Love In Progress

Chapter 7

Like

Kinagabihan, pagkabalik ko sa condo, nakatulog ako kaagad dahil sa pagod. Arguing with someone na sobrang kulit really drains your energy.

Ang lala, hangang panaginip ko nag sasagutan kami, kaya pagkagising ko ang sakit ng ulo.

When I checked my phone, I saw a message in my Facebook. From the weirdo.

From Flint, 6:00AM

I'm taking the shuttle today with you. Please wait for me. Sa sakayan na tayo magkita. 😊

I sighed. My head hurts. Sure enough, pagkadating ko sa sakayan, nandoon na siya.

"Morning!" he said raising one of his hands to greet me.

I promised myself that I will not argue with him today. I will just ignore this annoying person.

Sumakay kami sa shuttle, at dahil medyo nalate ako ng dating sa araw na ito, wala nang maupuan. We must stand in the aisle.

Me being a short human being, kailangan kong itaas yung buong kamay ko para maabot ang hand rail. So I didn't bother holding the hand rail, I just spread my legs a little bit para makapagbalance.

"Sa akin kana humawak." He probably knows that I won't do it kaya siya na mismo ang kumuha ng kamay ko at inilagay niya yun sa braso niya. I rolled my eyes at him.

Mabilis lang naman ang byahe papuntang company. Tahimik lang na naglalakad sa tabi ko si Flint. Mapacorridor o elevator, people keep stealing glances at him – at me? -him and me, basta, sa banda namin.

That's one thing I hate being with him, masyado siyang nakakaattract ng attention, people are so curious about this executive intern, probably the heir to the Hernandez Group. Meanwhile, me, I really don't like being the center of attention, I feel uncomfortable when people stare at me.

Another reason why we can't be together.

Pinalo ko ang ulo ko nang narealize ang iniisip. Wth was I thinking?

Nang nakarating kami sa Strategic Department, nandoon na sina Ellie at John.

"Hi!!" Tili ni Ellie nang nakita ako at nihug. Namataan niya si Flint sa likod "Nandito ka nanaman Flint?"

Napatingin din si John sa kanya "Oo nga, why do keep hanging out with us?"

"Mischa broke my glasses. Hindi pa ako nakakabili ng bago and I can't see clearly so she's helping me." he blurted out na parang nagsusumbong sa magulang na may kumuha ng candy niya.

I glared at him. "It's not. it was your fault."

"Partly yes, but also because the girl I like is here."

Parehong nanlaki ang mga mata ni John at Ellie. Agad na hinila ni John si Ellie at nilagay sa likod niya. "She's taken." Defensive niyang sabi.

"I know." Flint simply answered.

"You mean it's...." sabay tingin sakin.

Flint simply smiled and walked away. Samantala, hinilot ko ang sentido ko "Wag kayo maniniwala sa mga sinasabi niyan. He's just joking. Everything he says is just a joke."

Nagkatinginan sina Eliie at John. "What exactly happened yesterday?"

Pumunta ako sa comfort room para makapaghilamos. Such an annoying person early in the morning. How could he be so blunt about everything na parang joke lang lahat.

Habang nasa cubicle ako, may dalawang babae ang pumasok. Lalabas na sana ako nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko.

"Hindi, ang narinig ko naman yung intern daw sa strategic. Mischa daw yung pangalan." Ani ng babae.

"Talaga? Ano sabi? Akala ko yung sa marketing kasi nakita daw silang kumain sa labas."

"Palagi daw'ng nagdadala ng pagkain yun sa strategic eh. May jowa na yung isang intern doon, kaya malamang doon yung sa kay Mischa pumoporma."

"Ah oo, sabay pa nga daw silang pumasok ngayong umaga. Sila na kaya?"

"Grabe ang swerte naman, ang yaman ng boyfriend. Tagapag-mana ng malaking kumpanya."

"Ano kaba girl, malay mo hinohotel lang yan." Sabay halakhak nilang dalawa.

"Tama nanga yan" sabi ng isa pa "baka may makarinig pa sainyo. Nakakahiya."

Lumabas ako nang umalis sila. I feel sad about this hindi dahil sa mga sinabi nila tungkol sakin kundi dahil sa society natin ngayon, people believe so easily in fake news. May marinig lang na chismis, ikwekwento agad sa kaibigan at dadagdagan pa ng sariling version.

Sa daming version na nadagdag wala nang katotohanan sa totoong nangyari. And why is it that some people still have the stigma na kapag magkasama and isang lalaki at isang babae, inaassume na may romantic relationship agad? Hindi ba pwedeng sibilings, cousins or friends? 

"Oh my gosh, Mish?" napalingon ako sa kakalabas lang sa isa pang cubicle na si Eliie.

"You heard everything too?"

I nodded.

"Tsk. Rule no. 1 in gossiping inside the CR, check the cubicles if they're empty. Should I email that to them?" she said to make me feel better.

"Come on, chingu-ya. Do you want to talk about it?" she dragged me out papunta sa cafeteria.

"Here's for you." Sabay lapag ng coffee. "So, I know that Flint likes you, first meeting palang he was already hitting on you. How about you? What do you think of him?"

"He's annoying, pushy, overconfident, uncomfortable, prankster, sobrang kulit at maingay. Everyone shamelessly stares and talks about you kapag kasama mo siya. He's that uncomfortable to be with." I took a sip of the coffee.

"However, he is also observant, he takes care of you, he has a nice smile and he has a good sense of humor." Napangiwi ako sa sariling sinabi. I can't believe I'm this honest and open right now.

She looked at me. "Okay... I remember you saying 'not available' ka, are there deeper reasons?" she cautiously said "Don't worry if you're uncomfortable sharing it, it's okay. I won't force you."

I smiled. Knowing that there is a friend like her that understands me makes my heart full. "Please keep it a secret." I said kahit na alam ko namang she will do.

"I'm actually bound for to marry someone else. Arranged marriage. I don't wanna be liking someone else before that. I want to protect my heart."

Her jaw literally dropped open "In this decade? May ganun pa? Won't you try fighting for your own love? Lalo na if you found someone worth it?"

"I don't know... We'll see, I guess?" I smiled, reassuring her that I'm alright.

That's the fact. I don't know. May mga previous manliligaw ako pero when I reject them, they move on. I don't know if Flint is just playing around or what. I don't know how far he'll dig through my heart.

I will try to protect my heart as much as I can from him, like an insurance, na if it turns out he's just playing, I won't have a big hole in my heart.