Nights Like This

CHAPTER 14

"Are you ready?" Vance asked me as we stood at the front of the exit leading to the parking lot.

Ang lakas pa rin ng ulan na para bang walang balak tumila. He parked near the exit but the rain's really heavy at talagang mababasa kami kung susugurin namin yung ulan.

Sabay kaming napa tingin sa TV na nasa lobby. They were announcing na may bagyo na nakarating sa Phillippine area of responsibility nung nakaraang araw pa at the rain may not go anytime soon. Hindi lang kami ni Vance ang stuck sa lobby kundi pati na rin ang iba pang employees. Because of the heavy rain and the sun's already down, wala ng makita sa labas kundi ang ilaw from other establishments.

"Are you sure? I can wait here hanggang sa tumila yung ulan. You said may importante kang appointment tonight?" sabi ko sa kanya. "At this rate, baka lalo kang ma huli sa appointment mo. That was important, you said. Baka ma stuck ka pa sa traffic due to the heavy rainfall kung ihahatid mo pa ako. I'm fine Vance. I could just wait here hanggang sa tumila yung ulan."

"No, it's okay. Wala naman talaga akong sobrang urgent na pupuntahan ngayon. I just said that because I don't want to entertain her dinner invitation," aniya. He really looked unbothered na para bang wala lang sa kanya na he turned down THE Zara Anderson. Hindi man halata but Zara is quite popular among guys. Yun nga lang, habit na nya yata gustuhin yung mga lalaking walang gusto sa kanya. Poor her.

I pressed my lips together and prevented my self from smiling. I don't know. I just feel quite happy and satisfied seeing na para bang in some sense, I defeated her by Vance not wanting to have a dinner with her. This is such a petty thing but it makes me feel so good.

"Oh. Okay. Thank you. i really thought na may pupuntahan ka because you looked like you were really going somewhere," sabi ko sa kanya.

"It is important but it's not really urgent. I just have to go home to my cat," he said.

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa kanya at agad akong napa tingin. "You have a cat?"

"I have. Her name's Whiskey and she's two," aniya. He smiled at me and he looks like a proud dad telling me about her cat.

Hindi ko ine- expect na somebody like him would have a cat. It's cute though. Now that I think of it talagang bagay sa kanya ang maging cat parent because he kinda resembles them.

"She's almost at same age with my Coco. She's a dog by the way," I told him and showed him my lockscreen which is Coco.

"She's cute," he told me. I know. My baby's too cute but it's not just that. She's also a well behaved cutie pie.

"Oo nga pala," aniya. Itinaas nya ang bag nya saka binuksan. Nang ilabas nya ang kinuha nya and saw that it is a foldable umbrella. I smiled. Hindi na namin kailangang sumugod sa malakas na ulan. We're so fortunate na may payong sya na dala! Sya lang yata ang kilala kong nag bi- bitbit ng payong. "We're saved now."

I smiled and then nods at him.

He handed me the umbrella whike he removes his coat and put it in my shoulder. "Baka mabasa ka."

Binuksan ni Vance yung paying and by the looks of it, enough lang iyon para mag kasya kaming dalawa at tuluyang hindi mabasa ng ulan.

"Come closer to me," aniya and I obeyed.

Magka dikit na ang mga balikat namin para mag kasya kami and then we took the first step pa labas. And then, I almost froze when Vance wrapped his left arm around my shoulders pulling me much closer to him, leaving no space between us. Ramdam na ramdam ko na sya sa harap ko.

Tinakbo na naming dalawa yung space between the building and the parking and when we reached his car, he immediately opened the passenger seat and I threw myself inside and waited for him na maka ikot at maka pasok as I wipe for the drops of rain on my shoulder.

I put his coat on the back seat and the umbrealla that's soaked in rain. The rain is too much that we can hear the loud fall inside of the car.

"Where's the coat? Aren't you cold?" tanong nya as he starts the engine of the car.

"It's in the back. Hindi naman ako nilalamig. Why? Are you?" I asked him. I can handle the cold pretty well.

"No. I'm just checking if you're fine," aniya. He gave me his phone at naka open na na yung map.

"I am. Thank you for asking," sabi ko sa kanya as I put my adress on his phone.

Vance started to drive and the rain started to pour harder. I wonder if safe pa ba na mag drive in this weather but if we were to stay at the lobby and wait for the rain to calm down, baka abutin pa kami ng ilang oras if we do that. Vance drives moderately naman and I trust that he'll not do anything na mapahamak kaming dalawa.

To stay updated, Vance opened the new and yun lang ang pinakinggan namin. The reporters are saying na may mga flooded areas na and it gets me so worried na Vance will drive in this weather. Napaka delikado.

Taga south pa pala sya and here I am, hinahatid nya sa north. I feel a little bad na ngayon ko lang nalaman kahit na nag insist naman syang okay lang daw.

When he pulled up the car right outside on the the tower that I live, hindi muna ako bumaba. Instead, I asked him,

"Do you want to go up and have coffee muna?" I asked him. "I mean, ang lakas pa ng ulan and I am worried na that something might happen to you on the road, " sabi ko sa kanya.

Wala naman akong ibang intention that's why I'm bringing him to my home. I'm just worried and nothing else.

Akala ko tatanggi sya but without hesitation he said, "Sure."