Sooner

Chapter 9

Eye contact of jealousy

Zoe's POV

Dad is starting to drive the van. Matagal-tagal siguro kami makaka rating dahil sa sobrang traffic. I felt the coldness because of the aircon, at lalo na't katabi ko si Ali at Drake. I feel so uncomfortable.

Plano kong ipababa ang aircon para naman maiwasan ako dahil nilalamigan na talaga ako.

I started reaching it when Ali and Drake are reaching the aircon, kaya hindi ko na tinuloy.

As a bestfriend of Ali, gagawin niyang ipababa ang aircon para sa'kin, while Drake, he will do it for me as his VP.

"Let me do it for her" sabi ni Ali. He look so annoyed of Drake.

"No, I'm a Dr. and she's a VP. As a respect, let me do it for her" respect? Ngayon ko lang yun narinig sakanya ah?

"L-let me-" di'ko natapos ang aking sasabihin when kuya Zack reach it for me, thank God.

"Be gentle boys, baka ma trauma ang kapatid ko sa mga pinang gagawa niyo" trauma? He's kidding.

"Thanks kuya, don't worry about me. Hindi ako ma trautrauma, and never dahil lang sa mga lalake" I smiled after saying that while Ali and Drake is not happy about what I said.

"Good. I'm watching every moves of these guys", you must kuya, you must.

It's been an hour, saan ba talaga kami pupunta? I'm hungry.

"Alright, andito na tayo. Take off your seatbelt and let's get out of this van. I know that y'all are hungry" finally. We arrived.

The place isn't familiar to me, lalo na't sa tabi ito ng dagat. Bumaba na kami, the view is very beautiful. I can see the sun is doing down. Ang ganda!

"Wow, this place is beautiful!" sabi ko habang may numingiti.

"Just like you Zoe" Ali said. He's very nice since we met.

"Beautiful than the sunset" sabi naman ni Drake. I can't wait to move back and staying away from this Dr.

"Both of you, may you guys shut up muna? Just zip your mouth" tumango naman sila.

"Dad, this place is beautiful, it's not even familiar to me. How did you find a place like this?" I ask dad.

"Zoe, this is place reminds me of your mom. Dito ko siya niligawan noon sa tabing dagat tapos meron pang restaurant, and I thought na maganda ang lugar na ito to celebrate your promotion". I really hope that mom and dad is together 'til now, pero meron na siyang bagong mahal ngayon and that's Tita Whitney.

I'm just very lucky na siya sng naging ama ko.

He did an effort to make this special.

"Mhm, I understand dad. I hope that mom is still in your heart even though wala na siya, at may bago kanang mahal ngayon"

"Ofcourse Zoe, your mom is the reason why I'm still in my path. Your mom is the reason why I'm very thankful, it is because of her, because binigay ka niya sa'kin" I started crying inside, but I don't want to cry.

I just hugged my dad. His words tells me that I need to be like him.

"Know, let's go eat and celebrate!" sabi ni Tita Whitney, I admit that I hated her, pero ngayon lang siya nag iba.

We started seating in our chairs, salamat at katabi ko si Ali at Yuri and the rest of the doctors, nurses is in other table.

The restaurant that he picked is private. Dad is starting to stand with a microphone. He mentioned my name.

"Okay everyone, be settled, sitback and let me introduce you my one and only daughter. My one and only strength, our VP, Zoe Xy Liano" I didn't expected that he called me just to make a speech.

I stand up and starting to look forward.

"Hello everyone. Thank you for being here, celebrating with us. First of all, I wanted to thank God, because of him, dad will not going to be successful. Second, I thank my family, especially my dad, he brings me the path that I could walk on, he made my life memorable. Third, I thank the doctors and nurses who's ready to face back their family, siblings, just to help people that who needs them. Fourth, I thank my mom. Even I didn't say her face, I didn't grow with her. I can still feel the love that she sacrifices for me to live in this world. Fifth, I thank my friends, Yuri, Kuya, Ali, the doctor and nurses. Thank you very much! You made my life completely" and they started clapping.

We started eating our foods, dad and Tita Whitney is having their time as a husband and wife. While us, eating and laughing together.

"So, you told me lately Zoe about the doctor you've met kaninang umaga? Tell us about him". Ugh, she asked about the doctor that I hated.

"Well, his name is-" I couldn't believe that Ali is emerging our conversation.

"His name is Dr. Drake Xian Collins, he have hazel eyes, he is handsome, matangos ang ilong not like me. He is the one who sits beside Zoe". I don't have any words to say about the doctor. Ali is kinda mad and annoyed, kanina pa siya ganito. Di ako makapaniwala na sinabi niyang gwapo si Drake? He did even mentioned his hazel eyes, I guess he noticed it.

"No, Ali is wrong. That doctor is annoying and-" he's still emerging.

"Zoe, don't lie. You liked him" what?! Liked that doctor? Is he sharing his dream?

"Ikaw Zoe ah, you didn't tell me about him" ngumiti naman si Ali na parang napipilitan lang. I can see his anger when I mention Drake's name.

"Ali, I don't even know where he from, what's his lifestyle, and I don't like him" he started laughing.

"You say so". Pinamumukha niya ba akong nag sisinungaling?

"You guys are cute when arguing haha". Yuri, it's not funny anymore.

"We are not" sabay kaming sumagot ni Ali.

"Okay, ito na yung storya para matapos na tayo bahin dito. I met this guy kanina, while I'm speaking, pumasok siya, malapit na ako mawalan ng sasabihin, then pagkatapos ng meeting is pumunta ako sa office ko to rest. I started taking a shower then after I covered myself with my towel, someone entered my room! Imagine hindi pa ako naka bihis! It was the Doctor named Dra-" biglang tumayo si Ali, sinira ko ata ang mood niya.

"I need to go, Tito Arwin, alis na po ako. Thanks for inviting me" what? Aalis na agad siya?

"Wait! Ali, bat ang bilis?" I asked him.

"What do you mean?" ugh.

"I mean, meron bang emergency na nangyare sainyo?" tumaas ang kilay niya. I'm scared of his mood tonight. Ngayon ko lang siyang nakitang ganto.

"No" he is acting cold. I just let him go home.

"Okay, thank you for visiting me, hope to see you again Ali" he looked at my eyes. Nalungkot siya sa sinabi ko.

"Wait, pinapayagan mo akong umalis na ganon ganon lang?" anong ibig niyang sabihin?

"I mean-" hinila niya ako papunta sakanya. He started to hug me tight. The feeling that I felt, I feel like I'm safe.

"Sorry, I'm not going home. Ilang araw na tayong hindi nag kikita at nag-uusap Zoe. Don't let me go, please. You promised me, right?"

My feelings, ang mga katawan at mata ko. I don't have to decline, but to hug him back.

"Sorry Ali, sorry. Alam kong namimiss ko ako. Sorry if I started conversation, tapos ang topic is about that doctor" he made me feel so special. Alam kong masakit din sakanya na pinag uusapan ang mga taong mas malapit saakin na hindi niya naman gaanong kilala.

I looked back and I saw Drake looking at us while hugging, then he returned back. His hazel eyes, didn't match his mood today.

"Guys, come on! Eat with me, kayo na man you look weird. Baka may something sainyo ah" sabi naman ni Yuri.

Agad niya akong binitawan lalo na't ang daming tao ang nakatingin saamin. We returned back to our table and starting eating.