EZH #5: Hope Tuason [ON GOING]

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

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It has been three days after the dinner and Hope incident and since then, I haven't seen any of them.

Parang nagkasundo sila na maglaho muna from the face of the Earth for a while kasi wala silang sinabihan kung ano bang plano nila or kahit anon ginagawa nila. Even Miggy didn't have an idea about what they were up to since Asher hasn't contacted her din since.

Which was... a little terrifying. Imagine being worried about people who could just vanish from your life without leaving a trace if they wanted to. Technically it wasn't their fault because they're entitled to their own decisions. But still. Mapipigil ba talaga 'yung sarili na mag-alala?

Kasi sa tatlong araw na wala silang paramdam, puro pag-aalala lang halos ang laman ng isip ko.

Kailangan ko talaga na pigilin nang sobra ang sarili ko na pumunta sa unit nila para mangamusta or anything. Feeling ko kasi wala akong karapatan na pumunta roon unannounced. Plus, even Miggy wasn't going there to check on them considering the fact that she was working for Asher.

Kung si Miggy nga na may reasonable enough na dahilan para pumunta roon ay hindi pumupunta, ano pa akong nag-aalala lang naman?

But the thought didn't really left my mind. Gusto ko lang talaga malaman kung okay lang ba si Tim kasi mukhang sobrang nag-aala rin siya kay Hope noong gabing iyon. Kung okay na ba si Hope, if ayos na ba ang lagay niya ngayon.

And I wasn't even just worried about Tim or Hope alone, I was worried for all of them in general. We were like a big group of friends now with how much Miggy and I hung out in their place.

At this point, di ko na talaga alam kung di pa ba talaga kami maituturing na friends that were close enough to worry about each other.

"I'm so bored." Miggy groaned, nakahiga sa sofa rito sa loob ng office ko at nakangusong naglalaro sa kanyang phone.

I scoffed playfully, trying to cheer her up a little. Ayaw kong makita ni Miggy na affected din ako as much as she was. Maybe more. Kasi unlike Miggy, hindi naman ako in denial sa feelings ko.

"Ang sabihin mo, nami-miss mo na si Asher." Pang-aasar ko sa kanya. Mabilis na napabangon si Miggy, nakanguso pa rin.

"Ow." She whined, holding her head. Ayan, nabigla yata siya sa bilis niyang bumangon bigla e kanina pa siya diyan nakahiga. "Stop saying nonsense."

Napairap na lang ako. When would she realize? Gosh.

Kapag nandyan si Asher, nare-reklamo siya na sobrang clingy raw. Kapag wala naman, hahanap hanapin.

Cute talaga ni Atena Miguel.

"But aminin mo, nakaka-miss din ang presence ng mga burgis." Tipid ang ngiti na sabi ko, pinipilit na huwag masyadong ipahalata ang lungkot sa boses ko.

Miggy hummed, nasa phone pa rin ang atensyon.

"Well you won't be missing them anymore." She answered. Mabilis na napatingin ako sa kanya.

"Don't joke like that, Migs." Halos desperadang sabi ko na. Parang nakalimutan ko bigla iyong plano ko na 'wag ipahalata kay Miggy na sobrang apektado ako noong radio silence nila Timothy.

He could really manage to turn me around a hundred sixty degrees by just a mere mention of him.

Hell, even just the implication of him was enough to make my heartbeat run like a racing horse in my ribcage.

Miggy frowned. Umirap siya at natatawang tumayo na.

"Sige, suit yourself or whatever." Hinila niya pababa iyong dulo ng pantalon niya na na-stretch na paakyat sa kanyang hita sa kakahiga niya. "Labas na ako." Lumakad na siya papunta sa pinto. Nakasunod lamang ang tingin ko sa kanya, hindi malaman kung ano ang ire-react dahil wala rin naman akong maintindihan sa ikinikilos ni Miggy. Binuksan niya ang pinto at akmang lalabas na nang lumingon siya sa akin. "May nag-aatay kasi sa akin sa labas, parang mga burgis yata."