Nights Like This

CHAPTER 38

Gabriel seriously looked at me pagka pasok ko pa lang ng opisina nya. This are one of the rare moments na hindi ako agad naiinis kapag nakikita ko si Gabriel. Usually kasi, he'd greet me with a wide smile but now, wala iyon and bacause of his aura, alam ko na kaaagad that we have something important to really talk about.

"Please seat, Camila. I have to discuss something important to you," aniya and motioned his finger to point the chair na nasa harapan ko. Umupo ako gaya ng utos nya and I looked at him.

"Did my Daddy told you something?" sabi ko to cut the chase because I have the feeling that Dad already told him everything.

Gabriel nods. "Yes. To cut the story short, he asked me to pull you out from this company. He told me that I could fire you or terminate your contract just to stop you from working here because according to him, kung hindi ka susunod ng maayos sa kanya sya mismo ang gagawa ng paraan para mapasunod ka."

Lalong bumagsak ang loob ko nang marinig iyon sa kanya. Wala na. Whether I like it or not, aalis na talaga ako. Wala eh. Daddy already pulled strings to make me quit.

"You know him Camila," makahuluang dagdag ni Gabriel.

Tumango ako. Of course, I know how he works. Kaya nga hindi na ako nag taka nang ipatawag nya ako rito ngayon because I was so sure that Daddy already did something at tama ako.

"What are you going to do? Are you gonna fire me?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Lalong bumibigat ang pakiramdam ko sa nangyari. Pinaghandaan ko naman na mangyayari to pero dapat hindi na talaga umasa na magiging maayos pa kahit paano.

Gabriel holds the decision now.It's his call kung susundin nya ba ang gusto ni Daddy and if that really happens, wala naman akong magagawa but my decision will still stand. I won't involve myself with the campaign.

I am thinking if baka mas okay na sana naging mas nice ako kay Gabriel kahit kaunti para naman may chance na wag akong ma- fire o ma terminate.

"No! Of course not, Camila. Your father and I is really close but I am with you this time," sabi nya na ikina laki ng mga mata ko. "You are staying here in the company."

"What- How-" Hindi ko na ma buo kkung ano an sasabihin ko dahil gulat na gulat ako. Gulat pero there's a wave of relief that flashed all over me. Parang navawasan ng bigat bigla yung problema ko.

It's my father that actually asked him a favor and he's usually all yes to him and now?

"I told Tito na I don't have the power to do that because it will only tarnish the name of the company and Papa won't like that."

Dahil sa binalita nya sa akin 'to, nagiging anghel si Gabriel sa paningin ko ngayon at hindi na bilang demonyo na ilang taong nagbibigay ng inis sa akin.

I looked at him, thankful, but I can't help to ask. "Do you know why he's pulling me out here?"

Kung ang sinabi lang ni Daddy na reason ay dahil gusto nyang maging campaign director ako nila ni kuya, then I understand his desicion to keep me here. And if he knows the real reason then I don't know why.

Dahan dahang tumango si Gabriel. "He never told me directly but I know, Camila. The wedding that they are pushing will never happen that's why he's pulling you out of here. Alam ko naman. Tanggap ko na," sabi nya.

I gasped. He knows!

Gabriel curtly smiled and sumandal sya sa upuan nya. "You never noticed my efforts even before kaya wala talagang nangyayari and I already know that. But still, I don't want to give up without trying everything so I became desperate that it made me look annoying to you. Hindi naman kita masi- sisi because I really thought I was doing the right thing by pushing myself to you. I am just like this but it's true that I like you."

He confessed na para bang wala lang at hindi big deal sa kanya samantalang ako dito na hindi na maka galaw at makapag salita sa sobrang gulat.

"You don't know? Was I not obvious enough?" he said, laughing, and then he shrugged. "Sa bagay, I never told you that I am serious."

Totoo iyon. I never saw his efforts as a serious thing and an indication that he truly likes me. Akala ko, he's just doing that because of our family. All this time, I am seeing him as someone with ill intentions with me so and it's always been like that. Kung hindi dedma, inis lang ang kaya kong ibigay sa kanya.

"I... I don't know what to say," sagot ko sa kanya when I recovered from the shock that I got from his confession.

"You don't have to say anything. Tanggap ko na. Honestly? Alam ko na na mangyayari 'to so it's not a shock to me anymore."

For a second that I was looking at him, hindi naka takas paniningin ko yung oag guhit ng lungkot sa mata nya.

"I'm sorry, Gabriel. I really didn't know that you...like me," Isaid not really sure if I said the right thing.

He leaned on the table at hinanap ng mata nya ang mata ko but I don't want to make things more awkward so I looked elsewhere .

"Don't be sorry, Camila. I am not even sorry that I developed some feelings for you," sabi nya sa akin. "If you are thinking that this is a stunt to get you to like me, hindi. I just thought that's it's nice to let you know before I stop. Wake up call ko na rin siguro 'to."

"Hindi. I am not really thinking of it that way," pag amin ko.

He really seems genuine that he's telling the truth and I can feel it. Sa tagal kong kilala si Gabriel, I know when he's telling the truth.

"I know I've been really annoying to you and this time, I want to protect you from doing what you like. So as long as kaya ko, I'll stop Tito from pulling you from my company. That's the last thing that I can do for you."

"Will you be fine? Gabriel, magagalit sa 'yo ang Daddy ko pag nalaman nyang hinaharang mo sya," sabi ko sa kanya.

"Wala naman ng dahilan para kunin ko yung pabor ni Tito. We will never happen," makahulugang sabi nya at mapait na ngumiti.

"Thank you," nahihiyang sabi ko sa kanya. I don't want to hurt his feelings but I also don't want to say anything that will make him hope.

Gabriel laughed. One thing's for sure. The atmosphere between us changed. Kung dati, halos ipag siksikan nya ang sarili nya sa akin at ako naman ay halis ipa- tapon ko sya sa outer space, that vibe instantly went off. I was thinking that maybe... just maybe... we could be okay.

Okay not in a sense that we could still be something because that will unlikely to happen but okay as in we could be less than enemies but never more than friends.

Somehow, that confession became the closure of everything. It was all over the place but it still makes sense. It must've been really hard for him too.

"I really didn't expect na ngayon ako mapapa- amin sa 'yo because that's not what I am going to discuss to you."

Right! We're here because of that at hindi yung pag amin nya at pag tanggap nya na hindi talaga.

"Oo nga pala. What is it that you're gonna discuss to me?" tanong ko sa kanya as if we never had a heart dreading conversation earlier.

"You won the grand prize right?" aniya. Tumango ako.

"What about it?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"I was thinking that maybe we could use that now? You could use that time para mag lie low muna kay Tito, you know?" aniya.

"There's a lot of work that we have to do. We're flooded with reports and meetings ngayon, Gab. Besides, it's okay. Ayaw kong biglain ang team for that vacation just because I have personal problems na gusto kong takasan kahit sandali lang," sabi ko sa kanya.

Tumango sya like he's seeing my point. "I already thought of that but it's just a week to California, Cami. Besides, the year's already ending. You guys could still send reports kahit nasa ibang bansa kayo," pag kumbinsi nya pero hindi pa rin ako kumbinsido.

I tilted my head like I am not so sure with the idea. "That's so sudden. Mabibigla yung lahat kapag nalaman nila na we'd use the prize now and I don't want them to rush all the work and compromise the quality just because we are about to have a vacation. That's one week. A lot could happen in a day."

Hindi lang naman ako ang maapektuhan rito kundi ang buong team. Do I want to get away? Of course. Who am I to not want that but this are not just about me.

"Camila, actually, this is not really so sudden because we already started processing everything since last month. The original plan was to have three months more before we announce and but I think it will be okay to do it earlier," sabi nya sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung totoo ba because I have no way to confirm things right at this moment o sinasabi nya lang iyon because he wants to push it but either way, it's not my sole decision to push it or not.

I sighed and nods. "I'll ask the team," sabi ko.

That came as a good news to him kasi nag liwanag na yung mukha nya when I considered it.

Gusto ko rin naman na mag bakasyon kasi wala na akong ibang nakukuha na bansang 'to kundi stress. Besides, it's been so long since I went out of the country and of course, it's nice to have a vacation din naman.

Gabriel stared at me for a while and then he smiled at nag iwas ng tingin.

"What?" tanong ko sa kanya. He's looking at the artificial palm tree at his office pero bahagya pa ring naka taas yung sulok ng labi nya.

He playfully looked at me and then shook his head. "Naninibago lang ako na hindi mo na ako sinusungitan."

"Kasalanan mo eh," I said, half joking.

"Right. Kung ikaw naman din naman ako, Ibaka hindi rin kita ma tolerate. I know I went really overboard sometimes. Sorry."

Umiling ako saka binigyan sya ng isang ngiti. "Let's forget about that and move forward."

Malaking bagay sa akin na sinabi nya at tanggap na nya na wala talaga to make me feel this comfortable with him. I feel like hindi ko na kailangang ipilit na hindi talaga puwede because even him agrees.To be completely honest, I don't really hate him as a person. I just hated what he's doing to me kaya automatic ang irita ko sa kanya.

I promised myself to try to be a little nicer to him. Not because he likes me but because the least thing that I could do to him is to hurt him more, if he's hurting.

Tumayo na ako and bid myself a goodbye to him.

"Camila," tawag nya before I could pull the door.

"Be happy, okay?" he softly said.

"I will. Ikaw din, Gab."

I mean it.

Still smiling, binuksan ko yung pinto at lumabas pero halos iwanan ng kaluluwa ko yung katawan ko nang mahagip ng tingin ko si Vance na naka sandal sa left side ng pader ng opisina ni Gabriel.

"Please! I almost dropped my heart because of you!" sabi ko sa kanya habang naka hawak sa dibdib ko at lumapit sa kanya at ngumiti. "Why are you here? Kanina ka pa?"

Hindi pa nga ako nakaka recover sa usapan namin ni Gabriel, nagulat na ako but it's fine naman.

Seryoso at medyo intense lang na naka tingin si Vance sa akin. Kita kong umiigting ang panga nya and he doesn't look really well.

My smile slowly faded."Did I do something wrong?"

Vance breathed deeply. Pumikit sya sandali kasabay ng pag iling at pinilit na ngitian ako. "No. Sorry. I have something to discuss with Sir Gabriel. Excuse me, Cami."

He knocked at the door at pumasok sa loob, leaving me wonder if I really did something wrong.