Coloring the Grays

Chapter Three

"How long have you been with the company?"

I asked when I ran out of things to say.

I watched her pause for a moment before looking back at me.

"I'll be celebrating my third year with the company soon. I actually started here as an intern."

She took a small bite of the sandwich I had given her.

"Really? What was your course?"

A soft laugh escaped her lips before she answered.

"Human Resources Management. It's actually quite far from what I'm doing now."

She glanced at me again.

There was something in her eyes.

Something sad.

Something deep.

Something I couldn't explain.

I found myself looking away.

"How old are you?"

The question slipped out before I could stop myself.

"I'm turning twenty-four this year."

I nodded.

I was four years older than her.

But the way she carried herself made her seem much older.

She was always serious.

I honestly thought we were around the same age.

Then again, this was only my second day. I barely knew her.

Before long, the office started filling up again as everyone returned from lunch.

"Boss Mike."

Joseph appeared.

"Yes?"

I replied without looking away from my laptop.

"You haven't even explored the building yet, but did you know something?"

That got my attention.

I looked up and found him sitting comfortably in the guest chair across from me.

I raised an eyebrow.

Once he had my full attention, he leaned closer.

"You're trending on the tenth floor."

He let out a laugh.

"That's Accounting."

He sat back properly.

"If I had a face as handsome as yours, Boss, they'd all be lining up by now."

I rolled my eyes.

Before I could respond, he remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, Boss. Engr. Silerio wants to review those reports later."

Then he immediately stood up and walked away.

That man was unbelievably nosy.

But I'd take someone like him over a lazy and constantly angry coworker any day.

He'd been with the company for over ten years already.

Late forties.

Married.

Two kids.

And somehow still had the energy to gossip about everyone.

I checked the time on my laptop when I noticed people gradually leaving the office.

It was already six in the evening.

Joseph had already said goodbye and gone home.

"Sir Mike."

A voice called from behind me.

I turned around.

It was Frances.

And she was smiling.

"Weren't you supposed to go home already?"

she asked.

The question caught me off guard.

Her eyes looked gentle.

Yet there was something heavy hidden behind them.

Something she couldn't tell anyone.

"I just need to finish something."

I stood up and rested an arm on the divider between our cubicles.

She was packing her things.

"Where do you live?"

I suddenly asked.

Just curious.

"Manila."

Her answer was brief.

Then she smiled.

"I'll go ahead."

She slung her bag over one shoulder.

As she brushed her long hair aside with one hand, a sweet scent drifted toward me.

White freesia.

Pears.

I couldn't find the words to respond.

I simply raised a hand to wave goodbye.

Even after she left, I couldn't stop thinking about her.

Those eyes.

Even when she smiled, there was sadness in them.

I was staring blankly into space when Enzo suddenly snapped his fingers in front of my face.

We were sitting inside a bar near SM by the Bay, not far from my office.

He had invited me out because, according to him, work had become stressful ever since I left.

"Stop thinking about it."

He smirked.

The place was noisy.

People were singing.

Others were screaming from the nearby rides.

Yet none of it was enough to distract me from Frances.

I looked at him.

"Why? What exactly am I thinking about?"

I took a swig from my beer bottle.

"Aveline."

He answered without hesitation.

He set his bottle on the table.

"That's why you transferred, right? So you wouldn't have to see them anymore..."

"It's not her I'm thinking about."

I cut him off.

His eyebrows rose.

"Then what? You've been zoning out all night."

He turned his chair toward me.

I bit my lower lip.

Trying to figure out how to explain.

"There's this girl at the office."

I immediately noticed him shifting closer.

Suddenly interested.

"I'm curious about her."

That was the only thing I could honestly say.

I didn't really know anything about her yet.

Today was only my second day.

"And?"

Enzo pushed.

I shook my head.

"It's only my second day."

I stared at the bottle in my hand.

"There's something about her eyes."

I paused.

"Like she's carrying a lot of pain she can't tell anyone."

I slowly spun the bottle between my fingers.

"Okay."

Enzo nodded.

"Then get to know her."

He grinned.

"Because now I'm invested in this story."

"By the way, is Aveline still bothering you?"

The question made me look up.

I simply shook my head.

I still didn't know when she started cheating on me.

As a Site Engineer, I spent months at a time assigned to different project sites.

At first, I only noticed that she was acting differently.

Then I heard from some of her coworkers that another guy had been courting her.

We worked for the same company before.

She was in Finance.

I was in Engineering.

I didn't know whether I was stupid or simply blinded by love when I decided to talk to both of them.

The guy promised he would stay away from her.

But one night, when Aveline and I happened to head home together, I saw her wearing that man's shirt.

Why?

I let out a deep breath.

It was over.

I was the one who ended it.

I was the one who walked away.

She kept messaging me for a while.

I cut off every form of communication.

I transferred jobs.

Changed my number.

I wanted nothing to do with that pain anymore.

I still remembered crying in front of my parents because of how much it hurt.

"What time are you heading home?"

Enzo broke the silence again.

I checked my watch.

Eight o'clock.

"Let's go."

I set down my bottle.

"I want some fresh air before I drive home."

I stood up first.

We walked toward NU because that's where Enzo had parked.

As we walked, I finally noticed how crowded the area was.

Children ran around freely.

People screamed from the Viking ride.

Others strolled by while eating hotdogs on sticks.

When we reached the far end of the theme park, we said our goodbyes.

I watched Enzo walk away.

Once he disappeared from sight, I turned around and headed toward the quieter side of the area.

Few people came there.

It was dark.

Almost isolated from the rest of the lively crowd.

Like I said earlier, I just wanted some fresh air before driving home.

The cool evening breeze brushed against my skin.

I slipped my hands into my pockets and stared at the dark ocean beyond the railing.

And somehow...

I found myself thinking about Frances again.

She reminded me of the sea in front of me.

Quiet.

But hiding something deep beneath the surface.

Dark.

Mysterious.

Impossible to fully understand.

I straightened when a familiar scent suddenly drifted through the air.

My brows furrowed.

I knew that smell.

But where?

Then it hit me.

White freesia.

Pears.

I slowly turned toward its source.

And I wasn't mistaken.

Even in the darkness, I knew it was her.

Frances.

What I couldn't understand was why she was here.

In the darkest corner of the happiest place in the city.