SEE YOU

Chapter 18

Nanatiling nakatitig si Tiboy kay Joreign, walang imik silang nakaupo sa kanilang upuan at tanging Aircon lang nang silid ang maririnig. Hindi mawari ni Joreign kung nagloloko lang ba ulit ang binata o kung may bahid man lang nang katiting na katotohanan sa mga sinabi nito.

Walang mangyayari kung magtititigan lang silang dalawa kaya sinasadyang tumikhim ni Joreign habang abala ang mata sa pagbasa nang mga nakalagay na information sa folder. Hindi siya kumportable na tahimik si Tiboy lalo na't ang pagkakakilala niya dito ay isang lalaking napakadaldal.

"How about this," panimula ni Joreign. Ang mga matang hindi niya magawang tingnan kanina ay sinalubong na niya ngayon. Una palang na makita ni Joreign si Tiboy sa harap nang pintuan ay buo na ang desisyon niya.

"Hindi kita tatanggapin bilang secretary ko...instead how about you work for me as my architect?" Suhestiyon ni Joreign. Pansin niya ang paninigkit nang mata ni Tiboy na parang nagdadalawang isip ito sa inaalok niya.

Alam ni Joreign na magaling na arkitekto ang binata dahil sa resume nito, isa pa...no'ng una silang nagkita sa party mula nang ibigay nang binata ang business card nito sakan'ya ay nag research na si Joreign sa kung sino si Tiboy. He's not lying when he said that he gets the job done. His works are a proof of how hard-working and dedicated he is to his job.

"You think I'll say yes to that?" His expression hardened and his voice was questioning. Prenteng prente itong nakaupo sa upuan at walang ganang ginulo ang sarili nitong buhok. Yumuko si Tiboy at huminga nang malalim. Maging siya ay nabigla sa sarili niyang mga aksyon.

His head remained low as he tries to breathe slowly, he knew that he slipped out an unwanted emotion. It's the kind of emotion that he keeps in the depths of his heart. But it was also the kind that reveals his true feelings.

Bahagyang nagulat si Joreign sa inasta nito pero hindi niya 'yon ipinapahalata nanatiling gano'n parin ang ekspresiyon niya kahit pa naguguluhan siya kay Tiboy. Akala niya ay agad-agad tatanggapin ng binata ang kaniyang alok pero nagkamali siya do'n. Hindi niya kilala si Tiboy. Ang malala pa doon, ay mukhang si Tiboy ang maraming alam patungkol sa kaniya.

"If you don't want it then don't," seryoso rin si Joreign sa salitang binitawan niya. "I can always find someone else." Her voice a little stronger than usual.

Sarcastic na ngumiti si Tiboy kay Joreign at dumako ang mata nito sa isa pang folder na katabi nang folder na hawak ni Joreign. Ang folder ni Cluvin.

"Find who? Him?" May bahid nang selos at pagkairita ang boses ni Tiboy. Joreign was clearly stirred up with his actions. Hindi naman inalis ni Tiboy ang tingin kay Joreign. His jaws were clenched knowing that he made her uncomfortable, but he couldn't help it.

Binawi ni Joreign ang tingin niya kay Tiboy at napalunok, walang tigil na pinaglalaruan niya ang kaniyang kamay sa ilalim nang mesa. Ang Tiboy na kilala niya ay ibang iba sa Tiboy na kaharap niya ngayon.

Inurong ni Tiboy ang upuan papalapit sa desk at simpleng kinuha ang ballpen na nakapatong doon at pinaiikot niya 'yon sa kamay niya.

"Are you a saint?" Kumunot ang noo ni Joreign sa sinabi ni Tiboy. He even chuckled at her reaction. A chuckle that was mocking her. A chuckle that hides his pain.

"You always favor him huh?" Itinuro ni Tiboy ang folder ni Cluvin gamit ang ballpen. Hindi naman makaimik si Joreign.

"He lived with you under one roof," he lifted his hands and counted one with his finger. "He was your date at the party," He counted two. "And don't deny it when I say that you'll pick him as your secretary. Because you will." He counted three. He gasped. "Oh wait, you already did."

"So? Stop beating around the bush and pray tell." Joreign demands an answer from him. She hates small talk.

"Do you like him?"

She's had an intuition that he'll ask that question but she didn't expect it to be sooner. Mas lalong pinaglalaruan ni Joreign ang mga daliri niya sa ilalim nang lamesa, medyo pinagpapawisan na 'yon kahit pa naka aircon siya.

"I don't." Mabilis na sagot ni Joreign kay Tiboy. She breathed deeply and closed her fists.

"Hah...that was fast." He was amused but wasn't convinced. Para kay Tiboy ang mga salitang binitawan ni Joreign ay kabaliktaran nang totoo nitong nararamdaman. Nakikita 'yon ni Tiboy pero mukhang iniiwasan ni Joreign ang katotohanan. Hindi man gusto ni Joreign si Cluvin, sigurado si Tiboy na may nararamdaman si Joreign...at alam niyang sa ngayon, hindi pa ito gano'n kalalim.

And it pained him. Timothee is the type of guy to pursue a woman he likes without getting tired at all, no matter where, no matter who, he'll risk it. But for her, it was different. He liked her the moment they met. He tried to be friends, after all...'yon ang una niyang sinabi kay Joreign. But when he saw how Cluvin looked at her and how her eyes meets his, he knew...it was a losing game for him. He lost the second time around. Hinayaan niya. He didn't expect it to progress, kaya hinayaan niya. He was care-free of it all. But just because he was care-free doesn't mean na hindi siya nasasaktan.

Sa pagkakataon na 'to, it was so clear to him that she choose Vin and not him. She may not have said it verbally, but her eyes tell...she cares. Hindi mapigilan ni Timothee na umakto nang ganito. It was the first time that he lost without even fully trying. No, to be honest...it is his second time.

"You spoke too soon, Joreign." Malumanay na saad ni Timothee. At sa unang pagkakataon ay narinig ni Joreign ang mga salitang 'yon mula sa binata nang may bahid nang kalungkutan at pag-aalala. Maging si Joreign ay nakaramdam nang pagkalungkot.

"Eventually kakainin mo rin 'yang sinabi mo." He stood up and took his time to get to the doorway and when he did he stopped. She was just looking at him.

"Oh and about your offer..." Nakatalikod si Tiboy at ang kamay niya ay nakahawak sa doorknob. From his broad shoulders you can notice the heaviness and defeat that he was carrying. Hindi niya ito binanggit kay Joreign, at hindi niya ito kailan man babanggitin sa dalaga. Or maybe he will...only time will tell.

"I'll take it." He says as he went out. He just went out without looking back at her. Hindi na rin siya nagpaalam kay Joreign. And for some reason, Joreign had a heavy heart when he left. She felt it clenching as if a part of it wanted to go after him and ask him what went wrong. She has always been throwing jokes with him, banters exchange along with laughters. No'ng una niyang nakilala si Tiboy, she felt cautious but now it feels nostalgic. Everything about him felt too comfortable. The crazy thing is, she doesn't know why.

Matapos lumabas ni Timothee ay napahawak si Joreign sa kaniyang dibdib dahil sumisikip ito at parang hindi siya makahinga. Hindi rin niya maintindihan kung bakit gano'n na lang yung reaksyon niya sa sinabi ni Timothee. Huminga siya nang malalim at pilit na inaalis sa isipan niya ang rebulto ni Timothee na nakatalikod sa kaniya.

For the first time, he didn't said too many words to her but she felt him. She knew. His pain.. He was hurt by her even though it was unintentional on her part.

Makalipas ang Ilan pang minuto, nanatili lang si Joreign sa room na iyon kaharap ang dalawang folder.

Cluvin is new to this kind of job, but she knows that he'll do well if he was given enough time to train.

Timothee has experience and has greater work ethics but he did this out of boredom. She doesn't see him fit for this. And she really wanted him to be her lead architect.

Joreign had finally calmed down when she heard a subtle knock on the door.

Inayos niya ang sarili bago tumugon, "Pasok." Her secretary's head popped out of the door.

"Bakit?" Pag tanong pa niya dito. Tinaas naman nang secretary ang tambak nang mga papeles at itinuro ang relos. Doon naalala ni Joreign na may meeting nga pala siya.

Tumayo na si Joreign at sa pagtayo niya ay nasagi niya ang dalawang folder na nakapatong sa desk. Tiningnan niya ito saglit bago ibinaling ang tingin kay Henry.

"Miss Joreign?" Pagtawag ni Henry.

She's got her hands on the folder and casually picked it up and she handed it to him, to Henry. Kinuha naman ito ni Henry mula sa kamay niya at tiningnan siya na para bang alam na nito ang gusto niyang iparating.

Sinuklay pa ni Joreign ang sarili niyang buhok at kinuha ang ballpen na kaniyang pinaglalaruan ni Timothee at ibinigay ito kay Henry.

"Please train him well." Aniya.