Game Over

Chapte 27

Chapter 27

I dreaded the fact that after everything that happened this weekend, I still had to go to work. I had to. Hindi ako pwedeng biglang mag-awol. Hindi naman siguro ipagkakalat ni Lance iyong nangyari... although frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if he did. People would side with him—understandably so. I would be the bitch who cheated on him despite him helping me and basically kickstarting my career.

"What the hell!" sabi ko nung maabutan ko si Lui na nasa labas ng unit ko. Ganito ba ang pakiramdam ng inaatake sa puso?! Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko nang makita ko siya na naka-sandal doon sa may pader na katapat nung pinto ng unit ko.

He didn't immediately say anything. He was just standing there. Mukhang papasok din siya sa trabaho niya dahil naka-formal attire siya ngayon.

"It's just coffee, Tali," sabi niya nang abutan niya ako ng paper cup na may kape.

It was a Monday morning. I had no energy to spare for him. Hinahanda ko iyong sarili ko sa kung anuman ang mangyayari pagdating ko sa opisina. Tinanggap ko iyong kape na hawak niya. Hindi ako nagthank you kasi 'di ko naman hiningi 'to sa kanya.

"What do you want? At bakit nandito ka?" I asked him because like energy, I also had to time to spare for him. Hindi ako pwedeng ma-late sa trabaho. Kung pagchichismisan man ako doon na malandi ako o cheater, at the very least, they should realize that my personal life may be messy, but I'm a professional pa rin pagdating sa trabaho ko.

Saka aalis na rin naman ako doon—konting tiis na lang talaga.

"You weren't responding to my texts."

"I blocked your number," I told him.

I did.

Because I used to go crazy waiting for him to text me... Kahit siguro tuldok lang ang i-text niya sa akin, mabubuo na iyong araw ko. I used to spend my days wondering kung baka magbago ang isip niya tungkol sa akin.

I wasted days with wishful thinking of what could've beens.

So, I had to block him. That way, ang iniisip ko na lang ay nagtext siya pero hindi ko lang natanggap dahil blocked siya. That was way better than the reality na hindi niya naman talaga ako tine-text.

God, the things I bargained with just because he couldn't like me the way I wanted him to.

"Right..." sabi niya. "Unblock me."

I scoffed. "Why would I?"

"Because we're dating now."

"In your fucking dreams," sabi ko sa kanya at saka ni-lock iyong pinto ng unit ko at nagsimulang maglakad. Umagang-umaga pa lang ay pinapainit niya na iyong ulo ko. I hated hearing that from him because I used to dream about him saying that. But he never did. Tapos ngayon ko maririnig sa kanya 'yan?

I got in the elevator. Of course sumunod siya. I just stood there and quietly waited hanggang sa makarating iyong elevator sa basement.

"We're dating—as far as Lance is concerned," sabi niya habang nasa elevator pa rin kami.

"Right. Thanks for making me the office whore."

I saw how Lui's jaw clenched with the remark that I just said. What? Tama naman ako. With the stunt he pulled, he just made me the office slut na hindi na nakuntento sa boyfriend niya at may boyfriend pa sa ibang firm.

"You know I had no choice," sabi niya.

"Really? Iyong choice mo ay halikan lang ako sa harap ni Lance at iimply sa kanya na may relasyon tayo?"