I’ll never forget that lunch, my most awkward lunch ever.
Habang abala si Miel sa pagsisilbi at pagku-kwento kay Jacob ay walang ginawa ang huli lung hindi ang magtext at tumitig sa cellphone niya,
…he’s a dick cheese personified.
“Honey, para sa 7th birthday ni Haley, gusto ko may games, then…”
Jacob frowned at her wife and said;
“Miel please can you please shut up? May ginagawa ako.”
She’s still smiling, kahit na napahiya siya sa pambabara ni Jacob, a very painful smile.
“Sige hon, by the way do you want chicken or mojos?”
Napakamot ng ulo si Jacob,
“No, I need peace. Huwag mo muna akong kausapin.”
Hindi ko nagalaw ang pagkain ko, gusto ko na lang umalis at iwanan sila but I can’t, gusto ko munang samahan si Miel,
…kahit na parang nakalimutan na niya ang existence ko.
*Long awkward silence*
“Mauuna na ako Miel, Haley. May important meeting ako sa office ng 3PM diba Xander?”
I didn’t respond, that bastard is trying to use me again.
Matapos bayaran ang bill ay agad na umalis si Jacob, his daughter, Haley asked her Mom:
“Mommy akala ko ba sasamahan tayo ni Daddy na bumili ng party needs? Bakit sya umalis agad?”
Miel hugged her daughter and said:
“Busy pala si Daddy, sa ibang araw na lang baby.”
Miel’s tears slowly falls down her cheeks, I think she’s trying her best not to cry but the pain is unbearable.
After that, tumayo na siya, pinahid ang luha at nagpaalam sa akin.
“Thank you for accompanying us Sir mauuna na kami ni Haley.”
Haley kissed my cheeks and they started to walk away.
I stared at her back, something inside me is urging my body to chase her,
…so I did.
Noong maabutan ko si Miel ay hinawakan ko ang balikat niya and I told her:
“Miel, ihahatid ko na kayo.”
She gave me a faint smile and said:
“Thank you.”
Paglabas namin sa SM North EDSA ay tumawag ako ng taxi, Miel told the driver where to go.
Karuhatan, Valenzuela.
Sobrang tahimik namin sa taxi, Miel is staring into blank space while Haley is sleeping in her lap.
Ang ginawa ko naman ay tinandaan ko ang daan papunta sa bahay nila, the streets, landmark and exact address, I engraved it in my mind.
Pagdating namin sa bahay nila ay agad kong binayaran ang taxi tapos ay inalalayan ko si Miel sa pagbaba.
Papasok na siya sa gate when I mustered the courage to speak.
“Mauuna na ako Miel, thanks sa lunch and for everything.”
Miel tried to smile and said:
“Thank you din sa paghahatid sa amin, next week pumunta ka sa birthday ni Haley ha? I’ll wait you.”
“By the way, ano nga uli ang name mo Sir?”
That question is like a knife that pierces through my heart.
“Xander Holmes. I hope that we can meet again, Remiel.”
Matapos iyon ay umalis na ako. Umuwi ako sa apartment ko at nagpahinga, may pasok pa ako mamayang 10PM.
I can’t get her out of my mind, hindi ako nakatulog kakaisip sa kanya.
I tried my best to forget her, to shift my conscious mind into something, somebody but I fucking cant.
Alam ko mali ang nararamdaman ko pero ano’ng magagawa ko?
I think I’ll just have to make myself busy, makakalimutan ko din si Miel.
“….”
“….”
Ilang araw na ang nakalipas simula noong makilala ko si Miel, I thought my feelings for her will eventually subside but the opposite happens,
…hindi na siya mawala sa isip ko.
Three days to go before Haley’s 7th birthday, pupunta kaya ako?
• 1AM •
A loud, shrieking voice of our TL wakes me up from my deep daydreaming extravaganza.
“Xander! God! What happen to you? Bagsak ka sa quality assessment. Tuloy pati buong team damay.”
Yumuko ako habang nagsesermon ang team leader namin, I gave my sincerest apology dahil aminado naman ako na lately ay wala ako sa focus.
“Take a break, coffee ka muna sa labas. Balik ka after 30 minutes.”
Napilitan akong lumabas ng workstation para magkape.
Bago mag coffee break ay nag CR muna ako, I need to wash my face para magising ako mula sa daydreams ko.
Pagdating ko sa tapat ng pintuan ng CR, I heard moans and cries coming inside. Seems like somebody’s enjoying someone.
Marahan kong binuksan ang pinto, naging mas malakas ang tunog ng ungol at halinghing ng babae na galing sa isa sa tatlong cubicle.
I slowly walked inside the CR, pardon my voyeurism, I was young, curious and adventurous that time.
I have to admit that this excites me a bit.
“Fuck you, you’re tearing me apart!”
“Aaah…sige pa, don’t stop, rip my pussy. Oooh!”
Until I heard a familiar voice.
“Cess babe, matagal ka bang hindi dinidiligan ng mister mo?”
“Yes Jacob, so fuck me, harder and faster!”
“Ganda mong yan babe hindi ka nya pinapansin, kaya pala ang sikip mo pa din at basang basa ka pa.”
“Stop it, huwag mo na akong bolahin…oooh shit, more baby.”
“Babe, malapit na ako, ang sarap mo, aaaah!”
“Cum inside me baby, hah, hah, ang wild mo Jacob.”
“…”
“Bakit ka huminto? I thought you’ll cum.”
“Lumuhod ka dali, subo mo.”
“Naughty ka talaga Jacob. Sure, cum in my mouth then.”
“Fuck Cess, aaaah! That’s it.”
“Sige pa, malapit nah…”
“Oooh!”
“Swallow it bitch, don’t waste it.”
“Jacob baby, do you love it?”
“Fuck babe, you suck like a vacuum cleaner with a marshmallow in the end.”
“You’re the best, babe.”
“Talaga baby? Sino sa amin ni Miel ang gusto mo?”
“Naman! Ikaw siyempre, she’s frigid and lousy while you, Cess, you’re hot and bitchy, I love you.”
“I love you too baby.”
After a while ay lumabas na si Jacob at Ma’am Cecil mula sa loob ng cubicle at laking gulat ng dalawa noong makita nila ako.
Namutla ng husto si Ma’am Cecil, after all she’s a respected figure sa office namin. A person with a higher position.
Jacob calmly approached me.
“Xander, buddy… kanina ka pa?”
I smirked at him.
“Buddy my ass, paano mo nagawa to’ kay Miel?”
May ibinulong si Jacob kay Ma’am Cecil matapos iyon ay agad siyang lumabas ng CR, naiwan kaming dalawa,
…I’ll beat him down.
Jacob said in friendly tone.
“Xander, bata ka pa kasi, you’ll never understand how much I need her to secure my career.”
“Isa pa I’m enjoying the sex, wala kang pakialam sa gusto kong gawin, so shut that girly mouth of yours.”
My emotions started to take control of my mind, I stared at his ugly mug and told him.
“May pakialam ako dahil gusto ko siya, and fuck you dahil ikaw pa ang naging asawa niya.”
He laughed, so hard na halos gumulong na siya sa sahig.
Dahil nainsulto ako sa tawa niya ay sinugod ko siya, I’ll kill him.
But before I landed my left fist in his face…
He quickly connects a straight punch in my chin.
Nawalan ako ng balanse, then he released a hook punch that crushed my right cheek.
Bumagsak ako sa sahig, ramdam ko ang hirap sa paghinga, then a warm stream of blood started flowing out my nose and mouth.
“Totoy, next time piliin mo ang kalaban mo.”
He laughed at me, tumatawa siya hanggang sa makalabas siya ng CR.
I fixed myself, fuck! Ang sakit sa ulo, sa pride, sa ego! My white polo is tainted with blood.
Lumabas ako sa CR, my knees are trembling like crazy.
Habang naglalakad ako pabalik sa workstation ay bigla akong hinarang ng guards at dinala ako sa isang kwarto,
…they told me that I’m suspended for assaulting Jacob.
What the fuck is this bullshit?!
Sila na ang kumuha ng gamit ko and then itinaboy nila ako palabas sa building.
My career as a call center agent ended that day.
“……”
“……”
• Three months passes by •
Wala na akong balita kay Miel but my feelings for her didn’t fade away,surprisingly I think I really fallen for her.
I want to see her, pero hindi ko siya magawang puntahan dahil alam ko na si Jacob ang mahal niya, isa pa legal ang kasal nila.
About my career,
…still a jobless.
Hindi na ako makahanap ng decent job because of the bad track record na ibinigay ng previous employer ko.
I have to swallow my pride and throw away my freedom.
Bumalik ako sa parents ko and they accepted me,
…I was trained to become the CEO of our company. My father doesn’t trust his appointees and he want me to be the one in charge.
Many years passes by, the time has finally come, I became the boss and the first thing I did is to check out my employees.
Doon ko muling nakita si Miel, I never knew that she’s working for our company, sabagay nasa field ako at hindi ako pumupunta sa mga company gatherings.
II instructed someone na papuntahin siya sa office ko, we’ll have a good long chat,
…but she doesn’t remember me.
Noong makita ko siya, I realized that I still like her.
Her smiles still makes my heart beats faster,
Her presence still brings joy to my life.
I always want to be with her.
“……”
“No”
“Hindi lang basta mahal.”
“She’s everything to me.”
Aris laughed at me.
“Fuck! Don’t tell me nakita mo na yung long lost love mo!”
“I’m happy for you, hindi mo agad sinabi, I’m sorry for badmouthing her.”
I seriously looked at him, then I smiled.
“Yeah, siya yung sinasabi ko sa inyo ni Alex na first love ko.”