Last Summer

36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

"You can submit the file later. You have two hours." I told my secretary. It has been over a week since our trip to Cebu. Isang linggo na rin kaming hindi nag-uusap ni Sage. Halos hindi na ako nagpapahinga para ma-distract ako sa pangungulila ko sa presensya niya. 

"Yes, ma'am." Ngumiti ang sekretarya ko at lumabas na. 

I attended several meetings since I've been away for four days. Hindi na ako umuuwi ng Laguna kahit na nandoon ang mga kapatid ko. I don't eat meals on time and sometimes I skip them. I was trying so hard to distract myself from feeling lonely because I was longing for his presence. 

"Excuse me, ma'am. You have a visitor." My secretary told me. I massaged my temples before nodding. My head hurts. 

"Alejandra!" Gulat kong sigaw nang bumungad si Ali na nakangiti. 

"Don't call me that. Ew lang." Maarte niyang sinabi. She sat down on the sofa, adjacent to my desk. 

"Why are you here?" Kumunot ang noo ko. She doesn't usually visit me in my office. I wonder what's gotten into her.

"We're all concerned. Sabi ng secretary mo hindi ka na daw kumakain at puyat kapa palagi. Are you trying to kill yourself, Gabriella?" Galit niyang tugon. 

I felt sorry for making them worried. 

"I, I have a lot to finish. I'm busy. It's just sometimes I forget to eat." I gave her an apologetic smile. "You can stop worrying..."

"Pangako mo 'yan, ah! Kapag nalaman kong pinapabayaan mo na naman ang sarili mo, bibigwasan kita." Pagbabanta niya. I laughed at her because she was trying to act all tough, she even made a fist in the air. 

"Oo na nga..." I was still laughing. 

"Oh, sige na. I have to go." She stood up and grabbed her bag. "I came by to threaten you." She raised a brow and did a hair flip. She's crazy.

Napailing nalang ako at pinagtuonan ng pansin laptop ko. My mails are overflowing. Nalilito na ako sa kung ano ang una kong babasahin. 

Everyone has already gone home and yet, here I am, still inside my office. It's already 11:08 in the evening. Mukhang kailangan ko nang umuwi or else my mom will scold me again for oppressing myself. 

I stood up and walked towards the elevator. Napakapit ako sa railings sa elevator dahil medyo  nahilo ako. I closed my eyes for a minute before opening them again. Napabuntong-hininga nalang ako.

When I got home, all the lights were all turned off. Dumiretso ako sa kusina para uminom ng tubig. Hindi pa rin nawawala ang pagkahilo ko. Pumunta na ako sa kwarto ko at naligo. After taking a bath, I flopped myself on the bed and slept.