MEN OF HONOR SERIES 1: SCARRED

Kabanata 13

"What time do you usually finish work?"

Napaangat ako ng tingin kay Dean Chen habang inaayos ko ang mga papeles na katatapos lamang niyang pirmahan.

"Hmm? Eleven o'clock. Minsan twelve kapag pwedeng mag-overtime."

Bahagya siyang napakunot ng noo. "You still take overtime? But your class starts at seven thirty."

"Yeah. Sayang din ang bayad sa overtime. Kung maipon, dagdag din sa sahod ko." Nag-inat ako sandali saka siya muling binalingan. "Hindi pa naman ako nali-late."

"But sleep is also important so your brain can function properly in class." Sumandal siya sa kanyang swivel chair. His dark orbs remained staring at me while I was on the couch, his fingers tapped on his desk as if he was thinking. "You should've told me your schedule on your first day of working as my SA so I could've asked you to take naps."

"Hindi na. Kaya ko naman," sagot ko kahit ang totoo ay nakaka-tempt.

His office is very cozy anyway. Sa halos tatlong linggo kong pagiging SA niya ay madalas akong antukin sa opisina ngunit nilalabanan ko lamang dahil nakakahiya.

"How do you go home from work? Does... someone come to pick you up and bring you home? A suitor perhaps?" he asked.

"Suitor?" I scoffed. "Wala ako no'n. Study first."

"Right." He made a tick sound with his tongue. "I'll give you a ride home then."

Napakurap ako. "Huh? Pero alas otso ay umuuwi ka na."

"I can wait. It's not safe anymore to commute at that time of the night."

My heart pounced when I felt his concern. Muntik na akong kiligin kung hindi ko lamang naalala na magkaibigan na nga pala kami. At sa tatlong linggong nagtatrabaho ako bilang SA niya, mas naging kumportable kami sa isa't isa. We even joke around each other when there's just the two of us in his office.

He would usually share lunch and dinner with me. At kapag nalalaman niyang hindi pa ako nag-aalmusal ay papadaanin niya ako sa kanyang opisina para kunin ang kapeng libre niya.

I didn't tell Kylie nor to our friends about it, and I don't think Dean Chen is the type of guy who would gossip about how we are doing in the past three weeks. Ayaw kong bigyan ng mga kaibigan ko at ni Kylie ng ibang kahulugan ang magandang turingan namin ni Dean Chen, kaya kapag nagtatanong siya ay kaagad akong umiiwas o kaya ay nagsisinungaling.

Ngumisi ako at itinaktak ang mga papeles upang magpantay-pantay. "Stop acting like a suitor. Baka sa susunod na araw hingian na kita ng tsokolate."

The corners of his lips curved for a ghost of a smile. Hindi niya naman ako sinagot at tinignan lamang ang kanyang wrist watch bago sumenyas. "You gotta go now. You'll be late for work."

Idinala ko ang mga papeles sa file rack saka na dinampot ang bag ko. I went out of his office, ngunit kalalabas ko pa lamang ay pumasok na ang isa sa mga professor sa college of law na halata namang nagpapapansin nang husto kay Dean Chen.

I paused and went back inside his office, pretending to have left something. Kung bakit ko iyon ginagawa ay hindi ko rin alam. Nang makapasok ako ay hinahampas na ng propesora ang hulmadong braso ni Dean Chen.

His eyes drifted towards me. "You forgot something?"

I gulped and tried my best not to roll my eyes at the professor. "Yeah. May naiwan yata ako." 'Yong pake ko.

"What is it? I can help you look for it."

"No, no, it's fine, Dean Chen. May... bisita ka."

The professor giggled. "Ikaw talaga, Dean, masyado kang mabait." She smiled in a flirty way. "As I was saying, Saturday night at seven PM?"

I felt Dean Chen's glances as he nodded. "Yeah. Sure."

Napakunot ako ng noo. Sure? Saan? Is he going on a date? Akala ko ba ay bawal dahil hindi pa pumapayag si Coleen? Kapag ba may lisensya at edukada na ay exception sa rule ng anak niya?

Why am I even bothered anyway?

I sighed and walked straight to the door. Ngunit bago pa man ako nakalabas ay humabol muli ng tanong si Dean Chen.

"Did you find it?"

I nodded my head without looking at him. Nang makalabas ako ay bwisit na bwisit akong nagmartsa paalis. Nakakainis! Ni hindi ko rin alam kung bakit nawala ako bigla sa mood. Am I jealous?

Imposible.

Maybe I was just worried about him and his promise to his daughter. Siguro ay kung hindi kilalang higad sa university ang makikita kong nagpapakita ng interes sa kanya ay hindi na ganito ang mararamdaman ko.

I just tried to shrug it off and went to work. Bagsak din ang energy ko habang nasa trabaho, kaya kahit may offer na overtime ay hindi ko na tinanggap dahil pakiramdam ko ay kailangan ko ng pahinga.

Saktong paalis na ako ng trabaho nang mag-chat si Dean Chen.

Coal: I'm outside.

Sumilip ako sa glass door at nakita ang kotse niya sa parking lot. I bit my lower lip when I suddenly felt butterflies doing a festive dance in my belly for a reason I wasn't ready yet to acknowledge. All I know is I suddenly felt my energy going up, and now I regret not accepting the OT offer.

Lumabas ako ng branch namin at sumimple ng pasok sa kanyang kotse. Nang makitang naka-jogging pants at loose shirt na siya ay hindi ko naiwasan ang pagkunot ng aking noo.

"Did you... go home already?"

He glanced at me after we left the parking lot. "Hmm? Yeah."

Napaawang ang aking mga labi. "Eh, bakit sinundo mo pa ako? You should've rest!"

"It's fine. I have insomnia anyway, and I am not comfortable letting you take jeepneys or other public transpo. Marami nang kawatan sa ganitong oras."

I groaned. "Kahit na. Si Coleen, walang kasama."

"Her nanny is with her all the time. No need to worry. Hindi niya rin naman alam na lumabas pa ako dahil tulog na." He looked at me. "Where to?"

Nakasimangot kong sinabi ang address ko saka ko siya bahagyang pinaningkitan ng mga mata. "Don't do this again, Coal."

I saw his lips curved for a slight smirk. "Been a while since you called me that way, Madrigal." He glanced at me. "But sorry, I'm stubborn when it comes to stuff like this."

Bumuntong hininga ako. "Ayaw kong maging abala sayo."

"Hindi abala ang safety mo."

"Gastos sa gasolina, konsumo sa oras na dapat nagpapahinga ka na--"

"And if I won't offer you a ride home, I'd still stay up late waiting for you to confirm that you came home safe. Don't argue with me. I've won countless of cases already, Steph."

Sumimangot ako kahit ang totoo ay nakaramdam na naman ng kilig ang maharot na bahagi ng aking puso. Nakakainis, ha! Hindi normal ang kiligin nang ganito sa friend!

I sighed. "Yes, your honor."

Umismid siya at itinabon ang buhok ko sa aking mukha. Pinigil ko naman ang kanyang kamay sa paggulo sa aking buhok, at nang mahawi ko ang buhok ko ay halos matulala rin ako sa ganda ng kanyang ngisi.

Ang gwapo-gwapo ng lintik!

I gulped and looked away before he could even see his effect on me. Nang matahimik ako ay muli niya akong sinulyapan. "Why?"

"Hmm? Wala." I cleared my throat. "Iniisip ko lang kung anong idadahilan ko kapag nakita ng mga kamag-anak kong may nakakotseng naghatid sa akin."

"Tell them your friend offered you a ride home because it's not safe to commute. That shouldn't be a big deal."

"Naku, Coal. Sa inyo siguro, hindi. Pero sa pamilya namin, iba ang dating. Siguradong kahit na sabihin kong kaibigan kita at nagmagandang loob ka lang kaya mo ko ihinatid, ipipilit lang nila na boyfriend ko ang naghatid sa akin."

"Then I'll pretend to be your boyfriend so you don't have to explain stuff they wouldn't even buy," mahina niyang sabi ngunit narinig ko pa rin kaya naman nagwala ang aking dibdib.

"Mag... papanggap kang jowa ko?"

He drew in a sharp breath. "Just to keep your family from asking further questions." He pulled out a bar of Toblerone from his bag that's on the dashboard. "Here. Props mo."

My eyes blinked and my lips parted. He's... giving me a bar of chocolate? Dahil ba sa pagpapanggap niya o dahil... sinabihan ko siya kaninang sa susunod ay hihingian ko na siya ng tsokolate bilang manliligaw?

I pursed my lips and said thanks. I didn't want to entertain the latter anyway. Ayaw kong umasa, ano! Kaya hangga't hindi mismong galing sa bibig niya, hindi ko iisipin nang hindi ako masaktan kung sakali.

Nilagay ko ang tsokolate sa bag ko saka ko siya tinignan. "May isusuot ka na ba sa date mo with Prof Eyah on Saturday?"

Kumunot ang noo niya. "Date? What date?"

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "'Di ba nag-usap kayo kanina tungkol sa mangyayari sa Sabado? Alas syete raw, eh. Sorry, medyo chismosa ako kanina. Pinayagan ka na siguro ni Coleen, ano? Is it because Prof Eyah is already a successful woman?"

He groaned. "I am not into her, Steph."

Tiniklop ko ang mga braso ko sa tapat ng aking dibdib. "Oh, really? Who do you like then, hmm?"

Kumabog nang husto ang aking puso nang tumitig sa akin ang seryoso niyang mga mata, at nang bumuka ang kanyang mga labi upang magsalita, halos makalimutan ko ang huminga habang hinihintay ang kanyang sagot, ngunit sa huli ay umiwas lamang siya ng tingin saka marahas na bumuntong hininga.

"I'll tell you soon." He parked his car on the location pinned on his Google Map. "Go get some rest."

I swallowed and nodded my head. Bumaba ako ng kotse at nagpasalamat. Pinanood ko pa ang kanyang sasakyang umalis, at nang tuluyan siyang nakaliko sa sumunod na kalye, napabuntong hininga na lamang ako.

Looks like it was a good idea that he didn't tell me whom he likes, because looks like my heart isn't ready to hear him say he's into someone else already...