Courts and Constructions

Chapter 17

Hi! Sorry for the late update. :< Last week was our pre-lims week so I was really busy. Hope you'll understand!

"I have no idea, Mr. Atienza. This is my first time meeting her." he said in a monotone. I felt a sting in my heart upon hearing those words, but maybe he already forgot about me, ilang taon na rin 'yon at hindi ko siya masisisi kung pinili niya talagang kalimutan ako.

He looks really serious and very intimidating unlike before when he has this playful and light aura. Lahat naman ng tao nagbabago, magkakaiba na lang siguro kung  mabuti o masamang pagbabago  ba ang nangyari. In our case, I think we both grew and developed apart, we changed for our own sake.

I composed myself then faked a cough to release the nervous feeling and erase the silent and awkward atmosphere covering us. "Mr. Atienza, shall we?" sabi ko at itinuro ang mga upuan para makapagsimula na kami.

"As I was saying..." pagpapatuloy ni Mr. Atienza sa sinasabi niya nang maantala dahil dumating na ang mga pagkain. I maintained my professional disposition to hide the nervousness I feel inside. Hindi ako makatingin sa gawi niya at itinuon ang pansin kay Mr. Atienza, ayokong magtama ang paningin namin sa hindi ko malamang dahilan.

We continued talking until we finished the food served to us and closed our deal. Mr. Atienza is a friendly businessman and he crack jokes sometimes which helped me get through this evening. Nang matapos ang agenda namin para sa gabing ito ay pumunta na kami sa kanya-kanyang sasakyan at sa kasamaang palad magkatabi pa ang sasakyan namin.

I was watching his every move until he opened his car door, I tried saying something but no words came out, he might've felt my stare so he raised his brow and asked, "Are you going to say something, Engr."

Nagulat ako sa tanong niya kaya hindi ako agad nakapagsalita, umiling ako at ngumiti, "Drive safely, Atty." I saw him nod before I went inside my car and watched him drive away.

Nang hindi ko na makita ang sasakyan niya ay naramdaman ko ang pagbagsak ng luha sa mga mata 'ko. I never cried because of our break-up, I didn't even cried  when I went to New York and saw my mother's corpse. My family convinced me to have therapy sessions but that didn't changed anything.

Everything hurts that time that it made me numb. Walang luhang lumabas sa'kin no'n, I was just staring at my mom's dead body, unable to accept that she's already gone. Ang bilis ng pangyayari.

"Navi..." humihikbi pa ako habang sinasabi 'yon nang sagutin ni Navi ang tawag ko.

"Are you crying?! Where are you?!" nagpa-panic niyang tanong nang marinig ako.

"Nasa kotse." sabi ko. Nalimutan ko kung nasaan ako kaya 'yon lang ang nasabi ko.

"Saan nga? Parang sira kausap." sabi naman niya, naiinis na. Sinabi ko naman kung nasaan ako at sinabi niyang pupuntahan niya raw ako. I don't have the energy to drive.

While waiting for Navi, I was just crying in my car and I can't stop, I don't know if I'll be able to stop. Maya-maya ay may kumatok sa bintana ng kotse ko at nakitang si Navi 'yon kaya binuksan ko na ang pintuan at lumabas.