Ceaseless Fire

Chapter 6

Cheated

Tahimik lamang ako at hindi na ginalaw ang pagkaing nasa harapan ko habang hinihintay ang pagdating ng kontrata. Ang sarap pa naman ng mga putaheng nasa harapan ko ngunit nang dahil sa mga sinabi ni Orion ay nawalan ako ng gana.

Orion was just staring at me while I kept my sight away from me. Pati siya ay tumigil na rin sa pagkain.

What he said was somehow true though. Hindi ko naman 'yon tinatanggi sa sarili ko. Masyado akong nagpadala sa trahedyang nangyari noon at hindi na ako nakapag-isip ng maayos. But I tried to seek some help. I tried to think of ways on how to pay for my parent's debts. For him to call me useless hurt my pride and stepped on my efforts. Hindi porket hindi ko naisip ang mga paraang naisip niya ay wala na akong silbi.

My plan to forget everything that happened between me and him before, popped and vanished like a bubble.

"I'm sorry to keep you two waiting..."

Napalingon naman ako kay Attorney Navarro na kakarating lang na may dala-dalang clip folder. Inilapag niya iyon sa ibabaw ng lamesa kung saan mayroon pang space.

He then turned to look at me. "Hello, Miss Castellano,” he greeted me with a smile. "It's nice seeing you again."

Nginitian ko lamang siya bilang ganting bati at napatingin naman ako sa nakalahad na folder sa aking harapan na hawak-hawak ni Orion.

"This is the revised contract,” he stated.

Kinuha ko naman ito at agad na sinimulang basahin ang mga nakapaloob doon.

"Read and comprehend everything that's stated there,” he said. "Kung wala ka nang gusto pang ipabago o ipadagdag sa kontrata ay pwede mo na 'yang pirmahan at pipirmahan ko na rin. We have Attorney Navarro with us to be the witness of our agreement."

Binasa ko naman ito at nakita kong nandoon na ang mga kondisyon na gusto kong isama niya sa kontrata at tinanggal ang mga dating nais niyang ipaloob dito.

I was satisfied with the terms and conditions of the revised contract.

"Okay na sa'kin,” tipid kong sabi at nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya. "Pipirmahan ko na."

"Here's a pen, Miss Castellano."

Bigla naman ang pag-alok ni Attorney Navarro ng fountain pen sa akin upang mapirmahan ko na ang kontrata.

"Thank you." I smiled at him and took the pen to sign the contract.

I signed the left side of all the pages and also signed above my full name before giving the contract back to Orion.

He also did the same thing I did and signed the papers beside my signature and also above his name. Attorney Navarro also signed the contract with our witness.

"Kailan ako magsisimulang magtrabaho?" tanong ko naman matapos nilang pirmahan ang kontrata.

"You'll start working tomorrow. There are available uniforms at the stock room in the hotel. Sa tingin ko ay mayroon namang size mo doon," Orion answered. "As for your name plate, you might also get it tomorrow. I'll ask the head of the housekeeping department to secure one for you. She'll also guide you with your duties and give you your schedule."

Tumango-tango ako. "Kung ganoon ay aalis na ako,” sabi ko na lang at saka tumayo. “Maraming salamat."

"Wait!" Attorney Navarro stopped me from going and held my wrist. "Won't you finish your meal before you go?"

Umiling naman ako at ngumiti. "Busog na po ako. Salamat na lang."

"Pero sayang ang pagkain. It's already lunch time. Matipid ka lang ba talagang kumain?" He sounded so concerned of me.

"Just let her be, Rav,” bigla namang pagsingit ni Orion at agad naman siyang nilingon ni Attorney Navarro. "If she doesn't want to eat then let her go."

Ngumisi naman si Attorney Navarro kay Orion. "Is that how you treat a girl right, Orion?" He kind of mocked Orion with his question. "I thought I can learn from you.” Tawa niya bago siya tumayo sa kanyang kinauupuan.

Nilingon niya ako at muling nginitian.

"I volunteer to drive you home, Miss Castellano. I won't take any form of rejection so... Let's go?"

"Hmm... Okay,” nag-aalangan kong pagpayag sa kanyang gustong mangyari pero ang gusto ko na lang ay ang makaalis na sa harap ni Orion.

Mukhang wala siyang balak paalisin ako kung hindi ko siya pauunlakan na ihatid ako pauwi kahit na hindi naman kailangan.

Attorney Navarro smiled and turned to Orion. "See you later, Rion." He bidded before he pulled me away from the scene.

Hindi na ako nag-abalang magpaalam pa kay Orion o tignan siya bago kami makalabas ni Attorney Navarro sa balsa.

Agad niya ring binitawan ang pagkakahawak sa aking palapulsuhan nang makalabas na kami.

"Hindi mo naman na ako kailangan pang ihatid pauwi,” nahihiya kong sabi dahil ayaw ko rin namang makaabala.

"Who says you're going home?" nakangising tanong niya naman sa akin.

Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang dahil doon. What does he mean by that?

"Anong ibig mong sabihin? Saan mo ako dadalhin?" matapang ko namang tanong sa kanya at handa na akong tumakbo kung may gagawin siyang hindi ko magugustuhan.

Bahagya namang napatigil si Attorney Navarro. Itinagilid niya ng bahagya ang kanyang ulo, tila sinusuri ako bago siya napatango at humagalpak sa kakatawa.

"Damn, Miss Castellano!" He cursed and laughed. "If you're thinking that I'm gonna violate your right as a woman then please erase those thoughts. I'm not that kind of guy."

I deeply sighed in relief.

"I just want to take you out for lunch..." He trailed off before he smiled. "Lunch!" he repeated with finality.

"Pero nakakain na ako kanina. Busog na ako,” pagsisinungaling ko.

He raised his eyebrows and grinned at me. "You think I'd believe you?" he asked. "I'm a lawyer and it's easy for me to distinguish people. And besides, even if I'm not a lawyer, I know how awkward it is to share lunch with your ex. Am I right?"

Bahagya namang nanlaki ang aking mga mata. Alam niya ang tungkol sa aming dalawa ni Orion!

"You seemed so surprised because I know something about your past with Orion." He laughed.

Nakakunot ang aking noo. "Paano mo nalaman?"

"Well, I'm Orion's friend aside from being one of their family's lawyers,” he started. "He kind of told me that he had a relationship with you when he discussed your family's debts. You were his first girlfriend, right?"

Tumango naman ako bilang sagot.

"Aside from that, wala na akong alam tungkol sa inyong dalawa,” he said. "I asked him why you two broke up but he didn't say a thing and just keep quiet. Ayoko naman nang manghimasok."

Of course. Why would he tell his friend why we broke up? It can ruin his image to his friends.

"Well, let's just forget about that,” he said and scratched his nape. "Hindi naman kita inayang maglunch para sagutin ang katanungan ko patungkol sa inyong dalawa. I just knew that I need to feed you since you weren't able to eat your lunch properly."

Sumama na ako sa isa pang seaside restaurant dito sa The Valley. Hinayaan ko nang si Attorney Navarro na ang umorder ng aming kakainin. I don't want to be picky since he's going to treat me. Kung ano ang gusto niyang kainin at iyon na rin ang kakainin ko.

"Ang dami mo namang inorder, Attorney," komento ko nang mapansing naka-limang putahe siya.

He chuckled. "I'm hungry. Baka ikaw din,” he reasoned out. "And... My name is Raverson, but you can just call me Rav. Attorney is way too formal."

"Ayaw mo ba kapag tinatawag kang Attorney?" tanong ko sa kanya. "Ang ibang nag-aral ng Law ay isa sa mga pangarap nila ang matawag ng Attorney pero ikaw ay ayaw mo."

"Hmm... Hindi naman sa ayaw ko,” he said. "Pakiramdam ko lang ay ang layo ng agwat natin kapag tinatawag mo ako ng pormal. I just want to be friends with you, Miss Castellano. Can I just call you Naiyah, by the way?"

Bahagya naman akong napanguso nang malaman ko ang kanyang dahilan at saka tumango.

"Okay lang,” sabi ko na lang.

He smiled and his phone suddenly chimed.

"I'll just reply to this message,” sabi niya bago yumuko upang magtipa ng reply sa kanyang cellphone.

Habang tinitignan siya ay napaisip ako sa sinabi niya kanina na tahimik lang si Orion nang tanungin niya kung ano ang nangyari sa aming dalawa at kung bakit kami naghiwalay.

I suddenly wonder if Orion's always quiet whenever someone asks a question why we broke up.

Sinasabi niya kaya 'yung totoo o ako ang naging mali?

When we broke up before, Emma suddenly distanced herself from me. Naisip kong dahil lang 'yon sa Maynila na niya napagdesisyunang mag-aral ng kolehiyo ngunit nang makita kong okay pa sila ni Kriesha, pati na rin ng iba naming kaibigan at nagkakausap, pakiramdam ko'y may ginawa akong mali.

I wonder if it's because of Orion...

Emma didn't ask my side when Orion and I broke up. Did she ask him first and he told her a lie?

"He cheated,” I said, absentmindedly.

Nakita ko namang napatigil si Rav at bahagyang nanlaki ang kanyang mata na mukhang hindi inaasahan ang sasabihin ko.

"What did you say?" tanong niya na parang hindi pa narinig ang aking sasabihin.

Diretso akong tumingin sa kanyang mga mata.

"He cheated," I told him. "He cheated on me... that's why we broke up."

"Orion cheated on you before?" naguguluhan niyang tanong.

Mukhang hindi niya iniisip na 'yon ang pwedeng maging sanhi kung bakit kami nagkahiwalay ni Orion.

I nodded and bit my lower lip. "It was six months after he went abroad to study,” panimula ko sa aking kwento. "Bago siya umalis, nangako siya sa akin na babalikan niya ako pagkatapos niyang mag-aral doon. He said that we will live a happy life together after that. Pero six months palang 'yon at nangaliwa na siya. Nanloko na siya. He wasn't responding to my messages before that. My faith and trust on him still prevailed that time. But when I saw the footage on f*******:, alam ko na kung bakit hindi siya sumasagot sa mga mensahe ko at tinapon niya ang tiwala ko na parang wala lang. No more explanation needed. Hindi ko na siya kinausap pagkatapos nun. Hindi na rin naman siya gumawa ng paraan para magkausap kami. We were better off that way."

Narealize ko na wala akong gaanong pinagsabihan patungkol sa aming dalawa ni Orion. No one knows about my side. No one knows how hurt I was. Just my family and my new found friends when I was in college.

"I never thought that Orion could cheat on someone..." bigla namang sabi ni Rav. "I mean, he's a man with principles. He has a lot of virtues. So, that's why he doesn't want to tell me why, huh?"

"I don't want him to look bad, but that's what really happened,” sabi ko at tiningnan na lang ang aking mga kamay.

"It must have hurt you a lot..." Rav trailed off. "... being cheated on."

Muli akong nag-angat ng tingin sa kanya at ngumiti. "Sobra,” sabi ko. "Sobrang sakit."

"But I guess you're okay now?" He sounded so hopeful.

Tumango naman ako. "I'm better now."

He smiled. "That's great..." he said. "I just hope he won't do it to my cousin."

Napakunot ang aking noo sa kanyang sunod na sinabi. "Your cousin?" pagtataka ko at dala na rin ng kuryosidad.

"Oh! My cousin, Halsey,” he stated. "She is Orion's current girlfriend. They have already been together for three years."