Into the Woods

Chapter 30

Meg

As soon as Drew is out of earshot, I gripped Bryce arms angrily!

"Enough of this acting! Tell me, did Jon sent you to kill her?! What are you going to do, slit her throat with a gardening shear? Tell me!" I tried so hard to whisper all these to Bryce.

Bryce seems calmer than usual. He gently removed my fingers one by one. "Meg, please. Yes, there's no point in lying. Jon did sent me here to finish her off."

I am right! I can kill this bastard right away. I thought he's finished but he spoke again. "Everyday, the deeper I get to know her, the harder it is to carry on my task. I know I'm your newest member and I have to obey all orders. But I'm still human and I still have a soul. You'll be the very first person to know and I trust you with this. I don't think I want to continue this."

I gulped and cold sweats starting to form around my forehead. So Bryce still has a heart, unlike others in our group who are not acting human anymore. They are merely killing machines. Running around like Jon's lap dogs.

I trust this guy. I'm not sure why and we barely look at each other during meetings, let alone speaking out our minds. But I do. "What are you planning to do then?"

He shrugged. "None as of this time. I'm enjoying working here. Can we change the topic, for now?"

I smiled warily. "Fine."

"So, yung sinabi mo a while ago, that you reminded me of someone from your past, was it just an act?" He seems to challenge me.

Natahimik ako ng matagal. Paano ko sasabihin sa kanya? Hindi ko nga alam bakit ko sinabi yun. Si Harvey lang may alam ng lahat. Mahirap magtiwala pero magaan ang loob ko kay Bryce. Hindi ko akalain mararamdaman ko ulit ito. The last time I entrusted my life with a complete stranger was with Daryll.

Hindi ko napigilan tumulo ang luha ko. Kumuha si Bryce ng tissue at inabot sa akin. I thanked him. "There's no point in lying either." I borrowed his words earlier. "It's not an act. At first glimpse, I really thought you were someone I knew so well. But sadly, time did not give us a chance to spend eternity with each other. Not even Drew knew about this. Hindi ko alam bakit sinasabi ko ito sa iyo. Pero sana huwag mo na lang ipagsasabi, kahit kay Drew."

He nodded. "Sometimes, mas madaling magsabi sa isang taong hindi mo kilala. Hindi mo kailangan magtago. Wala kang dapat ikahiya kasi you don't need to prove anything to that person. Unlike sa mga taong malapit sa iyo, you have a reputation to take care of."

All he said made sense. Parang napaka-mature niyang mag-isip. Sa tingin ko hindi nagkakalayo ang age namin.

Bigla siyang napatingin sa oras. Sakto naman may pumasok na dalawang tao sa shop. "Meg, I have to go. Pero gusto pa kitang makausap. Ituloy natin ito. I want to know you better. Do you have any plans this lunch? Dito ka na lang sana kumain. I have enough food for us."

Sino ba talaga itong tao sa harapan ko? Bakit parang matagal ko na siya kilala? Or maybe, nakikita ko lang sa kanya si Daryll. They have something in common. The way he speaks and look at me. Meg! Get a grip. Daryll's dead. Leave him in peace. Baka ito na ang paraan ni God para maka-move on na ako ng tuluyan.

"Sige, actually off ko naman today from our business. So dito na lang muna ako sa desk ni Drew. Go ahead. I'll see you later." I said.

Drew

That was unlikely of Meg! I thought. Most of the time, mataas ang wall niya around guys. Hindi din agad nagtitiwala sa complete stranger. Pero narining ko siya ng may kinuha akong ribbons malapit sa desk ko na sasabay siya mag-lunch with Bryce! Nagayuma na ata ni Bryce ang kaibigan ko! Hindi nga nila ako napansin na dumaan. At matagal ko din sila iniwan. Ilang flower arrangements na nagawa ko pero hindi pa sila tumitigil mag-usap. Mukhang nakahanap na sila pareho ng katapat nila.