Nights Like This

CHAPTER 31

"Cami have you eaten lunch already?" tanong ni Vance.

Sinigurado kong pantay pantay ang mga papers before I closed the folder at itinabi iyon sa desk ko. I just finished reviewing reports and I have many more left but it's lunch time and I am starving because I haven't had any breakfast except for the coffee na bili ni Vance kanina.

It became a habit that Vance would buy two coffees in the morning. One for me and one for him. No matter how I refuse that he shouldn't have to do that but he'd just tease me it's either that o sya naman ang i- libre ko. Ang ending, hinayaan ko na lang.

Libre is much better of course.

"Hindi pa. I just finished this. Ikaw?" tanong ko sa kanya as I looked at him.

Vance just unbuttoned his coat and then hinubad nya iyon. His button down's buttons seems like it's fighting for it's life dahil halos ma pigtas nung nagstretch sya ng kamay nya sa likod para matanggal yung coat. His wide chest became very obvious na parang sasabog na nang gawin nya iyon.

Napa lunok ako and I wet my lips.

"Hindi pa. Kakatapos ko lang dito," sagot ko sa kanya.

Vance nodded. "Sabay na tayo."

Vance phone rang. He waved me his phone as a sign na sasagutin nya lang yun and I just nodded. I sat on my chair and hinintay sya na matapos sa call nya while I reply some texts from my friends asking when I would hang out with them again because it's been so long that they thought na I dont like hanging out with them anymore.

As much as I want to, my time won't really allow pa. Sobrang busy ko pa and I always go home late sabi ko. I want to have fun but I am also a grown career woman and a company slave so for now iyon muna ang focus ko.

"Cami are you here?" Maui, Gabriel's secretary, entered our department.

Tumayo ako at sinalubong sya. "Here. Why dear?"

Nag tataka lang ako why she's here because it's rare to see her here unless kasama nya si Gabriel.

She extended her hands and showed me the paper bag na kanina nya pa bitbit.

"Oh. Yung boss ko nag order nyan. Nakita nya kanina yung mga tao mo na nasa baba na, so he asked them kung nasaan ka at kung nag lunch ka na. Sumagot naman sila na hindi pa so there," paliwanag nya.

Nangunot ang noo ko. Of course. It's him again. Natuwa na nga ako these past few weeks because hindi nya na ako pinapansin and I thought maybe tuloy tuloy na but of course, I thought wrong.

"Don't!"

Sabay kaming napa tingin ni Maui kay Vance na napalakas yung boses sa kausap nya sa phone. Naka yuko sya at naka pamewang but when he realized na naka tingin na kami sa kanya ay napa angat din sya ng tingin sa amin. He waved at Maui to recognize her presence and the lady in front of me did the same.

"Don't remove the wines that I placed there. I'll check on them later," aniya sa mas mahinang boses and then he mouthed 'sorry'.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Maui. Nilapit pa nya sa akin ng todo yung paper bag like she's urging me to get it.

"You know I don't accept anything from him, Maui. Paki balik na lang sa kanya 'yan, please. I can buy my food," I strongly said.

Maui's face crumpled. "Alam mo naman na hindi papayag 'yun na hindi mo tanggapin 'to. Sige na, tanggapin mo na. Hmm? It's up to you kung anong gusto mong gawin dyan basta please tanggapin mo lang. Alam mo naman na ako pag iinitan nun diba?" aniya

I looked away and sighed bago apologetic na tiningnan muli sya. "Is he new to this situation? Hindi naman. Alam naman nyang hindi ko tatanggapin 'yan kahit anong nangyari pero nag padala pa rin sya. He's just wasting his time. I'm sorry Mau. Paki sabi sa boss mo na ayaw ko talaga."

Ibinaba ni Maui ang kamay nya, surrendering from persuading me na tanggapin ko yung pa- lunch ni Gabriel. I can accept anything from anybody pero hindi ang kanya.

"Kargo mo ako pag ako yung pinagalitan ha," nag aalalang sabi nya.

Tumango ako and pats her shoulders. "Thanks, Mau. Tell me pag pinag initan ka. I'll fight him myself," sabi ko sa kanya and then she laughed.

"As if naman kaya mong kalabanin yun eh nag mu- Muay Thai yun saka boss mo pa," aniya.

Na- tawa ako because it makes sense nga naman.

Lumabas na si Maui dala yung pa lunch ni Gabriel and sakti naman na tapos na yung tawag ng kausap ni Vance.

Kahit pa ipilit ni Gabriel mismo yung lunch, hindi talaga because I already said yes to Vance na sabay kami and that's the best option that I have.

"Let's go?" Vance said habang binubulsa yung phone nya. Tumango ako saka nag lakad na kami pa- labas.

"Where are we eating?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"What do you want to eat? It's up to you. I'm fine with anything," sagot nya sa akin.

"Burgers?" I suggested.

"Cami, nung nakaraang araw lang tayo nag burger. Mag sawa ka naman," sabi ni Vance na nagsabing he's fine with kahit ano but refuses to eat burger again.

Vance and I often eat together these days bilang halos kaming dalawa lagi yung naiiwan sa lunch breaks because yung mga kasama namin are eating their lunch saktong lunch break but for us, tinatapos muna namin yung work bago mag lunch and he'd always ask me na sabayan sya and I see nothing wrong with that kaya sumasama ako.

"Okay, fine. How about sa chinese restaurant?" sabi ko sa kanya.

Tumango at pumayag naman sya.

Like the plan, we ate at a chinese restaurant few buildings next to our company because it's a hassle kung lalayo pa kami and we never had a chinese food together so it's a first.

The restaurant is pretty spacious and reminds me of restaurants in China talaga but the area is closed because nasa loob ng isang building but wala masyadong tao.

I've eaten here before and the foods are so nice. We ordered sweet and sour pork, wonton soup, and vegetable spring rolls to share because malaki naman yung mga servings nila.

"This is my libre ha," I informed him.

Minsan kasi nauunahan nya ako. I want to pay for our meal pero pag kurap ko, hawak na ng biller yung card nya at na swipe na.

"Why? I can pay for our meal. It's not a big deal," aniya.

He rested his back sa sandalan while crossing his arms at tinaasan ako ng kilay.

"It's not. Of course. But I just want to treat you for the coffee everyday."

If he buys coffee, I should pay for our meal and just like what he said, it's not really a big deal. I know he don't mind but I just want to treat him din naman pa minsan minsan because his coffee lifts my mood every morning.

Araw araw kasi, minsan he's buying different flavors of coffee and gaya kanina, I was driving nang ma realize ko na that grew on me to the point na I am starting to anticipate what coffee am I getting for the day from him.

"Okay. You do whatever you want," cool na sabi nya. "By the way, na- banggit kita kay Daddy."

I was caught off guard nang sabihin nya yun like I am just shocked na he would bring up his father as a conversation in this dining table and I don't know why I am suddenly nervous.

"A-nong sabi nya? What did you tell your Dad? Bina- back stab mo ako?" sabi ko sa kanya.

"No. I won't backstab you. I'd rather tell you upfront than saying it on your back because you have to hear what you needs to hear," he said and nodded. I approve and I am open to that than talk about me.

I like that kind of attitude.

"Anyway, as I was saying, na banggit kita na officemates tayo and we're quite close now," kwento nya. "Sabi nya that's good daw and kinu- kumusta ka. He said he's still in touch with your father."

I smiled. I don't have much vivid memory about his Dad except from that one dinner at our house na kasama sya at hindi ko pa maalala that he was also there.

"Ano pang sabi nya?" Dagdag na tanong ko.

"Yun lang," walang ka amor- amor nyang sabi. And that left me almost speechless again because I really thought na he's gonna tell me detail by detail but instead, he just told me the filtered and summarized version of it.

"Really? That's good then. Tell your Dad I said hi and I am doing good," sabi ko sa kanya.

Sakto, the food is being served and I am amazed that it's fast and we don't have to wait for a long time. Dahil sa pagmamadali ko, hinawakan ko kagad yung takip ng soup knowing naman na mainit pa kaya ayun, nabitawan ko kaagad yung lid.

Nag angat ako ng tingin sa kanya and then I saw him biting the chopsticks while his head are tilted, slightly smirking at my dumbness all while tinutulungan yung waitress na i- arrange yung food sa table.

His right hand reached for the chopsticks and splits it into two.

Oh...

"Are you okay?" tanong nya.

"Y-yes..." And he laughed.

As soon as the waitress left, we started digging in because we don't have much time para mag ma- bagal pa because we have to get back as soon as we finish.

"This is good," he complimented habang tinitikman yung vegetable spring rolls.

"Try the sweet amd sour. That's my favorite," sabi ko sa kanya and he trued naman.

We had a very peaceful lunch like we always do, medyo nagmamadali nga lang but na enjoy naman namin kahit paano. It was such a good meal dahil ang dami ko na namang nakain.

"Excuse me miss," tawag ko sa waitress and lumaput naman sya kaagad. "Can we get two glasses of water please?"

Tumango sya and smiled. "Sure po, maam."

She left with my card and hinintay na lang namin yung tubig, after that I'll pay and then babalik na kami. Wala pang ilang minuto, naka balik na si ate na waitress at nagmanadaling nilapag yung water.

"Oh my gosh!" I screamed nang biglang ma kapos ng patong yung girl and the bottom of the glass is placed on the tip of the table and it fell on Vance' lap kaya napa atras sya kasama yung upunan nya.

Agad akong tumayo. Instinctively at dala na rin ng panic, I wiped Vance's lap with my palms habang naka kneel. Para hindi na kumalat yung tubig kasi mabilis naman yung reflex nya at nahawakan nya agad yung baso.

Repeatedly, I wiped his pants and then I realized na parang ako lang yung nag p- panic. I raised my head on Vance and namumula sya but he's not looking at me. I looked at his trail of sight and then I realized...

I'm kneeling beside him while my bare hands is in his wet lap.

Oh my gosh. What am I doing?