More than This (ONGOING)

Chapter 03

I parked my car outside a coffee shop. I badly need a coffee dahil wala pa akong tulog. Itinuloy ko kasi 'yung layout ko para sa project dahil ipe-present din ang first layout sa board.

Dumagdag pa sa isip ko 'yung nangyari kagabi sa labas ng unit kasama si Ryder. Hindi mawala sa isip ko kung ano bang nangyari sa kaniya at bigla nalang niya akong niyakap. May nangyari ba na hindi maganda?

I want to ask him about what really happened pero hindi na kami kagaya noon na pwede kong kausapin kahit anong oras nang walang malisya. At isa pa, hindi kami close para mag tanong ako about sa personal life niya.

We cut our relationship 13 years ago. Kaya hindi na ako dapat makialam sa buhay niya.

Sa kai-isip ko sa bagay na 'yun ay hindi ko alam kung tama pa ba ang layout na nagawa ko. Alam kong hindi ko 'yun mape-perfect ngayon dahil sa mga iniisip ko. I don't even know if they will approve on my first layout—na alam kong hindi nila sasang-ayunan.

I ordered cappuccino and a piece of cake. I went back to my car and start driving. Nang makarating na sa parking lot ay kinuha ko na paper bag na may cake tsaka kape saka dumeretso na papasok ng kumpanya.

Dumeretso na ako sa opisina para makapag almusal na muna. 8 am pa naman ang start ng meeting at 6:30 am pa lang naman kaya may oras pa ako para kumain.

When I finished eating, I start retouching my make up and I fix myself. I need to be presentable. It was 7:45 am when I decided to go to the conference room.

May mga iba nang nandito. Every department heads are present. Tumuon ang tingin ko sa lalaking nakaupo sa kanang bahagi ng mesa. He was looking intently on a book.

Napatigil ako sandali. Looking him makes me remember what happened last night. What really happened to him and why did he hugged me.

Pinagmasdan ko pa sandali. Ibinaba niya ang libro na hawak niya at napatingin sa kawalan. Tila may malalim siyang iniisip at puno ng kalungkutan ang mga mata niya. Napakurap pa siya ng ilang beses bago kinuha ang libro at nagpatuloy sa pagbabasa.

His hair was fixed and his lips were pressed together. Nakapatong ang dalawa niyang siko sa mesa habang hawak ng kanan niyang kamay ang libro.

I look away and start walking to my seat. Wala sa sariling napainom ako sa bottled water na nasa mesa. Everyone was busy with their stuff kaya hindi siguro nila ako mapapansin.

President Velarde enter the room. Everyone automatically stood up and greeted him. When he reaches his seat, the meeting began.

Thank god they didn't mentioned about the interior design of the project. Yssa was not around also. Ayaw niya talagang pumunta dahil masyado itong minamadali. Maybe this the client's choice.

When the meeting was finally done, I was about to stand up when President called me.

"Ms. Andrada?" He said.

Agad naman akong lumapit para marinig ang sasabihin niya. Ryder was standing beside him and he's holding a briefcase again. He looked at me then looked away.

"Yes, President?" Agad kong sabi nang makalapit sa kaniya.

"Since the architect was not around, I want you to come with Atty. Gozon to look at the site. Engr. De Leon was already there and I already told him that you two are coming." He said pointing out to the both of us.

Ryder was still standing there and I think he already knew this. Tumingin akong muli kay President na naka tingin na rin sa akin.

This is so fast. Kakatapos pa lang ng meeting at ganito na agad. I can't even say no because Yssa was not around.