How to Avoid Heartbreaks

Prologue

"London!" napaigtad ako sa gulat nang sumigaw ang kaibigan. I focused my eyes on my friend who was on the screen of my phone.

I didn't know why I called her but I guess it has something to do with the fact that I'm about to have a meeting with my ex-boyfriend and I need someone to pep-talk me.

"You can do it!" she cheered. "Ba't ka ba kinakabahan? Wala ka namang ginawang masama sa kaniya."

Tumango-tango ako at inayos ang damit bago nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Kahit alam ko namang wala dapat akong ikakaba at ikatakot, ang pagkakaroon ng pangamba ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasan. We haven't seen each other in years and the thought of meeting him after everything that has happened to us bothered me.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken this project. I thought.

"Are you a hundred percent sure that you're meeting with him?" tanong ng kaibigan. Dahil sa narinig, bigla akong napaisip.

I've been told that I will meet with the project manager and some representatives from the Alvarez group. Sa dinami-rami ng mga tauhan sa kompanya nila, imposibleng sasama siya sa meeting. Besides, who knows if he's still working for their family company anyways?

"You know what, maybe I'm just overthinking again," I admitted. "No one said I'm meeting up with him so I should go to that meeting because the guy who left me won't be there!"

"Yes. Now, go!" anang kaibigan at pinatay na ang tawag.

Huminga ako ng malalim at mahinang tinampal-tampal ang pisngi. Walang nagsabi na siya ang kameeting ko ngayon ngunit kung ano-ano na ang iniisip ko.

Maybe it's because I'm still mad at him for what he did or... I don't know...

Maybe you're scared that if you'll see him, you'll fall for his charms agains. A part of my mind said.

I shook my head, shrugging that thought off. I brought my eyes to the plate bearing the conference room number and took another deep breath before entering the room.

My heart thumped loudly when I saw only one person. I had to go back outside to double-check if I'm in the right conference room. And I am! But why am I only seeing a single person in here?

"Oh my gosh," I whispered to myself when I realized what's going on. I could recognize the man even if it's his back that's facing me.

Unti-unting humarap ang lalaki at lalo akong kinabahan. Dumoble ang tibok ng puso ko at parang mahihimatay ako sa kaba.

Please, please, not him.

In a blink, he was already facing me with a serious look on his face. Both hands were in his pockets as his eyes met mine's. A sheet of sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling window bathed him, highlighting his warm complexion and his eyes that I always admired.

I didn't know if it was the fact that I'm alone with my ex-boyfriend whom I haven't spoken with in years, or the sudden sense of familiarity that washed over me that I started walking towards him, examining his features and noting every change I noticed.

With his towering stance and serious eyes, he looked dashing yet intimidating—wait, why am I complimenting him?

"Shall we start now or you're still not done checking me out, Engineer Farello?" The brute asked with a smirk as he made himself comfortable on the swivel chair.

Damn you, Orion Vero Alvarez!

I raised a brow and sat on the opposite chair. "I thought I'm meeting with some representatives from your company?"

"You are," he answered nonchalantly and shrugged. "That's why I'm here."

"I-I thought..."

"I guess you thought wrong," aniya at pinatong ang dalawang siko sa mesa at tinuon ang buong pansin sa akin.

Since wala naman akong magagawa dahil nandito na kami, nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at kinuha ang laptop para maiconnect iyon sa projector. Hindi umalis ang kaniyang mga mata sa akin ngunit hindi ko iyon pinansin at ipinagpatuloy na lang ang pag-asikaso ng projector.

"Life is full of surprises talaga," bulong ko sa sarili, hindi pa rin makapaniwala na siya ang ka-meeting ko ngayon.

"Whether we like it or not, sometimes life surprises us and the unexpected happens," he stated.

Mahina ang pagkakasabi ko niyon ngunit narinig pala niya. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at dumagdag pa talaga!

"It's not like we can always control our situations, Engineer Farello. Sometimes, we have to do the unexpected to make things better," aniya sa mahinang boses. Hindi ko alam kung guni-guni ko lang ito pero parang may kung anong kalungkutan sa tono ng pananalita niya. "I'm sure you can relate to that."

Pinagsasabi nito? Siyempre makaka-relate ako dahil unexpected ang pag-alis mo!

Na surprise kayo ako nung iniwan mo 'ko!

Imbes na sagutin siya, sinimulan ko na lang ang meeting at baka humaba pa ang usapan at mag-away kami. We discussed important matters regarding the contract and the project itself. We also scheduled our future meetings together with the other heads of their company and my team.

He looked so serious as he proposed some designs he wanted for the condominiums while I was busy staring at him. I couldn't help but notice how professional he is.

How can he just act normally as if nothing happened between us? He acts so cool while I was on the verge of having a meltdown. Parang mamatay na ako sa kalooban dahil sa awkwardness na nararamdaman.

I honestly can't believe him! Maybe it's because he never really cared about me? Or he did, but it was a fleeting and shallow one? Or maybe he just moved on while I remained bitter and stuck?

But then, it's not his fault that I'm feeling uneasy with his presence. It's my fault for not moving on; for allowing myself to cling to our memories.

If only I followed those damn rules, I wouldn't be in this situation.

Funny because I made rules for my friends and for myself on how to avoid heartbreaks. Pero ako mismo na gumawa nun, hindi sumunod. Kaya heto ako, kahit ilang taon na ang nakalipas, may hinanakit pa rin ako sa kaniya.

I broke my heart by rebelling against my rules.

I broke my heart by not following my list on how to avoid heartbreaks.