Hate Me Not

Chapter 27 Ligaw

Jacko

Days have passed like a blur. I am now in the office working pero wala dun ang aking isipan at attention.

Sa nakalipas na araw Cadley and I palaging magkasama, especially those days she took care of me. Halos every minute she checked on me if my wounds are healing, di ba dumudugo at nataranta kapag dumudugo ito.

Call me crazy dahil sa kagustuhan ko na makasama pa siya palagi I intentionally force myself para dumugo ito, ayaw kong mag-heal kaagad ang sugat. If there's a way na di ko mainum ang gamot gagawin ko but Cadley is really strict on it. I know if okay na ako balik kami sa dati, di na palaging magkasama.

What happened to me? Ginagamit ko ang aking situation para mas mapalapit sa kanya. I enjoyed every minute being with her. We talk about a lot of things, just simply sitting and talking randomly is enjoying. I never get bored.

I' m an introvert type of person, a loner. I enjoyed being alone rather than socializing and Adric knows it kaya kami magkasundo coz we are the same.

I remembered the past few days.

Naabutan ko si Cadley busy talking to Manang when I went down kasi nauuhaw ako, pero di niya ako napapansin. I wanted to talk to her but she is into Manang's conversation kaya bumalik ako sa room ko. I forced myself to do my exercise and lifted the dambel at dumugo ang sugat ko.

I called Cadley right away.

"Kuya anong nangyari sayo? Bakit ito dumugo, okay na ito kahapon ah?" Nataranta niyang saad halos mapapaluha na sa takot while attending to my wounds. Bumukas lang ng kaunti at dumugo.

I felt guilty about what I did and swear di ko na yun gagawin uli.

"I just lift something Cadley, akala ko okay na." Deny kong sabi.

"Sana tinawag mo nalang ako para di ka mabinat." Pag alala pang sabi. My heart melt with her concern.

"I am sorry di ko naman sinasadya eh; paumanhin kong sabi sa kanya. "Kaya tahan ka na, it will be okay soon promise;" bawi ko na lang coz she really looks sad and crying.

"What have I done?" Saway ko sa aking sarili, kagaguhan ko talaga, para akong bata na naghahanap ng attention niya.

I promise di ko na ulit gagawin yun. I don't want to see her crying again.

She always monitors my meds wala akong akong takas. She knows all the time schedules.

Minsan naiinggit ako kay Manang, paano niya napapatawa si Cadley ng ganun? Bakit kapag ako di siya tumatawa or kung mag joke ako tipid lang siyang ngumiti?

I am not really good at conversation, kaya ayaw ko sa mga party na yan. If business related, I am good at it. I go down to business right away every time I meet my client. I made them sign the contract it's because of what I do in the business, my reputation and my connection.

I don't need to see a lot of clients, they seek for me. Even with girls, i don't need to talk to them much, they look for me.

But with Cadley I wanted to talk to her, I sought her attention kaya nahihirapan ako kung paano ko siya kausapin. How to keep her engaged in talking to me, yun ang problema ko. I doubt my capability of keeping her with me.

Dahil sa pagiging clingy ko sa kanya. Nahalata yun ni manang.

"Oh Cadley hinahanap ka na ng alaga mo;" biro niya sa akin one time I go down, Cadley is still preparing my food.

So now here I am di sanay na wala siya sa paningin ko. Nanibago ako for almost 2 weeks kaming magkasama sa bahay, just us most of the time. Minsan naging makulit na ako sa kanya.

Ni di ako nababahala sa aking negosyo. I know I had great people do the job kahit di ko sila i-monitor, masyado lang akong mabusisi sa lahat ng bagay at workaholic kaya palagi akong babad sa office noon.

Staying at home is good for me narelax ang body and mind ko. I feel recharge. Saka ko nalaman that I needed it. I have been working rigidly over the years non-stop dahil takot akong maghirap muli, that's why I work so hard.

Masarap pala just to stay home talking to her, nothing to worry about, just enjoying the moment.

I remembered our conversation last time.

"Kuya ilan na ang naging girlfriends mo?" Out of the blue niyang tanong while dressing my wound one morning.

"Why you ask me that?" Normal kong sagot. I know she was just fishing some information from me.

"Eh kasi marami akong nakikita na kasama mo sa labas at sa magazine pero wala ka namang dinadala sa bahay;" simple niyang alibi.

"Why, gusto mo ba na dalhin ko sila dito?" Dagdag ko pa, trying to tease her.

"No ayaw ko;" bigla niyang sabi. Nakita ko na nalulukot na ang mukha niya. It looks entertaining seeing her jealous.

"Ayan pala eh, bakit mo pa tinatanong?"

Nagtataka lang ako kaya bakit nga?" She doesn't want to let go of the topic.

"They are not for serious Cadley kaya di ko sila ipinakilala sa inyo. They are just for time being." I decided to be direct.

"How about now, may girlfriend ka?" Akala ko she's already done asking.

"May nakikita ka ba na kasama ko?" I look at her. Dati naiirita ako kapag tinatanong ako ng mga babae ng paulit ulit. I don't like repeating myself but with her I am liking it.

"Wala pero malay ko ba kung andiyan lang sila naghihintay sayo."

"No I don't have one right now but I am eyeing someone." Bitin kong sabi sa kanya trying to get her reaction.

Nakita ko ang lungkot sa kanyang mga mata. Napapalingo lang ako. I know she is hurt and jealous of who is that someone.

"That's enough of a topic;" sabay pisil ko sa kanyang ilong. She looks so cute

Napapangiti lang ako sa aking pagbalik tanaw. Those days entertain me.

Dahil sa lumampas na siya sa hiningi niyang leave. I have ask her to just stop from the job. I will give her allowance daily para di siya mamoblema, di pa pumayag kaya I told her to cook for me daily and I'll pay here and I want her to enroll culinary kaya pumayag.

I plan her to take out somewhere like a date. I know maaga siyang matapos sa school.

Kaya maaga akong aalis ngayon para sunduin siya sa school. I fix my things.

"Sir aalis ka ngayon?" Pagtatakang tanong ng secretary ko.

"Yes, may problema ba?"

"May meeting ka pa with Lexus company in 20 minutes. They are coming already." Inform niya sa akin.

Oh s**t pati yun nakakalimutan ko na.

"After that meeting may iba pa ba akong naka schedule?"

"Wala na sir pero marami kang pepermahan na mga papeles at need for your review."

Oh marami pa pala at di ko lahat pa yun nagawa. Lahat ng nilagay niya sa aking mesa wala akong nagalaw. In short wala akong nagawang trabaho today.

"Sofia, can you bring those papers that need to be reviewed sa ating account team? Let them review it and make a summary each and give it to me after, ayaw ko ng basahin pa yun isa isa. I will sign those documents that need of my signature tomorrow. Okay?"

Wala siyang nagawa kundi kuhain muli ang mga papeles na dinala niya kanina at ginawa ang sinabi ko.

"Bakit ako mag-aaksaya ang panahon kung may mga tauhan naman akong gagawa nun para sa akin?"

After my meeting I went to Cadley's school.

As I arrive in the area nakita ko agad siya near the gate talking animatedly with the guy na sumundo sa kanya noon sa cafe. Nakaupo sila sa isang bench.

They laughed together, nag init ang ulo ko bigla. I can't make her smile and that guy did it?

I went to their side right away.

"Cadley let's go." Sigaw ko bigla. Walang sabi sabing hinawakan ang kamay niya.

I know I did startled her dahil sa malakas kong sigaw ko. She doesn't heard me yelling at her lately.

I hold her hands to the car. I was about to start the car.

"Kuya may hinihintay pa ako, I was waiting for Libeth, she had my USB for our project." Di ako nagsasalita but I stop the car.

I was acting like a jealous boyfriend. I calm myself.

"Is that guy nanliligaw sayo?"

"Oo pero sabi ko sa kanya mag-aaral pa ako. Di pa ako ready sa pagbo-boyfriend." Nahihiya niyang sabi.

"Then why palagi pa rin siyang dumidikit sayo?" Irita kong sambit.

"Sabi niya maghihintay daw siya sa akin until maging ready ako." Honest niyang ani.

"Maghihintay my ass. Wala kang hihintayin." Bulong ng aking isipan. I think I need to step up. May kalaban na ako.

After niya nakuha ang USB, we went ahead.

"Kuya galit pa ka?"

"No I am not Cadley, am sorry kanina nasigawan kita."

"Okay lang yun Kuya sabi nila normal lang yun na magalit ka kasi nag aaral pa ako. Di pa ako allowed mag boyfriend."

Fuck ako pala ang nababawi sa aking salitang binitawan.

"Saan tayo Kuya?" She asks when I keep driving away from our way home.

"We will have a road trip, eat somewhere kapag may makita tayo na magandang kainan. How about that?"

"Ah sige gusto ko yan kasi tapos ko naman nagawa ang assignment ko. Wala na akong poproblemahin pa. Ang ganda talaga tingnan Ng labas nakakarelax."

We are just the same road trip makes me relax.

Marami kaming mapuntahan. We dine in somewhere. We had fun.

"Cadley, di ba I told you na naghahanap ako ng girlfriend?" She looks at me na may lambo sa mga mata. She looks sad. Halata talaga siya na may pagtingin sa akin.

"I think nahanap ko na ang babaing gusto ko maging girlfriend."

"Sino naman yun?" Nakataas ang nguso niya habang nagtatanong.

"Ikaw"

"Huh?" Nagtataka ang mukha niya. Di ako sumagot, pero napapangiti ako.

"Wala naman akong alam na may babae kang kasama kaya paano ko malaman? Sino Kuya? Anong pangalan niya?"

"Cadley." I am enjoying this. Titingnan ko ang maging reaksiyon niya once she realizes what I mean.

"Kuya di ako nagbibiro, wala nga akong nakikita na kasama mo na ibang babae eh." She still doesn't get it.

We reach home, I park the car in the garage.

"Exactly wala akong ibang babe na kasama lately kundi ikaw lang. Kaya ikaw ang gusto kong maging girlfriend."

She looks dumbfounded. Nakatanga lang at nakakunot ang noo.

"Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko na bawal ka pang magboyfriend. Kasi I want you to be my girlfriend." Di parin nagsasalita. I guess she is trying to digest what I have said.

"Kuya;" sambit niya ng mahina. Bigla nalang siyang umibis sa sasakyan at nagtatalon paakyat ng bahay.

I watch her leaving. Natakot ko ata. Baka nabigla sa sinabi ko.

Well I intend to be her boyfriend. Ayaw kong may mag aalingid sa kanya. Ako lang ang lalaking pwede dumikit sa kanya.