Not Until You

Chapter 11

Juniper’s POV

I didn’t answer him. Not because I hadn’t heard, but because some confessions aren’t meant to be met with comfort.

This is different.

I am different.

And he… he moves through the world in a way I never could.

For a man like him, admitting he wants to feel normal is dangerous in itself—after a day where nothing about him was ordinary. Power has followed him into every room, clung to his name, and shaped the way people look at him before he can even speak.

For a moment, he wasn’t the Mayor asking to be understood— he was a man asking to be unseen.

“How’s your Velvet & Vine experience so far?” Instead, I asked him that question. Gawa gawa na lang paraan ‘no, Juni? Makatakas lang sa tensyon.

At doon ko nakita ang totoo niyang ngiti. “Good! That’s why I’m back here. This is a nice place, not too crowded.”

“Is this your second time here?” tanong ko pa.

He shrugged. “Can’t remember,” matipid niyang sagot.

I just gave him a nod and prepared pasta for both of us since gutom na rin ako. Hindi ko na siya inalok at basta na lang inabog iyon sa kanya. Tinanggap niya naman iyon at tahimik na kinain.

After eating he was asking me if kung ilang taon na akong nagtatrabaho sa Velvet & Vine, sinagot ko naman iyon pero hindi ko binanggit na kami ang may-ari.

“So, going back to your… scrub that you’re wearing right now.” Sabay turo sa suot ko. “What hospital?” patay malisya pa niyang tanong.

“Do I need to answer that, Mayor?" I asked him.

Natawa siya at nailing. “Just want to make sure–”

I cut him off. “Why?”

Nagkibit-balikat siya. “I need to be familiar with every hospital here in the city, lalo na that one of my priority is the healthcare system.”

“Okay,” tipid kong sagot.

Marami ako gustong itanong pero nagdadalawang isip ako, mamaya paghinalaan niya ako mahirap na. The less I talk, the safer. But I am really curious how he ended up here at kung bakit ganito siya makitungo sa akin na para bang wala lang sa kanya.

Wala ba talaga siyang alam? o tinatago niya lang?

May mga tao sa paligid at alam kong curious na sila kung bakit mag-isa lang ang taong ito. He’s a Mayor, normal sa kanya na marami siyang kasama. Normal na marami siyang kaharap at kausap.

“What’s your name… again?” he asked, gently.

I looked at him, napaisip sa sasabihin. Hindi ko na rin tuloy maalala kung nabanggit ko na ba sa kanya ang pangalan ko. But instead of giving my real first name, I gave him a different name. Bahala na siyang maguluhan. Haha!

“Perry.”

Hindi ko alam sa likod ng utak ko ay natatawa ako sa binigay kong nickname. Baliw ka na, Juniper! Makalusot lang talaga!

“Oh, nice name, and nice to meet you, Perry.”

Inabot pa niya ang kamay niya pero tinitigan ko lang iyon. Mukhang napansin niya naman iyon kaya agad niyang binawi at napakamot na lang sa ulo.

“Nice to meet you again, Mayor River.” I said with a serious tone while looking at him.

Ilang segundo kaming nagkatitigan hanggang sa naputol iyon gawa ng may isang guest ang lumapit sa counter at binati si River. Ginamit ko ang pagkakataon na iyon para umalis. Hindi ko na binato ng tingin si River. Tahimik kong kinuha ang gamit at dumiretso sa kitchen saka dumiretso sa isang pinto na daan papunta sa staff house s***h office ng Velvet & Vine. Walang tao dahil gabi niya kaya nagpakawala ako ng malakas na buntong hininga at napahilamos sa mukha. Gusto kong sumigaw sa kaba, sa inis, sa takot, sa galit, lahat na naramdaman ko.

Agad kong kinuha ang phone sa bulsa at nakita ang nasa 20+ na missed calls galing kay Sielo. Tinawagan ko siya at mabilis din naman siyang sumagot.

“Why does he keep on coming back here?” Iyon agad ang bungad ko kay Sielo. “Kung alam na niya, pinaglalaruan niya ba ako?” dagdag ko pa.

I heard Sielo sigh. “I don’t know, Juni. I’m sorry. But as far as we know, he’s making a move. We just don’t know if he fully remembers your face or your voice. I’ll let you know if may malaman ako.”

Nagulo ko ang buhok ko dahil sa frustration.

“Sielo…” I whispered. “I think this is bad…”

This wasn’t going to be about drinks or quiet or pretending.

It was going to be about restraint—mine, and his.

And lastly, this is about what happened that night.

Sielo and I talked for minutes before I went home. I didn’t go back to Velvet & Vine para maiwasan ko rin si River.

And I feel like what I did earlier was a wrong move, at ang tanga ko for giving him that nickname. I know for sure na itatanong niya iyon sa mga staff kaya una pa lang ay nabanggit ko na sa kanila na kung may magtanong man ng name ko ay Perry na lang, at kung sino ako sa Velvet & Vine. Hindi lang ako sigurado kung may makakalimot man doon. At kung may makalimot, patay na.

Still, the way he looked at me made something shift. And that was the problem. This is bad, oh god.