All For Show (COMPLETED)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

I felt like as far as being consistent for someone na busy sa business niya, Pablo was being consistent. It was so weird tho when one morning, I received a bouquet of flower. May nakalagay lang na note na Have a good day. Walang nakalagay kung galing kanino.

'Was the flowers from you?'

'Yes. Who else would send it?'

'Paul?'

'Ah. My English version.'

Napaawang ang labi ko. Wow. Such audacity.

'Or... you're his Tagalog version.'

'No. I'm older. I was here first.'

I bit my lower lip para hindi ako matawa but he was being ridiculous...ly cute. Ugh. I hated how easy it was for him na patawanin ako. Kahit siguro sobrang corny niya, matatawa pa rin ako.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself. No. Kalma lang tayo, Cerise. You've been here before. You made it too easy for him—time to take a step back and let him do the chasing. I mean, I wouldn't let him chase me as in chase me. I felt like matanda na kami. He already told me that he likes me and hindi naman ako magsisinungaling pa sa sarili ko. I do like him. It's just that I needed more now as compared to before na tignan niya lang ako ay okay na.

Consistency.

I needed him to be consistent this time.

No more push and pull.

No more games gaya ng sinabi niya before na parang hindi naman totoo.

'Have a nice lunch,' he messaged nung hindi ako naka-reply sa last message niya because I had to work on something. Instead of replying, I just reacted with a thumbs up sa message niya.

While I was having my lunch, napunta ako sa profile niya. It was empty. Like literally. Walang profile picture. Walang posted photos. Walang followers, but naka-follow sa akin.

Really, the bar is in hell dahil bakit kahit ganito lang ay kinikilig na ako?

'Hey, Paul. Saw your dad earlier. He weirdly complimented me. Thought maybe you had something to do with that.'

Hindi ko alam kung tama ba na nag-message ako kay Paul, but I really thought about him when I saw his dad earlier. Sobrang stingy kasi nun sa praise, as in, which in hindsight, medyo okay rin naman. It makes you want to work harder para maka-receive ng compliment from him. And so far sa tagal ko sa company na 'to, ngayon lang ako naka-receive ng compliment sa kanya.

"So... ano kayo ngayon?" Jana asked when we met that night. Pablo asked me if I have dinner plans. The energy it took from me to say no to him. Of course gusto ko siyang makasama mag-dinner, but also, I needed to be firm when I told myself that I shouldn't make myself always readily available for him. I have a life. I have friends. Hindi siya kasama sa priority list ko... well, at least for now.

"Ano'ng ano kami ngayon?" I asked innocently kahit na alam ko naman kung ano ang gustong itanong ni Jana. Wala lang. Minsan, gusto ko lang siyang inisin.

She rolled her eyes, as expected.

"Definitely not friends," I said.

"Friends with benefits?"

I scoffed. "What benefits?"

"You just said na binigyan ka niya ng flowers!"

"So? Kaya ko rin bumili nun?"

She groaned. "Duh!"

Natawa ako. Sarap asarin nito kasi mabilis ma-frustrate, e.

"Hindi ko alam din kasi. Hindi kami friends; hindi rin naman kami together. Ewan ko. Naguusap kami, ganon. Pwede ba 'yon?"