Next to You (COMPLETED)

6 - Bagay

I can't name what I am feeling now because of my cousin's revelation. Hindi si Colton ang boyfriend nya. Ang ibig sabihin, napagkamalan ko lang sya noon. Bakit naman hindi niya ako itinama noong time na yun. He can tell me right there and then that I have mistaken him for someone else. And now with this, all those confusion as to why he did not know where Tonie's place is was answered. Of course, hindi nya talaga alam kasi nga, hindi naman pala siya ang boyfriend ng pinsan ko. Kaya pala he never once mentioned him and he did not even speak that time.

Nakatingin pa din ako kay Colton, na apparently ay TL pala ni Tonie. Naalala ko na din ngayon na talagang sa letter J nag-uumpisa ang name ng boyfriend niya.

My cousin walked towards his TL and asked for apologies. Should I also apologize? May pagkakamali din ba ako? In my defense, I really thought he is Tonie's boyfriend and as far as I can remember, he did not contradict anything I said that day. I also heard Tonie explaining to his teammates na may misunderstanding. Na hindi totoo ang sinabi ko na si sir Colton nila ang boyfriend nya. Wala pa din kasi talagang nakakakilala kung sino ang bf niya since he never revealed his identity to anyone. As of now, what we just know is his name. Jordan, that's his boyfriend's name. Letter J nga! Ang layo sa Colton! Mirianne naman!

I now recalled bakit nga ba hindi ko vinerify noon kung siya ba talaga ang taong susundo sa akin. Only one reason came to my mind. My call of nature incident. Yes, ang pagsakit ng tiyan ko at pagmamadali kong makauwi ang salarin na eventually ay nawala din naman.

Nakita kong isinama ni Tonie ang boss niya palapit sa akin. Pagdating nila sa harapan ko, inutusan naman ako ng pinsan kong mag-apologize.

"Mag sorry ka ngayon din. Nakakaloka ka. Kung kani-kanino ka nakikisabay tapos di mo naman kilala."

Di naman muna ako nagsalita dahil di ko talaga alam ang sasabihin ko. Ano ba dapat ipaliwanag ko?

"Sir, bale ano. Pinsan ko po siya, galing sa Manila branch natin tapos nag-apply sa internal hiring sa IT department. Si Mirriane, sir," pakilala sa akin ng pinsan ko.

The Colton guy looked at me before speaking.

"Yeah. Tanda ko pangalan nya. Mirianne Ava Hernan, right?"

Napataas naman ang kilay ng pinsan ko dahil full name ko ang alam ng boss nya. Well, I really did gave him my full name last time sa airport.

Eventually, I realized that I should really apologize. Everything was really a misunderstanding. And it was an honest mistake on my part.

"Sir Colton, sorry po. Di ko talaga sinasadya yun. That time kasi nagmamadali na akong makauwi. Sakto naman kasi kayo sa description ng pinsan ko sa susundo sa akin. Same car din. Pasensya na po for the misunderstanding."

"Ah, bale... pasensya na din po sa pagsasabi ko na boyfriend kayo ng pinsan ko."

I guess that should do right? I mean, I think wala naman dapat maging problema pa. The Colton guy just nodded and my cousin, I guess to kind of make up for what happened, invited him to sit with us for lunch. Pumayag naman si Colton and my cousin then went ahead to buy himself and his boss a meal. Ililibre nalang daw niya si Colton para makabawi in a way sa nangyari ngayon at pa-thank you na rin daw sa paghatid sa akin last Sunday.

Colton and I were then left sa table. Honestly, nahihiya ako sa kanya because of that incident. Normally, I can strike a conversation pero ngayon parang ayaw ko nalang magsalita. Baka kasi magkamali na naman ako or anything. My plan is to keep mum and wait for my cousin but Colton initiated a talk.

"Why did you decide to move here? Hindi ba mas maganda sa Manila?"

"Hmmm. Well parang promotion din naman po yung nangyari sa akin paglipat ko dito. Also, just want a new environment na din. New people.

He chuckled before responding at napatingin naman ako sa kanya.

"Wag ka na mag po sa akin. Di mo naman ako boss. Actually, yung team ko, sinasabihan ko din na hindi na need mag sir or mag po. Parang nakakatanda kasi pag may ganun."

Dahil di ko alam ang sasabihin ko, ngumiti at tumango nalang ako sa kanya. Looking at him, mukhang nasa same age naman kami. My cousin is just a year younger than me naman.

Buti nalang bumalik na din ang pinsan ko. We then silently ate and yung pinsan ko naman nagkwento about sa island trip nya. After a while, nagpaalam na din si Colton na mauuna nang bumalik sa loob.

"Una na ako sa inyo. I need to attend a call in 15 minutes."

"Ay ok sir. Pasensya ka na ulit," my cousin said.

"Don't mention that. It's nothing." After that, he then looked at me.

"It's nice seeing you again, Mirianne. Welcome, and I hope you'll enjoy your stay here at magustuhan mo din magwork dito sa branch."

"Ah thank you, sir."

"Hmm, sir again?" he said and smirked a bit.

"Ahmm. I mean, Colton. And salamat pala ulit nung Sunday."

"Alright. I'll go now. See you around."

He then left and my cousin looked at me with a mischievous smirk on his lips.

"What?"

"I can sense something. Parang may spark kayo ni sir."

"Gaga. Spark ka diyan. You know my plan, right? No more boys."

"Pero come to think of it, bakit kaya di niya sinabi sayo noon na hindi siya yung sundo mo. I mean, he can easily tell you that."

Nagkibit balikat lang ako dahil hindi ko din alam. But truthfully, nakaka-curious din talaga.

My cousin had a wide smile on his face na para bang may kalokohang nafo-formulate sa utak nya.

"Alam mo, bagay kayo. Ang babaeng laging nasasaktan at ang lalaking laging nababasted," he said sabay tawa.

Natawa ako sa sinabi nya at napa-isip din. Laging nababasted ang lalaking yun? Bakit naman kaya? Anyway, wala akong pakialam. Hindi ako pumunta sa lugar na ito para maghanap ng lovelife. Ayoko nang masaktan pa.

Single forever n tayo 'di ba, Ava?