49 -I stared at the necklace he gave me. I can't help but smile while staring at it. ZayRony. It was a heart with small diamonds. Nakapalibot ang mga diamonds sa heart. May nakalagay sa gitna na ZayRony, subrang liit lang ng mga letrato na iyon, but I can clearly see it. It was the combination of our names.Akala ko talaga hindi niya kinuha ang bracelet na binigay ko noon. Akala ko talaga wala siyang pakealam doon, but I'm really sure na iyon nga iyong binigay. I want to ask him about that, pero natakot akong buksan ang tungkol sa nangyare noong gabing iyon.Maaga akong nagising kinabukasan kaya tumambay muna ako sa sala. Tulog pa ang lahat habang nandito ako sa sala nakangiti na parang tangang tinititigan ang necklace na bigay niya.Isang oras at kalahati kami roon kagabi. Sa subrang bilis ng oras, hindi na namin namalayan na umabat na kami sa ganoong oras.We talked, we laughed, and we even made out. It was like a dream to be like that again after so many years. Parang sa subrang h
50Akala ko ligtas na ako sa mga ibabatong mga tanong niya sa akin. She's right, but I am really afraid. Paano kung sa pagsubok kong ayusin, imbes na maayos, maging magulo?“Isang tanong, isang sagot,” sambit nito nang hindi ko nagawang magsalita pagkatapos niyang sabihin ang napakahabang sinabi niyang iyon.“Anna, you know that it’s not—” She cut me, like she didn’t want to hear anything from me right now at ang gusto lang niyang marinig ay ang magiging sagot ko sa tanong niya.“Mahal mo pa?” Tanong nito ng seryoso kaya umawang ang labi ko.Mahal ko pa ba? Malalim ang pinakawalan kong paghinga dahil alam ko ang sagot doon. Hindi ako papayag sa set up namin at hindi ko kakalimutan ang ginawa niya noon sa akin kung hindi ko siya mahal.“Oo, pero–” She cut me again.“I know, right. You love him, so you should tell Yrony everything. Everything, including Zally and Rony,” she said, like it was so easy to just tell Yrony about it."It's not that easy, Anna. Come on. Zally and Rony have gro
51I did what she said, pero para na akong tanga na naiiyak pagkarinig ko ng sinabi ng receptionist. Kaya ba anak anakan niya kasi mag papakasal sila? Kaya ba ayos sa kanya ang set up na ito kasi alam niyang ikakasal din naman siya at wala din naman itong patutunguhan? I did everything not to cry habang tinutungo ang nag iisang lamesa sa floor ng opisina ni Yrony.“I’m really sorry, Mrs. Bueno. Binilin kasi talaga ni Sir Yrony na huwag muna tatanggap ng kahit sino na hindi naka schedule o nagpa appointment ngayong araw. Ininform naman ako ng secretary niyo na ibibigay ngayon ang mga dapat permahan, pero ang akala ko po kasi ay siya ang magbibigay at ipapaiwan niya lang ang mga papeles kaya hindi ko na nasabihan si Sir Yrony,” magalang na sambit sa akin ng secretary ni Yrony, kaya sinubukan ko pa ring ngumiti kahit na kitang kita na pilit na iyon.Napalunok pa ako dahil parang may nakabara sa lalamunan ko.“Kung ganoon iiwan ko na lang,” tanging nasambit ko at binigay sa kanya ang env
52"Shut up. Sabing hindi ako nakikipaglukuhan. It's not right if you fire your employee right away just for the slightest reason. What if they are the breadwinner of their family? Edi sinira mo ang buhay nila? Don't be like that, Yrony." I said and continued to argue with him because I really don't understand why it is so easy for him to fire an employee.“Pero pinaiyak ka—” Mabilis akong sumabat. At talagang ipipilit pa niya ang dahilan niya?“Bakit naman ako iiyak? Napuwing lang ako kanina kaya medyo namumula ang mata ko,” tanging palusot ko na lang. He tried to say something again, but he couldn't continue when I pulled him to sit on his swivel chair. I was about to move away, but he pulled me and placed me between his legs. He locked me between his thighs and looked up.“Fine. Hindi ko na sila tatanggalin. Don't be mad. Tsk! Nakakainis! Ang swerte siguro ni Ivo kapag palagi mo siyang sinesermunan,” malumanay na sambit pa niya gamit ang mapungay na mga mata.Inis ko siyang tinign
53I put down the basket I was holding with a beer in it and immediately took the food that Venus had brought earlier.When I got it, I immediately went back inside his room and found him massaging his head again, like his head was really giving him a hard time. He looked at me immediately when he heard me come in. Tinigil niya agad ang paghilot sa ulo niya.“Kainin mo na muna ‘to habang wala pa iyong gamot mo,” mabilis na sambit ko at nilapag ang lunch box sa side table niya. Binuksan ko iyon at nakita ko agad ang loob non na inayos pa ang bawat paghiwa ng mga ulam at pati ang pagkaka ayos ay may designed pa. It was really nice."What do you mean about that? Who's my fiance?" That was his serious question to me when I finally finished arranging the food. He even pulled my hand away so that I could sit on his bed. I stopped and looked at him.He was now sitting, with his whole body leaning against the headboard of the bed. He held my hand and played with it."Hmm? Tell me what you me
54I really don't know what to say after hearing that from him. Sa subrang gulat ko ay ilang segundong natahimik. Should I say that too? Pero kasi…“Matulog ka na nga muna,” I tried to laugh after we both became silent. After hearing what I said, huminga siya ng malalim. Tumango siya at nahiga na nga.He closed his eyes and put his arm on his forehead. I took my phone out of my sling bag when it vibrated. I look at Yrony first before reading the text. I ran my fingers through my hair when I read my secretary's text.Secretary Garry:Mrs. Bueno. You have a meeting 30 minutes from now.God knows that I don't want to leave right now, pero masyado ng importante ang sunod na meeting ko."I think I need to go. I still have a meeting to attend with, sorry," I said, and I knew he heard it even though his eyes were closed. He didn't say anything and just nodded while staying in that position.I bit my lower lips and held my bag tightly.“Pupunta mamaya si Anna at Kyle rito. Inutusan ko silang
55Yrony:Can’t wait to see you again. I miss you.I was in the middle of the meeting when I got that message from him. Because he got sick, he had a lot of work to do these past few days. Marami siyang meeting na hindi nadaluhan. He even goes abroad to meet someone. We have no time to see each other because of that, pero ayos lang naman sa akin dahil marami rin akong tinapos sa mga nakaraang araw.I'm planning to have my vacation week for the twins birthday, kaya talagang hindi ako nagaaksaya ng oras ngayon. Kailangan kong matapos ang mga trabaho ko ngayon para wala akong aalalahanin.Me:Nasa office mo ka na?Pagkasend ko non ay binalik ko ang attention sa harap. Meeting. Meeting. Meeting. Walang katapusang meeting. Kung ako lang talaga, mas gugustuhin ko na lang maging hands on sa kambal, pero dahil isa akong Alvarez at walang mapagpapasahan na iba ang posisyong ‘to, wala akong magagawa.I sigh when I remember Zally. We already said yes to her that they would have their birthday he
56“But the question here is kung sino ang nagsimula,” seryosong sambit ni Venus. Nang matapos kong gamutin si Zally ay binigay ko na ang lahat ng attention ko sa principal.Napabuntong hininga ang Principal na para bang ayaw niyang sagutin ang tanong na iyon, but we all know that she need to tell us.“Ang sabi ng ibang studyante, Vanie was a bit rude to Zally. Vanie is bullying Zally. Mula iyon sa mga ibang studyante rito, malumanay na sambit niya naisuklay ko na lang ang daliri ko sa buhok ko.Binubully na ang anak ko, pero wala man lang akong kaalam alam. I heard Ivo sigh at mukhang hindi nito nagustuhan ang nalaman."Then why didn't you act immediately? You should have done something right away," Ivo said seriously."I'm sorry, Mr. Bueno. We did talk to them, but even after we talked to them, nothing has changed. Akala namin simpleng away lang ng bata at maaayos naman nang hindi namin kayo pinapatawag, pero hindi namin inakala na lumala pa nga dahil umabot na sa pisikalan," punong