'll-makeoutphase, he'd be having the time of his life teasing me about it... But we're in a different place now. I couldn't exactly pinpoint where we're at, but it's okay. One problem at a time.

"What's that?" I asked when I saw another thermal bag on the table.

"Ah... dinner mo," sabi niya.

I pursed my lips. That's new. I wanted to confirm na hindi siya pupunta dito mamaya para sabay kaming magdinner... but that would make things weird. I was okay with our set-up right now. I was okay with how smooth things were. There's no space for complication—not with BAR exam looming around the corner.

"Di ako makaka-punta mamaya," he simply said.

"Okay," I simply responded.

Ganon lang.

Simple.

Iñigo stayed while waiting for me to finish preparing for the review center. Malapit lang naman iyong building kaya sinabayan niya akong maglakad. I didn't feel as sad as before—hindi kaya nung mga araw na palagi akong nakakakita ng magboyfriend na sabay naglalakad. This actually felt nice... to be with someone. To be someone's priority—even for a while.

"Wag mo na akong puntahan next week," I said.

"Bakit na naman?" tanong niya na naka-kunot ang noo.

"Finals mo, 'di ba?"

His lips parted. "Oo nga pala..."

"Baliw ka ba? 'Di mo naalala?"

He scratched the back of his head. "Alam ko," sagot niya. "Medyo nalimutan ko lang. Sabay kasi si Atty. Cabo at Atty. Buenasher na maraming pinapagawa sa 'kin."

"Sabihin mo kaya sa kanila na finals mo? Marami namang paralegal sa office."

He smiled. "Nah, it's fine. Patapos naman na ko."

"Focus on your finals."

He grinned. "Naks... concerned?"

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

Humalakhak siya. "If this were like before, I'd tease about you liking me... but we're strictly on a 'contract' basis now, right?"

I ignored that. We're really good right now. The complication could wait after I finish the exam. Pagkatapos ng exam, we could be as complicated as we want... not now. May BAR ako; may finals siya. We needed to focus on the goal.