Sarang

Chapter 22

"Come on! Don't make me work here again!" I said while following him inside his office. We're at his Restaurant again and I need to work because of that damn bag that arrived earlier. "That bag? I told you I ordered that last month pa! I swear!"

"Kahit na. Gumastos ka nanaman ng pera para bag. Kita mo? Ni wala ka ngang bitbit na bag ngayon. Anong gagawin mo sa mga 'yon? May balak kang magtinda online, ganon? Pa-mine nalang po," he teasingly said.

"Come on! Please naman, if you let me work here again as a cashier I might end up fighting one of your customers again!"

"Give me a reasonable reason," he said.

"I might cause trouble again!"

"I don't care," he crossed his arms before leaning on his desk. "Pumunta ka na ron, palitan mo na si Hannah."

"Please naman! Why are you doing this to me?" I asked him before massaging my head.

"Para malaman mo na kailangan mo munang paghirapan ang isang bagay bago mo kinuha. Sa laki ng pera na ginagastos mo para lang sa isang bag na hindi mo naman gagamitin, kaya na 'yong makatulong sa ibang tao. Malaking pera na 'yon para sa kanila."

"Why? Magkakaroon ba sila ng alrge amount of money if I don't buy a bag?" I rolled my eyes.

"Pilosopo ka pa," he seriously said. "Kailangan mong malaman kung gaano kaimportante ang pera, Sia. Kung gusto mong bumili ng ganun, paghirapan mo ang perang gagamitin mo."

"I know how important money is. See? I'm using it for important things!"

"And the bag is important to you?" he raised his brow.

"Of course! I always use them in my daily life!"

"Basta. Pumuta ka na ron, Sia."

"What? You're being unfai---"

His face went close to mine so I stopped speaking. I closed my mouth before blinking trice. "You were saying?" he asked in a baritone voice. "Hmmm?" he hummed before looking directly at my eyes.

"I'll work now," I said in panic before pushing him a little and immediately run outside. I hold my chest as I closed the door of his office. What is that? Why does my heart acting like this? What is wrong with me?

I wasn't in my mind when I reached the counter. Hannah immediately moves away from the counter a little so I can start my work. I was just there, taking the customers' orders and payments while thinking about what happened. What is he trying to do? Oh my God! I can't forget his scent. Darn it, Alessia!

"Kaninang umaga ka pa tulala, ha? Ngayong nag-aayos nalang tayo ng mga gamit, lutang ka pa rin. Ayos ka lang, Ma'am?" Hanna asked me.

"Huh?" I said before looking at her. "Uhm, yes, I'm fine. You don't have to call me Ma'am since I'm working here too, like you."

"Nakakahiya naman. CEO ng AM Stocks & Holding, Hotel, Law Firm, and many more," she laughed.

My brows furrowed. "How did you know that?" I can't remember telling her about who I am and I don't have a plan to tell her that. I don't want to receive special treatments.

"Hala, sino naman pong hindi? Idol po kita. Lagi po akong nakaabang sa mga article na pinopost about sa 'yo."

"Article about me?" I asked in shock.

"Yes, Ma'am, hindi mo po alam? Kung i-sesearch niyo po ang pangalan niyo sa internet, 'yon po ang unang lalabas, 'yong sarili pong website ng fans mo. Sobrang daming gustong maging katulad mo, isa na rin po ako ron."

"Really?" I smiled. "Just don't lose hope. After all, it's not all about the money, it's about the effort and love for doing what you want. Someone told me, if you love money, then work hard for it. Just... be positive. Don't give up, okay?"

"Wow," she said in an amused tone of voice. "Thank you, po. I'll take note of that. Pero pwede po bang magtanong?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Ano pong full name niyo? Imposible naman pong Mackenzie ang surname niyo, hindi po ba?"

"Oh," I fixed my chair. "Alessia Mackenzie Markle."

"Ang ganda ng pangalan, bagay na bagay po sa inyo," she complimented me. "Ilang taon na po ba kayo? At kailan po ang birthday niyo? Iyon po ang hindi alam ng kahit na sino sa amin, eh."

I was stunned by her question but I remained a smile on my face. I was about to speak when Asher suddenly came.

"That's all for today. Let's go," he told me before removing the apron I am wearing.

"Naks, hokage moves," I heard Vince's laugh before giving Mashi a smack. We bid our goodbyes before going outside. I was just quiet for the whole ride. My foot hurts because I've been standing there for the whole day.

"May masakit ba sa 'yo?" he asked me when we arrived at my living room.

"My foot hurts," I said and started complaining things about what happened while I was doing my job earlier. "I swear, sa sobrang dami ng customers, I couldn't find a chance to sit down."

"Next time, don't wear heels. Wear flat shoes or flat sandals," he suggested.

"Next time? There's no way that there will be next time," I said.

"Oh," he said before handing me my credit cards. "Nalagay ko na rin sa isa 'yong sahod mo sa pagtatrabaho ng dalawang araw."

"Really?" My face lightened. "Thank you!" I screamed in joy before getting all my credit cards. Ah, I miss them!

"Hindi mo man lang sasabihin na hindi ko na kailangang pasahurin ka sa pagtatrabaho sa Restaurant ko?"

"Why? Gano'n ba dapat ang sasabihin ko? You know I can't say no to money," I smiled at him which made him rolled his eyes. "I'll go shopping later using my salary," I told him. Disagreement immediately flashed on his face. "This money is as precious as my blood. I worked hard for this," I told him, not giving him a chance to talk.

The next day, I was left alone in my house so I have no choice but to let Rose stay with me for today. We were watching a romantic movie when suddenly, the couple did what happened at Asher's office yesterday. I saw them kissed to I looked away before speaking.

"How did you know you were falling in love?" I asked, without looking at her. In my peripheral view, I saw her turning her gaze at me before eating chips.

"No'ng na-realize kong may mas pakialam ako sa kaniya kaysa sa sarili ko," she answered. "Bakit?"

"Nothing," I said before looking back at the TV. I focus on watching to understand the movie but I almost cursed when the ending made me shock. The boy died, meaning, it's not a happy ending

"Seriously? Why does they choose to love each other even though they knew from the very start that can't be together," I whispered.

"Because that's how love works," Rose said before getting a slice of pizza. "Like me, I still chose to love him even though we're really different. I take the risks but still, we weren't really meant for each other."

"Does it hurt? That you fall for the wrong person?"

She laughed a little. "Darling, I didn't fall for the wrong person. I am telling you, he's the best. I didn't fall into the wrong person, I fell at the wrong time, at the wrong chance."

"But still, you chose to continue loving him."

"Because I don't want to regret. Well, at least we tried. Sinubukan naming ipaglaban. Naranasan naming mahalin ang isa't-isa kahit saglit lang. Di bale nang nasaktan kami pareho, at least we both find our home for a short time before he finally found his universe."

"His universe? What does it mean?"

"He's getting engaged. Ikakasal na sila next month," she gave me a smile but I can see the pain in her eyes.

I scratched my nose when I heard that. "I'm sorry about that," I apologized.

"Don't be sorry, baliw."

"How does it feel?"

"Masakit syempre, mahal ko 'yon, eh. Pero mas gugustuhin ko nalang na mag-isa at huwag na siyang isama sa miserableng mundo ko."

I looked away when tears began to form in the corner of her eye. There's a part of who wants to hug her but I am stopping myself to do that.

"So please, watch for yourself. It's okay to fall but don't forget to love yourself more than that person."

"Huh?"

"I know Sia, you're already in love with him."

"In love with who?" I asked curiously.

"With Asher," she said before drinking. "It's okay, you can deny it to me. But you can't deny that to yourself. Do what makes you happy. Gawin mo na ang gusto mong gawin, sa huli pa naman ang pagsisisi. Kung magsisisi ka man, at least sumaya ka kahit saglit lang"

"I don't you," I said before sighing. "Stop this. Let's stop our topic here."

We both became silent when we heard a knock on the door. It opened and I saw Asher, holding plastic bags, probably the groceries I told him to buy.

"Hi," he greeted me before slightly tapping my head. He also smiled at Rose before looking at me. "I bought all the groceries, aayusin ko na sa kusina," he said before going to the kitchen.

Saglit kaming nagkatitigan ni Rose bago ito ngumiti at masuyong tumango. I remained in my seat as I wait for Asher to finish organizing the groceries. He immediately sat beside me before getting a slice of pizza.

"What did you do today?" he asked me. Rose is now searching for the next movie.

"I watched movies with her," I told him before lazily before fixing my position so I can lay down. Asher holds my waist before pulling me closer to him. He puts my head on the pillow placed on his thigh before eating the pizza again.

"There. More comfortable," he said. I didn't move right away. I automatically look at Rose and saw that she wasn't looking at us but when she goes back to her seat, our eyes instantly met. She gave me a playful smile before looking back at the TV.

"Ano raw?" I asked him. I can't understand the movie!

"Her mother was killed by the so-called roaming souls," he said. "Speaking of souls, the one who tried to kill you that night, isn't that a soul?" he asked me.

"Yes," I said.

"Really? But I can see them."

"Because he let himself be seen by others that night."

"Why is he still... staying here?"

"Because he's being punished like me. In order for him to go to the next life, some souls like him need to release their resentment. I don't know him but I'm sure he knows me. Maybe I was part of his deep grudges. He's paying for his sin," I explained.

"What about you? Are you also paying for what you did? How many sin have you committed? You told me you were being punished," he asked me. I sat down so I can face him.

"I am. You can't measure my sin because it's too heavy to take. It's unforgivable. And I don't think I can tell you all the sins I've committed. I am worse than you think. You can't accept the past me."

I heard him sigh before pulling me closer to him again. He hold my head and made me lean on his chest. "Why are you spending such a long time like this?" he asked in a whisper before caressing my hair.

"Because this my fate. This is destined to happen to me."

And if my destiny is to have misery in love, I don't think I can handle that. Rose is right, it's better to suffer alone in my own misery than dragging him in my world to make him suffer with me.

"Asher," I called his name.

"Hmm?"

"If there is a chance that I might receive my punishment first before you can give me your body. When you see me off... when you see me vanish, don't feel lonely," I told him while looking at my hands.

I felt him looking at me before speaking. "How would I not? I can't guarantee you that," he said softly.

"You should," I move a bit. "If ever that happens, I'll make sure I'll bring back your family so you can... be happy. Keep on taking good care of me, then try to see me off."

"I won't," he slowly said. "I won't take care of you so I don't need to try to see you off."

"Okay, I'm just telling you in advance."

He reached for my hands to hold it. "That won't happen, okay? We have a deal, we should do that. We'll die together," he said softly.