Shades of Kagan

Chapter 12

HELP WANTED: APPLY INSIDE!

Puno nang pagaalinlangan akong pumasok sa loob. The place is cold, seems like they don't care about the bill expenses. Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa buong lugar at nagtaka dahil wala akong makita kahit isang tao sa loob. All I can see is a white wall. No one is even standing on the reception area. Ngayon ay napapaisip na lang ako kung sino ang hahanapin para makapag apply.

I walked a little to my left, and from there, I saw furniture covered with white linen. This must be the lobby that looks lifeless. The wall is just plain white. Every item is covered, even the chandelier on the top. Clutching Kagan's jacket tightly in my hand, I decided to leave the place, not until I stepped something on the floor. Gumawa naman ito nang malakas na ingay sa buong lugar. At dahil wala masydong gamit at tao sa loob, the sound echoed in the four corners of the room.

I accidentally stepped on a flower vase that was placed on the floor. It rolled down slowly to the right.

Nagdasal na lang ako sa aking isipan na sana hindi ko nabasag ang vase. I was about to get the vase and put it up when someone just did it. Nakayuko ito kaya naman hindi ko makita ang kanyang mukha. All I can see is his hair and some strands of it covering his forehead.

"It's not like I'm trespassing on private property, but I saw the sign outside. So I was thinking that maybe I could fill in the job?" Biglang kong sinabi habang tumitingin sa ginawa niya. The guy picks up the vase that rolled down a while ago and puts it on the side of the wall.

"Great. I've been looking for one since last week." Tumayo na ito nang maayos at tumingin sa akin. When I saw his face, my mouth hung open. Parehas lang kaming natigilan nang makita namin ang isa't isa. I manage to collect myself when he looked at me as if he recognized me from before. Of course! He must recognized me! Ako lang naman ang hindi niya sinipot last week. Ako lang din naman ang naghagis sa kanya ng sapatos sa hospital kahapon. Wow. What a great timing, huh.

"It's you..." Mahina ang boses niya pero tama lang para mapakinggan ko.

"Yes." Naisabi ko na lang nang makita ko nang mabuti ang kanyang mukha. He looked at my face down at the jacket that I was holding. Wow. The probability of seeing him is below one percent, but the odds must be playing at me. Seeing him coincidentally is unlikely to occur but look at us now. We're facing each other in a lifeless, abandoned room. Bigla akong napamewang nang tumingin ako sa kanya.

Kagan is wearing a black shirt underneath the painting apron paired with rugged jeans. However, he looked different last time. The vibe that I've been feeling around him is just so different.

"You must be Klaude's friend." His voice sounded low and quiet. Napataas ang kilay ko dahil sa sinabi niya. He addresses me as Klaude's friend, but Kagan and I had already exchanged our names last time. We even danced at the party. He walked me to my dormitory. We even hung out at his favorite burger place! What the heck is he playing at? Hindi ako makapaniwalang tumingin sa kanya.

"Yes." Sagot ko sa binata at nanatili lang na nakatayo sa aking pwesto. Buti na lang may hawak ako ngayon dahil kung wala ay mukhang hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. I was just there standing awkwardly while Kagan is looking at me. I am tempted to smack him in the face. He's pretending that we haven't seen each other and I am near to explode.

"The jacket you're holding, that's mine. Right?" Parehas kaming napatingin sa jacket na kanina ko pa dala.

"Yes. You gave it to me last week at the party, remember?" I looked at him straight and saw how his eyes quivered with frustration. I don't know if I will feel offended. Nakakaramdam na rin ako ng pagkairita. He looked like he didn't remember what happened last time. He only recognized me as his twin brother's friend. Nakita ko kung paano tumingin si Kagan sa kanyang kamay.