My Aloof Man

Chapter 37

RUN

Dahan-dahan akong humakbang paatras. Nanghihina. Konti nalang ay bibigay na talaga ako.

Pero bago mangyari iyon ay mabilis akong tumalikod at umalis ng silid. Tinakbo ko ang distansya ng opisina at elevator. Mabuti nalang at nasa palapag pa namin iyon kaya nang pindutin ko ay agad din itong bumukas.

I immediately entered and pressed the button to close it.

I don't know if I should be happy that nobody ran after me. Not Matthew. Not even Brennon.

Brennon...

He didn't even stop me...

He didn't even call for me...

He just... let me leave...

Nang magsimula ng bumaba ang elevator ay doon palang nag-unahang tumulo ang mga luha ko.

Brennon lied to me. He's engaged. He deceived me. He made me believe that he loved me when he's already bound to marry someone else.

Agad kong pinahid ang mga luha nang marinig ko ang pagbukas ng elevator sa unang palapag. Mabuti nalang at wala akong nakasabay dahil paniguradong makakakuha ako ng atensyon sa ayos ko.

I didn't want to show any vulnerability to people I'm not close with.

I made my way to the exit half-running. Wala sa sarili ay pinara ko ang taxi ng kakababa lang ding pasahero.

"Saan po tayo, maam?" tanong ng driver nang simulan niyang paandarin ang sasakyan.

I was about to tell him our address but I didn't know why I gave the address of my best friend's café.

Good thing that my tears stopped falling already. Tulala lamang ako sa likod hanggang sa naramdaman kong huminto na yung sasakyan.

"Nandito na po tayo, maam," ani ng driver.

Napahawak ako sa bulsa ko.

"Shit," I whispered.

I only have my phone with me. Sa pagmamadali kong makaalis sa lugar na yon ay nakalimutan kong bitbitin yung bag ko. My wallet's there with my card and cash.

"Ah... sandali lang po, manong. Hintayin niyo po muna ako dito," sabi ko bago nagmadaling lumabas.

I heard the chime's sound when I pushed the door and entered. I roamed my eyes around to look for Zoe. The café's not too crowded.

"Cinds?"

Napatingin ako sa tumawag. It was Zoe, malapit sa isang customer at mukhang siya ang nag entertain. Parang nagulat pa siya nang makita ako.

When I saw my best friend, that's when I felt my heart twinge again and I started crying.

Agad siyang nagpaalam sa customer at dinaluhan ako.

"Oh my god! What happened?" she asked, worried.

She immediately wrapped me in an embrace the moment she neared me.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" she asked again, panic in her voice.

Kumalas ako sa pagkakayap niya.

"I'll... I'll e-explain later..." I said, sobbing. "Pero p-pwede mo bang b-bayaran muna yung t-taxi? I f-forgot my cash."

"Nag taxi ka?!" she asked in disbelief.

She knew I never liked to ride in a public vehicle.

"Oh sige sige... Doon muna tayo sa office ko," sabi niya bago nag tawag ng isang staff niya para bayaran yung iniwan kong taxi sa labas.