She Devil

Chapter 9

I woke up to the same routine. Same office, same people, same dull buzz of the air conditioning. Pero ngayong araw, may kakaibang pakiramdam. Something feels off. Ang lakas ng tahimik na hangin sa paligid. I sit in my chair, staring at my computer screen, but I can't focus. I can't think straight. All I can think about is Amara.

Hindi ko pa rin matanggap na after that argument, she just disappeared. Walang text. Walang email. Wala ni isang word from her. Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari. One minute, she was here staring at me with that burning intensity I couldn't shake off. And the next, nothing. Para bang nawala siya sa ere. And that's what's killing me.

Ang tanga ko. Bakit ba ako ganito? Gusto ko siyang bigyan ng space pero hindi ko magawa dahil gusto ko siyang makita. Alam ko na galit siya. Pero bakit ganun? Bakit parang nag-iba siya o dahil hindi ko lang siya talaga siya kilala?

I press my fingers against my temples, trying to ease the headache that's slowly starting to crawl up my head. It's been two days, but the silence is deafening. I don't know if I'm supposed to reach out or just let it be. But my gut is telling me that it's not right. Something's wrong. Amara's not someone who just disappears like that.

I grab my phone, hoping there's some sort of update, a message, anything. But nothing. Not a single notification. It's like she's erased herself from my life. Hindi ko na kayang maghintay pa. I dialed her number again. Nothing. No answer.

My eyes flick to the calendar on my desk. I have a meeting in an hour, but I can't get her out of my mind. The mention of Lorraine it haunts me. Every time I think about it, my mind goes into overdrive. Lorraine. What does she have to do with Amara? That name it carries weight, something darker.

I pick up my phone again, searching for something. Anything. But it's useless. There's nothing. I keep thinking did I miss something? Was there a sign I didn't see? I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I can't stop.

I need to get out of here. Clear my head. Hindi ko kayang mag-isip ng maayos sa loob ng opisina na to.

I stand up abruptly, walking out of my office and heading for the exit. I barely even notice the people around me as I walk through the hall, the buzz of chatter and the hum of the office fading into the background. My mind is consumed by Amara. By the way she looked at me when I pushed her about Lorraine. By the way she disappeared without a trace.

I step outside and the harsh sunlight hits me in the face. For a moment, I stand there, letting the warmth settle over me. Pero even with the sun on my skin, I still feel cold. It's that empty, hollow feeling in my chest. The feeling of something being wrong.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. A notification. I look at it, hopeful that it's from her. But no. It's just an email. From work. I curse under my breath. Walang kwenta.

I continue walking, my thoughts spiraling. I need to figure this out. I can't just let it go. But what if I'm making things worse? What if this is all my fault?

I end up in a nearby café, hoping the change of scenery will help. But it doesn't. I sip my coffee absently, staring out the window. People around me are chatting, laughing, lost in their own worlds. But I'm not. Hindi ko kayang mag-focus sa kahit ano. My mind is stuck on one person.

Amara. What the actual fuck you're doing to me?

It's been three days. Still nothing. I haven't heard from Amara, and I'm starting to lose it. Every text, every call goes unanswered. I keep telling myself that maybe I should just let it be. Maybe I pushed her too far. Maybe this is her way of telling me to stay out of her business. But something deep inside me won't let it go. I can't shake off the feeling that I'm missing something.