CHAPTER 24:CAUGHT IN THE LEDGER
843 Words
My heavy, furious strides didn't even make it past the university’s main concrete arch. I was just a few meters away from the exit gate, the afternoon sun blindingly bright, when the sound of rapid, heavy footsteps and uneven breathing caught up with me from behind.
Before I could take another step, a firm, warm hand gently but resolutely gripped my wrist, forcing me to a halt.
"Malia! Wait—sandali lang," Reuben panted, his chest heaving as he stood in front of me. His linen shirt was slightly rumpled from sprinting across the pavilion, and a few strands of his dark hair clung to his forehead with sweat. He had abandoned his ledger and books back at the library desk just to run after me.
I immediately yanked my wrist back from his grip, crossing my arms over my chest as I turned my face away, refusing to look at him. "Bakit mo naman iniwan doon sa library si Cheska? Iniwan ko na nga kayo roon, 'di ba, para magkasarilinan kayo? Kung makakapit... naku, parang linta!Parang sawa kung makalingkis!Ka landi!!”
The words flew out of my mouth before my logical brain could even screen them. I was desperately trying to hide my annoyance, but the sharp, biting venom was impossible to strip away from my voice and my face.
I braced myself for him to look defensive or confused. Instead, the heavy anxiety on his face vanished in a split second. I saw Reuben's face break into a slow, devastatingly handsome, and completely knowing grin—the deep dimple on his cheek carving itself proudly into his skin.
"Why, Malia?" Reuben asked, his voice dropping into a lower, teasing register that vibrated through the warm afternoon air. He stepped an inch closer, his dark eyes sparkling with absolute triumph. "Nagseselos ka ba?"
Bull's eye.
The accusation hit me squarely in the chest, completely shattering the remaining defenses of my engineering logic. My face instantly burned with a deep, furious crimson, and for a second, I forgot how to formulate a coherent sentence.
"A-Ako… nagseselos?!" I stammered, my defensive walls crumbling as I took a step back, glaring at his smiling face. "Bakit naman ako magseselos sa kaniya? Ang sa akin lang, nasa library kayo. Public space 'yon. Kung makapulupot ang braso niya sa'yo, parang mawawala ka sa paningin niya!"
Reuben let out a low, breathless chuckle, the sound rich with pure, unadulterated happiness. He didn't look affected by my anger at all; in fact, he looked like he had just won the grandest lottery in the country.
"Sabi ko naman sa kaniya, may ginagawa ako. Pero ikaw itong biglang nag-walk out at nag-snap 'yung mechanical pencil," Reuben pointed out softly, stepping closer again until his broad shadow completely covered my flushed face. The teasing look in his eyes slowly shifted into something intensely sincere and warm. "Malia, hindi ko hinawakan ang kamay niya. Nilayuan ko nga ang upo ko, 'di ba? Wala akong pakialam kung anong audit adjustment ang tinatanong niya."
He reached out, his long fingers gently but firmly grabbing the strap of my heavy tote bag, lifting the weight off my shoulder to carry it himself. He looked straight into my eyes, completely stripping away the playful banter.
"Wala akong pakialam kahit ilang daang Cheska pa ang lumapit sa akin sa library," Reuben murmured, his voice steady, protective, and completely unwavering under the shade of the university trees. "Kasi nahanap ko na ang pinaka-importanteng book balance ko. At nakatayo siya ngayon sa harap ko, galit na galit dahil lang sa hindi ko napansin na umusog 'yung kaklase ko."
I stared at him, my breathing catching in my throat as the sharp sting of my jealousy instantly melted into an overwhelming, terrifying wave of affection. The sheer authority in his voice made it impossible to doubt him.
"Bwisit ka, Mr. Accountant.Nakakainis ka,gusto kitang kurutin," I whispered, looking down at the concrete pavement, though I couldn't stop the small, defeated smile from pulling at the corners of my lips. "Muntik ko nang hindi matapos 'yung structural derivation ko dahil sa'yo."
"I'll make it up to you," Reuben countered smoothly, his lopsided grin returning as he gestured toward the university gate. "Ihahatid kita sa boarding house mo, at ako ang magde-derive ng lahat ng structural formulas na kailangan mo para sa quiz mo bukas habang umiinom ka ng paborito mong kape. Deal, Ms. Engineer?"
Looking at his unwavering, solid presence beside me, the fiery friction in my chest finally settled into a peaceful, beautiful hum.
"Deal," I replied softly.
As we walked out of the campus gates side by side, the heat of the summer sun didn't feel as suffocating anymore. I had just lost a battle to my own emotions, but as Reuben’s hand briefly brushed against mine with an unspoken promise, I knew that losing my heart to him was the best calculation I had ever made in two lifetimes.
- Writer
